Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Box

As of this writing, the Toshiba Thrive is available in 8GB ($429.99), 16GB ($479.99), and 32GB ($579.99) versions. The current versions only support Wi-Fi connectivity. Toshiba has not announced 3G or 4G models.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: In the box

The Toshiba Thrive has a dual-core NVidia Tegra 2 1GHz processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 10.1-inch touchscreen display (1280x800 - 16:10 aspect ratio), a 2.0 MP front camera and 5.0 MP rear camera. The Thrive comes with Android 3.1 Honeycomb installed.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Box contents

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Front

The Toshiba Thrive weighs 1.6 lbs. and measures 10.7" (W) x 7.0" (H) x 0.6" (D). Despite being one of the thickest and heaviest tablets I've cracked open, the Thrive wasn't uncomfortable to hold or use.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Back

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Docking connector and speakers

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Power button, screen rotation lock switch, SD Card slot

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Top edge

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Bottom

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: USB, HDMI, and Mini-USB ports and CD-IN and headphone/microphone jack

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Back cover lock/unlock switch

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Popping loose the back cover

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the back cover

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Back cover removed

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the battery

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: 2030mAh 10.8V Li-ion battery back

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the system battery

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the internal cover screws

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Uncovering the camera PCB ribbon cable

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Disconnecting the camera PCB ribbon cable

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Disconnecting the LCD screen ribbon cable

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Lifting off the inner cover

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: First look inside

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Disconnecting the digitizer ribbon cable

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Front panel assembly

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the display bracket screws from the front panel

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Disconnecting the rear-facing camera

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Disconnecting the camera PCB ribbon cable

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Lifting the LCD and metal bracket away from the front panel (digitizer)

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: LCD assembly and front panel (digitizer)

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Front panel (digitizer)

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: EETI EX5404 Projected Capacitive Touch Controller IC Solution

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the camera PCB

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: 2.0MP front-facing camera, interal microphone, and camera indicator light

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: LCD and attached metal bracket

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the LCD screws from the metal bracket

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Metal bracket and LCD assembly

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Metal bracket

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: 5.0MP rear-facing camera

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: AU Optronics B101EW05 LCD (1280 x 800)

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Motherboard attached to internal cover

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the button and system indicator light PCB

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Disconnecting the button and system indicator light PCB ribbon cable

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Button and system indicator light PCB

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Disconnecting the display cable from the motherboard

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Disconnecting the storage PCB ribbon cable from the motherboard

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the storage PCB

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: SanDisk SDIN4C2-16G MLC NAND flash storage chip

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Disconnecting the wireless antenna wires

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the wireless card

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: AzureWave AW-NH931 802.11 b/g/n Wireless LAN, Bluetooth and FM Rx Combo Half Mini Card

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Broadcom BCM4329 Low-Power 802.11n with Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and FM (Tx and Rx)

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Disconnecting the CD-IN and speaker cables from the motherboard

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the motherboard screws

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Removing the motherboard

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Internal cover with speakers, USB port, and antennas attached

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: DC-IN connector and speaker

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Speaker and wireless antenna

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Wireless antenna

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Motherboard (with EMI shields) - Front

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Motherboard (with EMI shields) - Back

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Motherboard - Front

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Motherboard - Back

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: 1.0 GHz dual-core NVidia Tegra 2 application processor (A09B350 1039A3)

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Winbond WPCE775CA0DG IC

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: TPS 658621C Multi-channel Power Management Unit with Li-Ion Battery Charger

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Parade PS8122 1:2 HDMI/DVI Demultiplexer

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: AzureWave GPS-S17 SIP GPS module IC

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: 1MB Hynix H8TJR00X0MLR LPDDR2 RAM chip

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: BD9528 0454

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: SMSC USB3315 Hi-Speed USB Transceiver

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Wolfson WM8903 Ultra low power audio CODEC

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: FM34NE B04LB

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Texas Instruments SN75LVDS83B FlatLink transmitter

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Alcor Micro AU6254 USB2.0 Hub Controller

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Intersil ISL88731C Level-2 Lithium-ion battery charger

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Invensense MPU-3050 Triple Axis Gyroscope with Embedded Digital Motion Processor

Cracking Open the Toshiba Thrive: Completely disassembled

I've worked on, supported, and disassembled electronic devices since I was a kid, and I really appreciate the Thrive's construction and design. The device has a case that's tricky, but not difficult to open. The internal hardware is attached with screws and not glued to the front panel or back cover. And, many internal components can be replaced individually.

Unfortunately, the Thrive's full-size components, "componentized" construction, and user-replaceable battery also make it one of the bulkiest and heaviest 10" tablets on the market.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
Caption by: Bill Detwiler