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WikiPad prototype hits CES 2012, does exist
Wikipad's promise of a touchscreen, dual-analog gaming controls and glasses-free display meant we were itching to get our gaming fingers on it. Heck, on paper that's the illegitimate love child of the Vita and the 3DS. Fortunately, we managed to bump into the tablet on the CES show floor. It turns out the tablet is quite a svelte thing once you unshackle it from the game controls. With a soft-touch backing, the eight-inch tablet hits the sweet spot size-wise, with a glasses-free 3D display that was able to show off the entirety of Avatar. Otherwise, it's Ice Cream Sandwich as normal. We're going to shrug off the OS sluggishness here to prototype teething, but it's something that we hope disappears in the finished product. Sadly, there's a bit of a major problem tackling a hands-on with this thing -- and it's not the Gamegear-trouncing size of the thing; the gaming controls weren't functioning with any games on the device we had. While the Sonic CD app icon on the Android desktop piqued our interest, it wasn't installed and we were then told that the controls weren't currently working with games. Menu navigation was possible, and the digital inputs were responsive, but a little shaky. The pair of analog sticks feel about right, though obviously we need to see some in-game responsiveness before we pass proper judgement. The device is set to launch during Spring, so hopefully they'll get the gaming side sorted soon. Expect a more in-depth hands-on when there's more to play around with. Sean Cooper contributed to this report.
WikiPad ties up glasses-free 3D with game controls, all in a happy Android ICS package
We're not lacking for tablets to check out when CES opens -- for real -- later today. And here's another one that we're intrigued to see whether it makes it past the point of vaporware. The features sound pretty persuasive, with a glasses-free 3D display, gaming controls -- including dual-analog sticks -- and, apparently, Ice Cream Sandwich. The WikiPad is pegged for launch this spring through its (at the moment, pretty empty) site below. The Julian Assange endorsement is presumably still pending.
Aigo preps glasses-free 3D tablet because Avatar demands it
Make no mistake about it, 3D is an industry darling (despite its gimmicky implementation). The feature, incorporated in everything from movies to TVs to video game consoles, is now taking a trip over to the wild, wild west of tablet design. Coupling the tech with Google's latest device agnostic OS -- Ice Cream Sandwich -- Chinese manufacturer Aigo is prepping to release its own glasses-free 3D Pad that utilizes a high-res LCD display similar to Nintendo's 3DS, letting users turn the effect on and off. No pricing or concrete launch plans have been announced outside of a planned February 2012 bow. But after next week's CES reveals, the tab's sure to find itself in plentiful company.
Brando gives the world the sub-$200 glasses-free 3D tablet it demands
We wouldn't be entirely shocked to see a handful of 3D tablets pop up at CES next week. In the meantime, however, Brando's got a pretty good hold on the market, with the clunkily-named GADMEI T863-3D Tablet. The Gingerbread slate offers up 3D images and video on its eight-inch display, without the need for glasses. You'll also get HDMI out, a microSD slot and a front-facing camera on the thing. With 512MB of RAM on-board, this $199 tablet won't be the quickest one around, but at least you'll be able to brag about being the first person on your block with a 3D slate, for whatever that's worth. Video of the tablet in action after the break.
Toshiba's tablet-ready, glasses-free 3D display debuts at SID 2011 (video)
The T-Mobile G-Slate may have a jump on the (red and cyan) 3D tablet market, but we can do better, and while strolling past Toshiba's SID 2011 setup, we may have found the slate of the future's killer component: an 8-inch, glasses-free 3D display. Tablet sized? Yes, indeed. We couldn't get a Toshiba representative to admit the depth perceptive display was destined for any upcoming devices, but we were told that the screen certainly "made sense" for a tablet device. The technology seems to be designed with a smaller form factor in mind, as the firm warned that larger versions of the screen, while possible, would suffer a drop in image quality. At 8-inches however, it looks mighty fine -- although you'll still need to look on from a centered sweet-spot to catch the 3D effect, a plague it shares with its glasses-free brethren. Check out our hands-on video (sans 3D, of course) after the break. %Gallery-123861%
ASUS' Jerry Shen pledges 3D tablet, MeeGo and Android netbooks, plus a 2012 Windows Phone
ASUS (A-seuss) CEO Jerry Shen is rarely a man without a good quote or two for journalists and this year's CeBIT has been no exception. Sitting down for a chat with some Russian scribes, Shen outlined ASUS' general product roadmap, which includes a 3D tablet (the iPad 2-threatening secret weapon, perhaps?), Atom-based netbooks for both MeeGo and Android platforms, and a Windows Phone device that should be with us next year. An aside from his PR aide Mae Wang also states that ASUS aims to be second in the tablet market by 2012, with a giant five to eight percent market share. We're sure the Apple board are all shaking in their hemp sandals right now. Anyhow, hit up the source for the full story.
Rockchip's Supernova x1 tablet does 3D without glasses or technical specs
You had to know that Nintendo's 3DS wouldn't be the only glasses-free 3D handheld for long. Our Chinese compatriots caught sight of a prototype device from Rockchip called the Supernova x1, performing some similar lenticular trickery to make images appear 3D. Exactly what display tech it uses remains a mystery, but we're told the Disney footage being displayed had to be "processed" in some way to make it appear 3D. Like the 3DS, the 3D effect here can be adjusted or disabled entirely, but that's really all that is known at this point about this mystery tablet/PMP. Sit tight, though: everything should be revealed at IFA in a week's time.
