Following reports of delays to the Windows CE handheld, Tiger Telematics today officially announced that it has rescheduled the launch of the Gizmondo in North America from its original August 11 date to sometime in October. The company’s announcement states that two USA specific pieces of software in development had originally been planned for a summer release, but following consultation with US retailers, they have been pushed into Fall. The company will benefit from a larger launch game portfolio, higher levels of inventory and will be supported by the new LA offices which are to be opened later this month. Details regarding the North American launch will be announced over the next two weeks.

In related news, Gizmondo Europe has announced that it has gained support from three major UK retailers who will now be stocking the Windows-powered handheld. Argos, Comet and HMV will join the ranks of Harrods, John Lewis and CarPhone Warehouse. Here’s a bit on the multi-purpose handheld if you’re interested:

Gizmondo is powered by Microsoft Windows CE advanced real-time operating system, boasting a 2.8-inch TFT color screen with a Samsung ARM9 400Mhz processor and incorporates the GoForce 3D 4500 NVIDIA graphics accelerator. It provides cutting-edge gaming, multimedia messaging, an MP3 music player, Mpeg4 movie playing capability, a digital camera and a GPRS network link to allow wide-area network gaming. Additionally, it contains a GPS chip for location-based services, is equipped with Bluetooth for use in multi-player gaming and accepts SD and MMC card accessories.