The ASUS PadFone – one device to rule them all!

We teased you with a couple of images of our MWC mystery product last week, but now Tech in Style can reveal full details of… the new ASUS PadFone!

This Android ICS device is actually three mobile devices in one. First is the PadFone itself. This 4.3” Android smartphone packs the very latest mobile technology, including a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm processor, a 4.3” Super AMOLED 256ppi screen and an incredible 8-megapixel digital camera with a five-element lens that delivers best-in-class image quality.

The PadFone is an extremely capable smartphone, but not everyone is content to work with Android on a relatively small screen — even when it’s as crystal clear as this. That’s where the PadFone Station comes in.

Designed to look like a sleek and stylish tablet, the PadFone Station is actually a custom-designed dockable display for the PadFone. Lift the hatch at the back, slot the PadFone into place and its 4.3” screen instantly fills the PadFone Station’s brilliant 10.1” display.

 

This isn’t just a case of simple pixel scaling to fill the extra space, though. Innovative ASUS Dynamic Display technology seamlessly reconfigures Android ICS to fully exploit the PadFone Station’s larger screen and higher 1280 x 800 resolution to give a true tablet experience.

The PadFone drives everything the PadFone Station does and it also shares its mobile data connection. So, that means only one SIM is required for two devices, which makes the PadFone Station the first tablet that will actually save you money.

Better still, the state of every app on the docked PadFone is preserved too, which means everything from email to movies to games can be resumed on the big screen from the last point they were used, and vice versa when the PadFone is undocked.

But the PadFone Station is more than just a big screen — it also packs its own battery for even longer mobile use. Renowned ASUS SonicMaster technology provides outstanding audio through the PadFone Station’s high-quality speakers too, while the Bluetooth proximity sensor sounds an alert if the PadFone is carried too far from the PadFone Station to ensure it’s never left behind.

The PadFone Station’s capacitive touch-screen can also be used with a stylus for precise handwritten notes, but more demanding users also have the option of a slimline Qwerty keyboard dock that converts the PadFone/PadFone Station combination into a compact clamshell ultraportable. And yes, the keyboard dock also houses its own battery that can extend the PadFone’s mains-free use by up to nine times.

Check out the video below for an exclusive sneak peek at this ground breaking device.

SPECIFICATIONS

PadFone

• Networks: WCDMA 900/2100MHz
• EDGE/GPRS/GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
• HSPA+ with 21Mbit/s, 42Mbit/s (optional) DL, 5.76Mbit/s UL
• Display: 4.3“ Super AMOLED (960 x 540) capacitive multi-touch
• CPU Qualcomm 8260A Cortex A15 (dual-core 1.5 GHz)
• Memory: 1GB DDR2 RAM
• Storage: 16GB or 32GB SSD + microSDHC slot (up to 32GB)
• Wireless connectivity: 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
• Ports: 3.5mm audio jack, microUSB 2.0
• Operating System: Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Cameras: 8 megapixel rear with autofocus, LED flash and HD (1080p) video recording, VGA front
• Sensors: Accelerometer, proximity, ambient light, gyroscope, e-compass
• GPS: GPS  and A-GPS
• Battery: 1520mAh lithium-ion
• Talk time: Up to 510 minutes on WCDMA, up to 650 minutes on GSM
• Standby time: Up to 440 hours on WCDMA, up to 373 hours on GSM
• Dimensions: 128 x 65.4 x 9.2mm
• Weight: 128g

PadFone Station

• Display: 10.1”  (1280 x 800) capacitive multi-touch
• Ports: Micro-USB / Micro-HDMI
• Camera: 1.3 megapixel front camera
• Ports: 3.5mm audio jack, 40-pin docking connector
• External antennas: Mobile phone, GPS
• Audio: High quality speaker with ASUS SonicMaster technology
• Battery: 6600mAh
• Dimensions: 273 x 176.9 x 13.5mm (average thickness)
• Weight: 716g (undocked)

Competition

For a chance to win an ASUS EeePC, simply post a comment on this article to tell us what the combined weight of the ASUS PadFone and PadFone Station is.

Make sure you’ve registered with Tech in Style using a valid email address, because that’s how we’ll contact you when we select a competition winner.

 

ASUS at MWC
Mobile World Congress takes place in Barcelona, Spain, from 27 February to 1 March 2012.
ASUS can be found in Hall 4, Level 4 at Stand HS14.