Asus Fonepad is a Nexus 7-like tablet with phone capabilities

The Asus Fonepad, an Android Jelly Bean tablet not to be confused with the Padfone, gives consumers another option in the mid-size tablet space to compete against the likes of the Nexus 7. In fact, the Fonepad is very much like the Nexus 7 tabet it built for Google, except Asus' name is prominently displayed on the front. It has a seven-inch, 1280 x 800 display and an earpiece for making phone calls. Bless you if you decide to put this thing up to your ear and carry on a conversation while you're in public view.

What the Asus Fonepad is lacking is a rear-facing camera, which is interesting since nearly every single tablet out there has one. Inside there is an Intel 1.2GHz processor and 1GB RAM, so it's not the most powerful tablet on the market, either. It comes with 16GB memory with a microSD card slot that will support up to 32GB extra storage.

For the lack of serious power and specs to stand up against the competition, the Asus Fonepad certainly has high-end construction. It's not just a giant chunk of slippery plastic with glass over its display. Instead, the Fonepad has metal construction, which may help its durability, but it definitely has a more expensive look and feel to it.

We're not sure whether this will see the light of day in the U.S. The Fonepad will come to Europe and Asia in the middle of the year for around $249, which is priced similarly to the Nexus 7. However, it seems so long away that we do have to wonder whether it will retain any desirability at that point.

[Via: CNET]