As the MWC 2018 cuts closer, all eyes are on the big names like the Samsung Galaxy S9. To make the most out of the publicity that surrounds the largest tech event of the year, Archos Hello is jumping the gun. A brand that is mostly associated with music devices and budget mobile phones, Archos Hello is the debut of the French brand into the growing “smart displays” genre, but the company is calling it a Home Assistant — it is indeed a mix of Smart Home Speaker like Google Home, AI software Google Assistant and displays like Smart Display.
Ahead of the event itself, Archos has unveiled its very first smart display device, going toe-to-toe with Lenovo and Facebook Smart Speaker. Ever since Amazon pushed forward Echo Spot and Echo View, Google has been prepping its Google Home to evolve for a visual experience.
Here’s everything to know about Archos Hello, and our two cents on why you should and shouldn’t buy it.
Archos Hello specs and features
- 7-inch and 8.4-inch variants
- Full-HD IPS touchscreen display
- Both models running Android 8.0 Oreo
- 4000mAh battery
- 2GB RAM capacity
- 16GB onboard storage
- 5MP wide angle camera
- Integrated 4 microphones and speakers
With a design that is strikingly similar to the Lenovo Smart Display announced at CES 2017, Archos Hello is built to blend into your home. The light undertone color with the wooden back can be placed either vertically or horizontally with its forward-facing speakers.
There are two variants available with different screen sizes, but the hardware and features remain the same. Unlike Amazon Echo or Google Home, Archos Hello comes with a 4000mAh battery built into it, making it the only portable smart display out there right now.
https://youtu.be/gmW4pzw3m-c
Since the smart display is running Android 8.0 out of the box, this could turn the IPS FHD display into a family tablet screen instantly. With Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, the smart display also comes with support for integrating with other smart home devices.
Related:
Smart display vs. Smart speakers
Archos Hello price and release date
- The 7-inch variant priced at €129.99 ($160)
- The 8.4-inch variant priced at €179.99 ($222)
- Due to go on sale this summer
As you’d expect, the two variants are priced differently, but both are still well within the price range of smart speakers. By comparison, the Google Home speaker without a smart display costs $129, while the Amazon Echo Show goes all the way up to $229.99.
Set to release this summer, you can expect the Archos Hello to hit the home market in France first, followed by a worldwide rollout.
Why buy the Archos Hello?
Smart display tech is going to be a family gadget in every techie’s home soon enough, and Archos Hello is a strong contender for the spot. As of now, it is the only smart display to be completely portable, powered by a 4000mAh battery and at an affordable price too.
Since Archos Hello is running Android 8.0 Oreo and not just a half-baked version of Google Assistant, it can do more than most of its competitors. From streaming movies and making calls through Google Duo, to controlling your smart lights – it can do it all.
Why not buy the Archos Hello?
What makes Google Home so great is the power of Google Assistant, and the Archos Hello might not have it. Archos has mentioned nowhere that Google’s smart assistant will be powering their smart display, and it seems that they’ll most likely ship it with their own smart assistant program onboard.
While it’s not fair to judge a book by its cover, not having access to Google Assistant might be a deal breaker for some. Either way, we’ll have to wait and see how good Archos’ very own personal assistant fairs against the big players in the business.
