Toshiba Thrive contrast to the iPad and most of the other competition

Ever since iPad fever forever altered the landscape for tablet computers, the onus has been on rivals to come up with something to make their slates stand out. The differentiating factor for the Toshiba Thrive, which recently went on sale, is in how this Android contender might ease the transition from laptop to tablet.

That's because Thrive, in stark contrast to the iPad and most of the other competition, adds features common to laptops but not the current crop of tablets.

This Android tablet has a full-size USB port you can use to connect flash drives with pictures, videos music and documents. There's a full-size SD slot as well to accommodate memory cards that serve the same purpose. An HDMI port with an optional cable lets you connect Thrive to a high-definition TV monitor for viewing on the big screen.

The battery is removable, too, though prying off the back cover is a challenge. There's a computer-like file manager program for managing content on the device. The Web browser supports Adobe Flash video with mixed success.

Toshiba says its "computing continuity" approach reflects a long-term view of the tablet space. The company envisions a future family of tablets that will work nicely with other Toshiba products, including computers and TVs.

The future is all well and good. But would-be buyers have a decision to make today. And folks who appreciate laptop features might, well, stick to a standard laptop. So Thrive has to thrive as a stand-alone tablet. Along those lines it's generally a solid choice. But in my view it's no equal to an iPad or a recent newcomer such as the HP TouchPad tablet. Other observations:

•The basics. Thrive runs version 3.1 of Google's Honeycomb operating system for tablets, with five customizable home screens. It has a 10.1-inch backlit display, and 1 GHz dual-core mobile processor. The model I tested has 32 gigabytes of memory and costs $579.99. The entry model, with 8 GB of storage, costs $429.99, or about $70 cheaper than the least expensive iPad. A more direct comparison is a Thrive with 16 GB, same as that low-end iPad. It commands $479.99.

The first Thrive models are Wi-Fi only. Toshiba hasn't announced any cellular partnerships, though it has promised a 3G model late in the year. Toshiba's reasoning for going Wi-Fi only initially is that most people use tablets at home. That may be true, but I use tablets in transit all the time, and I found the lack of a cellular option frustrating during a commute in which I had to rely on spotty coverage from the MiFi card in my pocket.

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On the front of the tablet is a 2-megapixel webcam and microphone. On the back is a 5-megapixel camera that can capture high-definition video (up to the 720p HD standard).

•Design. One of the first things you notice is how thick the tablet is, an accommodation to those full-size ports (not to mention a mini-USB port). Thrive is longer than the iPad 2; you get a bit more screen as a result. At 1.6 pounds it's also a tad heavier. But not so heavy or bulky that it is unwieldy to carry or use. The HP TouchPad I've praised also has extra girth. On the Thrive, a ridged, rubberized back makes it especially easy to grip. You can swap out the back panel for optional $19.99 cover back plates or to get at the battery.

•The app story. You can tap into Google's Android Market to purchase or fetch free apps, though there are far fewer tablet-specific apps compared with the iPad. Toshiba has also added its own App Place store, but there's no dedicated movie or video store. There is a Toshiba Book Place app that lets you buy and search for books. It lacks reviews or the kind of detail you'd find say in the Kindle or Barnes & Noble stores. And Book Place crashed on me. On the plus side, a synthesized voice can read kids' books aloud as words are highlighted.

Toshiba also includes trial versions of other apps, which I found annoying more than anything. For example, the supplied PrinterShare app lets you wirelessly print from the tablet; it worked fine in my tests. The problem is you can only print five pages before you must spend $12.95 to unlock the premium version that lets you keep on printing. The EA Sports Need For Speed racing game that was on the Thrive was also a teaser version.

•Power and performance. Toshiba promises up to 11 hours of battery life. But my test, cranking up the brightness to about 75% while running frequent streaming video over Wi-Fi, yielded closer to 7½ hours. You'll do better on an iPad.

Tags: Toshiba Thrive, tablet, ease, transition, laptop, tablet, iPad Tablet PC, discount laptop batteries