Update: Hands-on video and full specifications.

The title says most of what you need to know. Archos has announced the official launch for the Archos 9, which will be on October 22nd in two colors (white and black), and the unit will run $499! Here are the specs:

• Atom Z510 1.1GHz CPU
• 1024×600 9 inch resistive touchscreen
• 1GB of RAM
• 60GB HDD
• Windows 7 Starter
• 4 hours of battery life
• 800 grams

I have to say that I’m really impressed with that price. I couldn’t see the Archos 9 going anywhere if it were $600+, and $499 is a great surprise.

Check out Chippy’s recent hands-on with the 16mm thin device.

Chippy wrote about it not long ago and it looks like he was right on the money. At IDF 2009, Intel has announced the Intel Atom Developer Program, the ‘app store’ framework for mobile atom products.

Don’t cast this off as a ‘me too’ for Intel though, this app store brings some really benefits to the platforms that it will serve.

First of all, Intel’s Atom app store will function on Windows and Moblin. One application written by a developer will run on both of these devices with the help of Microsoft Silverlight and other multi-platform systems such as Adobe Air.

So what’s so great about an app store anyway? An app store has the ability to drive innovative application creation because it let’s developers focus on what they do best: development. By removing the barriers of sale, such as having to devise a secure payment and distribution method for each individual program, developers will be able to flourish. By breaking down these walls, even a single person with a good idea has a chance to make money from users that want their program. This means great applications for the users, and a money making potential for devs, which should draw developers to this platform.

While an app store is a good thing for consumers, it still has some barriers to overcome. An app store works great on something like the iPhone or Android, because these are systems that only run particular applications to begin with. Intel’s app store will be running on Moblin (Linux) and Windows; both x86 platforms which are already capable of running applications that are out there. Intel will need to distribute this app store well if people are going to really take advantage of it. By opening up this app store, Intel is competing against THE app store… not sure what I’m talking about? It’s called the internet. Because these machines are x86, users are used to simply finding and buying a program on the web, something that Intel will need to work hard to undo.

Jump over to MIDMoves for the full press release from Intel.

Chippy has posted a video of the Moblin 2.1  at IDF 2009. Moblin is Intel’s open source operating system project for MIDs and netbooks. While it is already up to version 2.1, it has seen very little adoption so far, but Intel is hoping to change that once Moorestown phones start coming to market. Anyway, peek the video below, and I don’t know if you’ll find it equally as funny, but for some reason, the giant cat monster terrorizing people made me chortle.

Here’s the new Viliv S10 ‘Blade’ convertible touchscreen netbook.

Great build quality and looks. Certainly better than my Gigabyte Touchnote!

Available before the end of the year.

Chippy’s spent a lot of time bringing us some quality IDF 2009 coverage. In addition to a video-overview of each of these devices, he’s been able to sneak away and snap some nice pictures of each. Full Archos 9 set on MIDMoves

Full UMID M2 set on MIDMoves

I know I can. You probably read my recent opinion piece on the UMID M1 that I’ve been testing. Among other things, I found the device to have some serious usability issues due to the lack of mouse and the unsatisfying keyboard. While not everything on the M2 is new (it might better be called the M1.5), it definitely tacks on some much desired improvements.

The M2 that Chippy got his hands on is just a prototype at this point and may change somewhat from when the product launches (targeted for Q4), but here is what we know:

• optical mouse on the screen bezel as well as left and right mouse buttons, opposite the mouse (!)
• 1.2GHz and 1.6GHz Atom CPU options
• 1GB of RAM
• New casing, opens to a further angle
• No more proprietary USB adapters, there is 1x real USB plug on the right side of the device
• Windows 7

Have to say that I think the new hinge looks more attractive than the M1’s style, looking forward to seeing the M2 in matte as well. Here’s to hoping that the keyboard get’s some sort of upgrade before the unit gets finalized.

One of the more intriguing devices that we’ve been waiting to find out more about is the Archos 9 slate ultra mobile PC [Portal page]. Have a look at Chippy’s hands on, straight from IDF 2009:

Looks pretty darn slick if you ask me. I’m really happy to see the optical mouse; it will definitely improve usability over having just the touchscreen for input. Don’t forget this thing is running Windows 7. I’m pretty disappointed to see a lack of physical keyboard on the Archos 9. No keyboard physical means some seriously reduced usability for normal computing applications, but the nice inline stand could make this a nice table-top media device. If you carried this puppy around with a foldable BT keyboard, you’d have a very slick piece of kit for mobile computing.

I think I’d personally rather see this device running a custom OS with polished touch based software and a reasonable price. The price hasn’t been announced yet, but Chippy puts the unit around 600 Euros, available pretty soon. More info as we get it.

I’ve had a chance to play with the Archos 9 for a while since testing it out at the IDF Mobility Meeting. Here’s a presentation video. Images of the device from the testing session are available in the UMPCPortal gallery.

Full specifications and links to other Archos 9 articles here.