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Toshiba has unveiled its first ever tab as it looks to move users beyond their beloved laptop.
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But will it do what it says on the tin?
Well, according to initial reviews at Computex 2011 this week, yes.
The 10.1 inch Thrive, Toshiba’s Android take on tabs has been met with somewhat surprising positive feedback (Engadget admit it was forced to “eat crow “after expressing doubts initially, saying it is “lighter,” “airier and “comfortable to hold.”)
Inside, the touch screen device (described as “wholly responsive”) houses Nvidia’s dual-core Tegra 2 chipset, 1GB RAM, dual cameras (2.1 front, 5 MP rear) a litany of ports including full-sized and mini USB and HDMI ports (all in a discreet hatch), card reader supporting SD, SDHC and SDXC as well as run of the mill Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. Phew! Thrive means business alright.
Running on Honeycomb 3.1, Google Android’s newest OS, also boasts Swype functionality, which allows users to glide their finger across a virtual keyboard to spell words, rather than tapping out each letter.
For business users Thrive also offers file manager and a tool that lets connection to any printer on the same WiFi network, making it an ideal on the move companion and boasts a clean, no nonesense user interface.
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Oh and by the way if you think the 10.1 inch is just a bigger smartphone (think the 7 inch Galaxy Tab), don’t be fooled, Toshiba insists.
Thrive is most definitely a laptop in a tablet.
“There are two approaches you can take to a tablet,” Jeff Barney, VP and GM of digital products division told CNET.
“One approach is as a smartphone with more functionality and a bigger screen. Or more from a laptop down to a tablet. We’re laptop people, so we took that approach.”
And the tab is also said to have an appearance of Toshiba netbook.
And it is superior to the market darling, the iPad 2, Toshiba insists, with Thrive’s superior hardware specs as well as sound performance including stereo sound that is enhanced by SRS Labs surround sound enhancements.
So there you have it. Thrive could very well endear fans of its laptops over to the tablet revolution in July when shipping kicks off in the States. Pricing starts at US$429 for the 8GB base model, 16GB ($479) and 32GB ($579).
