Asus Fonepad Note set to take on Galaxy Note 2
Asus has expanded its Fonepad range with the Fonepad Note, a 6in phablet with stylus and full HD display that looks set to challenge Samsung's own Galaxy Note range
Asus used its Computex press conference to throw down the gauntlet at Samsung, in the shape of the new Fonepad Note. The 6in phablet comes with a stylus and has a Full HD 1080p display, giving it an edge over Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2.
The all-white device also takes a leaf out of HTC’s book, adding dual stereo speakers above and below the 6in display that give it a similar appearance to the HTC One.
We were told the Fonepad Note runs Android 4, but it’s currently unclear whether it’s the latest 4.2 Jelly Bean edition or something older. Asus typically makes very few customisations with its Android devices, but Shih promised the Fonepad Note would come bundled with software designed to make use of the stylus – possibly in a similar manner to the Galaxy Note, which is well-suited to note-taking and making sketches.
Like the current Asus Fonepad, the Fonepad Note includes a 3G modem for making voice calls and sending texts, as well as accessing the internet on the move. Unfortunately it doesn’t support LTE networks, meaning we won’t be able to use it on EE’s 4G network in the UK.
A 1.6GHz Z2560 Atom processor and 2GB of RAM provide plenty of processing power, with 8GB or 16GB of internal storage depending on the model. You’ll also find a MicroSD card slot for adding up to 64GB of additional storage.
An 8-megapixel camera sits at the back of the phablet, but there’s no flash for low-light photography. There’s a 1.2-megapixel webcam on the front of the device for video chat too.
Pricing and availability were yet to be confirmed when we spoke to an Asus representative after the press conference, save for the projected Autumn/Winter release window. The company will need to hurry if rumours of a refreshed Galaxy Note 3 prove accurate, as Samsung can’t be far behind with its own Full HD Note device.