Hands on with 7-inch tablet and joypad combo Wikipad (2013)

Key insights

5 takeaways

01
The Wikipad is a 7-inch Android tablet hybrid featuring a detachable physical controller with dual joysticks, a D-pad, and four shoulder buttons to improve precision in complex games.
02
The device is powered by a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor and features a 1280 by 800 IPS display.
03
Priced at $249 or £249, the hardware is positioned to compete in the mobile gaming market by offering console-style ergonomics to resolve touchscreen 'finger-blocking' issues.
04
The platform provides access to a wide content library via the Google Play store, the TegraZone ecosystem, and the Big Fish Games streaming service.
05
The device comes pre-loaded with specific titles including Dead Trigger, Shadowgun: Deadzone, and Hockey Nations to demonstrate its performance capabilities.

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Transcript

okay so for GDC and there's a is this a console is it is it an unono what are we calling it this is the UNC console the UN console this is the wiki pad wi it's um it's a 7 in IPS 10 1280 by 800 screen it's a quad core Nvidia 3 processor and it's got the detachable attachable game controller okay let P that there's your tablet so the you get the tablet and the and the it's a full controller so we got we got two four shoulders and playing a shooter which is obviously harder to do when you got your fingers in the way yes it's impossible on a tablet and this is it's easier with the game controller having said you're about to oh good recovery so we're playing Dead Trigger

yeah comes with the game so it's preinstalled with the tabl sorry a couple other games pre-installed I think yeah there's um there's the first person shooter Shadow gun Dead Zone that's a multiplayer game and hockey Nations okay so there's a sports game first person shooter and a multiplayer game and we're expecting this to be hitting hitting stools fairly soon fairly soon yeah absolutely and you have a price you can tell us uh where we where are we selling this UK or UK UK Us in the UK it's going to be 249 oh Mission failed thanks very much

Summary

The Wikipad represents a hybrid approach to mobile gaming, integrating a 7-inch Android tablet with a detachable, physical controller harness. Designed to bridge the gap between touchscreen limitations and console-style ergonomics, the device features a 1280 by 800 IPS display powered by a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor. The controller component provides a comprehensive input suite, including dual joysticks, a D-pad, four action buttons, and four shoulder buttons, specifically intended to improve precision in complex genres like first-person shooters.

Marketed at a price point of $249 or £249, the device targets users seeking a more tactile experience than standard tablets offer. To demonstrate its capabilities, the hardware comes pre-loaded with titles such as Dead Trigger, Shadowgun: Deadzone, and Hockey Nations. Beyond these pre-installed games, the platform supports the Big Fish Games streaming service, Google Play, and the TegraZone ecosystem, providing a broad library of content for the hardware.

The primary value proposition of the Wikipad is the resolution of the "finger-blocking" issue inherent in touchscreen gaming, where physical controls allow for unobstructed views and more responsive gameplay. By combining the portability of a tablet with the mechanical feedback of a traditional console controller, the device aims to capture a segment of the market that demands high-performance mobile gaming without sacrificing the control schemes found on dedicated home consoles.