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Asus is expected to unveil the next-generation Padfone on October 16th. But the folks at Japanese site Ameblo noticed that a device called the Padfone 2 already showed up at the NCC website a few weeks ago.

That’s Japan’s version of the FCC, which means that it’s the regulatory agency that oversees wireless devices in that country. While there’s a lot we still don’t know about the Padfone 2, the NCC listing does spill a few details about the new device.

The Asus Padfone line of products include an Android smartphone that can transform into a tablet, notebook, or even desktop computer through a series of optional docking stations. All of the docks use the phone itself as the brains, which means the CPU, storage, and other important bits are on the device you can slide into your pocket. There’s no need to sync anything.

But by adding a tablet dock you can use the Padfone with a larger display. Adding a keyboard dock to the tablet lets you use the system like a laptop. Or dropping the Padfone into a monitor dock lets you use it like a desktop. Docks can also include their own batteries, USB ports, and other features to enhance the functionality of the Padfone.

Here’s what the NCC documents tell us about the Padfone 2:

• Model number: A68
• Cellular data: GSM 1900/850 MHz, WCDMA 2100 MHz
• Wireless: WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC

Ameblo also notes that a battery pack for an Asus A68 also hit eBay this week, suggesting that the phone will have a 2140mAh battery — although I wouldn’t put too much faith in a random eBay listing.

A few weeks ago an image that allegedly showed the retail packaging (and detailed specs) for the PadFone was making the rounds, but there’s reason to believe that the picture could be fake (there’s a Super AMOLED logo that’s labeled Super IPS+ HD, but those are two different screen technologies).

The packaging photo does show a 2140mAH battery, as well as a phone that supports GSM and WCDMA connectivity though. If the specs are real, then we can also expect a 4.7 inch, 1280 x 720 pixel display, 2GB of RAM, a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm quad-core processor, and a 13MP camera.

via Eee PC.it