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A new update to Android Marshmallow 6.0 has begun rolling out for the two-year-old ASUS Padfone S. The hybrid device launched back in July of 2014 with KitKat 4.4.2 and offered a unique compromise between the portability of a phone and the screen real estate of a tablet — without resorting to the predictable phablet form factor.
Operating system updates don't come quickly in the Android world. They show up fashionably late, nevermind that parties where everyone looks forward to a new software release aren't the kind where people care how anyone is dressed.
The ASUS Padfone form factors have always been incredibly interesting. It's a real shame that by the time they were picked up by a US carrier, the over-the-top modular form factor was toned down to something with a lower price tag and more mass appeal. Even so, if you'd like to check out this unique phone-tablet hardware, there's no better time than the present. An eBay vendor has a refurbished version of the Padfone X mini, complete with its 7-inch tablet dock, on sale for just .99.
AT&T Continues Its Niche Hardware Streak With The ASUS PadFone X Mini, Coming October 24th For $200 Prepaid
AT&T shows off the ASUS PadFone X Mini.
Some Americans waited literally years for the weird and wonderful PadFone series to show up on a local carrier... and were finally unsurprised to see AT&T be the only one to bite. (Seriously, between all that Amazon and HTC hardware, AT&T seems like the only American carrier willing to take a little risk.) Now AT&T and ASUS are teaming up again for the slightly smaller version of the phone-tablet docking concept, the PadFone X Mini.
People seem to kind of like the Asus Transformer series with the optional keyboard docks – it kind of makes sense in a limited way. The PadFone has been a tougher sell, but what if you mashed up those products? Surely that would be the product everyone has been waiting for. Behold, the Transformer Book V, which really is all the things.
The wait is nearly over for anyone who kind of wants a tablet, but doesn't want to commit to having two whole devices. The Asus PadFone X has been "coming soon" for months now, but AT&T is finally setting a date – you can get your own phone/tablet hybrid on June 6th for $199, if you go for the traditional contract.
I've been lusting after ASUS' ambitious Padfone devices ever since they were announced way back in 2012. But since ASUS is a company that focuses on its home market first, we haven't seen hide nor hair of the docking smartphone-tablet hybrids over here in the United States. According to an Engadget interview with ASUS CEO Jerry Shen, that could change as soon as the second quarter of next year.
As we saw late last week, ASUS is looking to bring its unique Padfone concept to different form factors and price points. Enter the Padfone Mini, a new entry in the series that retains the dockable phone-tablet hybrid idea but shrinks it down to make it more affordable. The phone itself isn't much smaller at 4.3", but the tablet dock now has a 7-inch screen instead of 10, not to mention a vertical orientation.
ASUS Padfone Mini Leaked On Twitter Before Announcement, Combines 4.3" Phone And Small Tablet
ASUS Padfone Mini Leaked On Twitter Before Announcement, Combines 4.3" Phone And Small Tablet
The Padfone form factor is a unique one, and even if it hasn't set the world on fire, I'm glad to see that ASUS continues to upgrade and modify it. The latest iteration appears to be a midrange phone/tablet combo: reliable tipster Evleaks showed a new PadFone Mini model on his Twitter account, with a 4.3" phone body and what appears to be a 7-inch tablet shell.
I personally like the idea of a smartphone that docks into a tablet. The ASUS PadFone 2 strives for the joy of both form factors without the hassle of maintaining two separately. Those who happen to own the device have seen a steady stream of updates roll out as the months have gone by. While the latest update may not jump the device past version 4.1, it does usher in a slew of bug fixes and other general improvements.
The PadFone is a versatile piece of tech, a smartphone that plugs into a tablet that plugs into a dock. It's an interesting concept, and if you don't use it that often, the three pieces together could probably get you through more than a couple of days on a single charge. Now ASUS is providing a firmware update to the original PadFone, bringing about stability improvements along with stronger WiFi and Bluetooth connections.
The PadFone 2 may have received its Jelly Bean update at the end of last year, but original PadFone owners haven't been so lucky. Fortunately, ASUS has decided to level the playing field again, releasing an update for the original device with Android 4.1.1.
Looks like ASUS is gearing up to announce the second iteration of its Turducken phone, the Padfone. A save the date for October 16th was sent out this morning to numerous Italian blogs, highlighting a dual-announcement - one in Milan, Italy, and another in Taipei, Taiwan, which is where ASUS is headquartered.
ASUS Padfone Build 9.20.1.22 Now Available - Brings Android 4.0.4, Better Battery Life, Improved Stability, And More
ASUS' hybrid monster, the Padfone, is getting itself a nice little OTA to build number 9.20.1.22. The update brings enhancements and bugs fixes, as well
ASUS' hybrid monster, the Padfone, is getting itself a nice little OTA to build number 9.20.1.22. The update brings enhancements and bugs fixes, as well as a small bump in Android version:
Google I/O is coming and it's time to get excited! It's like Christmas in June! It will be here in just a few short agonizing weeks - and we need to prepare. There is background information you need to know, rumors you should have in mind, and past announcements and acquisitions that need to be remembered. Google always leaves little news breadcrumbs for those that pay attention, and I pay attention. Fanatically.
Remember ASUS' PadFone from MWC? The Taiwanese manufacturer today released an official teaser for the device-within-a-device, boasting its display, processor, economical benefits, and impressive battery life.
When I first heard about the ASUS Padfone, I thought the idea was a bit laughable. When I tried in person today, my opinion changed substantially. ASUS definitely seems to have done this right - particularly considering it's still a prerelease piece of hardware. My primary concern was in how seamless the transition from phone to tablet would be, and how much the phone's hardware design would suffer because of the docking mechanism.
ASUS has barely been able to contain its excitement for its Padfone device(s?). Finally, though, we get some more details about what the phone/tablet set will be packing. The former is sporting a a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 (it's unclear what model at this time) and 1GB of RAM, underneath a 4.3" 960x540 Super AMOLED screen. Much like Motorola's line of lapdocks, the SoC of the phone will power the tablet while docked.
ASUS has been hard at work on the successor to the company's first foray into the Android tablet market, the ASUS Transformer.
We already kind of knew a tablet/phone tag team would be coming out of ASUS at Computex this week, so today's leaked press photos of the symbiotic duo, simply called Padfone, neither shock nor disappoint.