NVIDIA Shield ships July 31st, barely meets delayed launch window

According to an email issued to NVIDIA Shieldbuyers, the Android gaming handheld is scheduled to make its delayed launch window by the skin of its teeth. "We want to thank you for your patience and for sticking with us through the shipment delay of your Shield," reads the statement. "We have great news to share with you -- your Shield will ship on July 31st." The Tegra 4 testing platform was originally scheduled to hit online retailers in late June, but was delayed due to "a mechanical issue that relates to a third-party component."

The finalized ship date puts the product within its delayed July launch window by technicality, but due to the nature of snail mail, most buyers probably won't receive their unit until after the first of August. Frustrating for eager buyers perhaps, but at least NVIDIA's email strikes an apologetic tone -- assuring customers that the delay was a quality assurance measure. Can't wait until the end of the month? Check out our hands-on with the final hardware right here.

Engadget