News - ASUS Fonepad unveiled: a 7-inch £179 phablet

[HEXUS]

It's due in late Q2 2013 but the planned European version lacks a rear camera.

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[Jay]

I don't understand why they removed the Camera?

[Gadgety]

Good price point. Maybe for my kids? I'm not sure as they would want the S-pen...

[nacasatu]

who the hell would buy a phone these days without a rear facing camera, it's almost a defacto standard. Fail on ASUS's part, not worth the price they're asking for now. Knock another 70 quid off and it might be worth it, as it is now, cheaper non branded Chinese phones with better specs, more features, dual sims and a decent camera can be got for less than 100 quid.
Silly decision to not ship it with a rear facing camera.

[cptwhite_uk]

Europe gets screwed on price AND features now? lol...no thanks ASUS, hello google nexus.

[wasabi]

But the Nexus 7 with SIM card option is £60 (i.e. a third) more.

[cptwhite_uk]

You might be able to put your SIM in it, but that doesn't make it a phone. If you want to hold a 7" screen to your face to make a call, be my guest!

Edit: Just to point out, I do realise the irony of my original comment, what with asus making the nexus.

[nichomach]

That was so close to perfect, right up to the bit where the camera wasn't there. Silly Asus.

[hesham1516]

You might be able to put your SIM in it, but that doesn't make it a phone. If you want to hold a 7" screen to your face to make a call, be my guest!

That would be ridiculous haha!
perhaps a bluetooth headset while the tablet is stored away in a backpack or large pocket is the intention

[Noli]

I don't know why all the negativity. Firstly, it has cameras, front and back. It's like a bunch of people suddenly forgot how to read.

Secondly, it's *only* £179 for a 7 inch tablet which is also a phone. Just think, my Nexus 4 is cheap at £250 and that's under 5 inches. Yes it's harder to miniaturise but this thing also has an SD card slot (add 64gb cheaply for movies & tv shows yay). I could use it wifi only and then switch my giffgaff sim into it whenever I'm out and about and really need 3G data and still get to make phone calls (using a bluetooth headset if really paranoid that 7 inches looks stupid next to my face - and I'm not that paranoid).

Being atom x86 you could even stick ubuntu... or even full fat Windows on there one day! It's a really cheap powerful device for those who can take advantage of it I think.

[TooNice]

Firstly, it has cameras, front and back. It's like a bunch of people suddenly forgot how to read.

*Jonney Shih indicated in his presentation that the European model would not have any rear camera installed.

Is my reading comprehension failing me, or does Mr Shih not know what he is talking about? Or perhaps the European model is irrelevant to you? *shrug*

[Noli]

@TooNice

Ahh.... Ok I'm an idiot and apologise

I read the news on a bunch of other (American) sites too so was wondering what the fuss was about!

I find the camera on my phone next to useless (Nexus 4) so won't miss them much on a tablet although, I think a front facer for skype would be most useful.

None or which stops the fact that I can't read obviously...