14 DAY TRIAL // French company Archos, well-known in some parts of Europe for its cheap products, has announced it will launch a rugged tablet powered by Android OS. The new slate is called Archos 101 Saphir and will be available for purchase in June for a price that will be disclosed closer to release.
The rugged tablet will be showcased this month at Mobile World Congress (MWC) trade fair, between February 27 and March 2, so attendees will be able to take it for a spin if they wish so.
Spec-wise, the Archos 101 Saphir is not terribly interesting. In fact, it's quite boring if not for the rugged features the French company brags about.
The tablet has been designed to be encased in a rugged casing, which can survive drops up to 1 meter, as well as dust and water splashes, thanks to its IP54 certification.
Another important aspect that might boost the tablet's appeal is the fact that it ships with the Android 7.0 Nougat operating system right out of the box.
The hardware inside the Archos 101 Saphir is totally unimpressive, but we're hoping for a low price to sweeten the deal. For example, the tablet is equipped with a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor, coupled with 1GB RAM and 16GB expandable memory.
Archos 101 Saphir sports a large 10.1-inch IPS display with a disappointing 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. The same goes for the camera combo comprised of a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a secondary 2-megapixel camera in the front.
The good news is Archos included a pretty decent 6,000 mAh battery, so it will probably take a while until you run out of juice. There's USB Type-C, 3.5mm audio jack, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and micro HDMI connectivity as well.
According to Archos, its 2-in-1 rugged tablet has been certified by Google, so it comes pre-loaded with Google Play Store and other apps and services provided by the search giant.
