Toshiba Thrive review

[=X=]

Originally Posted by boswd

Too bad the mainstream media will kick it to the curb because it's not as thin as the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1 It's a shame the media is hypnotized by a devices thickness.

IDK, I see you point and somewhat agree, but Toshiba doesn't seem to be going after the main stream here they seem to be going after tech savvy users.

Loaded with LED, replicable batteries, Output(USB, SD Slot, HDMI) it really screams "functional" vs "sexy". Folks with a functional need vs games/surfing are most likely going to opt for the Thrive.

That's just my take.

=X=

[RainingLemur]

I got a chance to play with one of these yesterday. I gotta say...I like it. If I could completely justify getting one, I'd snap one up in a heartbeat.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by =X=

IDK, I see you point and somewhat agree, but Toshiba doesn't seem to be going after the main stream here they seem to be going after tech savvy users.

Loaded with LED, replicable batteries, Output(USB, SD Slot, HDMI) it really screams "functional" vs "sexy". Folks with a functional need vs games/surfing are most likely going to opt for the Thrive.

That's just my take.

=X=

I hope not but I don't have alot of faith in many mainstream tech media site anymore. I know it's a bit of a tin foil hat thought process but it just seems they are all a little to goo gooo gaaa gaa over everything and anything apple. It's really become a " is it as thin as the iPad?" all reviews seem to start fromt that angle and all go down hill form there.

so I can see the whole "it's way too thick " blahh blahhh mantra spewing out. Can't imgainge the field day Cnet David Pogue and Walt Moss. are going to have with it's size. Again it's a shame because the trade off you have to achieve the ultra thinness are HUGE. Little to no ports or connections or expandable memory. So if I can get 3x the functionality without jumping through accessory hoops then yeah I'll take that extra .0008 of any inch more in size.

[wodin]

I never quite understood the advantage of thinness on a ten inch device. The thing is already too big to fit in your pocket, making it thinner doesn’t help that at all.

Now lighter, I can understand; after all, holding it up one handed to read has its advantages, whereas thinner makes no difference.

If it was a seven inch pocketable, thin would matter; but, excuse me on a ten incher, I’d rather have ports!

[Gunnerp245]

Originally Posted by Noah98

I was in Office Depot ... the 32gb version (the sales staff said that was the only version being offered) and it was $499...

Best Buy 'Pre-order" only:

32gb $579.99;
16gb $479.99;
8gb $429.99;

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....egories&ks=960

[Noah98]

Originally Posted by boswd

Too bad the mainstream media will kick it to the curb because it's not as thin as the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1 It's a shame the media is hypnotized by a devices thickness.

Yeah, the Thrive feels really good and sort of rugged. I don't think the thickness is a big issue at all. I liked the form factor, but I do wish the screen was as nice as the Asus and Galaxy Tab.

[Noah98]

Originally Posted by aceflor

Why is the acer outclassed? Please list for us the reasons.

1. The casing feels very cheap compared to the other devices (Xoom, Asus, Thrive, Galaxy Tab, ipad)

2. Screen is outclassed by the Asus, ipad 2, and Galaxy Tab

3. It was sluggish compared with the Asus, Thrive, and Galaxy Tab (although that may have something to do with the display unit)

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by =X=

Folks with a functional need vs games/surfing are most likely going to opt for the Thrive.

Perhaps when and if the apps arrive. Until then, it would seem that the market leader is a much more multi-dimensional and functional device. I have read that pilots are using it now in flight, and doctors are using it for healthcare. Sailors are using it. That is much beyond 'games/surfing'. Wait, what kind of surfing are we discussing? There is probably an app for that too!

[lestatar]

Originally Posted by boswd

Too bad the mainstream media will kick it to the curb because it's not as thin as the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1 It's a shame the media is hypnotized by a devices thickness.

Yeah, prolly right...

Watched the whole vid, great review and thanks OP for the post!

This is a very interesting device to me. While I do like my Galaxy Tab alot, there are some things missing on it which would make it a much more useful device. Indeed the Thrive seems a very close bridge between pure content consumption tablet and actually useful content creation netbook device.

I think it is an interesting gamble by Toshiba. They have clearly thrown in some "older" tech in an effort to make the Thrive both cheaper and actually more useful. Love the USB port and the USB mini connector is an interesting choice. Full SD slot is great as well as is the HDMI port. Not so great is the power brick - don't recall if she mentioned the device can charge via USB mini.

One of the most compellingly cool things for me was the USB keyboard with the USB passthrough. Very very nice. I could easily see myself writing/editing actual documents with the use of a USB keyboard and still be able to copy/move/transfer/access files off a USB finger.

It sure ain't the sexiest looking device nor the lightest, but I too agree with folks who say this tablet might actually be aimed at more hardcore techy types who actually want something like this to do really productive things. The easily replaceable battery is quite awesome as well.

Indeed an interesting entry. We will see how it fares in the oh-so-fickle and vain tablet market. But she said it best: "...it certainly can act like a real computer...".

I for one applaud this kind of tablet direction.

cheers,
-les

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

Until then, it would seem that the market leader is a much more multi-dimensional and functional device. I have read that pilots are using it now in flight, and doctors are using it for healthcare. Sailors are using it.

Oh "Promoter of Truth" if your allegiance was not already well known then your statement would seem to indicate that you are describing uses that Palm and other PDA devices have been put to for years.

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

uses that Palm and other PDA devices have been put to for years.

True...to an extent.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

True...to an extent.

Much more than to an extent. Here in the UK doctors that I know madly try to buy up old Palm T/Xs as they've been used widely for years.

Graham

[aceflor]

Originally Posted by Noah98

1. The casing feels very cheap compared to the other devices (Xoom, Asus, Thrive, Galaxy Tab, ipad)

cannot confirm that at all, how weird. The casing feels very solid. It felt much better finished than the asus, I did not like at all the weight repartition in the xoom which kept balancing on the right side. I have not had yet a Galaxy tab in my hands, but I can compare to an ipad 1 which we own and the casing does not feel cheaper to me on the acer at all. Maybe with the ipad 2.

Originally Posted by Noah98

2. Screen is outclassed by the Asus, ipad 2, and Galaxy Tab

display is indeed not the best of its class on the acer, but more than enough for my needs, videos in hd are playing perfectly fine, games might not be great (I am not a player)

Originally Posted by Noah98

3. It was sluggish compared with the Asus, Thrive, and Galaxy Tab (although that may have something to do with the display unit)

Mine is not sluggish AT ALL. My neighbour got an asus and we compared yesterday, my acer was indeed quicker since it got the update to 3.1 which the asus had too btw. My neighbour now wants to exchange his asus for an acer, he was green when he realised that plus the specs (2Usbs + micro SD) of the acer

I like it. it is certainly not the best, but I enjoy the specs and the device, so for me it was a good decision, I don't think it is outclassed nor the best, but it is quite good and probably a good budget decision for many users.

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by Graham

Here in the UK doctors that I know madly try to buy up old Palm T/Xs

Great devices.

http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/palm...-31546759.html

[Graham]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

Great devices.

http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/palm...-31546759.html

Definitely. It was with great regret that I finally admitted to myself earlier this year that my Galaxy S really had made my T/X obsolete and that I should let it go!

My wife has two Palm T/Xs and even though she's had a high-end Nokia smartphone for 18 months she still needs the T/X for some things. (Which probably says a lot about why Nokia are in the state that they are in.)

Graham