Toshiba has taken the wraps off a new tablet 
featuring advanced multimedia capabilities. Equipped with a 7-inch color touchscreen, the Thrive 7 is expected to reach U.S. retailers in time for this year's holiday shopping season.
Powered by Nvidia's dual-core Tegra 2 processor, the Thrive 7 provides users with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity options. Toshiba's new machine, which runs the Android 3.2 operating system also known as Honeycomb, also integrates a selection of built-in ports -- including mini USB, micro HDMI and a micro SD card slot.
Still, Toshiba is expected to find it challenging to not only compete with Apple's red-hot iPad 2 but also Amazon's new 7-inch Kindle Fire.
"The Kindle Fire may be lacking some features on the hardware side, but has a very attractive content offering -- at least in North America and some international markets," said Gartner Research Vice President Carolina Milanesi.
Thrive 7 vs. Kindle Fire
By rolling out the Thrive 7 on the same day that Amazon introduced the Kindle Fire at a retail price of just $199, Toshiba is clearly aiming to appeal to "on-the-go consumers looking for a no-compromise tablet," said Toshiba America Information Systems Vice President Carl Pinto.
For example, the new Kindle Fire does not integrate a webcam whereas the Thrive 7 sports two. Toshiba's new machine integrates a five megapixel camera-camcorder for capturing HD video and snapping photos as well as a two megapixel camera for supporting video chat sessions.
Moreover, the Thrive's 7-inch touchscreen delivers a high-definition resolution of 1280x800 pixels vs. the 1024x600 pixel display sported by the new Kindle Fire. "The Thrive 7 tablet is the first seven-inch tablet in the U.S. market to offer a true HD display," Pinto claimed.
Though the Kindle Fire also runs Android underneath the hood, that device integrates Amazon's home-grown user interface, which is specifically tailored for smoothing interactions with the online retail giant's own services and content offerings. Third-party Android app availability is reportedly limited to Amazon-approved offerings.
By fully embracing the Honeycomb tablet version of Android, Toshiba's goal is to connect users directly to Google's full suite of mobile service applications. The Thrive 7 also provides users with direct access to the entire range of third-party apps available at Android Market. (continued...)
| 1 | 2 | Next Page > |
0 komentar:
Post a Comment