Wikipad 7-inch Gaming Tablet Heads to FCC
Looks like the 7-inch Wikipad Android gaming tablet is almost here.
Engadget reports that the 7-inch Wikipad gaming tablet has been approved by the FCC, meaning that it could be on shelves before the company's spring deadline. Wikipad Inc. revealed via Twitter at the beginning of April that the 7-inch model had gone into production, showing the first completed unit rolling off the production line. The company originally set the $249 price and "Spring" deadline back in February.
The user manual is located here, and confirms that the tablet packs Nvidia's Tegra 3 quad-core SoC clocked at 1.4 GHz, 1 GB of DDR3 RAM, 16 GB of storage, an SD card slot for 32 GB of extra storage, a front-facing 2 MP camera, and dual-band Wireless-N and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. The 7-inch IPS screen provides full 5-point multi-touch functionality and a default resolution of 1280 x 800 (16:10 ratio), powered by Google's Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean" OS.
The manual also shows that the tablet features a micro-HDMI port that allows gamers to pump the action straight to their HDTV. Other hardware features include a 3-axis accelerometer, an e-Compass, GPS (including GLONASS), built-in stereo speakers, a built-in microphone, a 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack and a microphone mini-jack.
With the controller attached, the Wikipad measures 11.26 (W) x 5.71 (H) x 2.57 (D) inches, and weighs 1.23 pounds – 0.71 pounds without the controller. This attachment provides everything you need to get your Android game on, including analog sticks, directional buttons, and a few others – shoulder buttons apparently are not included.
To attach the controller, users slide the tablet into the slot at the top of the peripheral with the docking port at the bottom. To confirm a positive connection, users must turn the tablet on by holding down the power button for several seconds and then releasing. When the tablet is powered on and the controller is connected properly, the LED at the bottom center of the controller will glow BLUE.
We're hoping the Wikipad will make an appearance at E3 2013 in just a few weeks so we can get a little hands-on with the 7-inch gaming device.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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WithoutWeakness This thing was somewhat exciting when it was first announced over a year ago. Since then, Nvidia has released Tegra 4 and Qualcomm has their new S4 lineup, both of which have much stronger GPUs. This is going to be a disappointing piece of hardware for those who buy it and expect a decent Android gaming experience. For the $249 this costs I would either buy a Nexus 7 and pocket the extra $50 or save up another $100 and buy a Nvidia Shield and have the option to stream games from my PC.Reply -
teh_chem This thing is still moving forward?Reply
In principle, it's a neat idea. In practice, it's a terrible idea. -
prince_david I was excited when this thing was going to be a glasses-free 3D tablet for 250$, but that didn't happen. It was also supposed to come out over a year ago.Reply -
GreaseMonkey_62 It's kind of hard to bill this as a gaming tablet with only 1gig of RAM and a Tegra 3. It's a cool concept, but if there isn't a hardware refresh in a couple of months with 2gigs of RAM and a better processor it's DOA.Reply