AT&T Scores PadFone X Mini Exclusive, Available Oct 24

Fulfilling a promise it made, ASUS is bringing yet another of its PadFone smartphone/tablet hybrids to the US market. And just like with its namesake, the PadFone X, it is again arriving exclusively to AT&T. The PadFone X mini offers that same flexibility of a 2-in-1 device, this time in a smaller and more handy size, without losing the advantages of AT&T's 4G LTE network. Of course, it is considerably less equipped than its older and bigger sibling, but the rather low no contract price does make up for it.

In terms of hardware specs, there is some resemblance between this PadFone X mini and the non-X PadFone mini that ASUS unveiled at CES last January. Both are powered by an Intel Atom Z2560, a 1.6GHz dual-core mobile processor. Both also only have 1 GB of RAM. The similarities, however, stop there. This mini is a bit larger, with a display measuring 4.5 inches on the diagonal and with FWVGA resolutions of 854x480. There is a 5 megapixel rear camera here and a 2 megapixel one on the front. Storage size isn't given but there is a microSD card for up to 64 GB more. And, of course, it has support for LTE networks thanks to the Intel XMM 7160 LTE modem on board.

But the smartphone is always only half of the story when it comes to ASUS' PadFones. The smartphone half docks into a tablet station that transforms it into a 7 incher, with a screen resolution of 1280x800. While the smartphone has its own 2,060 mAh battery, the tablet can add its own 2,200 mAh power source to provide a longer life for the smartphone. The tablet dock has its own front-facing camera, though sadly only a 1 megapixel shooter. The ASUS PadFone X mini runs Android 4.4 and uses ASUS' new ZenUI skin, which automatically adjusts between the two device form factors.

Starting October 24, AT&T retails stores that offer the carrier's GoPhone prepaid service will be selling the PadFone X mini. The price tag is $199.99, and that's without an annual contract. Of course, users can subscribe to plans that start at $40 per month in exchange for 500 MB of data and 500 minutes of talk time. Later on, the device will also be available from ASUS resellers nationwide.

SOURCE: Intel