Earlier this year Asus showed a prototype of the Padfone, which is sort of like an iPad that ate an iPhone, and now (as reported by Engadget) it looks like it will see production. The Android-based device, essentially a tablet with an attendant smartphone that docks inside of it, will be released in early 2012.
My first reaction upon seeing the Padfone was "Cool," followed by "Wait—why?" In trying to think of actual applications for the docking trick, beyond perhaps using one device to charge the other, I'm drawing a blank. As an iPhone and iPad user, to me they are two different devices that have some overlap, but I rarely find myself carrying both of them around and performing a task on one that I suddenly feel the urge to complete on the other.
Then again, perhaps I'm not the typical user. What do you think? If you have scenarios in mind where this smartphone-nested-in-a-tablet configuration would be useful, please let us know in the comments; we're genuinely curious.
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