The well-performing Asus FonePad looks downright silly as a phone (pictures)
The Asus FonePad is a well-designed tablet that looks ridiculous when held to your head.
Eric Franklin
Eric Franklin led the CNET Tech team as Editorial Director. A 20-plus-year industry veteran, Eric began his tech journey testing computers in the CNET Labs. When not at work he can usually be found at the gym, chauffeuring his kids around town, or absorbing every motivational book he can get his hands on.
Yep. That's a phone. It's also a tablet. Well, it's mostly a tablet with smartphone features. And yes, the Asus FonePad is very big and quite absurd-looking as a phone.
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Rotation, rotation
The FonePad ships with Android 4.1.2. This means when you rotate the tablet, the scree (and all its icons) rotates with it.
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Metal back
Aside from the smooth metal back, the FonePad looks and feels a lot like the Nexus 7.
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Back camera
The FonePad's back camera delivers decent pics and video, but what's that panel at the top?
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Secret
The microSD and SIM card secret compartment. Difficult to open if your hands are at all slippery.
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Splendid!
The Asus Splendid app provides the deepest level of screen customization I've yet seen on a tablet.
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Silly
Off-camera, hundreds are pointing and laughing. I'm doing my best to hide my tears.
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The difference
The FonePad compared to the 5.5-inch LG Optimus G Pro. Quite the size difference.
