Archos Smart Home Will Debut At CES 2014

Archos is planning to make a big splash at CES 2014 with a slew of new Android devices ranging from smartwatches and activity trackers to a home weather station. The French company is known primarily for its storage devices and media players but has recently entered the mobile computing market with a number of Android and Windows-based tablets.

“Mobile devices have become the center of our life and our demand for instant access to information creates the need for even more interconnectivity,” said Loic Poirier, CEO of ARCHOS in a press statement. “ARCHOS’ new lineup of connected objects exemplifies the ability to share and access information and represents our vision of creating a universe where all devices complement and work together.”

If you’re hoping to find out exactly what the company means by that, you’ll need to catch a ride to Las Vegas and look them up at Central Hall Booth 9844, but in meantime, Archos has issued a press release with a few details of what’s to come.

One of the more interesting products to be unveiled is the Archos Connected Home platform. Users will be able to trigger lights and turn on a video camera remotely through both iOS and Android apps, as well as a special tablet designed specifically for the system. While a dedicated device that serves a single function feels like a bit of a dying paradigm, it’s nonetheless a somewhat novel approach to smart home tech and may well catch on if the pricing is right.

“Accessing the ecosystem from anywhere in the world and from any iOS or Android platform, users can retrieve data or command actions using the ARCHOS Smart Home App or the custom-designed Smart Home Tablet – a unique gateway that combines Android with multiple connected objects.”

Judging from the hardware images released so far, Archos certainly seems to have put some effort into the aesthetics of its new devices; they’re nothing if not pretty. Hit the press statement link up top for more info, including a rundown of a new connected scale and activity tracker.