Asus announced plans to launch its latest PadFone X mini in the U.S. exclusively through AT&T's GoPhone prepaid network starting next week.
Asus, the renowned PC maker, continues with its tablet-smartphone combo with the all-new PadFone X mini. The company has partnered with Intel to power the device and signed an exclusive deal with AT&T, America's second largest wireless carrier, to sell the mini variant of the PadFone X in the United States. AT&T will support Asus' device through its GoPhone prepaid network without any annual commitments.
The Asus PadFone X mini is not great on specs but offers an affordable option for those who are looking to buy a tablet and a smartphone. Like the original PadFone X, the miniature version slides into a companion dock so it can be used as a tablet. To compliment the mini title in its latest device, Asus shrunk the size of both its smartphone and tablet counterpart. The 5-inch smartphone in the PadFone X measures 4.5-inch diagonally in the mini version, while the 9-inch tablet measures 7 inches.
"ASUS is passionate about providing incredible experiences. We are excited to work with AT&T and Intel to bring the ASUS PadFone X mini to the U.S.," ASUS, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Mobile Communication, Benson Lin, said in a press statement on Wednesday. "This unique device offers the compelling combination of a 4.5-inch LTE smartphone and the power and versatility of a 7-inch handheld tablet that allows people the best of both world experiences."
For the processor, Asus partnered with Intel to use the Clover Trail+ chip, which is older than a year. The dual-core 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z2560 processor may not be the best to run various apps without stutter, but the modem supports LTE through AT&T's network for high-speed broadband. The PadFone X mini sports a 5-megapixel camera and a lasting battery life of about 15.8 hours and automatic charging with up to 28.3 hours when used as a tablet.
AT&T will start selling the PadFone X mini starting Oct. 24 in all retail stores that offer GoPhone and also through select retailers across the country. The pricing of the PadFone X mini is the same as its higher-end model, but has no contract commitment. For $199, the PadFone X mini can be paired with various GoPhone plans starting as low as $40 per month for 500MB data and 500 minutes of talk time.
