Archos’ Android tablet: Can it rival Apple’s iPad?

This week, Archos have announced five new Android-based tablets.

The screens range in size from 2.8 to 10.1 inches, and prices range from $99 to just under $300.

They are due to be released in September or October.

Particular benefits of each tablet include:

The Archos 28 (2.8 inch screen) has video, Internet browsing, 3D games and music apps.

The Archos 32 (3.2 inch screen) has 8 GB of storage, is WiFi-enabled, has a touchscreen connected Android player, and a built in camera.

The Archos 43 (4.3 inch screen) offers full Web browsing, and a 2 megapixel HD camcorder.

The Archos 70 (7 inch screen) has a built-in Webcam to enable video calls, and either 8 GB or 250 GB of storage.

The Archos 101 (10.1 inch screen) weighs just over one pound.

However, according to Jay Yarrow on Business Insider, Apple have nothing to worry about.

He points out that Google won’t put their official app store on Android tablets at the moment, so with the Archos tablet you get the Archos app store, which “probably won’t have a terribly impressive selection of applications. Especially compared to the iPad.”

Yarrow even explicitly points out that “these tablets will not dent iPad sales. Sure, they’re slightly cheaper, and they run on Android… but we get the feeling Android 2.2 is not a good fit for the larger screen.

“These Archos tablets might be okay for web surfing experience, but they will not provide a complete tablet computing experience.”

Other theories about the tablets include an expectation that the tablets will be “relatively light on features, but heavy on media playback and support”.

However, Clint Boulton points out that “the devices will support Adobe Flash content, something the iPad neglects to do”.

He also mentions that “Archos is making its presence felt in a market that is heating up ahead of the holiday season” – so although the Archos tablets may not rival the iPad, they may still be successful Android tablets in their own right.