Wikipad has done a last minute switcheroo, announcing that its gaming tablet will finally launch this spring, though in a much smaller form factor than originally advertised.
Originally slated to launch a 10.1-inch tablet late last year, the company has instead opted to release the cut-down 7-inch version. The internal hardware remains the same - we're still looking at a 1280 x 800 IPS display, NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core CPU and 1GB of RAM. There's also 16GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot supporting up to 32GB, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
But the real draw for the Wikipad is the packaged controller enclosure, essentially turning the tablet into a traditional handheld gaming system.
The controller features a standard dual-analog stick setup, along with a D-pad and four face buttons labeled A, B, X, and Y.
Bigger on the inside
Wikipad will have both PlayStation Mobile and OnLive support to make use of its controller, along with the Google Play store for both supported games and apps that use the regular tablet touch interface.
As reported by Engadget, the larger version was bogged down by technical and manufacturing issues, but the firm does plan to launch it by the end of the year with updated specs, though it wouldn't go into specifics.
The size is not the only thing smaller about the 7-inch Wikipad, which will launch for US$249 this spring.
The launch date didn't get more specific than the season and didn't go into regional availability, but expect more information on all that soon.
