When Toshiba asked if we'd like to review its Android tablet, called the Thrive, we were initially a bit skeptical of the Honeycomb 3.1 device. There are so many other Android tablets on the market, so why choose this one? Especially when it's heavy?

When you're fighting the iPad on one hand and multiple Android competitors on the other, you have to stand out. Toshiba chose to fight a battle of connectivity and convenience with the Thrive, and it added full-sized HDMI, USB, and SD ports. If those things matter to you, the Thrive succeeds admirably.

The hardware

Let's get the list of specs out of the way first:

1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processor

1GB of RAM

802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi

Bluetooth 3.0

The choice of 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB of on-board storage

5MP forward-facing camera

2MP interior camera

10.1" 16:10 screen running at 1280 x 800 pixels

Sensors & Location: Gyroscope; Accelerometer; Ambient Light Sensor; GPS; Digital Compass

Nothing jumps out as being better than the competition, but there's also nothing that's running behind. Without 3G support, this is a purely WiFi product, so if you want to surf on the go, you'll want to look elsewhere. The tablet comes in three configurations: 8GB for $429, 16GB for $479, and 32GB for $579.

The hardware weighs 1.6 pounds, which is certainly not light, but the tablet makes up for it in other ways. The back of the hardware is ribbed, soft plastic, and it feels comfortable in the hand. It's always disappointing to pick up a tablet that feels like a toy, but that's not a problem here—this is a solid piece of equipment that feels very well put together. You can even remove the back panel and swap it out with other $20 panels in different colors if you'd like something a little flashier.

The battery is also easily accessible, so you can carry a backup or merely replace it with a fresh one when needed. Under heavy use, seven hours of battery life is achievable.

The tablet's face is a mixed bag, although many of my gripes will be personal and subject to taste. The silver badge around the camera breaks up the flow of the unit's design, and there are three LEDs on the top right section of the tablet showing power, charging status, and WiFi status. I abhor LEDs on my electronics and find the lights distracting when I'm trying to focus on the screen. Figuring out how to press the power button and the volume rocker deep enough to activate them also takes some practice; their placement is a little funky. The unit has a switch that locks the screen's orientation, which is a must-have feature in my opinion.

The screen looks bright and clear indoors, but like most tablets, it is nearly unusable in direct sunlight. Running at a 16:10 resolution makes viewing video and reading books slightly more comfortable than the iPad's 4:3 resolution. Here's a comparison.

In terms of the camera's performance, you get what you'd expect. The cameras are both more than capable for video calls or quick images, but they don't perform well in low-light conditions.

On the bottom of the system, you'll see the standard headphone port and the charging port. An optional docking station is also offered if you don't want to use the loose charging cable that comes with the system. In terms of user interface, Toshiba didn't skin the standard look of Android, and that's smart.

This is pretty basic stuff. It's only when you begin to peel back the hidden panels on the hardware and find the extra ports that Toshiba has included that you get a sense for what makes this tablet special.