Laptops & Desktops

John Morris & Sean Portnoy
Home / News & Blogs / Laptops & Desktops

Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version

By | June 6, 2011, 3:42am PDT

Summary: Toshiba is the latest company to throw its hat into the tablet ring, as its Android-based Thrive slate has been given a release date and pricing. As with many, many others, the Thrive is powered by the new 3.1 version of Android, a.k.a. Honeycomb, and will ship in the U.S. starting July 10. The 10.1-inch [...]

Toshiba is the latest company to throw its hat into the tablet ring, as its Android-based Thrive slate has been given a release date and pricing.

As with many, many others, the Thrive is powered by the new 3.1 version of Android, a.k.a. Honeycomb, and will ship in the U.S. starting July 10. The 10.1-inch tablet is powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 2 chip, has a front-facing Webcam and rear-facing 5-megapixel camera, and sports USB, mini-USB, and HDMI ports, along with an SD memory card slot. But its Internet connectivity is Wi-Fi only, which means your mobile access to the Web is limited to hotspots.

You’ll be able to pre-order the Thrive starting on June 13. At $429, the base model is $70 cheaper than the iPad 2, but you only get 8GB of storage for the price. For 16GB, the Thrive still costs $20 less than the base iPad 2 at $479, and the 32GB version is similarly cheaper at $579. There is no 64GB flavor of the Thrive, however. (Pricing via eWeek.)

With so many Honeycomb tablets set to enter the market, it will be hard for consumers to differentiate between them. Toshiba is apparently banking on its price point (about $20 less than the 16GB Acer Iconia Tab A500, but $30 more than the 16GB Asus Eee Pad Transformer) and name recognition to get some traction in what will be a highly competitive field of Android slates.

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily e-mail newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

More from “Laptops & Desktops”

Topics

Android Tablet PC, Toshiba Corp., Tablets, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Sean Portnoy

Sean Portnoy is a freelance technology journalist.

Disclosure

Sean Portnoy

Sean Portnoy is a freelance technology journalist; currently, all work that Sean does is on a contractural basis. Sean has also written corporate communications documents for CA.

Sean does not accept gifts from companies he covers. All hardware products he writes about are purchased with his own funds or are review units covered under formal loan agreements and are returned after the review is complete.

Biography

Sean Portnoy

Sean Portnoy started his tech writing career at ZDNet nearly a decade ago. He then spent several years as an editor at Computer Shopper magazine, most recently serving as online executive editor. He received a B.A. from Brown University and an M.A. from the University of Southern California.
22
Comments
Add Your Opinion

Join the conversation!

Just In

RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
user202 25th Sep
what about the capacitive touch pen option? Bankl??n trots betalningsanm??rkning
View in thread
0 Votes
+ -
Vanilla or skinned?
tn77 6th Jun
Does this have skins/overlays? Or is it a Vanilla version of Android? Thank you
0 Votes
+ -
XOOM-ba-yah
Robert Hahn 6th Jun
What reason is there to think that this latest entry in the Amazing Android Tablet Onslaught will do any better than the XOOM or the fearsome Galaxy Tab?

Every time somebody announces another one of these "me too" devices, they further divide whatever market there is for them, making it that much harder for any one of them to achieve 'escape velocity.' How can anybody make money when they're selling one-tenth the volume of the market leader?

This whole Android tablet thing is looking more and more like a giant bleeding contest among huge firms like Samsung and Toshiba who think they can outlast 'the little guys' and maybe end up with 40% share divided up two or three ways. If those kinds of companies could innovate, they would. Instead they're reduced to using their manufacturing muscle to push their way to the head of the line for Apple's table scraps. Big whoop.
0 Votes
+ -
Absolutely right . . .
pikeman666 6th Jun
@Robert Hahn;
Yes, I wonder too. The service providers will use them to sell service, although not the Toshiba. I wonder who will run out of money first?
But despite it's capabilities I think there is quite a bit of resistance to Apple. I know I will not buy an iPad. Not at any price.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
non-biased 8th Jun
@pikeman666 There is a bit of resistance to Apple including yourself but in the big picture it's a minuscule percentage of the market. Most average Jane/Joe consumers don't really care what OS or manufacturer it is, they just want what works best for them for the money.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
Droid101 6th Jun
@Robert Hahn
This is what they said about the G1. Now Android phones lead the market.

Try again, troll.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
non-biased Updated - 8th Jun
@Droid101 Are trying to pretend you aren't normally the troll when it comes to any discussion regarding Apple?
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
rparker009 6th Jun
@Robert Hahn
Well I have a xoom, and Ipad and the Ipad is a dust collector. The Xoom is a soild tablet with 100% web access
0 Votes
+ -
How long can they bleed?
Robert Hahn 6th Jun
You seem to be trying to persuade us that 'anecdote' is the singular of 'data'. No thanks. None of these iPad wannabes have sold one-tenth as many units as Apple has, in a world where components are sold on a volume discount basis. I'm glad you like your unit, but I'll bet Motorola wished they knew how to make money selling them. I doubt they can when the price points are set by a guy who outsells them ten-to-one.
0 Votes
+ -
Message has been deleted.
jnheroy@... Updated - 6th Jun
0 Votes
+ -
Samsung
bigpicture 6th Jun
@Robert Hahn If Samsung could not innovate then do you think that Apple would sue them, their own supplier? Samsung can innovate and create some very nice IT products, an appliances. They created the OMLED, they manufacture a lot of Apples components, have taken a huge portion of the smart phone share, make a thinner tablet than iPad etc etc.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
non-biased 8th Jun
@bigpicture Not saying they can't innovate but bringing the Apple case into the argument is counter productive to your argument, Apple went after Samsung for copying, not being innovative.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
JoeClue 14th Jun
@Robert Hahn
For one thing, Toshiba is getting one spec right that everyone else insists on getting wrong. Obviously Toshiba doesn't think that its customers are too stupid to manage battery replacement. Also, unlike Motorola, which gave us a non-functioning MicroSD slot, Toshiba will provide a (hopefully) functioning full size SD. I can understand use of MicroSD in a phone, where real estate is at a premium, but why on earth would they insist on saddling tablets with them. Having a full size USB port is also a nice touch. Of course, it could all be terribly executed, but for now it seems like some thought went it this device. In a way, Toshiba isn't putting out an iPad competitor, but an anti-iPad. Maybe there is no market for that. Maybe all anyone wants a tablet to be is a good platform for Angry Birds. But maybe there is a room for this device to thrive.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
user202 25th Sep
what about the capacitive touch pen option? Bankl??n trots betalningsanm??rkning
0 Votes
+ -
Question about SD memory as a cheaper upgrade . . .
pikeman666 6th Jun
You can buy SD cards for less than the factory memory upgrade. Will the OS use that memory, or must you add memory when built to do an upgrade?
Are the SD cards simply swapped in and out as in a Windows laptop with the slot?
Thanks!
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
tony355 6th Jun
Like the fact that ports are part of this tablet but being new to tablets I have 2 questions on this tab.
1. Can Android Apps be stored and run from an SD Card allowing me to save money by purchasing the 8gb Thrive?

2. If the Apps cannot be run from an SD card can they at least be stored on SD cards then swapped back and forth to the tablet when needed?
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
Timba1336 6th Jun
@tony355
To some degree this depends on the app but the basic answer is yes. There are apps that allow you to move those apps that can be moved to the SD card. The process seems to work just fine on my Notion Ink tablet so I cannot imagine why it would not work on the other android tablets.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
Tech1138 6th Jun
@tony355 Yes. The current Android devices let you run from the SD card, but the application needs to support it.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
ccsolutions 6th Jun
@Robert Hahn

You make a good point, but looking at history, Apple has almost always been the innovator and their own worst enemy. Yes, they have market share now mainly because they found a way to market a tablet where others (MS) have failed miserably in the past. However, that is TODAY. Apple will, IMO based on history, give up the majority of its market share as the lower cost, more option packed 'generic' tables get traction. Apple will be satisfied with total control of their wares and keep a steady 20% market share that will never buy anything but Apple.

But... your point about all the "me too" players is right on target. There really isn't anything to differentiate any of the players. We know the market will shake out and leave just a couple of products, but who remains to be seen.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
rthompson@... 6th Jun
The iPad reminds me of pet rocks and chia pets... popular in the beginning but weeded out when something more useful comes along. I believe the Toshiba Thrive will be a strong contender in the tablet market because of it's strong Android OS and the multiple ports.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
gundam_0083 6th Jun
why are all the tablets look similar?
0 Votes
+ -
attent
Firat31 15th Aug
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari
sohbet kanallari ? radyo dinle ? radyo dinle ?
mirc ? cet ? dul sohbet ? chat odalari ? chat odalari ?
sohbet odalari ? sohbet odalari ? sohbet odalari ? sohbet odalari ? sohbet odalari ? sohbet odalari ? sohbet odalari ? sohbet odalari ? sohbet odalari ? sohbet odalari ? cet ? cet
sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari turk chat - turk chat - cet
odalari islami sohbet
dini sohbet
sohbet odalari
sohbet odalari
Beni takip edenin gotune koyim =)2
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Toshiba Thrive Android tablet goes on sale in July starting at $429 for 8GB version
upinson 8th Sep
How can anybody make money when they're selling one-tenth the volume of the market leader? my Notion Ink tablet so I cannot imagine why it would not work on the other tablet androids.

Join the conversation!

Formatting +
BB Codes - Note: HTML is not supported in forums
  • [b] Bold [/b]
  • [i] Italic [/i]
  • [u] Underline [/u]
  • [s] Strikethrough [/s]
  • [q] "Quote" [/q]
  • [ol][*] 1. Ordered List [/ol]
  • [ul][*] · Unordered List [/ul]
  • [pre] Preformat [/pre]
  • [quote] "Blockquote" [/quote]
ie8 fix

The best of ZDNet, delivered

ZDNet Newsletters

Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox

Facebook Activity

Blog Roll

Blog Archive

White Papers, Webcasts, & Resources
ie8 fix