14 DAY TRIAL // The Fonepad series of tablets seems to have some success among Android enthusiasts, otherwise it would have been less likely for Asus to launch a new smartphone/tablet hybrid.
During its press conference at IFA 2013 in Berlin, Asus unveiled the Fonepad 7, a weird phone/tablet hybrid that offers Android fans both worlds – a large screen and full voice telephony. Aside from that, there’s really nothing that would make you want to grab it over a pure smartphone or tablet.
According to Asus, Fonepad 7 “features a new non-slip finish” and comes with HSPA+ and 3G connectivity that allows up to 42Mbit/s download speeds.
In addition, Fonepad 7 is equipped with an Intel Atom Z2560 processor with Hyper-Threading technology that offers smooth multi-tasking performance with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
As the name suggests, the tablet sports a 7-inch IPS capacitive touchscreen display that supports 1280 x 800 pixels resolution for wide viewing angles and better daylight visibility.
Another feature highlighted by Asus is the dual-front speakers with ASUS SonicMaster audio technology that are meant to ensure high-quality sound.
There are no details on the amount of RAM, but Asus confirmed Fonepad 7 would come in three versions: 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB. Users will also be able to further expand storage up to 32GB via microSD card slot.
On the back, Fonepad 7 sports a 5-megapixel photo snapper with full HD (1080p) video recording, while on the front there’s a secondary 1.2-megapixel camera for video calls.
The tablet is powered by a 3950 mAh Li-Ion battery, which should provide up to 28 hours of 3G talk time, 35 days of standby time, and up to 10 hours of video playback.
For the time being, Asus did not reveal any details on the hybrid’s availability and pricing options, but we expect more info will be available later this week, so stay tuned for more updates.
Note: Fellow editors Sebastian Pop and Ionut Arghire are on the floor at IFA 2013 and are bringing you pictures and live reports on the latest products and previews.