Your next Android tablet might just be a Kodak - at least in name

Kodak seem to be making great efforts with regard to film lately. They still seem to struggle with the digital world, though. Ok, so Kodak is a shadow of its former self, commonly just licensing its name to the highest bidder. But, you sometimes have to ask, what’s the point?

For those who’ve never heard of Archos, they make a line of low budget mediocre Android tablets. They also used to make a not terrible range of portable photo backup devices (whatever happened to those?) and mp3 players. Now, Kodak have announced that it has selected Archos as a brand license in the European tablet market.

Kodak say that this latest extension of Kodak’s brand licensing program follows on the heels of the “successful” European launch of hte Kodak Ektra smartphone. Exactly what their definition of “successful” is, I’m not sure, but I’ve never met anybody who’s actually bought one. Most of the reviews I’ve seen also don’t paint it as anything special, either.

We are excited to be adding ARCHOS to our portfolio of brand licensees. ARCHOS has a strong track record in the computer tablet sector. The French brand was the first to introduce a GOOGLE ANDROID tablet in 2009 and is recognized as a key player in the European tablet market with broad retail presence.

– Brian Cruz, Vice President & General Manager of Kodak’s Consumer Products Group

They also say that the produces will “combine chic design with the latest technologies”. Apparently, “latest technologies” means 3G and an 8MP back camera. So, not 4G and no mention of a front camera (the only one really worth having on a tablet). But it will have a bunch of its storage space taken up by preloaded apps to “provide photo and video enthusiasts with creative options”.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Maybe they’ll surprise us. If it has a 1080p IPS screen, I might even get one. Even if it does only end up serving as a remote control for DSLRs.

The Kodak tablets are expected to be available in stores across Europe before summer 2017. No word yet on actual specs or prices, though.

[via Android Police]

Duane Emmerson

I would, why not.
Renato Murakami

Wow, Archos… that’s a name I don’t hear about for a very long time…

I have an Archos 504 MP4 player. This came before smartphones and tablets became a thing, back some 10 years ago.
Let me tell you something… back then, the costumer support was abysmal, you needed to buy several expensive proprietary accessories to make full use of it’s features, firmware development was halted not long after release, and only a few video formats were supported natively – you had to pay in order to play certain types of video.

Despite all that, it’s a pretty solid device. Still working to this day.
Of course, I have no idea how the company and it’s products are these days… it’s probably an entirely different company.
- Kaouthia
  
  Yup, my first thought when I read the press release was…
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=031vKBPk5eA
- GOLDAR
  
  LOLz I had a crappy Archos MP3 player in 2005/6 when you skipped track too fast it would play a high pitched screeching sound
  - Renato Murakami
    
    HAHA, oh man, those were the times.
    Not to completely derail the topic, but do you remember that cube shaped mp3 player… I think it was called MobiBlu?
    I always wanted one, never got it. I know it’s kinda unrelated but I always remember it because it came out around the same time we had this huge selection of different mp3 players with all shapes and forms.
- David White
  
  Yup I still have an Archos mp3 and mp4 player 20gb, still have stuff on it. Idk why but I do
Brian Menin

Holy clickbait.
Garrett Jackson

Lol… No.
Jyi Offer

I don’t see why not