Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

Announced today. Between Ouya and now this a $400 console seems less and less desirable.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/...aming-handheld

Nvidia has introduced Project Shield, an Android-based gaming handheld. The system uses the company's new Tegra 4 processor and is housed within a controller with a flip-up screen, complete with its own integrated sound system and the complete array of controls you'd find on a traditional console controller. It features an HDMI port for video output, micro-USB for accessories and docks, and a microSD port for expandable storage. While the exact specs are still forthcoming, Project Shield has a 5-inch 720p HD display. The system, Nvidia says, is "pure Android," which gives it unhindered access to the standard Android interfaced, as well as apps and games from the Google Play store.

Harnessing the power of Tegra 4, Nvidia demonstrated the system outputting HD video and realtime games to a 4K display with no framerate lag or degradation.

Using software built by Nvidia, the Shield provides remote access to the games installed on your gaming PC at home, including Steam titles. Users can play any PC game on the Shield from anywhere within the same local Wi-Fi network.

Pricing has yet to be revealed, but Nvidia says Project Shield will ship in Q2 of this year. We'll be getting hands-on time with Project Shield later this week, so stay tuned to IGN.com/CES for updates.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

That can't be right, can it?

I'd definitely snag one if true, and it worked smoothly.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

Yeah, this is the only thing that has me intrigued. I wouldn't have much interest in it otherwise.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

This is the only thing that interests me. No big desire to play "Angry Birds" on the big screen.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

People stream PC games to their Android device now using remote desktop software. Splashtop seems a popular option, they even have a version called "Gamepad THD" (THD = Tablet High Definition).

http://www.redmondpie.com/heres-how-...evice-at-home/

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

That's cool, if it can do that while using the HDMI out it'd be very useful.

I'm guessing the Ouya should be able to do something similar too then.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

OUYA already has the OnLive app coming to it (a PC game streaming service). Apps like Splashtop Gamepad should be able to be ported to it, if the developers choose to do so.

Here's something interesting; a contoller called the MOGA that snaps a smartphone into it for the display. the MOGA/smartphone combination looks a lot like the Sheild:
http://www.powera.com/moga

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

I'm sure it won't happen, but it snapping my Kindle Fire onto something like that would have some great potential.

So many similar things coming out this year, I wonder which, if any, will hit it out of the park. You'd think Roku would be trying to get in on this game too.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

I still wish we could get a portable Xbox 360... like the Ben Heckendorn project.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

Heckendorn's project is a 360 laptop, not really the same scale.
http://benheck.com/10-22-2012/new-xbox-360-laptop

Portable versions of home consoles is a bit of a niche project anyway. There's always been the problem of scaling for the screen, although something like a 7" 720p screen wouldn't be that bad. Plus the 360 overheats enough as is, making a portable version seems like asking for it to overheat and meltdown.

Playstation has tried this with the PSP/PS Vita, having a "console" experience on a handheld, and those haven't sold that well. The Xperia Play ran PS1 games, and that didn't sell well either.


Something interesting would be possibly Xbox 360 streaming play, similar to the PC streaming this device promises. Maybe Microsoft could build in screen mirroring into the SmartGlass app, which could be ported to this device. So it'd work similar to how the WiiU controller's screen can be used to play the console.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

Personally, I think none of them do particularly well, at least as far as becoming big hits. I'm actually not sure what the appeal of Project Shield would be initially; I can't think of that many people loving the games on Android so much that they would want a standalone device separate from the phones or tablets they may already own. The PC gaming thing is interesting, but i'm not sure the casual person would buy into it and for most people it would require a new video card that supports it (Geforce 650 is on the low end side, but still).

Maybe it will help push more developers to make awesome Android games, I suppose.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

I can stream Steam games from my Macbook Pro or iPad games to my AppleTV.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

Hands on from Anandtech - http://www.anandtech.com/show/6564/h...project-shield

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

It looks okay, but ugh, I hate "circular" D-pads. The cross shape is the way to go IMHO.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/0...-june-for-349/

$349 in June.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

Total fail.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

$350???

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lk...hl7yo1_500.gif

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

i don't get it. what does it do that another android tablet doesn't do, besides have a controller attached?

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

The big thing is it streams games from your PC (provided you have a 600-series NVIDIA GPU).

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

i am pretty sure we will have new FAIL gifs in the future on message boards with this console as the pic.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

The high end PS Vita is $279 and it is stuggling to stay in this market. Just get one of those add on controllers for your android phone and you're golden.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

i still can't figure out why sony did the vita. didn't the PSP struggle? i know it was pretty popular in Japan with all those monster hunter games, but stateside it didn't do all that well.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

Even if it was only $100, I don't think I would bother with it.

It was ok at PAX, but I really only played it to get a shirt. :)

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

I would pay $100 to stream games from my PC to a TV with minimal effort. Anything more than that and yes, it's a fail.

Re: Nvidia Shield Handheld
 

The original PSP did very well but, that was before smart phones with huge screens. This thing is dead on arrival.