back to article Intel, Asus charge sneak into US mobe market with ATOM-powered PadFone X mini

Intel on Wednesday reached a new milestone in its quest to become a player in the mobile phone market, with the launch of the first-ever Atom-powered Android 4.4 smartphone for the US market. The Asus PadFone X mini will feature not just a dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor clocked at 1.6GHz but also an Intel XMM 7160 LTE …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Intel is selling tablet SoCs for approximately 7 cents each

    No lie. Look at their earnings announcement from earlier this week. They had a revenue of $1 million from their mobile communications group, and said they shipped 15 million tablet SoCs.

    How is that possible? That's easy, read up on what they call "contra revenue", which is basically kickbacks given to OEMs in exchange for using their SoCs. Since revenue of $1 million for 15 million SoCs works out to about 7 cents apiece, they're pretty much giving kickbacks equal to the cost - that $1 million is probably shipping or something else they don't cover in their kickbacks

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Intel is selling tablet SoCs for approximately 7 cents each

      That's interesting. I'd assumed Intel managed to strongarm companies like Asus (who are also players in the x86 market) into doing x86-mobile occasionally by applying a little "encouragement" to the x86 desktop and server chunks of the company.

      But the numbers, and the contra revenue [1], says that Intel are pretty much giving their SoCs away at zero cost (leading to losses of $1B or so per quarter). And yet the volume builders, especially those without significant other Wintel dependencies,are still just not interested in x86?

      Not looking good, though the Hudl 2 came as a bit of a surprise with its Intel Inside.

      [1] http://www.zdnet.com/intel-to-hit-40-million-mobile-chip-units-with-aid-of-subsidies-7000034693/

      1. Daniel B.

        Re: Intel is selling tablet SoCs for approximately 7 cents each

        But the numbers, and the contra revenue [1], says that Intel are pretty much giving their SoCs away at zero cost (leading to losses of $1B or so per quarter). And yet the volume builders, especially those without significant other Wintel dependencies,are still just not interested in x86?

        Looks pretty good. It's about time Intel lost its empire over all computer-ish chips. At least it'll balance the force, as it tipped towards Intel with the awful decision of having the next-gen gaming consoles saddled with Craptel x86.

      2. BillG
        Thumb Up

        Re: Intel is selling tablet SoCs for approximately 7 cents each

        That's interesting. I'd assumed Intel managed to strongarm companies like Asus (who are also players in the x86 market) into doing x86-mobile occasionally by applying a little "encouragement" to the x86 desktop and server chunks of the company.

        The truth is Intel offered Asus free design engineering services to get them to use their components. I've done it myself when selling a core that my customer doesn't have experience with. It's an effective win-win technique.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Intel is selling tablet SoCs for approximately 7 cents each

      Don't be so cynical AC! Intel only bribes manufacturers to use its x86 crud *by accident*. "Honest"

      http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/390751/why-intel-pays-manufacturers-to-use-its-chips

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    If only they made the phone part...

    ... actually "mini" size then I'd think about buying one.

    1. Snarkster

      Re: If only they made the phone part...

      Spot on. I'm sick of ridiculously large phones.

      1. Vector

        Re: If only they made the phone part...

        I actually think this is where we should be going in mobile, though ASUS's execution with the padfone line has been a bit clumsy thus far. The one with the 10 inch tablet accessory had the phone sliding in at a 90 degree angle from the tablet screen which would require a lot more software adjustment to the sensors. Ultimately, that's a nightmare waiting to happen as one of the settings doesn't transition and your device is 90 degrees out of whack. It was also a bit pricey.

        Other than that, the only difference between a smartphone and a tablet these days are the size of the screen and the size of the battery. The other components are pretty much the same. I've wondered why there aren't more products like this out there. Samsung could certainly do it with their 11-pin MHL. I guess the biggest obstacle is Android itself. It's too myopic to adapt to different screen metrics in one device.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Happy

          Re: If only they made the phone part...

          I would conjecture that having the 90 degree slider would be a consideration for center of gravity, environmental ruggedness and perhaps just pure cussedness. Well maybe not the latter unless I was the engineer. I can understand why it's not a common design as the various case thicknesses do add up. An approach that might be easier to get into people's hands might be to go modular. Keep an eye on Google for that. (Credit-card module that scales from phone to desktop, not new but perhaps timely.)

          I happen to like Asus and have sent quite a bit of money their way. Rarely straightforward and, for me, thought provoking (hmm... these widgets with that and this ...). It's how I play.

        2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

          Re: If only they made the phone part...

          Certainly think that docking stations / combinations have a place but I do wonder about only having a 7" screen on a phone dock, I'd have thought 10" would be minimum for something that's going to be in the house almost all the time.

        3. Unicornpiss

          Re: Android being Myopic...

          Motorola did this with their "Atrix" docking system and it actually worked pretty well, though no one bought it. Motorola "Droid" phones came with "Webtop" and would ask you what you wanted to do when you either docked the phone or connected it with a micro-HDMI cable to a TV or monitor. I used to use it when I traveled with my old Droid Razr and it worked swimmingly.

        4. ROC

          Re: If only they made the phone part...

          Old stuff here I know, but if anyone is reviewing for a unit from my favorite trailing edge supplier, eBay, this update may be of some use.

          Dunno what the "90 degrees out of whack" means in regard to the Padfone X (10-inch tablet, and higher end phone vs the Mini). I thought the idea with a tablet was to use it in landscape/tablet mode. In that usage, the X has the phone inserted in "physical phone mode" (portrait orientation), so maybe that bothers you, but it is very snugly encased, and the UI changes completely to tablet mode, much like the Moto Atrix/Bionic Webtop combo does with their Lapdock (if you let it - the Asus does not give the option to avoid that switch. Also, there is no orientation change as the Lapdock is only meant for landscape use vs the tablet rotation modes of the Padfone. I commented more here on the Moto package I had back in October, 2014, when this topic was active.), so it really does not matter.

          Since switching from Verizon to AT&T, I have had the X for about 8 months now, and it "just works". And if you rotate the docked phone tablet 90 degrees to portrait mode, the image rotates just fine - great for reading long articles and ebooks on the 1920x1200 10-inch screen, although a bit heavy to hold in the hand for long times (especially with my carpal tunnel), so I have a folding stand for that scenario.

          It has been very easy to carry around in a small 8x10-inch stretchy shoulder bag "man purse", along with a small bluetooth mini keyboard and the folding reading stand, that allows me to get around without a notebook PC where I used to take one such as on weekend trips, or for hanging out at a coffee shop.

          All that praise aside, I am running an extended experiment in switching to a Windows Phone (8.1), Lumia 640 ($80 new) to see if the MS ecosystem is less intrusive, and more productive than Google/Droid, so a companion notebook or tablet/keyboard is part of my travel kit again - not clear to me yet if the new tradeoffs are worth it. I miss some Android apps, and the Padfone X dock integration, but the WP apps/ecosystem is richer than its first few years, and it integrates well with Windows on PC's, and not badly at all with Linux, my preferred PC platfrom.

          WP works well for my wife as her first smartphone in switching after years on feature phones, but she is not as "mobile data intensive" as I am. I sort of made her the initial tester with WP (Lumia 635 - $50 new, now on a 640) when we switched to AT&T around the turn of the year, and believe it was a much easier learning curve for her than trying to get her up to speed on Android (took less of my time as her "tech support" I am sure ;^} ). Also, the hardware entry prices are a huge advantage over comparable Android units.

          FWIW

  3. Charlie Clark Silver badge

    Price plans

    GoPhone plans start at $40 per month for 500 minutes of talk time and 500MB of data.

    Are they taking the piss? I think you get gold-plated bytes for that price in Europe!

  4. x86architect

    I like the basic premise

    Don't work for Intel nor Asus, but I like the idea of a lightweight Intel handset that slides into something bigger and is more usable at the end of the day. Intel's performance isn't great at the low-end, but it still kills Arm-based solutions given Arm's "I hate memory" approach to design via CCI-XXX. I have an "i" based Moto just for purpose of exploring how it is that x86 doesn't work in the Android world. Perhaps I am not an ordinary user, but my Android footprint works just fine with an "i" Android phone. Just as it once was stated, "the reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated", I believe that "the reports of x86 incompatibility in the Android space are hugely exaggerated". Given Androids new attempt to convert everything to native, my opinion might change. But, I doubt it, given that native includes x86.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Meh

    I was hoping for an actual review of the phone

    As Asus announced these phones ages ago.

  6. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Unhappy

    "People are demanding more from their devices"

    You mean software that doesn't crash on them, spy on them and can be updated.

    Battery life measured in double digit hours (at least when it's a listening phone, not a media player).

    That can actually fit into a pocket.

    Really I don't think those wants have changed much over the last couple of decades.

    Manufacturers ability to supply them seems to have worsened however.

  7. Jess

    Nice idea

    But I wouldn't want an x86 phone or tablet.

    (I already reject the previous Asus fonepad for the same reason)

    1. captain veg Silver badge

      Re: Nice idea

      > But I wouldn't want an x86 phone or tablet.

      I would, if it meant that I could install my choice of OS on it.

      -A.

  8. storagedock

    ASUS Phone - Sprint

    Sprint....Get this!!!

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Asus padfone Intel Windows 10

    Im waiting for the Asus Padfone (W) 4.3" - 4.7" phone Max screen size as with the tablet 10"+ not the mini one why do you need a bigger screen on the phone when you can just change to a tablet so easily. plus needs a keyboard case

    USB 3.1 connector so data power and video out of one connector.

    Full windows 10 with a dialler interface for the phone. Intel 64 bit chip with 4+GB ram + 128 / 256 GB ssd.

    desktop dock would also be nice.

    would then full fill most of my personal (non work) use cases and if i need a more powerful processor there is always VDI suppliers or one of my servers or VM's i can use.

    AND a HUGE battery i dont want the thinnest lightest thing if it wont hold a charge of less than 2 days when being used moderately. current phone Motorola Razr Maxx has a good battery that lasts a few days and fits in the lapdock, currently running Android 4.4.4.

  10. ROC
    Pint

    Re: Moto Lapdock..

    I still have a Lapdock with Bionic (Vzw version of Atrix) as a backup for my Razr HD. I can attach the Razr with extension cables for USB and HDMI, but it is clumsy, and without Webtop (thinking Google applied some pressure after they took over Moto to help their Chrome OS?) it is ugly to boot. I could tweak the DPI resolution to make better use of the 11" screen, but it would still be a phone UI instead of the more elegant Webtop (3 - 2 was kinda cool in a different way, but buggy, and got upgraded to 3 when Moto went from GB to ICS). I keep considering going back to the Bionic/Labdock combo since that could let me travel without a personal PC (but still having to tote the ball-and-chain unit for my job, though).

    This Asus unit could be a lot more interesting if one could dual boot to Linux in tablet mode, or switch Android to a a more desktop type UI ala Webtop. CyanogenMod or Ubuntu Phone could also be attractive options. Add in a close-fitting keyboard cover like those for iPad Mini, and put a trackpoint on it (no space-wasting, twitchy touchpad, PLEASE), and I would be all in (well, add a Vzw model, altho my T-Mobile account should be able use the AT&T radios, right?).

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