Initial reports are showing the update hitting users in Japan, Hong Kong, and other locations. In addition, ASUS published the update files for the WWE and HK version, so those users can grab it manually. This comes after users in those regions already received the update, but we’re hearing that this one brings some small updates that the previous one lacked.

The update to 4.1 offers several improvements and changes. Both the Padfone’s audio quality and its USB Internet sharing have been improved so that there’s better audio and less chances of disconnecting. GPS has been optimized to function better. The camera received some enhancements, including better focus and features that improve photo quality.

ASUS Studio has been added for image editing, and video streaming playback has been optimized for more smooth videos. The WWE update is for users running firmware versions 9.8.8.40 and 9.8.8.5. The latest update takes the firmware to version 10.4.5.36. If you’re not seeing the notification to update yet, you can try manually checking for the upgrade under Settings.

[via Android Community]

We heard that there could be as many as 24 different iPad Mini models when Apple finally gets around to revealing the device, and we got to see the insides of the new iPod Nano thanks a teardown from iFixit. Excited for the Padfone 2? If you are, you’ll be pleased to know that its tablet dock can stand up to some abuse. We found out that Intel’s Q3 profits were negatively influenced by slowing demand for PCs, and heard that the average screen size is on the rise for all types of devices except for “mobile PCs.”

A mysterious Texas Instruments-made chip was found lurking inside Apple’s Lightning cable today, and Verizon is catching some heat for monitoring user activity. PlayMG revealed a dedicated Android gaming device called the MG, and AVADirect put a number of Windows 8 PCs up for pre-order today. We heard that T-Mobile might be getting the iPhone 5 early next year, and were told that LTE customers in the US pay 10 times more than LTE customers in Sweden. If you’re a hardcore gamer, you might be pleased to find out that the rechargeable battery in the Wii U Pro controller could potentially last up to 80 hours on a single charge, and you also might want to check out this snazzy Black Ops II launch trailer.

Bethesda might be working on a new piece of Skyrim DLC called Dragonborn, and controversial company Foxconn admitted to hiring underage workers today. The Xbox 360 was given a new dashboard update, Beats Audio unveiled a new portable speaker that has been aptly named “The Pill,” and Boxee announced a new service called Boxee TV. Finally tonight, we have a review of the LG Optimus G and the Motorola DROID RAZR HD, both by Chris Burns, and Vincent Nguyen talks with Microsoft to get the inside scoop on what makes the Surface such a game-changer. That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, enjoy the rest of your night!

The switch between phone use and tablet use takes just over a second now, the layout of the screen automatically changing to suit the larger, 10-inch panel of the tablet, or the smaller 4.7-inch panel of the phone itself. Together, they’re just 649g, and the tablet section has a battery capable of recharging the phone three times over.

Inside, there’s a 1.5GHz quadcore Snapdragon S4 processor paired with 2GB of RAM, up to 64GB of flash storage, and DC-HSPA+/LTE for getting online. The phone has a 13-megapixel camera capable of 1080p HD video recording, and there’s Corning Fit Glass on top of the 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 Super IPS+ phone display.

Europe (Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden) and Asia (Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, U.A.E) will get the PadFone 2 before the year is out, with availability in other countries following on after that. Pricing is €799 for the 32GB model – for phone and tablet – with another €100 getting you twice as much storage.