Wikipad tablet brings 3D and detachable game controls
New 8-inch tablet comes with detachable game controls, a glasses-free 3D screen, and the latest version of Google's Android OS.
The Wikipad combines an Android tablet with detachable game controls.
(Credit: Wikipad)LAS VEGAS--In the multitude of Android tablets cropping up here at CES this year, you've got to do something to stand out from the pack.
The Wikipad from Wikipad Inc. is trying to do that with a rather clever gimmick. It's a hybrid of sorts: an 8-inch tablet that also happens to have a full gamepad that snaps on.
Doing so adds a hearty collection of buttons to play just about any game, including two analog control sticks, a directional pad, start and select buttons, and four game pad buttons.
The company told me it plans on loading the tablet, which should come in around $300 this spring, with a handful of educational games and 3D content.
On display at its booth was a 3D version of the film "Avatar," which--to be frank--did not impress as much as make me dizzy. On the upside, there were no glasses involved, and the display can hop between 2D and 3D content on the fly.
Spec-wise, the tablet sports a 1080p display, front and rear cameras, and 8GB of built-in memory. There's also a microSD slot which can take cards up to 64GB in size, and a micro USB 2.0 plug. The tablet itself is running Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich, and is rated for about 6 hours of battery life.
Wikipad says it's aiming the tablet at "serious gamers" and has a deal in place with Gaikai to bring more games to the platform through streaming. It's also contemplating doing standalone game controller add-ons for Apple's iPad.
