Unfortunately, this discussion is no longer valid
Posted 24 December 2012

Archos 80 Cobalt owners thread. ****Guide on page 1****

Well if you grabbed on from the Tesco deal then this is the place to chat, ask advice, share tips etc.

UPDATE:

Well this thread has gathered some pace over the last few days with some excellent posts and links.

gx3K will be keeping post 1 upto date with the latest developments so please look here first to see if this answers your questions.

So a big thanks to gx3k for his continued help (VIP Badge coming his way maybe!) and the others giving their time to help the others.
Community Updates
New Comment

3173 Comments

sorted by
's avatar
  1. carebuddy's avatar
    Click here to watch unboxing and review of the tablet. - Thanks to Degon
    Click here for a full list of best free Android apps. - Thanks to Garion

    ** How to reset your tablet ** (thanks to fmiah)
    Turn off the tablet.
    Hold down vol down button and power buttons together .
    As soon as screen appears let go of power button but continue to hold vol down
    Power and vol up buttons when green android appears with red exclamation mark.
    Enters android menu, can then select to wipe the tablet and reset.


    ** Update now available ** (29/03/2013)
    Download it here (fixes stuck icons and Google talk audio), save it to your tablet's internal memory outside any folder and restart. You will be prompted to update. Plug in the charger to avoid powering off in the middle of the update which will mess up the tablet. You may delete the file after the update. New custom ROM also available here (thanks to 900supersport), it is already rooted, has CWM, 2Gb of app space and other goodies.


    ** How to register your tablet **
    Go to the Archos website > create an account > log in to your account > add a device. The serial number is the one that starts with 'YI' (letters).


    ** How to uninstall apps **
    Go to settings > Apps > select the unwanted app > uninstall
    If you're using Go Launcher HD, you may go to the app drawer > touch and hold unwanted app until it shakes > tap x on the app icon


    ** How to get Flash (no rooting required) **
    Download and install this file and use a browser like Dolphin to see flash content from websites. This will allow you to watch videos on websites.


    ** How to find missing apps (no rooting required) **
    If you can't find apps you need from the Play store, you may Google the app name followed by APK to find the installation file. Make sure you allow side loading of apps by going to Settings > Security > Unknown sources > allow installation on non-market apps. You can also use another App store like Amazon Appstore. WARNING: Install anti-malware apps like Avast to protect your tablet from viruses/malware specially if you download apps from unknown sources.

    Some apps don't appear on the Play store because it may not support the screen resolution, processor, or it does not recognise the device you are using. This does not mean they will not work on the tablet. You just need to find the installers on other places as instructed above. Please note that not all apps will work on the tablet even if installers are found due to mentioned incompatibilities. It is best to test each app individually.


    ** How to make the screen better (no rooting required) **
    Download and install Screen adjuster app from the Play store. Open and adjust brightness to 90 and below. This will reduce pixelation, discolouration, and flicker. You may lower the brightness further for less flicker. Don't forget to tap the top button to 'Adjuster ON'. WARNING: Turn the Adjuster off when installing apps and turn on again afterwards.

    Alternative: Filter your screen app (adjust alpha to reduce flicker)


    ** How to make the sound louder/better (no rooting required) **
    Install apps like Speaker boost or Volume+ from the market or search the APK from Google. For Volume+, tap Speaker settings > simple volume boost > select level of loudness.You may also adjust bass and echo or use custom EQ settings.Don't forget to enable audio modifications by ticking the box on the right to apply. To test, play music in the background and enable/disable audio modifications. You may need to choose high settings of adjustment to hear the difference. NOTE: If you use earphones, use speaker settings not headset settings for adjustment.

    For videos, MX player app will enable to boost volume up to 200%


    ** How to stop icons/widgets getting stuck (no rooting required) **
    Use a different launcher like Go Launcher HD or Apex launcher or Nova Launcher and set it as default launcher. They have better interface and more settings.


    ** How to stop the wifi turning off (no rooting required) **
    Check wifi signal strength of your router disconnections may be cause by poor wifi signal. Go to Settings > wifi > tap 3 dots on upper right corner > advanced > Keep wifi on during sleep > Always


    ** How to stop wifi turning off/on loop (no rooting required) ** - thanks to peterkins
    If you press the WiFi on/off button several times in quick succession the software puts itself in an on/off loop. You can avoid it by waiting for the on/off switch to change state before you press it again or install a power control widget.


    ** How to install a screen protector **
    Screen protectors (and even cases) for Arnova 8c G3 will fit the Archos cobalt 80 perfectly. Tablets 8 inches (like Kindle fire hd 8.9) or over can be cut to size if wanted. Instructions can be found on the 1st page (top comments).


    ** How to take a screnshot (no rooting required) **
    Press and hold power button and volume down button.


    ** How to transfer music/photos/videos/etc to the tablet **
    Go to Settings > storage > tap 3 dots on upper right corner > USB connection > tick Mass storage. This will make your tablet act as an external hard drive when you connect it to your PC via USB cable. After connecting the tablet to the PC, tap lower left corner of tablet > tap USB connected > turn on USB storage > OK.The tablet will appear as removable drive in the PC and you can transfer files as you would with a regular flash drive. When you're done, tap turn off USB storage on tablet's screen and unplug the cable.

    You may also use Airdroid for small files to transfer wirelessly. Just open the app and open web.airdroid.com/ in your PC's browser. Enter the code or use the tablet's camera to scan the QR code on the PC screen to connect automatically.


    ** How to root the tablet **
    Here's a link for the instructions. Most people specially those new to Android do not need this feature as it involves a bit of reading and danger of damaging the tablet. Try at your own risk. Click here for the custom ROM (more free app space, pre-rooted, more fixes).


    ** How to get YouTube app working without the loading problem (no rooting required) **
    Download and install this version of youtube. DO NOT UPDATE it through Play Store and untick automatic updates for it.


    ** How to get better battery life (rooting required for calibrating) **
    Fully drain the battery (until turns off by itself) and then charge it overnight. If your tablet is rooted, use this app to calibrate it (open the app while still plugged in). You may do this several times to get best results.


    ** How to charge the tablet via USB ** - thanks to Flipd
    The Archos Cobalt tablet will NOT charge via micro USB port. You may use a USB Charger Cable for Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Headset to charge the tablet via regular USB chargers. Remember that this will take 4 times longer or m
  2. carebuddy's avatar
    MAIN GUIDE DELETED DUE TO UNKNOWN REASONS. Please click here for a copy (post 1997), don't forget to like it so it will appear on the 1st page for easy viewing.

    Recommended apps:

    * Screen Adjuster - add green/blue +5 and it fixes the colours, you can also lower brightness even further for night reading (free)
    * TV Catchup - watch live TV via wifi (free)
    * TV Guide UK - its a tv guide app for UK (derp - free)
    * Go Launcher HD - change the UI with lots of personalisations available (free)
    * HD widgets - widgets for weather, time/date, etc.
    * Camera Zoom Fx - more camera settings plus photo editor but still crap lens
    * Airdroid - transferring files wirelessly via wifi
    * Quickpic - better gallery app (free)
    * Volume+ - fix low volume/base/echo
    * Bling Bling LED - use your tablet as a sign (free)
    * MX Player - play almost any video format with lots of options (free)
    * Distro - free technology magazine
    * Kingsoft Office - open/edit/create word, excel, powerpoint. pdf files (free)
    * Printer Share - directly print photos and office files via wifi
    * ES File explorer - more options than the regular explorer and can open ZIP and RAR files
    * Blackmart - get missing apps not available from Play store
    * Tune in Radio - listen to loads of radio channels via wifi (Alternative: XiiaLive)
    * Easy Uninstaller - sort (ascending / descending) by name, size, date for easy uninstallation of apps
    * Rebooter - You cat reboot easily & quickly. You can use Kill apps or Hot boot instead of task killers.
    * News - BBC news app (free), Flipboard (free)
    * Games - Muffin Knight, World of Goo, Beat Hazard Ultra, Jetpack Joyride
    * Others - Sonos controller app, TV remote app, Reddit is fun, IGag

    Known issues:

    This is a list of problems encountered by most users of this tablet. NOTE: not everybody has all of these problems and you may want to use this list to check your tablet for testing purposes. Most software issues are solvable with updates and fixes, but since this is a new product, bugs like these will take a bit of time to be ironed out. Hardware problems are not fixable and you may want to get a replacement or a different tablet. If you cannot live with these faults, find another £49 tablet that will suit your needs. Good luck!

    * Youtube loading after 1 minute - see solution above (software problem)
    * BBC iPlayer out of sync when skipping forward/backward - see solution above (software problem)
    * Battery stays at 99% - charge the battery overnight or use battery calibration app (needs rooting)
    * Incompatible apps - you may download the apps from the web by searching the APK or through Blackmart
    * Apps not working - SkyGo, Skype (just use earphones to hear the other person), ITV player
    * Discoloration and artifacts - see solution above
    * Wifi turns off by itself - see solution above
    * Can't delete icons/widgets - see solution above
    * Speakers too soft - see solution above
    * Ripples on LCD screen - this appears when parts of the tablet gets pressure (hardware problem)
    * Dead pixels - you may use Dead pixel detect and fix app or get a replacement (hardware problem)
    * Turns off often even if battery is full - try plugging the power cable/ resetting the tablet/ force rebooting (holding the power button for 10 seconds)/ may need replacement (hardware problem)

    Also for those asking:

    * NO HDMI port
    * NO bluetooth
    * NO GPS
    * NO Simcard slot
    * Supports cards up to 64GB (micro SDHC/SDXC)
    * Wifi tethering works - use a smartphone as hotspot to connect to wifi
    * USB OTG works - it's an adapter than turns your micro USB port into a full USB port like this one

    *************************************

    Hi guys, here are some photos I took today. I have not played with it a lot but I will post more info when I do.
    I compared it with my Nexus 7 and my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.

    [img]i.imgur.com/Au2…jpg?1[/img]

    [img]i.imgur.com/fXS…jpg?1[/img]

    [img]i.imgur.com/sFY…jpg?1[/img]

    [img]i.imgur.com/sru…jpg?1[/img]

    [img]i.imgur.com/95s…jpg?1[/img]

    Please like this comment so it would stay on the 1st page and everyone can find it easily. Thanks (edited)
  3. deleted71927's avatar
    XBMC INSTALL WITH IPLAYER AND TVCATCHUP

    Hi Guys sorry for the delay i've been playing with XBMC and adding 12TB of movies but heres the guide.

    1) Install XBMC from here You can download straight to the archos
    2) Make sure you allow the pad to install from 'Unknow Devices' (settings/security/Unkown sources)
    3) Start the app 'Explorer' click 'Internal Memory' and then 'Downloads' you will see the xbmc apk file
    4) Click the file to install
    5) First start takes a while but gets there
    6) BBC iplayer install
    7) Download this zip iplayer zip here
    8 ) Start XBMC go to 'SYSTEM' then 'ADD ONS' click 'install zip from file'
    9) Click 'External Storage' followed by download you will see the iplayer app after a few seconds in the bottom right hand corner you will see IPLAYER ADD ON ENABLED for a few seconds
    10) TVCATCHUP install
    11) Download zip from Repo Installer
    12) follow above steps 8 and 9
    12a) NEW STEP you might need to manually add the TVCatchup plugin, go to video, add-ons, followed by get more, scroll down the big list to the TVCatchup with EPG and install
    13) You will find the two plugins under the Videos section called 'Add-ons'
    14) I think you need to sign up for TVCatchup also make sure you change the settings in tv catchup to touchscreen
    15) Before i get asked heres how click 'add-ins' under 'Videos' hold your finger on the 'TVCatchup 2.0 with EPG' for a couple of seconds
    16) Click 'add-on settings' and click 'touch screen mode' you can also select which channels to show in the EPG etc and change video quality which will be set on normal but high plays fine
    17) When you start TVCatchup and click a channel to watch you might think its not working "You need to click it twice" a second menu appears where you can select reminders etc.

    Any problems please shout

    Also if you are seriously lazy and have a android phone use Yatse its amazing.

    Some other good apps games and wallpapers are:-

    1) Nemo aquarium (looks amazing live wallpaper) double tap to feed !
    2) Beebdroid BBC emulator with games including ELITE !!
    3) Killer Bean platform game
    4) Mantano Book Reader
    5) Mupen64 Plus (Nintendo 64 Emulator)
    6) NVISION News for android games etc
    7) Pixlr Express Photo Editing
    8 ) Pulse News reader
    9) Scrollable News Widget (love this one RSS on home page)
    10) SG:Deadzone YOU NEED TO GET THIS just to show people the graphics !!
    11) Sleep Timer (I use this to switch off TVCatchup when in bed) ie battery not dead in the morning ;-)
    12) Wild Blood (Costs but good)
    13) Battle Bear Royale (Game)

    Ian




    (edited)
  4. carebuddy's avatar
    I got the flash working by downloading and installing an APK file from here.

    USB OTG works fine. Camera is crap (off colours, low resolution, VGA video, little settings) but I don't expect much.
    Here are sample shots taken indoors at night. I'm sure on a bright sunny day it will take decent outdoor photos.

    [img]i.imgur.com/5oi…jpg?1[/img]

    [img]i.imgur.com/dvx…jpg?1[/img]

    [img]i.imgur.com/CFr…jpg?1[/img]
  5. carebuddy's avatar
    Hooray, I received the screen protector today and installed it easily. It's for Kindle fire HD 8.9 which I got for £1.99 (3 pieces) from eBay (the seller raised the price up to £2.59 afterwards maybe due to high demand). Here's a guide:

    1. Trace around the tablet on the screen protector.

    [img]i.imgur.com/WFe…g?1?4481[/img]

    2. Cut out the shape of the tablet. Allow for the edges by taking off a few millimetres.

    [img]i.imgur.com/JKX…jpg?1[/img]

    3. Make sure the screen is clean. You may use spec cleaner to avoid streaks and dust.

    [img]i.imgur.com/GX1…jpg?1[/img]

    4. Install the screen protector. Start from one edge and push out bubbles.

    [img]i.imgur.com/Hl4…jpg?1[/img]

    5. After peeling the outer layer, spray some spec cleaner to make the new surface is smooth and finger-print resistant.

    [img]i.imgur.com/0Nt…jpg?1[/img]

    Looks great! I prefer NON-matte screen protector because they are smoother and does not lessen screen viewing angles/brightness.
    Responsiveness of touch screen is unchanged. Please like if you find this helpful so other members will see it on the first page
    (edited)
  6. deleted703603's avatar
    I've just posted a custom ROM on freaktab based on Archos's ICS firmware.

    Features
    defaults to uk
    root
    some bloat removed
    busybox and init.d support
    play/market fixes for mor apps in google play
    2 Gig apps/user space
    clockwork recovery courtesy of Finless

    freaktab.com/sho…ROM
  7. deleted703603's avatar
    I have :-)
  8. deleted99267's avatar
    GAVINLEWISHUKD

    Is you daughter worth £49! (_;)



    No but they dont know she's not
  9. deleted703603's avatar
    I hope to have a beta ROM available for test this weekend, features
    Clockwork recovery
    Init.d support
    2 gigs user/apps space
    root
    Obvious junk removed

    ROM will be posted over on freaktab.

    If anyone has one of these tabs that they are wanting to move on I'd be interested in it.

    Cheers

    900 supersport

    Freaktab developer
  10. Siddas's avatar
    Padder

    Try taking your thumb off the left hand side of the screen


    Try taking your finger off the 'post comment' button
  11. deleted703603's avatar
    Just received an offer of one of these tabs, all being well I will have the tab next week and progress on a custom ROM will increase.

    I've made a start on the ROM in any case. Should have a few components being tested in the next day or so.
  12. deleted350558's avatar
    I've opened up a thread at freaktab,com where a kind developer has offered to help out with a more customised ROM and has asked for issues that people are having to be listed so that he can possibly take a look at them.

    So rather than me trawling through all the threads and also potentially mistaking an issue that you have for something that I interpret as being different, I'd ask that you reply to this post with a description of you problem of using the ROM and I'll compile a list from that.

    Or PM me if that is more convenient for you.

    We are not talking about a JellyBean ROM as until Archos release one themselves that can be used as a template then it would be for others to develop from the ground up or from other devices with similar specs.

    This is just to provide a fully rooted ROM that hopefully can come with less issues with general use.

    I have mailed Archos and asked if they have plans for a JB ROM and await their reply.


    (edited)
  13. deleted550724's avatar
    Guys i found a YouTube fix while maintaining the better tablet UI
    Can't post link but search for v4.1.47 YouTube apk I have been testing it and the buffering problem seems to be fixed
  14. MikeT's avatar
    OK, some posts and others quoting have been removed, this is the Archos 80 Cobalt owners thread where members share info, please stick to the subject and be civil to each other.
  15. deleted350558's avatar
    hollymia

    If I manage to get one of these, and it works, I'm gonna be very happy … If I manage to get one of these, and it works, I'm gonna be very happy for our needs.I think people are assuming this is a £49 iPad or something - LOL!!



    But it does illustrate what can be done for so little and further shows Apple and other products to be very overly priced.
  16. carebuddy's avatar
    kaku_lala

    gx3k

    Like most Android device I use, rooting is necessary for me as I like … Like most Android device I use, rooting is necessary for me as I like removing system apps which I never use (Gmail, Chrome, Talk, G+,etc). Titanium backup (or other backup with root app) allows me to do this plus freeze or restore apps that I uninstalled including data like save points. I would also recommend calibrating the battery using battery calibration app (needs root) when cycling the battery to ensure accurate battery readings. For apps not from the Play store I recommend Aptoide and Lucky patcher



    Aww, thanks for the kind words. I find it sad that people seem to like getting attention by being bitter and nasty rather than being nice and helpful. Oh well, remember not to feed the trolls and be kind to each other

    I'll try and do a video demo of the tablet when i get some free time. The more people support this kind of product, the better it will be for everyone who like reasonably priced gadgets.
  17. m600's avatar
    w123kid

    anyone else have really bad picture quality - example on facebook app all … anyone else have really bad picture quality - example on facebook app all pics look really blocky rather than smooth crisp picalso bbc i player keeps going off syncany help



    Download this app play.google.com/sto…ult

    When you play any channel just tap the screen then top right corner select high, as it starts with low. You do not have to register a account just play you get 1 advent. Has TV guide next to each channel plus record but for record you have to sign up and pay to use that service. Film 4 is under Movies.
    (edited)
  18. hollymia's avatar
    gx3k

    Hooray, I received the screen protector today and installed it easily. … Hooray, I received the screen protector today and installed it easily. It's for Kindle fire HD 8.9 which I got for £1.99 from eBay (the seller raised the price up to £2.59 afterwards maybe due to high demand). Here's a guide:1. Trace around the tablet on the screen protector.[img]http://i.imgur.com/WFeIQ.jpg?1?4481[/img]2. Cut out the shape of the tablet. Allow for the edges by taking off a few millimetres.[img]http://i.imgur.com/JKXmi.jpg?1[/img]3. Make sure the screen is clean. You may use spec cleaner to avoid streaks and dust.[img]http://i.imgur.com/GX1eH.jpg?1[/img]4. Install the screen protector. Start from one edge and push out bubbles.[img]http://i.imgur.com/Hl43u.jpg?1[/img]5. After peeling the outer layer, spray some spec cleaner to make the new surface is smooth and finger-print resistant.[img]http://i.imgur.com/0NtaZ.jpg?1[/img]Looks great! I prefer NON-matte screen protector because they are smoother and does not lessen screen viewing angles/brightness.Please like if you find this helpful so other members will see it on the first page



    You deserve a medal sir. The most helpful UKHDer I have encountered on here. Would make the experience of this site a lot better if more people were like you instead of ....... the others!

    Thanks very much for taking the time and effort to share your wisdom and pics. We all like pics although apparently not many actually "like" them!
  19. carebuddy's avatar
    hasj2

    he said its called HD Widgets, but i still dont know which one, there are … he said its called HD Widgets, but i still dont know which one, there are so many on the play store.



    It's this one. To get more widget sizes, open the app > tap 3 dots on the upper right corner > settings > widget sizes > tick the size you like to use. I use 8 x 1.
  20. deleted703603's avatar
    I'll be cooking up a rom with 2 gig user/app space. I would hope to have this available mid week.
  21. robii's avatar
    Can I just offer an app suggestion for the first post? It's called Filter Your Screen

    A few people have complained about the screen when browsing the web. I installed the screen adjuster app suggested in the first post but didn't think it improved things much so I looked for something else and found an app called "Filter Your Screen". It does a similar job to the screen adjuster app but it also allows you to adjust the alpha channel. The main problem I found when browsing was that the white areas of the screen were too white, which made me strain my eyes. On facebook it also meant that people's photos often looked overexposed, especially if they'd used the flash on their camera. If you change the blue and green levels to +5 and then the alpha level to somewhere between 5 and 10, depending on your preference (I've got it set to 10), it improves the appearance of websites.

    Below are some before and after examples to explain what I mean

    Before

    16713240-Z5tA7

    After

    16713240-7bRnM

  22. carebuddy's avatar
    walpolecherie

    Virus protection .... i told my nephew to put it on his sister tablet and … Virus protection .... i told my nephew to put it on his sister tablet and he said - "router has a anti-virus/firewall so should not need it !!! So having will restrict traffic flow into her tablet making her surfing speed slow and block access for a few apps "



    Not true. You can still download apps with malware and install it in your tablet. Although in my experience with 7 Android devices, I never once caught a virus specially for people who only get their apps from the Play store.

    mealmond

    I am using XBMC to watch films and it is surprising good.I tried to … I am using XBMC to watch films and it is surprising good.I tried to attach the tablet to my Toshiba TV to see if I can watch films that way, I cannot seem to get the tablet recognised and also plugging in the USB into the TV seems to remove the list of film channels available, has anybody experienced this?Martin



    Are you using the tablet as mass storage device to play videos on your TV? If so, Go to Settings > storage > tap 3 dots on upper right corner > USB connection > tick Mass storage. This will make your tablet act as a mass storage device when connected to your telly and might recognise it like a regular USB flash drive.

    rav4cas

    Downloaded Jewels games, display is wrong aspect ratio. Can not see the … Downloaded Jewels games, display is wrong aspect ratio. Can not see the top or bottom of the game screen.Anybody got any ideas, apart from uninstalling the games?



    The aspect ration of the Archos Cobalt is 4:3 while most tablets are 16:9 so some apps might not have the ability to adapt.

    roscoe2000

    We've just discovered that our charger has gone missing (don't … We've just discovered that our charger has gone missing (don't ask.....party last night!), so I've now 1 upset son.I thought, no problem I will charge it over USB (I presume thats not possible ......because I've just tried - and also read some earlier posts).Whats the cheapest way of getting a replacement charger? I have found this:- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120932998604So 2 questions: -1) Is that the right one?2) Anyone know of a cheaper one?Thanks for any help.



    I think it will work. Here's a link to a cheaper one I found.


    ***************

    Wow, I received a VIP badge! Thanks to everyone, it only shows you that being nice and helpful in the internet (or anywhere) pays better than being nasty and bitter to get attention

    [img]i.imgur.com/Cg7…g?1?9589[/img]
  23. tbon3's avatar
    If anyone is wondering what the insides of a Archos 80 Cobalt look like then you can see here:

    db.tt/6pB…CEx

    Credit to m600 at freaktab who did it first. Pretty easy to get the back off, undo the small screw under the microSD flap then slide a credit card between the shiny and matt plastic down by the speaker grills, work your way around the sides releasing the clips then slide the top part out near the camera.
  24. deleted30178's avatar
    Iceman2010

    alternative usb … alternative usb chargerhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5V-2A-USB-Cable-Lead-Charger-Power-Supply-for-Archos-80-Cobalt-Android-Tablet-PC-/140900338813?pt=UK_iPad_Tablet_Cases_Covers_Keyboard_Folios&hash=item20ce508c7dno idea if it will work though.

    £6 for a USB charging cable for these tablets is a tad hectic.
    Even though there were no replies to my previous request for geek-esque checks, from personal experimentation I found that an Xbox 360 wireless headset USB charging cable fits the Cobalt and charges the tablet.
    Some examples from ebay for Xbox 360 wireless headset USB charging cables starting from £1.69 delivered from UK:

    qty 01 xbox 360 wireless headset USB charging white cable @ total £1.69 delivered from UK via US Top Rated Seller
    ebay.co.uk/itm…470

    qty 01 xbox 360 wireless headset USB charging white cable @ total £1.89 delivered 1st class from UK via UK seller
    ebay.co.uk/itm…893

    qty 01 xbox 360 wireless headset USB charging white cable @ total £2.49 delivered from UK via UK Top Rated Seller
    ebay.co.uk/itm…255

    qty 01 xbox 360 wireless headset USB charging black cable @ total £2.49 delivered from UK via UK Top Rated Seller
    ebay.co.uk/itm…785

    qty 02 xbox 360 wireless headset USB charging white cables @ total £1.86 delivered from US from US Top Rated Seller
    ebay.co.uk/itm…517
  25. deleted291227's avatar
    I found this very handy for those new to apps and Android

    techsupportalert.com/bes…htm

    Helpfully broken up into sections. I know there are lots of lists like this and it all comes down to what app you prefer when you have a wide choice, but going through this list I found myself thinking 'got that one...and that one and that ..yup and that one'...a lot of their choices are the same as mine so I was more likely to try other apps they suggest.

    Anyway, hope it helps.
  26. deleted900255's avatar
    Cm10.1 4.2.2 now working on the archol 80 cobalt
    Tested and working
    Have a look over on xda forums
    forum.xda-developers.com/sho…781
  27. toktik's avatar
    metalheadkicks2 weeks, 23 hours ago3 Likes #129REPLYREPORTLIKEIGNORE
    Hello All

    I have been following this thread since the beginning. A few months ago I bought Archos Home connect 35 and have been in love with it ever since - not good user interface however does the job very well of being a bedside clock/alarm and occasional music player. The preloaded apps from Archos (or any manufacturer) are annoying.

    Two weeks ago I bought Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 from Tesco following the deals on HUKD. This is a brilliant tablet however I was expecting higher performance than a Samung Galaxy S2 (been using for over a year) but I was disappointed. Its good but Galaxy S2 beats it on performance and obviously screen quality but still love the Tab 2 as it is beautiful and does the job well.

    Today after searching several tescos, I finally managed to get my hands on the Archos Cobalt. Nobody at Tesco believe in this units existence and its only when I should them the product serial no., are they able to fetch it from the "back"

    Archos 80 Cobalt 8" Review:

    After opening the box, I was quite happy with the quality of the device and the rubbery matte black back. After switching it on for the first time, I was surprised when I was given the option to choose to install the bundled 3rd party apps over the standard ICS OS. I obviously clicked no and was instantly thrown onto the main screen of ICS. So what I have is a tablet with absolutely no customizations to the Original Android operating system - How cool is that?
    I checked the manuals, info within OS and couldnt find the specs of the unit. Well, I openned youtube/Dailymotion/Putlocker and could play HD videos flawlessly no lags at all. The battery was reporting 100% as I switched it on so haven't go the chance to charge it yet and its been over 9 hours (not in constant use, I would guess over 4 hours) now the battery is stuck on 13% for more than 40mins of use. I think it needs a few cycles of discharging before it will start reporting actual hours.
    The first time I saw the main ICS screen, I was disappointed by the quality of the screen - its pixellated, the best way to describe is, the dpi level is low and thus we can see pixels - which I was never able to see in Galaxy tab2 or S2. I thought it was becasue of bigger screen but still an inch won't make much difference. When you scroll text font, the refresh rate is not very smooth. Basically its a cheapo LCD screen and comes nowhere close to the likes of any Galaxy's or Nexus.

    Performance:
    I have downloaded all CPU/GPU testing programs available in Google Play. I was surprised to find out the resolution of the screen was 768x964 - this I have tested with 2 apps (I think one is atoto? other is GPU-T). But it actually has 1.62GHz dual core processor and Mali-400MP GPU which is very good - I loved my Galaxy S2.
    Anyways Antoto put this tablet just above Galaxy S2 in GPU performance and the CPU performance was reported very good too. It packs a lot of power under the hood. I can guarantee that the performance of this tablet is much better than Galay Tab2. In Tab2 when you are downloading apps in Google PLay and at the same time try to scroll more apps in the list, it stutters for a sec or two, which never happened with my Galaxy S2 or this tablet. I tried GPU crash test, OpenGL test it was giving more than 60fps.

    To put it in few words, this is a very good quality high performance tablet with an un-customised Google ICS OS with a cheapo LCD screen (no issues with multi touch) for under £99. Well worth every penny.
    I really wanted to see its
    Pros:
    Value for money
    from here
  28. DudeyGeeza's avatar
    went in at 9am, few people were lining up for other stuff, grabbed 3 for my kids, and I goto say, these things are amazing!

    in terms of hardware the specs are good, it performs better than the advent vega i have here (that ive tried a million roms on!!), it's smooth, and i really see no issue with the screen colours or resolution, now I use an iPhone 4S, and no, the archos screen isnt as good as that, but the screen resolution seems perfect for the screen size, and I cannot say a bad word about it, and im not even saying that it's good for the money, the screens on all three here are more than fine, kids love em so far and have hardly put them down all day.

    ive tried a few different movie types and resolutions and all play great (not just good for the money again lol)

    build quality seems fine, have no idea what people are saying about them feeling cheap, you all must be comparing them to ipads rather than other android variants, but i bought the mrs a Galaxy tab 2 a week ago on the 195 CPW deal and er... well, im sure she'd of been more than happy with one of these archos units really. (after having the advent vega which is really a great bit of kit (tegra 2 etc) which was unfortunatly killed by the poor LCD on it)

    I may root these archos ones eventually but as they're for the kids, im sure they will be happy with the free stuff for now..

    WELL IMPRESSED! (wish i bought more so i could have handed them out to other family members who have poor chinese tablet variants.)

  29. killface's avatar
    This isn't the first tablet I've ever owned: I've bought much more expensive models only to be afraid to take them out of the house or leave them out of my sight for fear of loss/damage. This Archos is so cheap that I doubt I'll be worried about it at all, and that to me is worth far more than owning an iPad or a Nexus. I can actually use this...

    It's a brand spanking new piece of kit, so support on the net is fairly limited at the moment. I'm sure that roms and official updates will come with time.

    Overall I 'm chuffed to bits. It does everything I need it to and it only cost me £50.
    (edited)
  30. deleted456881's avatar
    I didn't think volume+ was that great, however I downloaded speaker boost by omega centauri from the play store. Set it at 60% and volume is a lot better. It can be boosted further but that was a good all round level.

    Thankfully I've not had many issues. Using apex launcher with mnml theme, installed flash player etc. Would be good to get sky go working but that's something or nothing. Audio sync is hit and miss. Experienced the wifi flicker but not since turning it on permanently. Battery life excellent, particularly for web browsing and ebook reading.

    Will be considering rooting once things are ironed out, but may steer clear as I think for £49 this is an utter bargain. I had a android mid pad / epad a couple years ago. I paid £80 used and it was utter rubbish so I bought an iPad.

    Don't get me wrong, this thing is never an iPad and never will be, but its a 6th of the price. I think it feels quite sturdy due to the weight and have no issues with build quality at this price! Go pick up a galaxy tab 10.1, that feels flimsy to me in comparison.

    I hated android on my mobile and returned to iPhones, but quite liking it on this tab.
  31. carebuddy's avatar
    Hi guys, I just improved my post on the first page (top comments) to make it more organised. Please refer members to this post to lessen repeat questions and feel free to message me on things you want to add or improve on. Don't for get to 'like' it so it will stay at the top of the comments so others will see it.

    To the author of this thread, can you change the title to: 'Archos 80 Cobalt Owners Thread - Guide on Page 1'? That will greatly help new users and have them read something before asking questions. Just a suggestion, thanks
  32. Da11as's avatar
    reddit

    ICS does not support the move of apps to an external SD card and never … ICS does not support the move of apps to an external SD card and never will.



    Yes it does, I have Raging Thunder on this Archos and I can move to SD Card. If the app developer designs it into the program then you will have the option. The Sumvision Astro+ and the Versus 7 also has this feature, all running ICS version 4.0.4.
    (edited)
  33. danrus's avatar
    Now that devices have got thinner perhaps we should start using 'rooftile' instead of 'brick' ;-)
  34. hasj2's avatar
    dadelbwoy

    I would appreciate the help mate, what do I need to do?



    Hi.

    Download this: Tunein Radio APK

    plug your tablet into the computer/laptop, copy the file into your internal storage of the tablet, put it in the folder named Downloads.

    on your tablet go to settings/security/ and make sure unknown sources is ticked (its under the heading device administration)

    then go to the app menu and open the app called explorer its standard app that comes with all tablets, go to /internal storage/downloads and open the file you copied and install it. all done.

    (edited)
  35. deleted139863's avatar
    InternetBowser

    Tesco direct are so annoying!! I ordered 4 of these tablets, one of which … Tesco direct are so annoying!! I ordered 4 of these tablets, one of which I arranged to be picked up from the store and the other three to be sent to my home address. After a few days, I got an email saying all four of them had been dispatched, but annoyingly only one of them actually arrived (the one in store) while the other three did not arrive at my home address, only the £1 items I ordered did (I ordered them to allow me to use the £10 off coupon). After calling tesco direct, they tracked my tablets and said they will not arrive because they were sold out, so they gave me a full refund on my tablets.This morning I woke up to find that all three tablets arrived at home. Now I have to call them again and pay for the tablets which wouldn't be a problem is it wasn't for the 0845 number which isn't cheap especially when I'm calling from a mobile phone...Anyway, rant over. I was hoping to get advice on which case I should buy for my tablets, I've seen a few but they have not had great reviews. If they come with a screen protector, they would be great, or even one with a good keyboard, as long as it's not too expensive and protects the tablet well.Thanks!



    don't call them then..
  36. deleted71927's avatar
    XBMC INSTALL WITH IPLAYER AND TVCATHUP

    Hi Guys sorry for the delay i've been playing with XBMC and adding 12TB of movies but heres the guide.

    1) Install XBMC from here You can download straight to the archos
    2) Make sure you allow the pad to install from 'Unknow Devices' (settings/security/Unkown sources)
    3) Start the app 'Explorer' click 'Internal Memory' and then 'Downloads' you will see the xbmc apk file
    4) Click the file to install
    5) First start takes a while but gets there
    6) BBC iplayer install
    7) Download this zip iplayer zip here
    Start XBMC go to 'SYSTEM' then 'ADD ONS' click 'install zip from file'
    9) Click 'External Storage' followed by download you will see the iplayer app after a few seconds in the bottom right hand corner you will see IPLAYER ADD ON ENABLED for a few seconds
    10) TVCATCHUP install
    11) Download zip from (will update shortly)

    MORE TO COME
  37. carebuddy's avatar
    To those worrying about app storage, you may try moving apps to storage to free up some space.
    Go to Settings > Apps > Storage > select App > Move to SD
    [img]i.imgur.com/HTv…png?1[/img]

    Before transferring apps:
    [img]i.imgur.com/zcU…png?1[/img]

    After transferring apps:
    [img]i.imgur.com/fzu…png?1[/img]

    That's over 237MB more available space after the transfer. Some apps were already on SD storage when I started and did not transfer everything to the SD like live wallpapers since they won't run at startup if you transfer them to SD.
  38. dagbladet's avatar
    For those suffering weak wifi issues.

    Just noticed I had 2 'bars' out of 4 on the wifi icon just 4 metres and 1 wall away from a decent router. I hold the tablet in landscape with my hand cupped over the top left hand corner. This puts the camera on the left hand side. I rotated the tablet 180 degrees so the camera was now on right hand side and now get a full 4 bars of wifi. I therefore assume that the antenna/receiver is positioned where my hand was originally.

    This may help those with weak signal issues not least those with virgin super hubs which tend to suffer poor wifi output.
  39. tbon3's avatar
    For playing videos saved on the device or on a local network (NAS or PC) the Archos Video player seems to work really well.
    play.google.com/sto…deo
    Unfortunately Archos decided not to include the Archos Player on the Cobalt 80, hopefully it's made available in an update, or as a download to registered owners.
's avatar