Archos 101 XS ultra-thin Android tablet and keyboard dock

Archos has just launched its Archo Gen10 XS Android tablet line, which is spearheaded by the Archos 101 XS. As its name indicates, it is a 10.1″ Android tablet running on Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0.23), and the main differentiation point is its ultra-thin design, keyboard dock (included in the base model) and relatively fast graphics processor.

The Archos 101XS goes after a market similar to the ASUS TF300, but in a slightly different way. As a standalone device, the tablet is very thin and that can be felt immediately when holding it. The keyboard has a unique design that does not rely on a hinge, but on magnets to keep the keyboard and tablet together in the “closed” position.

In “open” position, a simple mechanism keeps the tablet up. Note that the connection between the keyboard and tablet is a physical one. There is no Bluetooth involved and there is no need to  charge the keyboard.  Although the tablet can be charged while connected to the keyboard, there is no integrated battery in the keyboard, so this is different from the ASUS transformer series. Of course, given the $399 price for the combo, it would be impossible for Archos to include additional battery capacity.

Here are the specifications below, and stay tuned for our fill review which is coming up in a few hours on Ubergizmo. So far, what do you think of this tablet, and what would you like to see in the review?

Display: 10.1-inch screen with 1280 x 800 resolution
Processor: OMAP 4470 CPU Dual Core 1.5 Ghz with PowerVR SGX544 GPU
RAM: 1GB of RAM
Storage: 16GB internal Flash Memory + expandable to up to 64 GB via MicroSD card (SDXC)
Front camera: 720p
Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, Micro USB, MicroSD (SDXC up to 64 GB), Mini HDMI