Archos to offer energy monitoring app for Android MIDs

Archos is soon going to offer the users of its Archos Android MIDs an energy monitoring application. This application will allow the customers to monitor their electricity usage as-well-as gas consumption.

This new energy monitoring system is called the Ewe Box and will be offered for Archos 5 Internet Tablet

“Ewe’s energy management experience together with Archos’ internet tablets result in a very appealing solution that will motivate subscribers to monitor and thus reduce their energy consumption”, says Henri Crohas, CEO and founder of Archos.

“We are glad to collaborate with Archos on our pioneering concept of energy monitoring. Archos is the right partner for us because of its innovative solutions and its long standing experience in mobile and connected displays”, explained Ludwig Kohnen, who is responsible for the product at Ewe.

Read Archos 5 Internet Tablet review

Archos 5 MID for just $249 at Radioshack

You seriously would not want to miss this opportunity! Archos 5 Android Mid is being offered for just $249 by RadioShack. It has a 8GB SSD for storage.

This is cheaper than the Archos 5 32GB MID that retails at around $379 at Amazon. This is a serious iPod Touch alternative that also features micro-SD slot, something which is missing in iTouch.

It has WiFi b/g built-in and an excellent web-browser based on web-kit framework.

[Radioshack Archos 5 MID link] Read our iPod Touch 3G 64GB review

Archos releases Developer Edition firmware for Archos 5 and Archos 7 MIDs

Archos has released developer edition firmware for the Archos 5 and Archos 7 MIDs. They are based on some Angstrom Linux. Although, both of the MIDs are media centric devices, these firmwares won’t carry any media app on them.

These firmwares will allow the developers to test and deploy the apps before they are released to the public.

It is considered as a starting point for developers interested in building native applications and creating new usage models with the ARCHOS 5 and ARCHOS 7 hardware platforms. The firmware provided is based on the Angstrom distribution (http://www.angstrom-distribution.org/) generated from a customized open embedded build (http://wiki.openembedded.net/index.php/Main_Page).

Having opened the door to developers, ARCHOS eagerly anticipates seeing its hardware platform used as a foundation for creating exciting new usage models and applications that the developer community brings.

Archos 5 Internet Tablet gets firmware update – Version 1.3.07 ready for download

Last month, Archos rolled out a firmware update for its Android MID and now there is yet another Archos 5′s new firmware update (direct download link). This new firmware add a host of features and fixes few issues.

Click on read more to see the full list of new features and bug fixes

Get Archos 5 Android Tablet for just 1 Euro! (Developers only)

Developers, you can get an Archos 5 Internet MID (mini review) for just 1 Euro. How? Just develop an app for this nice MID and Archos will give you this tablet for just a euro!

Now, what is the reason behind this sweet offer? Believe it or not, a couple of downsides of Archos 5 Internet Tablet have forced Android to lure the developers to make apps for its MID: vibration feature and google maps. Due to the absence of those two features, many apps already available in the Android market do not work on this MID. This has actually forced the Archos to distribute their apps via their own AppsLib store.

• publish one or multiple applications on the AppsLib (publishing requires the creation of a free developer account if you don’t already have one)
• Each application will be tested by ARCHOS to validate that the application is indeed functioning correctly (see the following question)
• Once the application is validated (count at least 15 days – ARCHOS didn’t seem to increase their human resources for this program), you’ll receive a code for a 228€ (vat included) reduction that is valid only on the ARCHOS web store www.archos.com. Be careful to verify the delivery zones. The country list is shown on AppsLib (pretty much all of Europe, the United States, etc.).
• The 228€ reduction code will be applicable to the entire range of ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablets. Models like the 8GB and 16GB won’t be available until the beginning of 2010, but the reduction code will still be valid.

Note: Submissions will be accepted until the end of November.

TIP: How to watch new Youtube videos on the Archos 5 MID

Struggling to play the new new Youtube videos on your Archos 5 MID (not to be confused with the Archos 5 Internet Tablet)? Here is a simple tip on how to play them:

Archos 5 Internet Tablet pros and cons

Should you buy the Archos 5 Internet Tablet, which has been hyped a lot by the Internet community as the iPod Touch/Zune HD killer? Well, here are the pros and cons that you should keep in mind before shelling out $350+ on it

Click on read more to read the huge list of pros and cons

Archos 5 versus Archos 5 Internet Tablet (Android)

I am very sure that are tons of Archos 5 users that have their eyes on the Archos 5 Internet Tablet, that runs Android OS.

One of the many things that people are expecting to work on the Archos 5 Android Internet Tablet is the Archos 5′s remote. So, does it work? Well, simple answer is NO. It won’t work.

What about the plugins that the people purchased for the original Archos 5? Do they work? NO again, but there is little Archos can do in this regard as Archos 5 Android runs Android OS and thus it makes all the plugins incompatible. Again, NO GAMES of your old Archos 5 would work.

I am many of current Archos 5 users will feel cheated about their accessories being rendered completely USELESS and the inability to use their Archos 5 apps on the Android Archos 5.

Bottomline: If do not own any Archos branded product or you do not have any regret about spending that EXTRA money on games, apps, plugins and accessories, then you can go ahead and still buy Archos 5 Android tablet.

READ ARCHOS 5 ANDROID tablet review

Archos 5 Internet Tablet manual

Archos has made the manual of Archos 5 Internet Tablet online now. Manuals are great way to learn more about the functions and features of a device before you plan to buy it.

Here is the DIRECT LINK to the 55 page user manual of Archos 5 Internet Tablet

Archos 5 Internet Tablet quick tour + confirmation about Android version 1.6 update

It is now confirmed that the Archos 5 Internet Tablet will get the 1.6 Android update for sure.