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There were rumours last year about ASUS releasing a strange, form-changing phone-come-tablet. Those rumours are now reality; say hello to the Padfone, the latest in a rash of schizophrenic mobile handsets.
So, uh, it’s basically a smartphone that docks inside, and powers, a tablet. Let’s take things in turn.
First off, the phone itself has a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display, Snapdragon’s new dual-core S4 chip, an Adreno 225 GPU, Ice Cream Sandwich and an 8-megapixel rear camera with an LED flash and f/2.2, autofocusing lens. It’s also got 16-64GB of storage and HDMI out. So far, so good.
Then, the odd bit. This thing slips neatly into an optional screen unit that effectively allows you to use it as if it were a 10.1-inch tablet. With that obviously comes a jump in battery life, and the option of using an — again optional — full-size keyboard. Oh, or a stylus. Which doubles as a headset. I know, I know: too much. Either this is the future, or ASUS has gone a step too far.
It’s scheduled to ship in April, and will probably make some indecisive people very, very happy. [Engadget]
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This is actually brilliant. I came up with this idea when the first IPad came out and waited for somebody to make it.
Did you remember to patent the idea? If not, tough luck.
If I had, do you think I’d be sitting here commenting on a gadget blog?
Well they haven’t started selling them yet, so I figured you were maybe waiting on the first royalty cheque to roll in.
I am with you, I’ve been waiting for a long time for a phone that will go into a dummy tablet screen and then add a keyboard and tracker. I don’t find this confused – why pay for a phone, tablet and laptop when you just need a phone with a few extras, one device to rule them all – with no syncing data between 3 devices – makes sense, it is the way this market was always going to go, not quite there yet, but the right one will be here soon.
Jack of all trades, master of none?
Both tablet and phone look like nice hardware.
http://www.asus.com/Mobile/PadFone/
Not entirely sure what is “confused” about this product or it’s name. Is a Seaplane confused? I am interested in the price & performance of this product, not snarky opinion. If it doesn’t work well as a tablet (or a phone) then snark away, but just because someone does something different isn’t reason enough.
Schizophrenics generally hear voices or see things that aren’t there.
Not sure how this relates at all really