ASUS launches PadPhone at Computex 2011

Android based smartphone gets hooked to the back of an Android tablet.

ASUS has launched what it calls a PadPhone at the ongoing COMPUTEX 2011 convention in Taipei, Taiwan. The device involves a pair wherein an Android smartphone docks at the back of an Android tablet.

The ASUS smartphone has a 4 inch display and is expected to run Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

ASUS PadPhone's Android tablet sports a 10 inch display capable of 1280x800 pixel resolution and runs Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system. It has a special compartment at the back for docking the smartphone. When docked, the smartphone gets charged through the tablet's larger battery.

The compartment's lid has a small slot to expose the smartphone's camera when it is docked. The tablet doesn't have a camera at its back and is dependent on the smartphone for imaging. However, ASUS has put a front facing camera on the tablet.

When someone calls the smartphone, the user can remove it from the tablet's hind or use a Bluetoothhandsfree to respond. The smartphone shares the 3G data connection with the tablet, hence both can make use of the same SIM card for 3G connectivity.

Known for its 'cost-effective and affordable' philosophy, ASUS has clubbed the tablet and the smartphone together so that both devices can use a common 3G data connection. The devices are expected to sync seamlessly with each other because they both use Android OS.. Usually, tablets are capable of using a tethered 3G connection.

The concept is indeed interesting but has a couple of pitfalls too. For instance, the phone needs to be docked at the tablet's back for using the camera, and for the incoming phone call one has to remove the smartphone from the tablet. ASUS hasn't revealed detailed technical specifications of the devices though we can expect them in the coming months.

Samsung promises 4G Android tablet later this year

Current generation Galaxy tablets 8.9-inch and 10.1-inch continue to remain absent from retail chains.

Following the success of its Galaxy S and Galaxy S II smartphones, Samsung is now eying an Android tablet supporting fourth generation network technology.

Samsung's mobile division president JK Shin has hinted that the tablet will be released later this year.

"The race for 4G (fourth-generation) has already started," Shin said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

If it does, then Samsung will join the league of 4G Network supporting tablets LG G-Slate, Motorola XOOM, HTC Evo View 4G and RIM PlayBook 4G. By the end of this year, the US nationals would get to see most of these 4G network supporting tablets.

The current Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is capable of 3G data network connectivity and comes in 16GB as well as 32GB models.

While India still is in the initial phase of 3G roll out, it would be absurd to expect any 4G tablet anytime soon.

At the Google I/O Conference earlier this month, the company gave away Galaxy Tab 10.1-inch to all attendee developers. On one hand, Galaxy Tab 10.1-inch is being lavishly given away to developers while the actual consumers await it's availability in several countries including India.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1-inch tablet comes with a 1GHz Nvidia Tegra processor, 8 megapixel camera with LED flash at the back and 2 megapixel camera in the front.

Samsung India's spokesperson re-asserted that the Tab 10.1-inch launch is on course for June-July time frame in India. At the start of this month, Samsung India head, Ranjit Yadav had said , "We will launch the 10-inch tablet PC at around Rs 35,000 and the 8-inch device will be priced around Rs 28,000. While the tablet PC market today stands at around 25,000 units a quarter, we expect it to grow exponentially here on."

Real question is whether Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1-inch would be priced above Rs 35,000 for India or the company has taken a lesson from 7-inch Galaxy Tab's launch. Come what may, there are certain consumers who won't minding to wait for Samsung to cut price of the Galaxy Tab 10.1-inch models in the same way the company did for the 7-inch tablet.

Meanwhile, Shin, along with Galaxy Tab 4G promise, also mentioned that Galaxy S III smartphone will be released anytime in first half (Mobile World Congress?) 2012.

No 3G video calling on iPhone 4

Users in India can make video calls using WiFi, but not over 3G as the application that enables the service has been locked by Apple.

The Apple iPhone 4, which is being regarded as the most unique device, is not capable of making video calls over a 3G mobile network despite being a 4th generation smartphone.

Users in India can make video calls using WiFinetworks, but not over 3G as the application which enables the service is locked by Apple.

The Apple spokesperson in India said, "FaceTime, the application that allows video calling on the Apple iPhone 4, is a closed user application that allows people having iPhone or compatible Apple hardware like the iPad 2 and forth generation iPod touch running FaceTime application to have video calling."

"3G cannot be used to make these video calls; only WiFi data is supported by the application. The application allows seamless connectivity between other Apple products though," he added.

iPhone 4 nevertheless has all the necessary hardware, including a front facing camera and 3G capable quad frequency network band, to allow 3G video calling over the mobile network.

Many applications like Frring, Tango me and Oovoo can be used as third party solutions to curb this problem of calling over 3G mobile networks.

Along with that, these applications offer both free and paid services and allow cross platform compatibility as well, which means that an iPhone 4 user can call another iPhone, or even another operating system that supports these third party applications.

There were some issues related to video calling with Frring but with the new update for the iPhone 4, Frring users on iPhone 4 get to make better quality video calls.