Skip to main content

Archos' two new phones are rugged and stylish — but not at the same time

archos 50 saphir 55 diamond selfie
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Archos’ latest phone lineup leaves a bit to be desired, however a couple of the phones are very interesting indeed. The new devices, which come only a few days before IFA this year, are called the 55 Diamond Selfie and the 50 Saphir, and come with a design unlike most other Android phones out there.

The 50 Saphir, for example, is being touted as “unsinkable,” and is aimed largely at those who like to enjoy the great outdoors. The look of the phone is extremely rugged, and probably not what you would call “sleek.”

On top of the interesting look, the phone features a 5-inch display and a hefty 5,000mAh battery. Under the hood we see a MediaTek MTK6737 processor coupled with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The rear-facing camera is 13MP, the front-facing camera 5MP, and the display is 720p. Sure, the specs are decidedly underwhelming, but they’re most certainly not the point of this phone.

When it comes to the 55 Diamond Selfie, things are a little more high tech. The phone seeks to offer a “chic design,” something that shows when it’s put side-by-side with its more hefty sibling. The phone is 5.5 inches, and the device is only 7.7mm thick, however it still features a decently sized battery, sitting at 3,000mAh. It also offers a pretty nice 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, and a 16MP rear-facing camera/8MP front-facing camera combination. Unfortunately those specs aren’t very well backed up with the decidedly mediocre Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 — not a bad processor, to be sure, but not one that you would expect on a phone with otherwise fairly decent specs.

The Archos 50 Saphir and 55 Diamond Selfie each cost a reasonable 200 euros, which equates to around $223. The 50 Saphir will be out in October, and the 55 Diamond Selfie will debut in September.

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
AT&T just made it a lot easier to upgrade your phone
AT&T Storefront with logo.

Do you want to upgrade your phone more than once a year? What about three times a year? Are you on AT&T? If you answered yes to those questions, then AT&T’s new “Next Up Anytime” early upgrade program is made for you. With this add-on, you’ll be able to upgrade your phone three times a year for just $10 extra every month. It will be available starting July 16.

Currently, AT&T has its “Next Up” add-on, which has been available for the past several years. This program costs $6 extra per month and lets you upgrade by trading in your existing phone after at least half of it is paid off. But the new Next Up Anytime option gives you some more flexibility.

Read more
Motorola is selling unlocked smartphones for just $150 today
Someone holding the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024).

Have you been looking for phone deals but don’t want to spend a ton of money on flagship devices from Apple and Samsung? Have you ever considered investing in an unlocked Motorola? For a limited time, the company is offering a $100 markdown on the Motorola Moto G 5G. It can be yours for just $150, and your days and nights of phone-shopping will finally be over!

Why you should buy the Motorola Moto G 5G
Powered by the Snapdragon 480+ 5G CPU and 4GB of RAM, the Moto G delivers exceptional performance across the board. From UI navigation to apps, games, and camera functions, you can expect fast load times, next to no buffering, and smooth animations. You’ll also get up to 128GB of internal storage that you’ll be able to use for photos, videos, music, and any other mobile content you can store locally. 

Read more
The Nokia 3210 is the worst phone I’ve used in 2024
A person holding the Nokia 3210, showing the screen.

Where do I even start with the Nokia 3210? Not the original, which was one of the coolest phones to own back in a time when Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace wasn’t even a thing, but the latest 2024 reissue that has come along to save us all from digital overload, the horror of social media, and the endless distraction that is the modern smartphone.

Except behind this facade of marketing-friendly do-goodery hides a weapon of torture, a device so foul that I’d rather sit through multiple showings of Jar Jar Binks and the gang hopelessly trying to bring back the magic of A New Hope than use it.
The Nokia 3210 really is that bad

Read more