Toshiba's new 7" $450 Android tablet to hit Australia next month

Toshiba is adding to its nascent tablet line-up with a second model that's certain to appeal to many travellers for its 7 inch size, $450 price tag and a sharp made-for-movies HD screen.

Dubbed the AT1SO, but sold overseas under the far catchier name of Thrive, Toshie's newest tablet is cut from the same cloth as most of its 7 inch siblings.

It runs Google's Android operating system, which includes support for the booming Android Apps marketplace; and comes with inbuilt wi-fi but not 3G, so you'll be reliant on wireless networks for your web and email access.

The HD screen runs at 1200 x 800 which suits everything from ebooks to movies, which can be stored in the 8GB of flash memory or loaded onto the microSD memory card. Battery life is rated at six hours.

In design, it's a Bonsai version of the 10 inch AT100 which can slip into your coat pocket or the smallest of carry-on satchels, not to mention nestling in an aircraft seat pocket – even when those magazines and duty-free catalogues fight for elbow room.

The thin profile also means micro-sized versions of the USB, HDMI and SD memory card slots.

On the back is a 5.0 megapixel camera with an LED flash for taking snaps and video on the go, while the front-mounted 2.0 megapixel camera is ideal for videochat sessions when you're away from home.

As with its 10 inch sibling, the back of Toshiba's 7 inch tablet is finished with a textured easy-grip non-slip rubber surface.

And for those who care about the tech specs, it runs a bare-bones Android 3.2 (no fancy skins) powered by an Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core chip.

Toshiba says the tablet will be available from leading Australian retailers from the end of October, 2011.

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.