The Archos Hello is a smart display that strangely runs Android Oreo

Amazon entered the smart display market with its Echo Show, while Google showed us during CES 2018 that it plans to do the same with Google Assistant and device manufacturers. This time around, French manufacturer Archos launched the Hello, its first smart display that is reminiscent of Lenovo’s pair of Smart Displays.

That is thanks to the Hello’s wood back covering and its ability to be positioned either vertically or horizontally. Around front is either a 7-inch HD or an 8.4-inch Full HD display, though both models also feature a speaker that almost takes up half of the front. Both models also feature a 5 MP camera for video calls.

Under the hood are an unnamed quad-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of onboard storage. The 4,000 mAh battery lets you move the Hello around the house, though the microUSB port that is used to charge the battery should not exist and be replaced with a USB Type-C port.

The bigger quirk is the software, since the Hello runs Android Oreo out of the box. That the software is up to date is nice and all, but why did Archos not opt for Google Assistant’s smart display software? Better yet, is Google Assistant even available on the Hello?

Archos said the Hello can control smart home accessories and answer voice commands, but did not say what virtual assistant is used. Archos also did not say whether it will use a smart display-friendly skin on top of Android Oreo, but the company’s use of a mobile-centric operating system leaves us baffled.

Then again, Archos introduced an Android-powered electric scooter, so anything apparently goes over there.

The Hello will go on sale this summer for €129.99 ($160) for the 7-inch model and €179.99 ($222) for the 8.4-inch model.