Toshiba launches thick Thrive tablet in Europe Toshiba will not be introducing its third-generation Android tablet at this week's IFA consumer electronics show, confounding reports and the hopes fondleslab fans. In the US, Toshiba may be preparing a skinny new Android-based tablet called the Excite, but Europeans are going to get the current chunky model, the Thrive - here …
A lot of paperback novels weight three quarters of a kilo, and people read them in bed. It's a 150 g (1/3rd) heavier than the lightest tablets, which is nothing to get distressed about. If carrying this tablet causes you injury, you must be rather frail already. Meanwhile, there's the extra convenience that all those ports afford.
They should create a new category for this type of Tablet called the "Slab". Who wants a tablet twice as thick as competitors. The full size expansion ports/slots is great but not at the expense of twice the thickness. I don't think this will be that popular and Toshiba is doing themselves over by not releasing the Excite to Europe market at the same time as the US market.
What the hell is this fixation with thin phones and thin tablets? Make 'em light, sure, but thin? That just make'em harder to hold, and gains nothing except another figure to quite at stat geeks.
Actually, lets face it, that's exactly the reason they do it, because the target audience includes vast numbers of people who unaccountably care that their tablet be 0.2 mm thinner than their mate's one. Lame.
At least according to the TIMN review it's only giving around 5 hours on a full charge. From their review:
'the entry-level Thrive (which comes with only 8GB of flash storage!) is still $429. Meanwhile, the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, which is superior in almost every way, costs only $400'
This tablet is Tosh in every sense I'm afraid.
I opted for the Acer A500 and I'm chuffed. The reasons: Full size USB 2.0 with host support - gimme your stick and I can have your files right now - HDMI out (micro), thickness - I find handling the Samsung Galaxy Tab or the iPad too thin and uncomfortable to hold for my shovels whereas the Acer and the Asus felt just right. They may have been ok if I had dainty little appendages. I had considered waiting for the tosh but my lack of patience got the better of me. Finally I paid £309 new for the 32GB WiFi only and I'm delighted with it.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
