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Wikipad's 7-inch gaming tablet coming to the UK on September 27th for £250
Back when it announced the launch date for the US, Wikipad also said its 7-inch slate would become available in more markets soon thereafter. Fast forward to now and the company's announcing that its perplexed tablet is set to reach the United Kingdom on September 27th for £249.99 (roughly $390). Wikipad says the 7-inch, gaming-focused tablet will be found at a number of "well-known retailers" from day one, so UKers interested in snagging one of these should have no problem doing so.
Lemons to lemonade: how manufacturing and mechanical setbacks shrank the Wikipad
A smaller, cheaper gaming tablet? Wikipad President of sales Fraser Townley says it was always in the cards -- but it was supposed to be the company's second tablet, not its first. Business, of course, doesn't always go according to plan. Just before the Wikipad's planned October launch, the company stayed production to refine the product's gamepad element, Townley told us, addressing a technical hiccup that could have troubled customers. Not too long after that, the company's screen supplier told them the part they had hoped to use for the Wikipad's 10.1-inch display was being discontinued. Salt? Meet wound. Wikipad set out to make the best of a bad situation: it skipped a step. "The 7-inch was always in our roadmap and on our plan," Townley told us, "we just accelerated it." That decision was partly made to please the community, which was a little concerned about price. At $249, the new Wikipad is certainly easier on the pocket book, but the redesign delayed the product just long enough to leave it teetering on the edge of a new generation -- the next Tegra chip is right around the corner. Fortunately, so is another Wikipad -- Townley told us the tablet's original 10.1-inch form would be out by the end of the year. He couldn't say if the delayed slate would be using NVIDIA's latest, but he left the possibility wide open. "There would be no point in launching a Tegra 3 tablet just months before the launch of Tegra 4, would there?" he joked. "We'll keep up with the market." An admirable goal, to say the least.
Wikipad in miniature: 7-inch gaming tablet to debut in spring for $249, 10.1-inch sees further delay
When a company delays a product for "minor refinement," we typically expect to see small changes that contribute to a stronger overall product. That wasn't Wikipad's approach -- when it took its namesake gaming tablet into the lab for "minor" tweaks, it took a few inches off its screen size. The Wikipad is now a 7-inch tablet, slated to launch in spring for $249. It's smaller, the company says, but no less powerful -- it's keeping the Tegra 3 GPU the original build promised, not to mention 1GB of DDR3 RAM, 16GB of Flash memory, a 2-megapixel front facing camera and a 1,280 x 800 resolution display. Wikipad's President of sales, Fraser Townley, told us the gamepad design hasn't changed much either. "We took the pinball wizard approach," he said. "We made everybody in the room shut their eyes, and try the controllers. It's not about the look, it's about the feel. Once we got the feel right, then we could worry about the look. That's how the ten inch was born, and that's how the seven inch stayed the same." The attachment boasts new buttons (now labeled a, b, x and y) with a chrome finish, but seems otherwise unchanged. Wikipad is mum on specific availability, but we're told we can expect to hear more after Chinese New Year. As the 10.1-inch original design? It's still coming, but Townley couldn't it narrow it down further than "before Christmas." Read on for Wikipad's official press announcement, or click here to find out how the tablet was cut down to size.
Wikipad CEO James Bower defends his gaming tablet's $500 pricing, why one device beats two
No matter which way you cut it, the Android-based Wikipad gaming tablet -- dubbed as much despite not having any connection to Wikipedia -- is unusually expensive. As a 10.1-inch Android tablet, it's comparably priced with the leaders of the market (of the Apple and Samsung variety). The obvious problem comparatively with the big dogs: visibility. What is Wikipad, anyway? And who made it? "This is our first product into the market," consummate salesman and Wikipad CEO James Bower told us in an interview earlier this week -- yes, the company's name is shared with its first product. "We've self-funded the whole concept to this point with a couple of us founders. No VC money or anything," he said (the company did, however, just close its first round of venture capital funding for marketing costs, post-development). Bower's company took the idea of an Android-based gaming tablet with a proprietary, physical (and removable) gamepad from concept to reality in the last year, first revealing the tablet at CES 2012. "We've been able to accomplish a lot very efficiently and very effectively to this point," Bower said, in reference to the approximately 80 people who created the device. That said, despite our positive hands-on time with the Wikipad (even in its prototype state), $500 is a heck of a lot of money to plunk down on an unproven device from an unproven company. The argument gets harder when you remember Sony's PlayStation Vita -- an arguably much nicer device with a far larger library of gaming content that costs half the Wikipad's price at $249.99. Bower doesn't see the logic in this argument. "It's double the price, but it's also double the size," he pointed out. "If you buy a tablet that's seven inches, you can get a $199 tablet -- it's called a Google Nexus or a Kindle Fire. If you're gonna get a full 10-inch tablet, a tablet to this quality, you're gonna spend $499 to $749 ... if we were talking about a 7-inch device or a 5-inch device, and we were at this price point, then it'd be a different story." Admittedly, the tablet -- as a standalone device -- isn't too shabby. But will it woo consumers away from the likes of Apple and Samsung? Bower hopes as much, but we're not so sure.%Gallery-166636%
Wikipad costs $499 at GameStop starting October 31, gives Android a gaming costume
When we first caught wind of the Wikipad at CES, we picked up the distinct scent of vaporware. In the months since, we've seen the ten-inch tablet with detachable controls get games via Gaikai and from PlayStation Mobile, plus an impressive list of specs. And now we know it'll cost $500 and will officially be available on October 31st exclusively at GameStop. Of course, you don't have to wait until then to call dibs on your Halloween treat, as those willing to plunk down five bills early can reserve one via pre-order starting tomorrow. That's quite a chunk of change, especially considering the cost of other gamified Android tablets, but it does have an impressive set of internals, and it's tough to put a price on having Jelly Bean out of the box, right?%Gallery-164641%
Archos unveils 7-inch GamePad with physical controls, Ice Cream Sandwich for 'less than 150 euros'
Archos already has its hands in the kiddie-tablet market, with its 7-inch Arnova Child Pad, and it's taking on the productivity-minded crowd with its keyboard-toting 101 XS. Now the company is going after another niche segment with the just-announced GamePad. The 7-inch slate runs Android 4.0 with a dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz and a quad-core Mali 400 MP GPU, and it sports physical gaming controls in addition to the standard touchscreen. Archos includes its own "game recognition and mapping tools," which ensure that the physical buttons are compatible with Android games that use virtual controls (some 1,000 titles are apparently compatible with the GamePad at this point). Of course, this is an internet-enabled device as well, and it will include full access to the Play market and WiFi connectivity when it goes on sale at the end of October. Other specs include 8GB of internal storage, plus a microSD card slot that adds up to 64GB. There's also a mini-HDMI connection for outputting content to your TV. For now, Archos is only announcing pricing as "less than €150", and the device will drop in the US and Europe at the same time. For now, the below-the-break press release will have to satisfy your curiosity.
Wikipad specs get real: 10.1-inch 1,280 x 800 display, 1.4 GHz Tegra 3, Jelly Bean
The Wikipad gaming tablet has been ticking off boxes on its way to becoming a real product, and after bedding down with Gaikai game streaming and settling in to a 10.1-inch form factor, the rest of the hardware is now set. The chunky handheld will brandish an IPS display with 1,280 x 800 resolution, NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30 quad-core 1.4GHz processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, at least 16GB storage and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Other notable items include 8-megapixel rear / 2-megapixel front cameras, six hours continuous gaming battery life and a 2D-only screen instead of the 3D originally touted -- at least, for the first model. The controller remains the same with a pair of triggers, bumpers, joysticks and start/select buttons, and will cover the slate's speakers and route sound out the front. The rest of the story is yet to come, namely exactly what that price will be and when you'll actually be able to pew-pew with it, but the company has promised to 'fess up soon. Meanwhile, though airy for a tablet at 560 grams (1.2 pounds), it's not exactly PS Vita or Nintendo 3DS XL territory -- but then a heavyweight contender could be exactly what handheld gaming needs.
GameStop gives in to its sweet tooth, stocks Android tablets at over 1,600 stores
GameStop selling Android tablets in-store isn't anything new, but we've been curious to see how well the initiative would take off following a soft launch at 200 locations last November. Things seem to be going swimmingly, as the company now has "more than 1,600 locations" stocking the slates. If you'll recall, the devices all come with pre-installed titles of the retailer's choosing, with models from the likes of Samsung, Acer, ASUS and Toshiba. There's still yet to be any word about whether you'll eventually be able to trade-in your own, but it would seem like a logical next step -- aside from becoming an AT&T virtual carrier. Hit up the source link below to see if a store in your area is part of the lineup.
Wikipad's Android tablet amps up with Gaikai game streaming, quad-core, 10-inch screen
Wikipad's Android 4.0 gaming tablet still hasn't received a definitive release date despite having just half a season left to meet its launch target, but that hasn't stopped its creator from boosting the feature set. When the tablet does arrive, it will now bake in Gaikai's game streaming service for you to start playing games as soon as the shrink wrap's off the box. In return for the long wait since CES, Wikipad is also giving its slate a heavy makeover: the 8.1-inch screen is ballooning to 10.1 inches, while a lighter body will carry an unnamed quad-core processor and an option for 3G. Otherwise, you're looking at much of the same formula that first emerged in January, which includes traditional gamepad-like controls on either side as well as front and back cameras, 1080p video support and 8GB of space to store your games when you don't want to bring a microSD card. We're looking forward to getting our paws on those dual analog sticks soon, but for now you can check the news release after the break.
Razer Blade spotted at CES 2012, now rocking SSD and functional trackpad (video)
Back in September, we got our hands on the 17-inch gaming behemoth from Razer. There was only one snag: the trackpad wasn't fully functional yet. There were screens in place, but we weren't able to test out all of the controls. Here at CES, we were able to get a quick hands-on with a final consumer model, ready to start dominating your next Skyrim marathon. As you may recall, the trackpad is offset to the right side of the keyboard so as not to interfere with your access to the essential in-game controls. Serving up quite a few functions, the tech includes a miniature web browser, access to control settings, macro key set-up, YouTube viewer, a number pad and a regular ol' laptop touchpad. Another difference between the model pictured here and the one we spent some time with is the inclusion of a 256GB SSD instead of a 320GB HDD which pushed the launch date back to mid January. The kit will still set you back $2,799 and is slated to ship later this month.
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.
Razer's Project Fiona hands-on (video)
Breaking new ground in the nearly nonexistent market of "hardcore gaming tablets" with renders is interesting, but there's nothing quite grasping something tangible. Razer's project Fiona, for example, is something to grasp -- sporting twin joystick handles on either side, it begs to be held. We couldn't help but oblige, and dropped by Razer's CES booth for a few minutes with the bold Windows 8 slab. Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan gave us the skinny -- read on get it yourself.
Project Fiona raises the stakes for gaming tablets, packs Ivy Bridge, Windows 8 and integrated controllers
We weren't exactly looking for the "Switchblade of CES 2012," but Razer's latest concept, nicknamed "Project Fiona," may take the title anyway. This concept gaming tablet flanks a 10.1-inch multitouch screen with a pair of nunchuk-like four-button controllers, lending the slab a bit of flightstick flair. Its dual-stick wings won't help you fly through ShadowGun however -- this slate is a Windows machine. An Intel Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor hopes to keep Fiona fragging with the desktop kiddies, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan told us, giving it the chops to run modern PC games right out of the box. The Prototype was built specifically with mobile PC gamers in mind, said Min-Liang, and will feature a hybrid user interface (a hub activated via a upcoming Windows 8 app) designed to help gamers immediately jump into local multiplayer matches. He described a group of friends seamlessly jumping into a round of Hawx 2, and "dogfighting face to face." It sounds like he wants Fiona to revitalize the Lan party. Although most PC games should be fully playable without any special tweaks or modificaitons, Min-Liang said developers would have the option of adding Fiona specific controls to a game, such as a touch control scheme, or accelerometer joystick emulation. Optimization isn't necessary but exclusive control schemes will be possible. In addition to its Ivy Bridge chops, the concept gaming slate features enhanced audio with Dolby Home Theater v4 and built-in force feedback. Razer wasn't ready to talk battery life, but said that they hope to launch the slab in Q3 or Q4, after Windows 8 launches, for under $1000. How's it play? We'll let you know as soon as we get our hands on it. Until then, feel free to read on for Fiona's official press release. Update: Check out our hands-on!
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.
JXD releases S7100 Android-based gaming tablet, manages to steal from everyone
If you're going to steal, steal from the best. JXD has just released its S7100, a fairly conspicuous 7-inch Android-powered gaming tablet marketed towards playing old-school arcade games. The device features a D-pad, face buttons, an 800 x 480 capacitive touchsceen, ARM Cortex A9 CPU, Mali 400 GPU, 512MB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 0.3 megapixel front camera, 2.0 megapixel rear camera and HDMI-out. A video trailer shows the unit playing a variety of touchscreen games and classic ROMs including Metal Slug, Mario Kart 64, Angry Birds, Plants Vs. Zombies and Fruit Ninja HD. Not to be undone, the device also features the actual PlayStation button icons on its own buttons (sound familiar?), while the marketing website for the device sports icons from Apple, Google, Microsoft and others. If you're thus far undeterred, there's a must-watch promotional vid hosted just after the break -- nothing justifies a $140 price tag like Bieber, right?
GameStop's Android gaming tablets get official at 200 stores in soft launch
Android slates gussied up with pre-installed video games? We must be talking Sony here, right? Wrong. Turns out, this is what GameStop's prexy had in mind when he spilled the beans about the company's plans for a certified gaming tab. Making good on that word, but falling short of actually producing a new device, 200 of the retailer's brick-and-mortar shops are now home to an array of tablets from the likes of Acer, ASUS, Samsung and Motorola -- all members of Google's tablet OS brigade. These familiar Honeycomb faces carry their same retail prices, but come customized with seven free games and, in the case of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Iconia Tab A100, the company's proprietary Bluetooth controller. You can always snag that last bit separately, although if you're already committed to shelling out this much cash, what's another $39? While the verdict's still out on whether this move is a hit or miss, it sure is no wonder why PlayStation Suite's eyeing greener hardware pastures.
GameStop to bring Android-based gaming tablet to market
No surprises here. GameStop, which announced its intentions to become a technology company earlier this spring, has officially selected Google's Android OS for its upcoming tablet-based "certified gaming platform." The video game retailer's prexy Tony Bartel relayed the news to GamesIndustry.biz, and plans to sell the slate alongside offerings from industry heavyweights. The news comes on the heels of the company's spring acquisition of developer Spawn Labs and Impulse, with a pre-production model design already selected for the tab. Expect the hardware to come pre-loaded with a handful of games, and to have a focus on an OnLive-like, cloud-based gaming platform. Consumers in Dallas were the first to get a hands-on with the beta device that should sport a custom designed controller at launch. According to Bartel, "It's hard to imagine how to stream a game - let's say Modern Warfare 3 - onto a tablet and then play it with your finger." The GameStop-made tab could also see third-party exclusives head to the platform, crafted with its controller interface in mind. Bartel made no mention of a release window, but it's clear the company's adapting to the industry's digital download future. Hit up the source below for the full interview.
Kyocera Katsura 'gaming tablet' blurs for the camera
This one's about as mysterious as you'd expect from the image above but, according to Android Community, that black slab you see is Kyocera's new Katsura "gaming tablet." Not many other details at the moment, but it is apparently Android-based, and it has what appears to be a rubbery matte black back adorned with a stylized design of some sort. A bit of an oddity, to be sure, but stranger things have come out of Kyocera recently. Hit up the link below for a few more pics, and look for the tablet to make a more official appearance "soon" if Android Community's tipster is to be believed.
