Official: Wikipad launch delayed indefinitely, company making last minute refinements
It was back in September that we told you guys about the Wikipad, the world’s first Android gaming tablet. This bad boy was packing all the right specs you’ve come to expect from a gaming-centered tablet — Tegra 3 processor, 1GB of RAM, IPS display — along with a split dual-analog gamepad on both sides of the device. If you’ve been keeping tabs on the, uh… tab, you’d know that today was Wikipad’s big day, launching exclusively at GameStop locations around the country. Only one problem — it didn’t.
We began receiving Phantips from readers early today who were told by GameStop employees that there were no tablets in stock, none on the way, and that GameStop was no longer able to take pre-orders for the device. So what gives? Did hurricane Sandy get in the way of shipments? Was the Wikipad nothing more than vaporware? No, and no.
The folks at Wikipad reached out to us today and gave us an official statement and as it turns out, last minute “refinement” changes were the culprit, causing the launch date to slip indefinitely. Here’s the official word:
The Wikipad team has been relentlessly working with our manufacturers and partners to perfect the Wikipad bundle to ensure our first product is the best tablet and entertainment experience at launch. There is a last minute opportunity to enhance the Wikipad bundle as well as a minor refinement needed to ensure our first customers are completely satisfied with the Wikipad.
We have informed our retail partners about this delay. For those who pre-ordered the Wikipad at GameStop through today October 31st, we will deliver the refined and upgraded bundles as well as a special bonus gift with the pre-order.
We are very eager to deliver the Wikipad experience and are passionate about excellence. We apologize for this delay and want you to know that we are committed to bringing you the very best, high-end gaming tablet possible.
We are in the final stage and will be announcing the new date soon.
THE WIKIPAD TEAM
There you have it, straight from the horses mouth. While a new launch date couldn’t be given, it’s hard to knock a company for wanting to deliver the best user experience possible out of the gate. Let’s just hope they can squeeze some Jelly Beans in there while they’re at it.
[via GameFans]