Archos FamilyPad tablet wants to bring back family time

Archos FamilyPad
Gather 'round everyone. It's the FamilyPad!

Remember those days when families sat around together and played Monopoly or Guess Who? instead of embarking on solo missions to destroy sniggering, helmet-clad pigs?

Archos does and with its newly-announced FamilyPad tablet, the manufacturer wants to spark a return to those halcyon days when "family time" meant just that.

The large 13.3-inch FamilyPad will go on sale in the U.K. in December for £274.99, while a recent trip through the U.S. Federal Trade Commission suggests an international announcement is also imminent.

The FamilyPad, which runs on Android Ice Cream Sandwich, has a 1200 x 800, 10-point multi-touch screen which, according to Archos, "recreates the traditional board game" experience.

Complete interactive experience

The 8GB device will feature a host of built-in games, with "thousands" more to download, the company said.

"The FamilyPad brings a new meaning to family game night and recreates the traditional board game into a digital game that provides a complete interactive experience for the entire family," Archos said in its press release.

"With its 10x multitouch screen, families can play games with up to four people at time for a real game board experience.

"The FamilyPad features thousands of various games to choose from including a range of pre-installed games selected by Archos for an instant out of the box gaming experience."

Organising the troops

Beyond gaming, the tablet is also being pitched as a family organiser, largely due to the bundled-in stand and the ability to configure a calendar app and multiple email accounts.

The FamilyPad also features a "special embedded animated slide show feature" to turn the tablet into a photo album, while it's touted as being large enough for everyone to gather around and watch movies.

Do you think the Archos FamilyPad can carve out a niche in the densely-populated tablet market? Let us know in the comments section below.

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.