Asus Padfone - hands on photos
David Phelan gives his first impressions on the phone/tablet hybrid
The Padfone is a slick, chic and versatile Android smartphone with a difference. It comes with a tablet that has a dock in the back - pop the phone into this dock and click the door shut and voila - you have a tablet (with a slightly lumpy back). 
But wait, there’s more! An additional keyboard dock, similar to that used in the Asus Transformer Prime, turns the whole thing into an Android-powered laptop so you can type on, you know, proper keys.
It’s a curious set-up but it has some great advantages, especially battery life. Since the tablet and keyboard have their own powercells, it can radically extend time between charges, up to nine times in fact, according to Asus.
The phone is very slim, to fit into the tablet case, but it still includes a quad-core processor. And there’s even a stylus which doubles as a Bluetooth headset.
Still, there are problems. What happens if you’re midway through typing a document and the phone rings? Sure, there’s that Bluetooth-capable pen but it’s not an ideal solution.
]And build quality seemed iffy on the prototype on display: with all elements connected the “laptop” was unbalanced and tipped up easily. Still, it could certainly save on how much you have to carry, providing you don’t mind some compromises.
The Asus Padfone is due out in April, prices to be confirmed.
More on the Asus Padfone:
the whole point is that network operators will have to include a data package which allows effectively laptop use (assuming the padphone comes with the tablet). Asus need to sort out the weight issue, maybe the phone should be mounted lower on the tablet to counter balance. If the phone rings i imagine you will be notified on screen & answer by use of a wired / wireless headset or maybe even loudspeaker via the tablet / keyboard.
Great idea Asus should ensure they get this right though !
Nik TaylorNik Taylor is a co-editor of MSN Tech & Gadgets, where he works alongside fellow editor Verity Burns to keep the site up to date.
Verity BurnsVerity Burns is the co-editor of MSN Tech & Gadgets, teaming up with Nik Taylor to produce features and blogs.
