Asus Padfone Officially Introduced at Computex 2011

[wicked]

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This is the Asus Padfone that just got officially introduced at Computex 2011. A package consisting of an 4-inch Android smartphone which can dock into a companion 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 tablet. The tablet’s separate battery can be used to recharge the phone, while the phone’s 3G connection can get the slate online when away from a WiFi hotspot.

You can see additional photos, here.

ASUS is promising a “seamless” transition from the phone to the tablet UI, with whatever you’ve been looking at on the handset automatically expanding to suit the slate, along with the improved web browsing experience you’d expect from a bigger display. If a call comes in while the phone is docked, then it can either be removed or answered with a Bluetooth headset.

Phone and slate can access the same storage in the handset, and since there’s only one 3G radio then you don’t have to swap your SIM between two modems (or sign up for a second data agreement). The UI has been modified to suit both displays, either showing mobile sites on the phone or full sites on the tablet. The phone itself has two cameras, a front-facing webcam – just like the tablet itself – and a 5-megapixel camera on the back which can also be used through a hole in the PadFone dock.
ASUS is saying that finalized hardware specifications haven’t been decided on yet, and nor have pricing or availability, so don’t get your hopes up too much. Still, as concepts go, this is an intriguing one.

Android Police, Pocketnow, engadget

 

[Malvado]

i wonder if it will be coming to verizon...if so, its mine...screw the droid 3 lol

 

[JohnnytheK]

Wow, way to go ASUS! That's two great tablets in a row.
Wonder if and when?

 

[wicked]

"mockup" video hands on

[video=youtube;CG1TaKb3okQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG1TaKb3okQ&feature=player_embedded#at=186"]YouTube - ‪ASUS Padfone mockup hands-on‬‏[/video]

 

[Xpain]

For me this is a must. The reason why I can't justify a tablet is because a tablet is just another Android device,with a bigger screen. So I'd pretty much have the same apps in both my Droid X and my tablet, I'd have to update the apps on both devices, etc.... the only cool thing about it is, that if I'm browsing or watching Netflix, obviously the bigger screen is awesome. But again, can't justify the purchase just for that, and its the reason why I don't have a tablet while I have a 4.3 screen smart phone.

This changes everything. If the phone has the right specs, this will be mine. So far so good, the screen size is good (4.3in), but cam is 5MP... meh..., and form factor, while not the slickest phone ever, is far from ugly. It has front camera, it needs to be 4G though.... and in my case, it must be on Verizon. Big red, please make this the Droid Tab.... fone....ster..... lol... Droid Tabfonster.... hold on, use Transformer again, Droid Transformer!! that's it!! Ding Ding!!

 

[kodiak799]

I hadn't read the original article, but initially thought it was just kind of a dumbphone that somehow had like a bluetooth connection to take calls. But this sounds like it's actually the guts for the tablet, which myself and others have seen as the future for a while.

Pricing will be interesting because this basically circumvents tethering (indeed, technically may not even be tethering). Maybe not an issue for AT&T since their plans are already limited, and maybe VZW won't cry too much since it's only a 3G tablet. More than likely, if this ever comes to VZW, it will be sold as a tablet data plan.

 

[xan]

I sure hope they are sold unlocked and also as reasonably priced as the transformers.

 

[kodiak799]

Wow....launching this Christmas and possibly with Ice Cream! Wonder if my upgrade will apply to this...

The 5mp camera doesn't bother me if it takes good pictures - 5mp is plenty I care more about picture quality.

Speaker looks like it would be a bit small an inadequate, but the design is not final.

3G makes me want to cry as with LTE this thing would fly off the shelves (probably will, anyway). Even then, if they throw in a keyboard dock this may be mine.

 

[kodiak799]

On a side note, Asus is crushing the field right now as far as innovation. Everyone else is rolling out marginal upgrades while Asus is changing the game.

 

[Stelv]

IMO any device that only has 3g is not worth the money. Its like buying a computer that has a dial up modem and no space for an ethernet card.

Sent from my fascinate

 

[xan]

IMO any device that only has 3g is not worth the money. Its like buying a computer that has a dial up modem and no space for an ethernet card.

Sent from my fascinate

unless you live in an area that wont get 4g for two years or more..

and yes there are still places with dialup only. its like being forced to buy a modem and router when all you get is 36baud over a twisted pair.

 

[kodiak799]

unless you live in an area that wont get 4g for two years or more..

Except LTE is 3G compatible, so all you are doing is buying a device that forces an upgrade in 18-24 months when your are gets LTE.

Of course, you'll probably want to upgrade at that point, anyway. Although I'm not sure how necessary upgrades will be after Ice Cream and quad cores, assuming the other specs are in line.

That might hurt this, as well. Seeing the quad core tablet alongside might lead people to wait another 6 months until Asus can put in a quad core (I mean, I'm assuming this won't be quad core).

 

[Stelv]

I would say that these device need to work on their ram specs before they worry about quad cores. Also android needs to advance their os to the point where multi cores are more relavant. All that is apparent now is that multi cores will help gaming and improving video resolution.

Sent from my fascinate

 

[Malvado]

I hadn't read the original article, but initially thought it was just kind of a dumbphone that somehow had like a bluetooth connection to take calls. But this sounds like it's actually the guts for the tablet, which myself and others have seen as the future for a while.

Pricing will be interesting because this basically circumvents tethering (indeed, technically may not even be tethering). Maybe not an issue for AT&T since their plans are already limited, and maybe VZW won't cry too much since it's only a 3G tablet. More than likely, if this ever comes to VZW, it will be sold as a tablet data plan.

It wouldn't be tethering because its all considered one device

Sent from my DROID2 using DroidForums

 

[Malvado]

IMO any device that only has 3g is not worth the money. Its like buying a computer that has a dial up modem and no space for an ethernet card.

Sent from my fascinate

How is it not worth the money...4g won't be country wide till another 2 or 3 years

Sent from my DROID2 using DroidForums