ASUS Padfone 2 Announced

ASUS introduced the PadFone 2 a new Android ICS phone that doubles as a tablet with the optional docking station. The phone features a 4.7" screen with 1280 x 720 pixel Super IPS+ display, a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 quad-core SoC, 2GB RAM, 13MP digicam, and 64GB flash memory. The PadFone 2 Station turns the smartphone into a 10.1" tablet with 1280 " 800 pixel IPS screen.

As for availability, we bring you good news: folks in Taiwan can grab hold of the black PadFone 2 as early as next week, while the white version will be released at a later date. Like its predecessor, the PadFone 2 can be purchased either on its own (which is totally fine given the competitive specs) or together with the PadFone Station. The former ranges from NT$17,990 to NT$21,901 (about US$620 to US$750) unsubsidized for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB flavors, while the slate bundle is simply an additional NT$6,000 (about US$210) for each price point -- much cheaper than buying the PadFone Station separately for NT$8,990 (US$310). Our brethren over at Engadget Chinese heard that Hong Kong is also in the first wave of the launch, but there's no solid date just yet. Stay tuned as we sniff out for more detail.