Toshiba Thrive Tablet

[+hike4familyfun]

Anyone check out this tablet yet? It looks like it just might be what a geocacher could use!

 

The Toshiba Thrive

Thrive Link

 

Pros

Full-size USB port, HDMI port, and SD-card slot; removable battery; quick to boot; wifi

 

Cons

Bulky and relatively heavy; no 3G/4G (but you can tether a phone to it to gain this if required since it has usb)

 

Definitely going to keep my eye on this for geocaching! Android has the software, this tablet appears to have everything else for "hitting the road" with it.

Edited August 17, 2011 by hike4familyfun

[+ThatGeekGuy]

Check out the Acer Iconia A500, pretty much the same specs. And right now, Target, Best Buy and Tiger Direct are selling it for $399 and throwing in a $100 gift card with the purchase. I've had one for a few weeks now, nice tablet....

[+GrateBear]

Possible cons: Probably not waterproof and the screen may crack if dropped. My GPSr has gone through both of those scenarios, more than once.

[+hike4familyfun]

Possible cons: Probably not waterproof and the screen may crack if dropped. My GPSr has gone through both of those scenarios, more than once.

 

I was thinking of this as more of a tool to take away from home, like weekend getaways, becuz of the usb port, it can upload gpx files to my gps, or upload fieldnotes to gc.com versus having a laptop.

 

It wouldn't be used as a gps, just an added addition to my caching toolkit

[+hike4familyfun]

Check out the Acer Iconia A500, pretty much the same specs. And right now, Target, Best Buy and Tiger Direct are selling it for $399 and throwing in a $100 gift card with the purchase. I've had one for a few weeks now, nice tablet....

 

Thanx for that tidbit! I didn't realize there was another Tablet on the market with USB capability!

[+Styk]

so, has anyone managed to interface with their GPS on an android tablet?

[+G & C]

so, has anyone managed to interface with their GPS on an android tablet?

 

This is what I want to know. Can I plug my Oregon into a Thrive and DL a PQ?

[+GrateBear]

Possible cons: Probably not waterproof and the screen may crack if dropped. My GPSr has gone through both of those scenarios, more than once.

 

I was thinking of this as more of a tool to take away from home, like weekend getaways, becuz of the usb port, it can upload gpx files to my gps, or upload fieldnotes to gc.com versus having a laptop.

 

It wouldn't be used as a gps, just an added addition to my caching toolkit

Oh, I see--makes sense. I bought a netbook before tablets came out for that very reason. Light and easy to carry. And, I'm thinking of replacing it with a netbook.

[+Walts Hunting]

so, has anyone managed to interface with their GPS on an android tablet?

 

This is what I want to know. Can I plug my Oregon into a Thrive and DL a PQ?

 

The reviews say it has Host Controller which should allow that. You do need to be using wifi to do it. It doesn't have 3/4g capabiity.

[+TeamCap]

so, has anyone managed to interface with their GPS on an android tablet?

 

This is what I want to know. Can I plug my Oregon into a Thrive and DL a PQ?

 

The reviews say it has Host Controller which should allow that. You do need to be using wifi to do it. It doesn't have 3/4g capabiity.

[+TeamCap]

Just to clarify: if I'm at home, then using my wifi connection I should be able to create PQs and then send them to my Garmin from a Thrive?

[+hike4familyfun]

Just to clarify: if I'm at home, then using my wifi connection I should be able to create PQs and then send them to my Garmin from a Thrive?

 

Should be able to. The Thrive comes with a File Manager as mentionned in a write-up I read:

 

The full-size USB port is particularly helpful, because it allows you to plug in external storage devices such as USB flash drives and external hard drives with ease. Once you attach an external drive or pop in an SD memory card, you can use Toshiba's file-manager software to transfer files between the internal memory and the external device.

 

Anyone try it yet? I have yet to actually see one in the stores, but I will be keeping my eye out!

[+TeamCap]

I'd like to know if anyone has tried it yet too. Sometimes I've found "should works" don't work (at least for me!) and I'd love to hear from a Thrive owner who has actually used the USP port to send a PQ to his/her GPS!

[+hike4familyfun]

Visiting Ontario and I saw the Acer Iconia A500 today, and it doesn't have a file manager... just a media manager which basically is pix and music.

 

In an other store I saw the Thrive, and it did indeed have the Toshiba file manager, which is a Toshiba proprietary software not a part of the Android os, it had icons for sd card slot, internal memory and usb port. This so far looks promising!

 

The next time I get to a store, I am taking my gps and cable and giving it a "go" to see if it works (as long as staff lets me, LOL)

 

Hopefully a Thrive owner / cacher will update us, or when I do my experiment, I will let you all know!

 

Otherwise, the Thrive changed programs fast, and had great clarity.

[+Walts Hunting]

You don't have to take your GPS. Just take a thumb drive and plug it in. I was in best buy talking to them and they said you can hook up any child device and it will open it up for file manipulation.