Archos Android phone gets release date -- and its own app store

Archos will unveil its Android-powered 3G-phone-media-tablet-doodah on 15 September. An invitation to the launch hit our inbox this morning, with the portable media player manufacturer also revealing its own online app store at the event.

Although the invitation to London's West End doesn't mention the product involved, it does proudly sport the famous Google Android logo. Archos announced the Android-powered 3.5G mobile tablet in February this year. It will make voice calls and access the Web via mobile broadband.

If the specs are unchanged from the February announcement, it will feature a 127mm (5-inch) screen that plays back 720p high-definition footage and Adobe Flash video. You'll get up to 500GB of storage and 7 hours of playback.

In preparation for the launch, Archos has also launched its own Android app store called AppsLib, which is an alternative to Google's existing Android Market. So far AppsLib doesn't have any apps available, but there's plenty of information for developers.

We'll be getting our hands on the tablet phone at the launch on the 15th, where we'll see just how daft you'll look holding a 5-inch tablet up to your face. "Hello?! I'm on the portable media player!"