Back in October, the Wikipad, a 10″ gaming tablet similar to the Archos Gamepad was delayed for some “minor refinement”. It was delayed fairly close to its projected launch date too, which sucks for anyone that was ready to go pick one up.
Most of the time when a product is delayed for “refinement,” it doesn’t actually see any drastic changes. Apparently, with the Wikipad, that was not the case as several inches were skimmed off the screen. Hopefully you weren’t set on owning a 10″ tablet because the Wikipad is now 7″. A sleek chrome finish has been added to the gamepad buttons too, right along with the traditional a, b, x and y labels.
In addition, the price has decreased significantly, from an estimated $500 down to a more appropriate $249. It probably has something to do with the new toned down form factor.
Everything else, besides the overall size, is apparently still the same. You can see the full list of specs below.
Wikipad’s President of Sales, Fraser Townley said that the gamepad design is intrinsically the same.
“We took the pinball wizard approach. 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.”
I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that a 10″ model is still coming but at a later date. When pressed about the release of said larger version, Townley could only give an approximate “before Christmas” time frame.
Originally, the smaller and cheaper model was supposed to be the company’s second tablet offering, instead of the first. Due to some unforeseen consequences (a serious technical issue, and internal component discontinuation), the company quickly changed their focus and decided to produce the cheaper model first.
The good news is that since the larger version was delayed, it may now include the latest generation of Tegra chipsets, the Tegra 4. During an interview about the delay, Townley had the following to say:
“There would be no point in launching a Tegra 3 tablet just months before the launch of Tegra 4, would there? We’ll keep up with the market.”
The good news here, is that the 10″ model is still coming, and we now have a cheaper, yet equally viable model. It’s tough to speculate on just how the Wikipad is going to stack up against the competition, at least right now, but I’m sure we’ll have more for you on it at a later time. Meanwhile, the full press release from Wikipad is included below if you feel like reading a little more on the matter.
Wikipad Tech Specs
- 7-inch IPS LCD Display
- 1280 x 800 Maximum Resolution
- Nvidia Tegra 3 Processor
- 1GB of DDR3 Installed RAM
- 16GB Internal Storage Capacity
- MicroSD Expansion Slot (up to 32GB)
- 2MP Front Facing Camera
- Micro HDMI and Micro USB Ports
- Integrated Wi-Fi with 3G Optional
- 4,100 mAh Battery with 8hrs of Rated Use
What do you think of the redesign? Are you going to hold out for the 10″ design or are you going to skip Android gaming tablets entirely? Let us know!
The Wikipad team has been relentlessly working with our manufacturers and partners to perfect the Wikipad bundle to ensure our first product is the best tablet and entertainment experience at launch. There is a last minute opportunity to enhance the Wikipad bundle as well as a minor refinement needed to ensure our first customers are completely satisfied with the Wikipad.
We have informed our retail partners about this delay. For those who pre-ordered the Wikipad at GameStop through today October 31st, we will deliver the refined and upgraded bundles as well as a special bonus gift with the pre-order.
We are very eager to deliver the Wikipad experience and are passionate about excellence. We apologize for this delay and want you to know that we are committed to bringing you the very best, high-end gaming tablet possible.
We are in the final stage and will be announcing the new date soon.