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The recent unveiling of the Archos 5 Android Internet Media Tablet marks the first time the Android OS from Google is being used in a device other than a smartphone.

The Archos 5 Android is basically a pocket computer with a 5-inch multi-touch screen, complete with access to the Android Market app store and a growing library of open source applications, most of which are dirt cheap if not free.

As media player, of course, the Archos 5 Android Tablet is also an extremely overachieving MP3 player, complete with high-definition video as well as audio playback capabilities.

The new tablet features a built-in GPS, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and high definition 720p video playback - and it's currently the only handheld device to do the latter.

As with previous Archos products, the range of formats it can accommodate is quite comprehensive, with codecs for-MPEG-4 HD (up to 720p), MPEG-47 (ASP@L5 AVI, up to DVD resolution), H.264 HD (up to 720p), WMV (MP@ML, up to DVD resolution) including WMV protected files, M-JPEG (Motion JPEG Video) in QVGA resolution, MP3, WMA, Protected WMA, WAV (PCM/ADPCM), AAC, AAC+, Flac, OGG Vorbis, JPEG, BMP, PNG, and GIF. In layman's terms, that's "lots of stuff, no special reformatting required."

Storage capacity begins at 16GB, with 32GB or 64GB of flash storage or 160GB or 500GB capacity available on the high end. The Archos 5 Android will also come with a Micro SD expansion slot, plus an FM transmitter allowing users to wirelessly broadcast audio content to a nearby radio - in the car, the garage, the kitchen, etc.

All told, this forthcoming media tablet looks to usher in a new era of highly portable yet connected devices used mainly to access the Internet, play back audio and video, and run Android applications.

The Archos 5 Android is expected to retail in North America before the end of the year - holiday shopping frenzy, anyone? - with pricing starting at $300.