When it comes to buying a new smartphone, Archos generally isn't the first company that crosses ones mind. The company is looking to change that with a new line of highly affordable "3G+" smartphones, which were just unveiled today. Say hello to the 35 Carbon, 50 Platinum, and 53 Platinum.

This trio keeps the somewhat familiar Archos branding – the number indicates the display size, while the suffix alludes to the "quality" of the product (i.e. Carbon is lower-end, while the Platinum name is reserved for higher-end products).

ARCHOS 35 Carbon

The 35 Carbon is the smallest and packs the least impressive specs of the trio, but for $99 without contract, you shouldn't expect much in the first place.

  • 3.5" IPS 320x480 Display (yikes!)
  • 1GHz Qualcomm 7225A
  • 512MB RAM
  • 4GB Storage with microSD card slot
  • Dual SIM slots
  • VGA front and rear cameras
  • 1,300mAh battery
  • Android 4.0

See? May be good for a child's first smartphone, I guess.

ARCHOS 50 Platinum

The 50 Platinum isn't exactly going to break any records, but it's definitely a major step up from the 35 Carbon, in terms of size, spec, and price. For $200, this one is actually pretty usable and will keep you away from having to sign a contract.

  • 5.0" IPS 960x540 display
  • 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm 8225Q (Cortex-A5)
  • 1GB RAM
  • 4GB storage with microSD card slot
  • Dual SIM Slots
  • 8MP rear shooter, 2MP front camera
  • 2,000mAh battery
  • Android 4.1.2

Sure, it's no game-changer, but for the price, it's at least worth considering. Maybe.

ARCHOS 53 Platinum

The 53 Platinum is, of course, the largest of the three. Under the hood it's nearly identical to the 50 Platinum, though it does house a larger battery to help power its 5.3-inch display.

  • 5.3" IPS 960x540 display
  • 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm 8225Q (Cortex-A5)
  • 1GB RAM
  • 4GB storage with microSD card slot
  • Dual SIM Slots
  • 8MP rear shooter, 2MP front camera
  • 2,800mAh battery
  • Android 4.1.2

The 53 Platinum will set you back a reasonable $250 – not a bad price for someone looking to enter the oversized-smartphone market on a budget.

All three devices feature a "pure, un-skinned" Android experience and will be available at the end of May beginning in Europe.

More info: 35 Carbon, 50 Platinum, 53 Platinum

Denver, CO – April 18th, 2013 - ARCHOS, a pioneer in AndroidTM devices, is pleased to announce its first line of GoogleTM certified smartphones. Each smartphone will feature a super slim design, IPS screen with amazing viewing angles, a powerful Qualcomm CPU and the flexibility of dual SIM cards which allow the user to manage two providers simultaneously.

The ARCHOS 35 Carbon ($99.99), ARCHOS 50 Platinum ($219.99) and ARCHOS 53 Platinum($249.99) will be the first in a new line of smartphones to be released and will be available starting in Europe at the end of May 2013.

“The smartphone market is shifting, as SIM-free sales versus subsidized sales are increasing, and ARCHOS is prepared to respond, as we can offer retail channels affordable, unlocked and feature-rich smartphones without the need to subsidize,” says Loïc Poirier, CEO of ARCHOS. “Furthermore smartphones and tablets are interrelated markets that have quickly crossed over with the arrival of “phablets” - half-phone, half-tablet devices. It only makes sense that this should be our next phase of products as this would be a natural fit for our brand and long term growth.”

Ranging from 3.5” to 5.3” in size, the first three smartphones to be released in Q2 will include a range of features, connectivity, CPU’s and storage. The flagship device, the ARCHOS 50 Platinum, features a stunning 5.0 inch full black IPS display paired with a quad-core CPU at 1.2GHz and 8 M Pixels camera. End-users will have an experience similar to a Samsung Galaxy S3 for half the price.

In addition, all smartphones in this new line will include:

  • Pure un-skinned Android OS
  • Google Certification for access to Google PlayTM and Google Mobile Services including Google NowTM
  • Dual SIM flexibility to manage two providers simultaneously from one phone
  • An IPS Screen with amazing viewing angles
  • Full Black Screen Process
  • ARCHOS Media Centre Apps for music and videos
  • Cloud-Based Contacts and Storage
  • Front and Back Cameras for capturing the perfect picture