Asus FonePad With 3G and Intel Processor at Rs 15999: What Are the Goods and Bads of Calling Tablet?

Undoubtedly, smartphones will soon be replaced by calling tablets. Well, it is evident as several companies have ploughed the indian tech grounds with such voice calling tablet devices.

Especially, the segment that is in talks now is highly penetrated by the India based vendors, with a few global manufacturers on board. South Korean tech giant - Samsung is one that has to be mentioned to have got a renowned name among the consumers for its offerings.

Click here for more Asus FonePad images...

Click here for more Asus FonePad images...

Following the footsteps of Samsung, Asus - the Taiwanese PC manufacturer has now stepped into the Indian market with a tablet called FonePad equipped with built-in phone features. For those who have missed the tech headlines this week, Asus has released the FonePad in India with 3G voice calling support at an attractive price of Rs 15,999, thereby pushing its Google branded Nexus 7 into the danger zone.

Asus FonePad - Key Specifications

Specwise, FonePad runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS and features a 7 inch IPS capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2420 processor, PowerVR GC540 GPU, 3MP rear camera, 1.2MP front camera, 1GB RAM, 8GB/16GB internal storage, micro SD card slot supporting up to 32GB additional storage, 3G for voice calling, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and a 4,270 mAh battery claimed to offer up to 9 hours backup.

Asus FonePad - Price & Availability

According to the press release, the FonePad will be available for purchase from Croma and other leading retail stores in India starting April 30, 2013 at Rs 15,999.

Asus FonePad - Other Features

Asus FonePad comes with SonicMaster Audio Technology with the award winning Maxx Audio processor by Waves to ensure clear and well rounded sound quality. Also, FonePad offers 50GB lifetime Asus WebStore storage for free, which enables users to view, create, edit and share their documents anywhere anytime via the cloud storage service.

Moreover, the vendor is also offering an optional accessory called VersaSleeve 7, which is a wraparound cover with a folding design that can protect the FonePad from accidental drops and also double as a stand while watching videos and for typing.

Asus FonePad - The Goods and Bads

By launching a voice calling 3G tablet with impressive features and specs at Rs 15,999, Asus might have pleased many consumers, but, it can be said that the device has a few downsides in certain aspects in order to keep the price low.

If you are looking forward to buy the FonePad, GizBot has come up with the goods and bads of the device for you to decide.

IPS HD Display - Good

Usually, IPS displays are used on LCDs to improve the viewing angles up to 178 degrees and to display images that are vibrant, clear and bright even when used outdoors. This technology combines with the HD 1280 x 800 pixel resolution of the FonePad to make text readable and to reproduce detailed photos.

Hence, it cane be said that the tablet has a better display that resolves the issues including slow response time, small viewing angles and low quality color reproduction.

Intel Atom Z2420 Processor - Average

Intel Atom processor Z2420 is a single core chip with Intel Hyper-Threading technology delivers speed of up to 1.2 GHz, 1080p display and two cameras delivering advanced imaging capabilities including burst mode, which lets users to capture seven pictures in less than a second with 5MP quality. The platform also includes Intel's XMM 6265 HSPA+ modem that offers dual SIM/dual standby capability for price conscious consumers.

The low power Atom processor based platform adds strength to the fast growing smartphone market segment by offering impressive performance for quick web browsing and great multimedia experience.

Though the Intel processor is efficient, the lack of a dual core or quad core processor is a major downside.

Built-In 3G Telephony - Good

Built-in 3G with HSPA+ mobile data means Fonepad will be an always-connected tablet for seamless web browsing, fast downloads and smoother streaming of audio and video. Also, with the full 3G telephony support, FonePad can also be used for voice calls using the built-in noise-cancelling digital microphone or an optional Bluetooth headset.

Camera - Good

According to the company, the FonePad features a 1.2MP front camera for easy video chatting sessions and a 3MP autofocus rear camera with the ability to capture 720p HD video recording. Though there are tablets with better camera performance in the market, at this price point, these features seem to be good.

Storage - Bad

Asus FonePad comes in 8GB/16GB internal storage, with a micro SD card slot to expand to memory to up to 32GB. But, it has to be noted that the applications store on the internal storage and for those who download a plethora of apps might face some trouble.

Battery - Good

FonePad is equipped with a 4,270 mAh battery that is claimed to deliver up to 9 hours backup.