Toshiba has announced that its 10.1-inch Thrive tablet will soon receive a smaller and lighter sibling in the form of Thrive 7''. Weighing in at 399 grams (0.88 lbs) and 11.94 mm (0.47 in) thick, the Android 3.2 (Honeycomb)-based Thrive 7'' tablet is powered by NVIDIA Tegra 2 platform with a dual-core CPU and 1GB of RAM, has a 1280×800 resolution LED backlit screen and will be offered in 16 and 32GB models.
The Thrive 7'' has a slip-resistant rubber housing finish, while its LED backlit multi-touch display features Adaptive Display (automatic adjustment according to ambient conditions) and Resolution+ video enhancement, which is designed to upconvert video to a HD-comparable quality.
The unit incorporates two cameras - a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for video calling - and wireless connectivity comes courtesy of WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS.
Unlike the the larger 10.1-inch Thrive, the 7'' model uses Mini USB and Micro HDMI ports. Similarly, the SD card slot has been replaced with a micro SD card slot in Toshiba's new offering.
With no official pricing announced at this point, Toshiba Thrive 7'' is rumored to be priced at "less than US$400" according to Engadget. The new tablet is slated for December release in the U.S.
The screen is very good on mine - if at times a bit sensitive - but movies and youtube downloads are very good quality. I also like that I can not only take video\'s, but use the regular sized HDMI connection to show the video\'s on our large-screen TV.
Eventually, I will figure out how to wirelessly connect my tablet with my TV (both wifi connected) to be able to watch video\'s/photo\'s without connecting. I know it can be done, I just have to sit down and do some brainwork and perhaps tweak my router/permissions a bit to make this happen, but at least I don\'t have to go out and buy an Apple computer just to get the \"AppleTV\" App LOL.
Battery life is very good, and I think the back cover removal/battery replacement is simply genius! I actually carry mine around in a oversized iPad case that surprises everyone at Starbucks when I haul out my Toshiba. Then quick connect to their wifi, and I\'m watching video\'s, checking email, facebook and my blog.
I\'m really getting to like the Swype keyboarding as well.
Must find a NetFlix app. Oh, and Skype Video-calling works great on mine.