There has been a public/niche (?) clamouring for an Android netbook for some time now but it looks like the first mainstream device to step away from the smartphone category will actually be a swanky tablet...
The as yet unnamed and unseen device will be a twin product to the 'Archos 9 PCTablet' (pictured) but choose Android over the 9's Windows 7 OS. With Windows 7 not being released until 22 October the Inquirer reports we'll actually get our hands on the Android tablet first with a formal announcement in September.
Other details are thin on the ground. A smaller 5in screen (compared to the PCTablet's nine incher) will apparently be featured and it will be of similar proportions to the Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet. Telephony based Android devices are also in the works but whether that is as a range of smartphones or simply integrated into a tablet/MID we don't know at this stage.
Meanwhile the Archos 9 PCTablet itself will sport a familiar 1024 x 600 native resolution on a touchscreen display, a 1.3GHz Atom CPU and US15W chipset. 60GB and 120GB HDD options will be offered at £450 and £500 respectively.
Moving into more familiar PMP territory, the company has firmed up the 'Archos 3', 'Archos 2' and 'Clipper'. The 3 and 2 refer to their respective screen sizes (3in and 2in) while Archos' smallest device to date is just 20g and pitched at the shuffle sector. All use flash memory with the Clipper coming in at 2GB and the 3 and 2 both sporting 8GB. They'll launch in August for £19.99, £49.99 and £89.99.
Finally the company has confirmed the '10s' will replace the current Archos 10 netbook next month. The S is touted as the slimmest netbook to date measuring just 28mm at its thickest point. The 1.6GHz Atom CPU, 1GB RAM and 160GB HDD are all more standard. Both three and six cell battery editions will be available for £330 and £350 respectively. You don't need me to tell you which one is the better buy...
Update: An 'Archos 13' is now being launched to augment the Archos 10s as well. It has a 13in LED backlit 1280 x 800 pixel display, runs an Intel ULV CPU and (for some reason) has a smaller 120GB HDD while weighing in at 1.5Kg. A £550 price tag is mooted.
