Archos unveils 116 Platinum Android tablet with 11.6-inch IPS display for $349

Archos keeps pumping out new Android tablet flavors, whether a gaming version, an 8-inch iPad-mini competitor, or a budget-priced slate with Retina display-like resolution. Now as it officially introduced its Platinum line in the U.S., the French company has thrown another curve.

In addition to that 8-inch 80 Platinum for $199 and the ultra-high-res 97 Platinum for $299, Archos has also announced the 116 Platinum, which features a massive 11.6-inch IPS screen. At 1,920x1,080 (or full 1080p HD), its resolution isn't as high as the 2,048x1,536 97 Platinum, but the size is thus far unique among Android tablets. (Vizio announced an 11.6-inch Windows 8-based tablet at CES in January, though its pricing and release date aren't yet known.)

Like the other Platinum tablets, the 116 model will come with a quad-core CPU, eight-core GPU, 2GB of RAM, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Don't expect blazing performance at the aggressive price point, which will be $349 when the 116 is release in April, but the size is the thing with this tablet.

Unfortunately, unique form factors don't automatically yield big sales, so it will be interesting to watch if Archos can truly make a name for itself in the cluttered Android tablet world. It's a long shot, but if nothing else give the company credit for trying to push the envelope while others are satisfied with simply pumping out clones to grab some market share.