Asus recently announced the PadFone mini, its latest addition to its unique series of smartphones that come with a companion tablet dock.
Innovative in its own right, the PadFone mini is a convertible phone that can be inserted into its tablet module, with the latter then relying on the former for processing power and the operating system so as to enhance functionality and battery life. This tablet-phone concept also allows users to save more by only having to subscribe on one data plan and SIM card for two devices.
Asus PadFone mini Specs
- Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
- Phone: 4.3-inch IPS LCD (540×960 qHD), ~256ppi
- Tablet: 7-inch IPS LCD (800×1280), ~216ppi
- 1.4GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 (MSM8226) processor
- Adreno 305 GPU
- 1GB RAM
- 16GB internal storage
- microSD support up to 64GB
- 8-megapixel main camera, with autofocus and LED flash
- 2-megapixel front camera
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, with Wi-Fi Direct and hotspot
- 3G, HSDPA
- Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP
- GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
- Phone dimensions: 129.3 x 65.6 x 8.7mm
- Tablet dimensions: 199.9 x 119.5 x 11.8 – 17.7mm
- Phone weight: 105g
- Tablet weight: 310g
- Combined weight: 415g
- 1500mAh phone battery, 2200mAh tablet battery
The specs shown above won’t exactly wow buyers. After all, the Asus Padfone mini is a mid-range device with dual-SIM configuration. Its rear camera features include burst shot (16 frames per second), all smile shooting mode, and superb light sensitivity. Other Asus products similar to the Padfone mini are the first PadFone, PadFone 2, and the premium PadFone Infinity.
The Asus PadFone mini is initially headed to Russia and a few Asian markets, which hopefully will soon expand to include the Philippines. Off-contract price for the phone-tablet combo is approximately $405. Only a black variant will be available at first, with white and cherry colors to follow.