ARCHOS ha annunciato il primo tablet progettato e realizzato in maniera specifica per il gaming, il GamePad. Configurato con il Sistema Operativo Android di Google (più in dettaglio con Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich), il nuovo GamePad di ARCHOS include tutti i pulsanti tipici di una console, per cui è in grado di abbinare le funzionalità di un tablet in senso stretto a quelle di una gaming machine.

Di conseguenza, con GamePad è possibile non soltanto giocare, mediante l'accesso al servizio Google Play e al conseguente download dei giochi preferiti (in accordo ad ARCHOS sono disponibili al momento "decine di migliaia di titoli", ndr), ma anche navigare sul Web, accedere alla casella di posta elettronica e lanciare le app preferite.

GamePad è basato, dal punto di vista hardware, su una cpu dual-core e una gpu quad-core Mali 400mp, ed è equipaggiato con un display da 7-inch di tipo capacitivo, una uscita video di tipo HDMI e uno slot per memory card di tipo microSD con cui può gestire fino a 8GB di storage aggiuntivo.

GamePad arriverà sul mercato a ottobre; il suo prezzo per l'utente finale sarà collocato intorno ai $190.

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ARCHOS, an award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, is proud to announce their first gaming tablet. This new type of tablet, the GamePad, combines gaming controls with Android for a full tablet and gaming experience in one. Gamers will not only have access to all their favorite games, they will also have access to email, Internet, apps and more through one device.

The GamePad features a 7-inch, capacitive screen, physical control buttons and analog sticks. This Google certified tablet has full access to Google Play for the tens of thousands of games available, runs a dual-core processor @ 1.5 GHz combined with a Mali 400mp quad-core GPU. In addition, the GamePad includes automatic game recognition and mapping tools – patented technology to ensure control compatibility with every advanced Android game.

Until now, tablets provided gamers with touch controls that lacked response and compatibility for their advanced games, providing a disappointing gaming experience. As one of the main tablet uses, there is a strong need for a tablet that does more for gaming. Thanks to the complete touch and physical controls of the ARCHOS GamePad, Gamers can enhance their experience starting at the end of October 2012 for less than 150€.

“When Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, was first released they included game controller support within the framework and that is when we decided to build the GamePad,” says Henri Crohas, ARCHOS Founder and CEO.

Some leading game developers have already embraced the physical controller support that was introduced with ICS rendering their apps compatible with the physical controls of the GamePad or with game controllers plugged into tablets or phones.

However many games originally did not include physical control mapping, which is why ARCHOS developed their mapping and game recognition tool; a patented technology that allows any virtual controls to be mapped the GamePad’s physical control buttons.

“Thanks to the mapping and automatic game recognition systems included on the GamePad, we already have over a thousand android games compatible with the ARCHOS GamePad’s physical controls, including back catalog titles that originally didn’t include physical controls,” continued Crohas.

Over the past six months, ARCHOS has been discussing the GamePad with leading Android game developers around the world to make their games compatible with the GamePad’s physical controls and now we invite others to participate.

Developers interested in getting their current and upcoming games mapped for the ARCHOS GamePad can contact GamePad@archos.com.

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