NVIDIA has confirmed that its upcoming Android gaming handheld, Shield, will start shipping 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." Now, the company is writing to customers with pre-orders thanking them for their patience and assuring them the product will be on its way by the end of the month.

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. Didn't pre-order? You'll find the company's official statement after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]