The Kodak Tablets arrive, a daunting nostalgia operation
Archos has introduced the new Kodak branded Tablets: they are not devices with high-capacity photographic capabilities, but only tablets that are overwhelmed. A business transaction that adds nothing to the Kodak brand.
The Kodak brand, like other illustrious names in the past, is the subject of a technological revival with a ” nostalgic ” aftertaste: the brand is used to produce smartphones and tablets, in the first case produced by OEMs and marketed directly by the company and in the second case relying on French Archos.
If Kodak Ektra turned out to be a smartphone of the highest price compared to the equivalent of the market, so only interested in the design or Kodak name, the tablets produced by Archos are now making their debut on the market.
The two models, with 7 and 10.1-inch screens, share most of the technical specifications: HD resolution panel, MediaTek quad-core processor, 1 GB RAM, WiFi and 3G connectivity, microSD slot, 2 megapixel camera front and 8 megapixels at the back. The 7-inch model has 16 GB of internal memory and 2,500 mAh battery, while the larger version increases the storage space to 32GB and the battery capacity at 6,000 mAh . Both devices feature Android 7.0 Nougat.
It is evident that this is a simple rebranding operation that does not offer anything really innovative and only leverages the brand to propose products that would otherwise be anachronistic. There are no special technical specifications that leverage the industry where Kodak has historically operated, photography, or other distinctive elements.
The same cameras have quite a few resolutions and although this is not a quality index on their own, the final price of the two tablets suggests they do not employ sensors capable of producing remarkable results.
However, the two devices are characterized by technical specifications so contained that they are insufficient to support a use that is not extremely basic. Beyond Kodak’s bond with photography, the tablets make use of components that are not in keeping with the times, and that they would hardly be able to offer an enjoyable use experience; The few additional services that are present are not preinstalled applications normally found on the Play Store.
Although Archos has always been in the low and entry-level markets, acquiring the Kodak license could have been a starting point to boost its offering with products with more advanced specifications and ad-hoc content.
These researched brands (or almost) often have a bitter flavor, as they rarely turn out to be something more than rebranding and commercial moves. Many missed opportunities, which seem to give nothing more to the brands they use.
