Toshiba Thrive review

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

I guess the HTML5 is transcoded at a lower quality on purpose. The websites will make the decision to do that because they say HTML5 is for devices that can't handle flash, thus they cannot handle high quality video. Which is, of course, nonsense. But I see this on a number of websites.

The reason I found out about this is that I tried switching to HTML5 when my connection was really slow when traveling.

Flash is just a plugin that calls the video. HTML5 does away with the plugin.

How did you 'switch' to HTML5? Your browser should read it natively.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

Flash is just a plugin that calls the video. HTML5 does away with the plugin.

How did you 'switch' to HTML5? Your browser should read it natively.

The websites have (way at the bottom) a button "HTML" you can click and videos you can watch will be HTML5. So the standard website lets you access all videos in flash, if you want to see the HTML5 versions you have to go to a subsection.

And while the standard site has 3 quality settings, the HTML seems to be low quality only.

[lestatar]

Originally Posted by GreenMonkey

I love the look of the Toshiba Thrive. HDMI, USB host, SDXC is awesome. Wish there was a 7"- 8" 16:9 version of it. 10" is way too big for me.

Originally Posted by HansTWN

The Toshiba's slot is SDXC? Great, how about the others? And HP's touchpad?

Back on the thread...

Indeed, I too think the inclusion of this stuff on the Thrive is a great thing. Really, my first impression stands so far - could be a compelling tablet device which can actually help you get stuff done.

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by Graham

Flash runs very smoothly on my Galaxy S as well. I daresay it could be made to run fine on an iPhone.

Graham

You may very well be right. While reading about the blackberry playbook, I found where Andy Inhatko said about the same thing. But he's an iSheep! All fans of Apple think the same way! The Church of Jobs!

Ahem, no.

I believe Steve...Apple has every right to decide the destiny of their own device. So far, they do seem to know what they’re going, yes?

But I think Apple’s completely wrong about Flash. I’ve been watching Conan and Colbert all week long on the PlayBook and the G-Slate; Flash video works perfectly fine.

Is the Flash plugin stable? Why, my friends, it’s just as stable as the desktop Flash player.

(Yes, thank you; I thought we’d all enjoy a good laugh together. Sorry if you were drinking something when you read that.)

The last twist of the knife: Apple claims that “no Flash” brings a few advantages to the iPad. Okay, well, if any of these advantages appeal to a G-Slate or PlayBook user, he or she can open a Preferences box and simply turn Flash off. Or, they can remove the plug-in entirely.

I think he must have been excommunicated after that, no?

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

I think he must have been excommunicated after that, no?

You might still be excommunicated for posting that. Now matter how much you have endeared yourself with Steve previously.

And yes, I should add the big " ", otherwise someone will call for the moderators again when we joke around.

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

You might still be excommunicated for posting that. Now matter how much you have endeared yourself with Steve previously.

No kidding, my iTunes account just locked up. Can't get software or updates.


edit: kidding.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by lestatar

Back on the thread...

Indeed, I too think the inclusion of this stuff on the Thrive is a great thing. Really, my first impression stands so far - could be a compelling tablet device which can actually help you get stuff done.

The question is, how much "real work" can be done on an Android device? I think it is more of a software problem, than a hardware one.

[lestatar]

^ Well, fair enough. It is a relative term, ain't it? For sure, SW, but having ubiquitous HW components for certain things can help I think - actual card slots, real USB ports, etc can allow for easier file/directory functions and file access.

Dunno about you guys, but Wifi access is not necessarily everywhere, not always 100% safe nor necessarily the fastest, muss-free way to copy files back and forth.

For instance, my Tab came with ThinkFree Office installed. Very cool, but no way am I gonna try and edit docs or xls files via the touch keypad. The review video example where she connected a USB keyboard [and the USB thumbdrive passthrough] made me immediately imagine I could use such a combination to edit documents and stuff.

Just my own thoughts, FWIW and as always, YMMV
-les

[RockdaMan]

“We started on it about a year ago. But even earlier than that, we’d been talking about it. There were core navigation problems that needed fixing. At first, we had been talking about more incremental changes, with the site still operating in Flash. But then last summer, it became clear that browsers with full HTML5 capabilities had gained enough support. We realized we could do the full Pandora experience without Flash,” he says.

That’s right, another site once completely reliant on Flash is breaking the addiction.

“Back in 2004, web browsers didn’t natively know how to play music. There was QuickTime, Real Player, and Flash. Flash was so ubiquitous back then — it was an obvious choice,” Conrad says.

Conrad says that it was also about a year ago, as mobile growth was exploding, that he began to realize that Pandora’s app for the iPhone and iPad were actually closer to the essence of Pandora than the web version was. So it should be no surprise that New Pandora takes its design cues from the iPad app Pandora first built last year (this is similar to the way in which “New Twitter” was influenced by Twitter for iPad).

Going back to HTML5, clearly Pandora is making a bet here that this is the future of the web. But that’s an easy bet to make at this point. Still, they’re thinking bigger too. “HTML5 is the only technology that has a shot at being a ubquitous solution across a wide range of computing experiences — tablets, TV, automobiles, etc. We still have along way to go, but it’s possible,” Conrad says.

http://techcrunch.com/2011/07/12/new-pandora/

[RockdaMan]

Owners of the recently released Toshiba Thrive tablet say the device has an annoying bug causing the tablet to refuse to come out of sleep mode.

an administrator on the Toshiba forum is asking Thrive users who are experiencing this problem to send him a private message (registration required) with the following information: your name, contact information, location (city, state), your tablet's onboard storage (8, 16 or 32GB), approximate frequency of the problem, what happens to cause the problem, and any other details you feel are relevant.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/23590...wners_say.html

[Graham]

Yes, it's a worry that Toshiba bug story, not in that it's a particular showstopper in itself, but in that it follows the kerfuffle over their previous attempt, the Folio, which was pulled from UK stores due to bugs.

Graham

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

http://techcrunch.com/2011/07/12/new-pandora/

This is just a lot of <Double-Speak> for "most of Pandora's customers are those on iDevices and expensive all-you-can-eat mobile plans. So we better keep Apple happy". Especially with dangerous competition, Spotify, about to attack them.

In the end HTML5 may take over from flash. But most people need flash now. A lot (no, not everyone) of those with iDevices are just making sacrifices in order to have something with the coveted logo, or they prefer the overall features of those iDevices (flash be damned).

My point is, Apple users would be better off if Apple had a hidden flash option. There is nothing that can really refute this argument.

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

In the end HTML5 may take over from flash.

Will.

But most people need flash now.

Most people needed floppy disks at one time too.

A lot (no, not everyone) of those with iDevices are just making sacrifices

If you say it enough it might come true. Probably not though.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

Will.



Most people needed floppy disks at one time too.



If you say it enough it might come true. Probably not though.

Funny Rock I was thinking about this thread over the weekend. My sister in law has an iPad and her friend who got married a while back got all her wedding photo's up on the photographer's website. She brought up the link , tapped on her friends segament and low and behold was not able to view her friends wedding photo's because it was in wait for it................. Flash!!!! But I had my trusty non rooted Nook color to come in and save the day

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by boswd

Funny Rock I was thinking about this thread over the weekend. My sister in law has an iPad and her friend who got married a while back got all her wedding photo's up on the photographer's website. She brought up the link , tapped on her friends segament and low and behold was not able to view her friends wedding photo's because it was in wait for it................. Flash!!!! But I had my trusty non rooted Nook color to come in and save the day

What will they think of next?