New Delhi, August 8 – Asus on Thursday announced the launch of cheaper Fonepad 7 in India. The device has a 7-inch screen, supports 3G and will cost Rs 8,999. The new Fonepad 7 is powered by Intel Atom 2520 processor running at 1.2GHz.
This is a dual-core processor with support for hyper-threading, which means it can virtually act like a quad-core processor. The Fonepad 7 has 1GB RAM, 4GB internal storage, support for microSD card, 2-megapixel rear camera and 0.3-megapixel front camera.
While the specifications of the Fonepad 7 look decent for its price, the screen may prove to be a downer. Unlike the IPS screen found on many tablets, Asus is using a TN screen with 1024×600 pixels resolution. Compared to TN screens, IPS screens show richer colours.
In fact, the older models of Fonepad 7, which were launched last year, had IPS screens. But they were also more expensive. The highlight feature of the new Fonepad 7 seems to be its support for cellular connectivity.
Asus said that the tablet supports two SIM cards, 3G connectivity and would allow users to make or receive calls. The Fonepad 7 runs on Android 4.3, customized with a unique user interface called Zen UI. The tablet will be available in black, white, red and blue colours.
The device has a 3950mAh battery that, according to Asus, is capable of providing 10 hours of 720P video playback or 30 hours of 3G talk time. Asus said that the Fonepad 7 would be upgraded to Android 4.4.
In the last few months Asus has become more aggressive in pushing its phones and tablets in India. A few weeks ago, the company launched Zenfone devices at aggressive price points. On July 16, the company said that it sold 40,000 units of Zenfone in four days after its launch.
“We are overwhelmed with the response received within just 4 days of the launch. The reaction from the Indian masses has been astonishing,” said Peter Chang, head of system business group within Asus India.
-INDIA TODAY
