Toshiba Thrive Review
The Toshiba Thrive is an inexpensive choice for those who would like a powerful Android Tablet. With a high quality screen resolution, a lot of different storage choices and a high powered NVidia Tegra Dual Core processor, this tablet could well become a rival to the best-selling Samsung Galaxy Tab and Asus EEE Pad tablet PCs.
Toshiba Thrive Key specs
* Price: $370 – $580
* Release date: 2011
* OS: Android 3.1
* size: 0.75 x 0.62 x 6.97 inches
* Weight: 1.6 lb. / 0.73 kg
* Screen size: 10.1 inch
* Resolutions: 1280 x 800 HD
* 8GB, 16GB and 32GB storage options
* NVidia Tegra 2 Dual 1GHz processor
* Wi-Fi & Bluetooth connectivity
* Cameras: 5 MP & 2 MP
* Battery life: 7hrs
Toshiba Thrive: The Good Points
Storage Options: Chief benefit with the Toshiba Thrive is the amount of storage options. More choices are always good! You can get exactly what you require and make sure you’re not needlessly overspending. Usually it’s advisable to get the highest storage you can afford (so you have plenty of room to add apps, movies, etc), if you go with a lower option though you will still have plenty of space for apps, etc.
Design: A really nice feature on this tablet is the non-slip rubber backplate. It means that it feels a lot more secure and less slippy when using it. If you’ve ever used an Apple iPad 2, you may be familiar with this problem! The rubber plate is interchangeable so you have a variety of design options in funky colors, and it also increases the comfort level – very important with a device which you can expect to be holding in your hands for hours.
Screen size: The HD screen is a whopping 1280×800 – bigger than the iPad 2 – which means that movies are going to look great on the Toshiba Thrive. It also contains an onboard video enhancer app to improve the quality of standard content and make it look better on the HD screen. There has been a good effort made to keep the screen readable in bright and dim light, with auto-adjusting backlighting. (Bear in mind though that no tablet PC will read brilliantly in bright sunshine.)
HDMI Port: This handy feature means you can watch your HD movies from your Thrive directly on your HD TV screen. Great if you’re using the Toshiba Thrive to download movies.
Camera: Like many competitors, the Thrive boasts a front and a rear camera, with the 2MP front camera being designed for video calling. This is a great spec for a front-facing camera and beats out many rivals. The 5MP rear camera is well-powered and has the ability to record video in HD, which is a bonus.
Flash Support: As with most Android tablets, the Thrive has the iPad beaten on this point. You’ll be able to use your Thrive to play Farmville or any other flash-based web games, as well as use websites which have flash integration.
Processor: The NVidia Tegra 2 Dual Core processor has been used in many of the high-end tablets on the market today, and it’s a robust, powerful processor. You’ll find multitasking is a breeze and most apps will load up quickly. You’ll also be able to play high-quality games in HD quality.
Accessories: Toshiba have a number of in-house accessories for the Thrive, including a battery pack, the aforementioned backplate, and a docking station, which can be very useful for displaying the Thrive on a desk or table for watching movies or reading.
However, there are not nearly as many third-party accessories available as you’ll find for the iPad or the Galaxy Tab. That said, the number is increasing as the Thrive grows in popularity, and you should be able to find whatever you’re looking for, be it a case, stylus, or external speakers.
SD Card reader: Many Android tablets include a microSD card slot, but the Thrid uses a full-sized card reader. This is particularly beneficial to photographers as they’ll be able to transfer direct between the Thrive and their camera without using an adaptor or going through the PC. having this slot also allows you to expand your storage, which is great news if you’re planning to store a lot of video or music on the device.
User-Replaceable Battery: No other high-end tablet has this feature, and it could be the point which makes your mind up. Toshiba have designed this tablet so that you can use a replacement battery pack, rather than having to take it to a main dealer to have a new one put in. Not only does this mean lower repair costs for you (most tablet batteries will gradually lose their holding charge power over time) but it also means you can have a spare battery as a backup in case you can’t recharge the tablet. This is a really innovative function and really important to those who want more control over their tablet.
Ports: As well as the memory card slot and HDMI port, you also get a standard USB port and a mini-USB port. Adding a docking station will put another one or two ports on there too. Great for adding peripherals or USB storage.
Toshiba Thrive bad Points
Battery Life: Battery life 7 hours? Ok it’s not bad, but it doesn’t match the standards of the best tablets. If you’re on the road a lot, this could be an important factor.
Weight: It’s not heavy at 1.6lbs, but it is more weighty than many other tablets so if you’re planning on holding it in your hands for long periods, this could be a factor.
No 3G/ 4G Connectivity: This is the real deal-killer for many. The only inbuilt connection is through WiFi, which is great if you plan to use it mainly at home or in coffee shops, but not so good if you want permanent connectivity. However, one possible solution, given the availability of USB ports, is to buy a mobile dongle so you can connect on the move.
Conclusion
The Toshiba Thrive is a definite contender to the Android championship. It doesn’t quite meet the stylishness of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, but it certainly matches it on pricing, and the ability to replace the battery is a major plus point for some people.
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Filed under: Tablet PC Reviews • Toshiba
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the toshiba thrive is actually a really good tablet, the only thing that is a turn off is the price!