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(More customer reviews)UPDATE: See the new addendum at the end of this review.
I pre-ordered the 32gb Thrive here on Amazon, but got impatient and went to a local retailer just to check them out. We loved this tab so much, we got a 2nd for my husband in 16gb.
Toshiba Brand
First off -- No -- I do not work for Toshiba. But I fell in love with the brand a little over a year ago when I bought a new Qosmio laptop, and it's BY FAR the best computer I have ever owned. I love it as much today as the day I got it, so when I found out Toshiba had an Android Tab, I had to take a serious look.
Galaxy & Iconia in Brief
Prior to learning about Thrive, I was seriously considering the new 10" Galaxy Tab. I had been coveting the 8" model for some time, but just wasn't ready to take the leap. So when the 10" came along, I just had to stop by a local retailer to try one out hands-on. And I must say, I really fell in love with it -- the screen is vivid and stunning, the interface is clean and responsive. And it's super thin for sure. But, the first thing I noticed was there's no inputs of any kind; no SD slot, no USB, no nada. The sales rep said that's because everything is trending toward the "cloud." Well, that's all well and good, but I like products that I control, not products that control me (hence why I'm no fan of Apple's line of iShackle products.) I'm all for "the cloud" and have one here on Amazon for my music, but I'm also the type that prefers to have my own stuff stored locally. I also like to get into the nuts and bolts of my peripherals and use them my way, so having no inputs on the Galaxy was a huge letdown for me. I left the store feeling underwhelmed, and like it wasn't the right time to buy a tablet. But I was bitten by the bug so I went home and started researching other tabs.
Reviews here on Amazon had me convinced Acer Iconia was better than Asus Transformer. And the Acer had USB inputs, so I was happy with that. But I've never been a big fan of Acer, so I still wasn't feeling the itch just yet. But then I stumbled upon the Toshiba Thrive, and still being so highly impressed with their laptop, I immediately felt a connection to the Thrive.
Every Input I'll Ever Need
Thrive has SD card, USB, mini-USB and full size HDMI ports. And for me, this is where Thrive clobbers the competition -- Toshiba just "gets it;" they make products that keep the end user in control and offer a truly freeing experience. I have a full size HDMI port on my Toshiba laptop too, and let me tell you, it completely changed my computing experience! My laptop is connected to a 50" plasma TV and I use a wireless keyboard and gyration remote for a mouse. Let me tell you, once you use a computer that way, there's just no going back. So all those inputs on the Thrive was a big clincher for me -- and once again, Toshiba stands head and shoulders above the rest in this department. I fully expect to connect my tablet to my HDTV as well. And the on-board SD and USB ports assure I'll have all the computing freedom and control I've come to expect.
Vibrant Screen and Color
When I first saw the Thrive at my local electronics store, I was a bit concerned the screen wasn't as vibrant as the Galaxy. But then I remembered Thrive has an auto brightness feature, so I was wondering if that was limiting the saturation in some way. I was easily able to find and navigate the setup menus right there in the store, turned off auto-brightness -- and voila! -- the Thrive's screen was every bit as vibrant and rich as the Galaxy! The colors and clarity are nothing short of stunning. I hate to say it, but the screen is probably better than my 50" plasma (it's only a couple years old, which already makes it a relic in tech world.)
Ease of Use
For me, the truest test of any piece of tech, is the ability to use it straight out of the box with NO help from user manuals. I got a new printer recently and had to fiddle with it for days because the install didn't set it up properly -- and in my book -- that's a sure sign of a piece of junk. This Thrive, however, was very simple and easy to get the hang of within minutes right there in the store. Naturally, that's as much a testament to Android 3.1 as it is to Toshiba Thrive. Either way, I was doing everything from surfing the net, to customizing the entire interface and settings in minutes, all right there in the store -- no user manuals, no nothing. I even tethered it to my cell phone just for fun. The interface is so smooth and responsive, and the Tegra CPU is clearly a beast; no hangs, locking or delays of any kind. Everything was fast, smooth and clean; just the way it should be. In fact, Thrive loaded and buffered YouTube videos better than the Galaxy, though there could be many reasons for that given all the devices on the store's WiFi network.
Rubberized Back
Some might not think much of this, but believe me, it's pretty awesome and makes the Thrive feel like velvet in my hands! It also gives me confidence in the tablet's durability and build quality. By contrast, both the Galaxy and Iconia have a hard, slick back, and as a result, I personally found them both harder to hang on to. I'm disabled and easily drop things, so I never felt fully confident holding either the Galaxy or Iconia. All of these tabs are just a few weeks old, and it's worth pointing out that the backs of both the Galaxy and Iconia were scuffed and scratched to the point of making them look junky. Granted, they're both display models in a high traffic store, but the physical condition of both these tabs after only a couple weeks on display suggests one can expect the same blemishes from personal use over time. By contrast, the Thrive's rubber backing assures there'll be no scuffs or scratches on my tab or anything I set it down on. And if it does wear out, I can just buy a new backing in one of 6 cool colors.
Thickness
Yes, the Thrive is probably twice as thick as the Galaxy, but I'm ok with that. Especially since it isn't all that much heavier. I think the added thickness is due to the USB and HDMI inputs the Galaxy is lacking. Personally, I'd rather have a slightly thicker tab with all the inputs I want, than a wafer thin tab that has a USB dongle dangling from it that I always have to remember to carry. Smaller and thinner isn't always better, at least not for my taste. I don't want a 10" wafer thin screen that I'm scared to drop or set down anywhere, or that will easily get scratched or cracked. The Galaxy just doesn't feel very durable, nor did the Iconia. While the added thickness and rubberized back make the Thrive feel more durable; like it could survive being accidentally dropped, or if placed on a table, the rubber backing would help it survive minor spills. Being disabled, I need something durable, and to that end, the Thrive feels like it will easily outlast both the Galaxy and Iconia. And we're not talking a super thick tablet here; it's still plenty thin. It's also very light; if not, my hands would cramp up and I wouldn't be able to grasp it to begin with.
Wider Body - More To Get My Paws On!
The Thrive is a bit wider than both the Galaxy and the Iconia -- the screen size is the same on all 3, but the Thrive's casing is about half an inch wider, which is great because it gives me a little more edge to hang on to without my fingers covering part of the screen. I have big hands, so this all adds up to a good thing for me. Overall, the Thrive just feels better in my hands, and more sturdy and durable.
Screen Protectors
I'm a fan of those "helicopter blade" screen protectors and have been using them on all my touch screen devices for years. I went ahead and ordered a full body protector for my 32gb Thrive pre-order. But after getting my hands on my husband's 16gb Thrive, I'm realizing I don't want to cover the velvety rubber back of my Thrive with a screen protector. They haven't arrived yet, but I'm hoping we can use the back of the screen protector on the front of our 16gb Thrive (both pieces appear to be the same shape and size.) If not, no biggie, we'll just order another screen protector. I'm a big believer in screen protection and they've saved me from accidental scratches more than once.
Entertainment Hub
I've read that Tablets are trying to edge themselves into being the conduit that connects all your devices -- TV, cell phone, computer, etc. And after getting this Thrive in my hands, I can see how tablets can easily fill that void. I love my Qosmio laptop, but prefer not to take it away from home. And my smartphone is great, but the screen is just too small to enjoy surfing the net on it. But now with the Thrive, I can stay connected and still enjoy a full-fledged experience on the go, or even at home, all in the palm of my hands. I've never been much into social networking, but I'm realizing that for someone with limited mobility, this might be my conduit to the outside world. I can totally see how using this tab in a social aspect while watching TV would broaden and enhance my experience. I just may get into Twitter too, and all that thanks to this Thrive! Duh -- I'm starting to get why they named it that to begin with!
Replaceable Battery
Some people might find this meaningless. But I just had to replace the battery in my expensive Harmony remote and it's only 2 years old. So for me, having a replaceable battery in an expensive tablet its HUGE! No other brand offers this but Thrive.
Bottom Line -- my head is reeling a bit from the thought of owning 2 tablets. It's really not an expense we can afford and I should probably cancel my 32gb pre-order...Read more›
Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Thrive 10.1-Inch 16 GB Android Tablet AT105-T1016
Introducing the Thrive Tablet by Toshiba, powered by Android 3.1 (Honeycomb), offering a better way to browse the web, enjoy e-books and HD videos, play games, listen to music and more. Complete, convenient and customizable, it's everything a tablet can and should be, with a gorgeous 10.1-inch diagonal high-res multi-touch widescreen display, features you can personalize and speedy performance so you can multitask your way through your digital life (and favorite entertainment) with ease.
The Toshiba Thrive Tablet featuring the power of Android 3.1 and the NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processor (see larger image).
Click here for more information about Toshiba Thrive 10.1-Inch 16 GB Android Tablet AT105-T1016
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