ASUS Padfone Available for Preorder in UK, Priced at $1100!

 

ASUS Padfone

Now this is disappointing. If it’s true. And it probably is.

A few days ago, I wrote about the Padfone and the tremendous impact that the phone/tablet/netbook from ASUS can have on the way we use mobile devices. I speculated that, by offering a simple way to use our data plans the way we see fit, the Padfone can disrupt the carriers’ established extortion business model. I used the word revolution (I am not afraid of big words, you see) more than once.

But I based all my thinking on the assumption that ASUS will make it easy for customers to fall in love with the new all-in-one concept epitomized by the Padfone, by offering the contraption at a decent price. Something like $600.

Well, if one UK online store is to be believed, my whole Padfone revolution article can be classified under the “idealist ravings” tag.

Asus Padfone

900 Bucks before Tax? Please Tell Me This Figure is Made Up

British outlet Flagshipfones.co.uk listed the Padfone as available for preorder. It wouldn’t be the first time a store pulls the trigger on new product listings just a tad too fast. All fine and dandy, until you see the presumed price of the Padfone and realize its enormity – £583.32 or €696.83, or $914.35, before tax. So, depending on where you live, you might have to spend close to $1000 or more to get your hands on ASUS’ 3-in-1 device. UK and European prices are always higher than the prices in the States, but still, that’s a lot of money.

It’s good to note that, for now, the UK store is the only source to suggest the upcoming Padfone’s price, and, that it’s a pre-order listing, so nothing’s official yet. And, according to local tech blog somobile.co.uk, ASUS has denied that the price is grounded in any official communication from their side. But again, genuine pre-announcement listings are quite common, even if not always accurate.

Testing the Waters?

There’s another hypothesis – perhaps ASUS is simply testing the waters. After all, the Taiwanese have a completely new product to market, one that eliminates the need to buy several devices. That’s a significant added value that is difficult to calculate by simply adding up the manufacturing and marketing costs. Maybe ASUS has leaked the price of the Padfone in order to gauge the reaction of the public.

Hopefully, the outcry that is likely to hit them over the next days will make them realize that a $1000 Padfone will go down like a lead balloon. Seriously, ASUS, you’ve got something beautiful on your hands. Don’t ruin it by being greedy!

How much would you spend on a smartphone-that-you-can-stick-in-a-tablet-and-turn-into-a-laptop?


This article, ASUS Padfone Available for Preorder in UK, Priced at $1100! , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com – Your Android News Source.

By | 2012-03-11T00:01:23+00:00 March 11th, 2012|Android Related, Just the Tablets|0 Comments

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