The Wikipad is a 10.1 inch Android gaming tablet that is the first of its kind on the market. Not only is it a higher powered quad-core tablet for everyday use, but it doubles as a portable game console.

The strongest feature of the Wikipad is that it comes with a detachable controller interface, equipped with directional pads, analog sticks, and even shoulder triggers, making it “the world’s first gaming and enterprise tablet”.

With the Wikipad, one can purchase games through Google Play, Nvidia’s Tegra Zone store, and even the Playstation Mobile network. This isn’t just some tablet meant to play Bejeweled Blitz and Temple Run. The Wikipad is designed to not only be a serious top of the line enterprise tablet, but a gaming platform for the serious hardcore gamer. 

Potential buyers should not recognize this as just a gaming console, but rather a direct competitor with the Apple iPad and the Amazon 4G Kindle Fire HD. It offers the same type of computer tablet capabilities while practically being a whole gaming console at the same time. 

The Wikipad sports some very impressive technical features with its multi-touch screen, 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system, a 1.64 GHz Quad-Core, built in 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front camera, and a 1080p display on a scratch resistant Gorilla screen, all squeezed into a package weighing in at an impressive 1.23 pounds (560 grams), making it one of the lightest and high powered Android tablets on the market (compare to the original iPad at 680 grams and iPad 2 at 601 grams).

An advantage to playing video games on the Wikipad system is that the controls provide a lot more ease of use compared to traditional tablets. When we incorporate a more complex controller peripheral, it allows for more advanced gameplay to be introduced. Jumping, shooting, crouching, strafing, and other abilities become available as opposed to simply sliding your finger back and forth (which you can still do).

So why would you want this tablet/game-console hybrid? Well, it’s exactly because it’s a tablet and a game console hybrid. For the same price as an iPad or Kindle, you get the same features and more. You can play Playstation games, you can browse the internet, listen to music, and even use it as a notebook.  Is this the next step of video game evolution? Maybe, but maybe not.  Only time will tell how the product will do out on the market and whether or not this will cause a reaction in the gaming scene.

The Wikipad is set to be released on October 31 of this year for $499 (a price similar to other tablets).  The device can be preordered starting today on September 7th through GameStop

 

You can reach Staff Reporter James Nguyen here.