The hardware on the Archos 5 is “well built” and “very pocketable,” says T3. But it really comes down to the fact that the Archos 5 uses a mobile operating system, but doesn’t have the ingredients of a mobile phone, including 3G. They were able to tether a phone to the device, but we all know that’s usually more annoying than screaming kids on an aeroplane.

The second major downer is the missing Marketplace. Because it doesn’t have a camera or compass, Google wouldn’t approve it being included and Archos had to come up with its very own App Labs. While it comes with a few preloaded applications (including Twitroid, ebuddy and Craigsphone), it just doesn’t have the same volume as the official Android store. Good news for Archos is that they should be able to fix these two major issues with the phone they have planned to release in early 2010. [T3]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but yeah, we’re talking about the iPod touch model: It’s about platforms. That run apps. That people can develop awesome little programs for. In other words, a good PMP won’t just have great codec support and be able to push HD video, it’ll get you on Twitter or Facebook or tell you what’s good to eat nearby.

Not convinced? Check out the new Archos 5, which dumps the old OS for Android. Or the Creative Zii, also allegedly launching with Android. If you’re in the second tier, grabbing a popular app-friendly platform is not a bad way to compete.

Apple itself noted that old-school iPods were on a death march—so the company added a video camera to the nano, to keep it alive for a generation or two more. True, Sony’s X-Series appears to be keeping on keeping on, but it feels like an anachronism, albeit with a nice screen—no extendibility, and a horrible internet browser.

The argument really comes down to the Zune HD, launching this week. It finds itself in an awkward position, essentially because of the effective limbo Microsoft’s mobile OS is in—in other words you can’t easily develop apps for both Zune HD and Windows Mobile, which Zune’s Brian Seitz basically admitted to the Seattle Times: “What we didn’t want to do was build two parallel app store experiences that didn’t work together.”

So there’s no open app store, but in the meantime, Microsoft’s providing the apps with a handful of chosen developers, so we’re stuck with games, and soon a Twitter and Facebook app. But what is clear is that Zune is a platform that people can develop for. And it seems inevitable that’ll be common with the next version of Windows Mobile, or the mysterious project Pink, if that is something else—at least, if Microsoft’s actually serious about the Zune having a future.

In other words, it’s startlingly clear now that the traditional PMP is history, replaced by PMPs powered by mobile platforms. They’re smartphones without the “phone,” and even lacking that major element, they’re surprisingly valuable, more pocket computer—with internet and apps—than glorified video player.

The Archos Phone Tablet will have 3G connectivity, using a 1GHz ARM processor and the Android operating system. It’s kind of big compared to the 3.5-inch iPhone, but I guess they are not chasing the pure mobile phone market, and more the always-connected not-as-small-as-smartphone-or-as-big-as-tablet internet-connectivity-thingie market. Whatever that market is. [Electric Pig]

The company will launch a smaller all touchscreen phone (around the size of the iPhone is our guess) in early 2010 that will run Google’s Android and be powered by Texas Instruments’ OMAP TM3 platform (the same that is in the Palm Pre). The 3G enabled smartphone will most likely be sold unlocked but also through carriers. My guess is that it will hit Europe before anywhere else.

Oh and don’t forget Motorola announced its Android running CLIQ today. Mmm loads of Android landing in our hands. [Archos]

Looks like the A5 will come in two flash and two hard drive capacities, with a 16/32GB SSD or a 160/500GB HDD. Prices are $US294 for the 16GB, $US370 for the 32GB, $US320 for the 160GB and $US420 for the 500GB. The A5 is rumoured to have 720p video output, but like the Zune HD, you’ll have to buy a dock, and the A5’s is a pricey one with DVR functionality at $US130. We’ll keep you updated once the product is officially announced on September 15. [ArchosFans via Engadget]

The hardware on the new mobile internet devices looks to have been redesigned from the Archos 5. It has the typical Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and while the user manual mentions 3G (or SIM Kaart) the FCC didn’t test it.

As for the OS, Android has to be it with all the rumours swirling and would make the devices a whole lot more exciting, but the one shot of the device powered on has an interesting UI. Looks like some sort of media bar type interface along the bottom. Is that an app drawer on the right?

I am trying real hard to get excited about this tablet especially without a price. Chances are it will get a tag north of $US300 and in that case I am just not sure why you don’t get a Android phone or a netbook and put Android on it yourself. [FCC via Engadget]

Depending on your adherence to the nebulous categorisation of tiny computers, the impending Archos tablet (which will be announced September 15, according to Pocketables) may actually qualify as a MID rather than a tablet: It’ll have a 5-inch WVGA touchscreen capable of 720p playback (with HDMI output), 3.5G mobile internet, and up to 500GB HDD. We’re hoping the touchscreen’ll be capacitive rather than resistive like Archos’s last MIDs.

And, because everybody has to have one, Archos has launched AppsLib, essentially a Android app sub-store for devices larger than smartphones (tablets, MIDs, netbooks, whatever). We’ll see if others embrace Android for larger devices, especially with the Google Chrome OS looming on the horizon, but it’s a nice idea that a certain other company beginning with the letter A may use for a certain rumoured tablet and a certain app store. [I4U]

Crave got a little hands-on with the svelte Atom-powered Archos9, and without even thinking about it, published their post calling it a fairly accurate capacitive touchscreen. That makes us happy: Tablets, especially a little guy like this 9-incher, need as accurate tracking as they can muster. Archos’s previous “tablets,” the Archos 5 and 7, used mushy resistive touchscreens that worked okay but are firmly last-gen right now, and we’re excited to see a slick capacitive interface with the highly-touchable Windows 7 OS.

Yet in Archos’s press release for the Archos9, they list the screen as resistive. Now we trust Crave, and we believe that they (like the rest of us) can tell the difference with each finger press. So what’s the story here? Crave doesn’t seem to have any idea; all the documentation says resistive, but it certainly didn’t feel that way to them. This may seem like nitpicking, but it might be a dealbreaker for us. Handwriting recognition is far worse with resistive screens, they can only pick up one signal at a time (so multitouch is out), and the screens themselves are often much muddier or washed-out looking than capacitive.

So help us out, Archos. We want to like this thing, we really do, but we’d like to know what we’re dealing with first. Anyway, full presser below. [Crave]

ARCHOS REDEFINES MOBILE COMPUTING WITH ITS TABLET PC

New Ultra-Thin and Ultra-Fast ARCHOS 9 PCtablet Delivers Full PC Computing, Video Conferencing and Access to Media on a Full Touch Screen Handheld Device.

DENVER, CO – July 2, 200Your browser may not support display of this image. 9 ARCHOS is leading the innovation charge in the MiniPC market with the introduction of the ARCHOS 9 PCtablet. This new PCtablet combines the performance of a high-end PC with breathtaking design, excellent ergonomics and an astonishing touch interface. It gives PC users an entirely new way to work, stay connected and enjoy the Web and digital media on an ultra-thin and extremely fast full touch-screen tablet.

The ARCHOS 9 PCtablet is the ultra portable PC; extremely thin, just 0.63″, and ultra lightweight, less than 22.29 oz. The ARCHOS 9 pushes the boundaries of style and function.

With a full touch-sensitive 9″ screen, users can enjoy a comfortable computing experience. The resistive screen allows emails and documents to be composed easily via a built-in virtual keyboard. The innovative optical trackball and buttons allows easy navigation on screen, and provides an uncompromised PC experience.

The ARCHOS 9 features the new Z515 Intel® processor, Microsoft Windows 7® Operating system and an integrated multimedia platform that uses WiFi 802.11b/g connection and Bluetooth 2.1 for extremely fast computing anywhere, anytime.

Additional software includes Microsoft Office®, Web TV & Radio, video conference, antivirus, parental control, photos and movies edition applications and more.

The ARCHOS 9 PCtablet will be available this fall, 2009.

Unlike its predecessors, which are basic touchscreen internet media tablets, the Archos9 is a touch tablet that can run a full computer OS. It also features a built-in webcam, 120GB of memory, full touch support, an external mic, streo speakers, and a toggled-on optical trackpad and an on-screen keyboard, and will be available in Europe this October—around the same time as Windows 7’s release—for €450 ($635).

Not far behind the quiet April release of the Archos 2, the Archos 3 has made an appearance on Archo’s web site. Looking slim and shiny, the Archos 3 is an 8GB MP3 player, which touts a 3-ich colour touchscreen, 14 hours of battery life, and supports photo, audio and video playback, voice recording and more. There is no word on pricing and availability as of now. [Archos via CNet and UMPC]