The 7-inch Wikipad is all set to make its debut this spring before its larger 10-inch sibling can hit stores, for a price of $249. The ‘premium’ device will be accompanied by an attachable controller for a rich console-like experience.
Based on what the company tells us, the device will carry pretty much the same specifications as the larger version. However, it will feature a more compact form factor, making it highly portable. The manufacturer has also carried out a few modifications to the dual-analog stick controller. The changes are said to deliver quicker response times amongst others. Coming to the hardware components, the Nvidia Tegra 3 processor will run the show with 1GB of RAM, while visuals are delivered through an HD display. Detailed specs are listed below.
Currently, there is a wide catalog of games optimized for the attachable controller. As listed on the company’s website, they include popular titles such as Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Metal Slug 3, Assassin’s Creed, TurboFly 3D, Sonic CD, Riptide GP, Soul Craft THD, Demolition Inc. THD, Shine Runner, Sonic 4 Episode II THD, Max Payne Mobile, Grand Theft Auto III, Dead Trigger and Shadow Gun THD.
The version being spoken of, made its appearance at the CES 2012 last year. The company later announced that it would bring a 10-inch variant to the market instead, which is still to be launched. The reason behind the delay wasn’t officially disclosed, although a previous report did mention that the manufacturer is making minor adjustments to the product in order to improve the bundle, thus overshooting its October 31 availability date. Back in May, the company announced that they would incorporate Gaikai’s cloud gaming service into the slate.
The 7-inch Wikipad will be available in the US for $249 starting spring 2013. There’s still no word on when the 10-inch version will make it to the market. But when it does, the slate is expected to go on sale for $499.99.
Here’s the specifications sheet for a quick glance:
Platform: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
Display: 7-inch IPS HD screen with 16:10 aspect ratio
Processor: Quad core Tegra 3
Memory: 16GB storage, microSD card slot; 1GB RAM
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, optional 3G
Miscellaneous: PlayStation Mobile, Big Fish Games, TegraZone, Google Play, OnLive