ASUS Fonepad up for sale on eBay Daily Deals before release, isn’t really a deal
Ever since it was first announced, we haven’t talked much about the ASUS Fonepad 7-inch tablet. Mostly this is because, while it is an interesting concept, the tablet won’t be released in the States and the official release isn’t for about another month. However, for whatever reason, you can currently pick one up for $359 on eBay Daily Deals, with free shipping as well.
Now, the price is a bit higher than the predicted $250, but isn’t actually too far off from a direct conversion of the ASUS Fonepad’s price of €219 Euros, which is about $325. In addition, since the tablet won’t be making its way stateside officially, the price of importing the tablet (between taxes and shipping) could actually make eBay’s free shipping and lack of tax a deal. Also, the tablet might be a bit expensive because, after all, the official launch hasn’t yet arrived.
So far, it doesn’t look like very many people have bought into the idea that a 7-inch tablet that can also function as a phone is a good idea, and I can’t say I’m too surprised. Still, every once in a while I have the slightest inclination to buy an HSPA+ Nexus 7 or ASUS Fonepad, because it could almost work as a replacement for a smartphone and tablet. In fact, it might not even look too ridiculous for phone calls with a Bluetooth accessory like this one.
Then again, there’s still no way that a 7-inch tablet could fit in most of my pockets, so only in the coldest months when I wear a jacket would it be as portable as a regular sized smartphone. Right now, it seems like the upper bound for smartphone size is just about Galaxy Note II territory, and anything above that is a bit too much. If you are interested in using a 7-inch tablet as a phone, though, this might not be a bad opportunity to get the ASUS Fonepad. If only the price were $299, I would certainly be considering it.
[eBay]
