The ASUS P525 doesn’t offer a QWERTY keyboard, but sports lots of other features:

* quad-band GSM
* display: 2.8-inches, QVGA
* 2 megapixel camera
* 416MHz Intel XScale processor
* 802.11b WiFi
* Bluetooth 2.0
* miniSD memory expansion
* 128MB flash ROM, 64MB SDRAM
* weight: 5.6 oz
* thickness: 0.75-inches

From the news release:

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. today introduced the P525 quad-band PDA phone, which incorporated Push E-mail, Wi-Fi support and built-in numeric keypad to deliver a complete mobile business solution. Users can now stay connected no matter where they are.

“Business Anywhere” is the design concept behind the P525. As enterprises continue to globalize, business professionals should no longer be confined by their office desks or even wireless hotspots.

E-mail, Instant Message and Skype Anytime

The P525 leveraged Push E-mail functions to deliver real-time synchronization with email, phonebooks and calendar items as changes occur on the Exchange account through continuous connection with a mobile operator between the P525 and a server.

Supporting Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system, the ASUS PDA phone supports office applications, including Excel and PowerPoint Viewer etc., permitting completion of everyday tasks even on the road.

With both Wi-Fi and GPRS support built in, the P525 provides wireless online connection for research and instant messaging even when wireless hotspots are not available. Skype-in and Skype-out functions further reduce costs on long distance phone calls. Combined with Bluetooth wireless technology for quick file sharing without the tangling cables, the P525 delivers true mobile office.

Business Card Recognition

The 2M-pixel digital camera also acts as a business card recognition device. Simply take a picture of a business card, the P525 will automatically convert information on the card into Outlook’s contact list. In two steps, organizing business cards collected from conventions and conferences is no longer such as hassle.

Easy Input and Menu Navigation

The 5-way joystick enables one-hand menu navigation for accessing and managing the various powerful functions. The smart PDA phone also comes equipped with a numeric keypad for easy input. For those who prefer using a stylus, the 2.8″ display is a touch screen as well.

Information Security

For sensitive information, the P525 offers MySecret. Whether it’s word documents, spreadsheets, videos or photos, users can save them in MySecret files and protect them from unauthorized personnel.

Specifications Summary:
Processor: 416MHz Intel® XScale™
Communication: Quad band, GSM 850/900/1800/1900; GPRS Class B, multi-slot Class 10
Memory : 128MB Flash ROM and 64MB SDRAM
Display : 2.8″, 240 x 320 pixels, 65,000 TFT
Battery : 1300 mAh Li-ion
Talk Time : 3.5 hrs *
Standby Time : 150-200 hrs *
Camera : 2M-pixel camera with auto focus and flash light
Connectivity : WLAN 802.11b, Bluetooth Version 2.0, IrDa(SIR), USB 1.1
Expanda bility : min iSD card slot
Stereo Headse t : 2.5mm Audio Jack
Dimensions : 116.8 x 59 x 19 mm , 159.5g
Operating System : Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition
Video : MPEG4, 3gp video recording
Voice recognition : Text to Speech; Speaker Independent

ASUS P525 Reviews

CNET has a review up of the ASUS P525 and writes, “Since the P525 offers the same CPU and RAM configurations as the iPAQ hw6965, our performance observations are fairly similar — basic office productivity and e-mail applications run sufficiently fast without noticeable slowdown, but load times increase exponentially as you begin to run multiple applications concurrently. … Interestingly, we found the P525’s battery life to be significantly better than that of the hw6965. … Attractive and well-rounded, the P525 is a highly proficient smartphone for those who aren’t intent on performing extensive data entry.”