Arnova, a new manufacturer it’s safe to say we’ve not yet heard of, has announced plans to launch two super-budget Android tablets in Europe this June. The Arnova 7 is a 7″ Android 2.2 tablet with a resistive touchscreen and 800×480 resolution – and a UK high street price of £99.
It’s also launching the Arnova 84, which, as you may be able to determine from the clue in the model name, is an 8.4″ option – but that’ll arrive with Android 2.1 and cost £129. Both are set to hit retail in June, so they say. Here they are:
Both will be on sale in Comet and ASDA in the UK, and various other retailers across Europe. Here’s the press release:
Great Value ARNOVA 7 and ARNOVA 84 tablets now in High Street Stores
£99 and £129 ARNOVA Android tablets soon in Asda and Comet
In June, UK consumers can get their hands on two great value Android Internet tablets from ARNOVA in Asda and Comet. Priced at £99 and £129, the ARNOVA 7 and the ARNOVA 84 are designed by the team at ARCHOS, the tablet and portable video player pioneer. They offer a great value route into the world of tablet computing, with thousands of downloadable apps and games, web surfing, email, social networking, eBooks and high-definition video playback.
ARNOVA 7, an Android based-tablet for only £99
Designed to bridge the gap between a smartphone and the desktop PC or laptop, the ARNOVA 7 has all the multimedia and communications features of more expensive tablets in a really affordable package. Powered by Android Froyo (2.2) and with integrated Wi-Fi and email, there are more than 30,000 downloadable apps including games and clients for Facebook and Twitter. The ARNOVA 7 sports a 7’’ resistive touchscreen which, thanks to the 800 x 480 pixel display, means you can surf the web just like on a PC (seeing the whole web page), read eBooks or watch HD videos. All of this in a tablet just 12mm thick and 340 grams in weight.ARNOVA 84, the perfect size for eBooks
The ARNOVA 84 is designed to be your digital companion whether at home or on the go. The 4:3 format, 8.4 inch screen (21.3 cm) is just right for reading your favorite newspapers or magazines comfortably in portrait and landscape mode. A range of eBook applications, from the likes of WHSmith, and the integrated page turn buttons on the device also make the ARNOVA 84 the perfect e-reading companion. Powered by Android Éclair 2.1 and with integrated Wi-Fi, the ARNOVA 84 has access to all the apps, games, social networking and communications features of the ARNOVA 7 in a bigger screen for just £129.
Motorola’s latest flagship dual-core Android monster is a massive, original powerhouse, that’s a big improvement on previous MOTOBLUR mobiles – but still isn’t a total winner.
A slim and glamorous phone from Sony Ericsson, with the sharpest display around. It’s no powerhouse and the screen’s not the biggest out there, but we don’t mind. Because it’s cute.
LG’s first glasses-free 3D phone is a heavy, fat monster, with a clever 3D effect that works rather well. As a smartphone, though, it’s heavy and underwhelming.
A very shiny thing from Sony Ericsson, with a 3.7″ screen and Android 2.3.3 inside. But is it exciting enough to win fans in today’s spec-obsessed market? Can man live on one core alone?
INQ’s Android phone is an interesting “boutique” piece of hardware, packed with unique interface customisations that go far beyond the headline Facebook integration. We like it a lot.
Mark
/ May 29, 2011I got as far as reading resistive touchscreen and stopped reading…
Why companies insist on making tablets with resistive touchreens is beyond me.
Simon
/ May 29, 2011Main reason is cost but having a resistive panel does not mean the screen will be crap and unresponsive. I have personally used some devices with resistive screens that are as responsive as a capacitive screen with the advantage that a regular stylus can be used, or even a pen.
Don’t be so quick to jump on the ‘resistive is bad’ train. Yes there are some horrible resistive screens but there are also some horrible capacitive screens too.
Mark
/ May 29, 2011There is a HUGE difference between all resistive touchsceens and all capacitive touchscreens.
Your fingers glide on a capacitive, but you have to physically press a resistive.
I would never touch anything sporting a resistive screen,
Denzil
/ May 29, 2011Couldn’t have put it better
Denzil
/ May 29, 2011Huh…how did that happen? My previous message was in response to Mark…I also can’t stand resistive screens.
richie
/ May 29, 2011even the cheap Kogan Agora 7″ manages to be capacitive. When are they going to learn that simple thing?
MetalMickey
/ May 29, 2011Why the hell is the bigger & more expensive version running 2.1???
MetalMickey
/ May 29, 2011If you go to their website they’re also advertising a 10.1″ for £179
Again it runs 2.1 & also looks like these tablets are missing the Android Market too, spec states they come with AppsLib. Shame.
peter kaptein
/ May 30, 2011Arnova is a sub-brand of Archos. They basically repackage last years models for the low end of the market.
You can bitch about a lot, reading this, but it is the smart thing to do.
The market for Android devices is splitting into the high end 500 euro and more devices and the low end 200 euro and less tablets.
If your needs are basic, Arnova will do the trick.
If you want Android 3.1 with capacitive screen and the latest ARM X-core processor, simply pay the 300 euro to 500 euro and up and stop bitching.
Regarding Anrdoid Market, there are some hacks for Archos tablets, allowing you to install a fully functional Android Market. Do some googling on Archos and Android market.
MarkG
/ May 31, 2011It’s unfortunate, that it’s shit like these products, that all Ipad owners think Android entirely consists of.
A bit like the Gadget show, than compared 1 single Android tablet, against an Ipad, and then Jason Bradbury went off into his self rightous Apple rant about how everything apple is great blah blah blah…
They should have reviewed the Asus Transformer, and got someone subjective to review it (anyone other than Jason Bradbury) it would have killed the iPad2 in the review…
richie
/ May 31, 2011thoroughly agree. Gadget show is very biased.
I’m not sure when it was recorded by the Acer, Asus, Vega, and others are available. there are many issues with the ipad as well as android tablets. Would have been good to see something more in depth. A bit was covered at the end when they said they couldn’t get stuff off and on the ipad easily but then did not say how easy it was on the android tabs. They have always loved Apple stuff.
samir
/ May 31, 2011Does anyone know when the samsung galaxy ace is going to be updgraded to gingerbread? They said mid mayish and i am pretty sure that time has passed…