Right on cue, the Asus PadFone 2 has just been officially unveiled in Taipei, Taiwan. While the second launch event in Milan won’t start until a couple more hours, which we believe is the one intended for the global audience, here’s what we can tell you about its launch party in Asus’ home country.
Starting with specs, the leaks have been pretty right on the money. The successor to the PadFone boasts the top-of-the-line 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, and a bigger 4.7-inch Super IPS+ display with 1,280 x 720 resolution.
The 13MP sensor on the rear camera, which is made by Sony, allows users to take up to 100 burst shots. There’s also a 1.2MP front-facing camera to take vanity shots and for Skype-ing.
The rest of the specs include 2GB of RAM, 16/32GB/64 internal storage, 50GB of web storage, NFC, 2,140mAh battery, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Disappointed about the lack of Jelly Bean? Given its track record and the great relationship that Asus is enjoying with Google, we can expect Android 4.1 to make an appearance real soon.
As for the new PadFone Station, as we found out from the leaked press shots, it no longer has a cover for the handset unlike the first one, which gives way to a thinner and noticeably lighter (514g) tablet shell. Unfortunately, the battery capacity has also been reduced to 5,000mAh. The new PadFone Station maintains the screen size of the first one, so you’ll still get a 10.1-inch IPS display with 1,280 x 800 resolution.
Here are the prices for the Asus PadFone 2 when the smartphone and tablet combo hits stores in Taiwan this week: 16GB – NT$17,990 or US$616 (16GB), 32GB – NT$19,990 or US$684, and 64GB – NT$21,901 or US$750. The PadFone Station, meanwhile, is expected to carry a price tag of NT$8,990 or US$307 on its own. If you buy the slate add-on as part of a bundle, then it’s only NT$6,000 or US$210.
And as an extra, here’s a video comparison between the original PadFone and PadFone 2, courtesy of Mobile Geeks.
If your heart is set on the Asus PadFone 2 and its tablet companion, you’ll want to stick around for more news of its global release and pricing details, which we expect to hear at the Milan event.
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