Hasta La Gadget!

Just last night we first heard of the Tegra 4-toting NVIDIA Project SHIELD for the very first time, and right here and now we’ve gotten our own opportunity to get our hands on it. This machine is a large piece in a gaming ecosystem NVIDIA is bringing forth to the world combining not only Android and its brand new Tegra 4 processors, but large screen monitors like your HDTV, and PC gaming too! We’ve been shown this device in its current state playing an early version of the new-to-Android game Hawken, Call of Duty: Black Ops II streamed from a GeForce-packing PC wirelessly, and some interesting moves through the device’s unique user interface.

As we spoke about in the initial announcement last night, NVIDIA intends this device to be not only a key device for accessing their NVIDIA Tegra Zone for Android, but to stream games from GeForce GPU-toting PCs as well. NVIDIA assured us today that until the data connectivity ecosystem is strong enough here in the USA, this machine will be streaming games from PCs only over a local area network. That said, it certainly can roll out with undeniable power completely wirelessly – over wi-fi, that is.

It was also made clear to us that developments still may be made before the final product would be launched – both in its software and its hardware. At the moment it’s clear that NVIDIA has the structure ready for prime time, there’s simply a few kinks to iron out as far as which situation requires what action: certainly forgivable given the fact that they’ve targeted Q2 of 2013 for the release – that being still relatively far off and plenty of time for software bug fixes.

The hardware, on the other hand, is extremely close to being complete. While there could be changes to the level of hardness with which the buttons need to be pressed as well as the materials that the casing will be made of, this beast is essentially ready for action. One important point of order for controller aficionados: the now-hard-plastic surrounding the left, right and front of the machine will likely be replaced by a softer plastic in the future – so says NVIDIA. Grippier plastic for a more controlled action experience.

The speakers on this machine are immense in their ability to blast your ears off. I was personally unable to play a game without turning the sound down somewhat – it can get too loud. That’s not to say that the sound is bad – not at all – in fact the sound is both full and deep, ready to be used on its own without a doubt. Another point of order: while most built-in speakers on devices like these working with heavy bass have a bit of a problem rumbling around on a flat surface, this machine’s audio system is set in a way that keeps it still. High fidelity and a controlled experience, top to bottom.

We saw the game HAWKEN in its newest state: Android-based and as high powered as we’ve seen it played on the PC. It seems every bit as immense here on this 5-inch 720p display as it does on the big screen, and from what we’ve experienced, this Android version is going to turn the mobile gaming world on its ear – in the mech universe, at least.

We also saw some awesome PC-streamed gaming with Call of Duty: Black Ops II from a GeForce-packing PC in the same room with this machine’s 802.11n 2×2 MIMO “game-speed” Wi-Fi. From what we’ve seen, game streaming from a GeForce-powered PC to Project SHIELD works flawlessly. Once you’re in-game, that is. By the time this device is released, we’re expecting an undeniably smooth experience start to finish.

Have a peek at the photos and videos above and below and let us know what you think about the device and the future ecosystem NVIDIA is building around it. Also be sure to tune in to our Tegra hub for all the NVIDIA action you can handle through the future!

BONUS: Hit the gallery below for larger versions of all of the photos above. Get up close and personal with this lovely new piece of hardware!

NVIDIA Project SHIELD hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

NVIDIA surprised the world last night by transitioning from hardware component manufacturer to game console manufacturer in one fell swoop, introducing the world to its portable game console, Project Shield. A 5-inch “retinal” HD multitouch display sitting atop a full-on game controller that resembles a blend of the Xbox 360 gamepad’s curves and the PlayStation 3 DualShock 3’s unfortunate analog stick placement, all powered by the newly revealed Tegra 4 quad-core cortex A15 processor. The console’s set to ship in Q2 2013, and it promises stunning graphics for the Android games it’s made to run, as well as a direct streaming option employing NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience application. That means not just Android games, but also full-on PC games, with built-in Steam Big Picture Mode integration. It is, frankly, an impressive package. But the proof’s in the pudding, right?

We got our first chance to go hands-on with the device this morning — our first hands-on with any Tegra 4 device, mind you — and came away impressed. Beyond being a speedy handheld, the 5-inch LED makes high-def PC games look even more visually stunning. Sheer pixel density alone meant that our test run of Need for Speed: Most Wanted looked even better on Project Shield than it did on the PC running it. More importantly, there was zero perceptible lag.

As for controls, Shield is a bit on the unwieldy side of things. In an effort to make the screen foldable, clamshell-style, with the full gamepad underneath, the analog sticks are sunk into the body. While it didn’t make any of the games we tried unplayable, it did feel a bit less comfy than, say, an Xbox 360 controller. The DualShock 3-esque placement of those analog sticks isn’t helping either, but sadly that doesn’t look like it’s changing — the sticks are where they are for function’s sake.

Continue reading Hands-on with NVIDIA’s first game console, Project Shield (update: now with video!)

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, HD, Mobile, NVIDIA

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Nvidia has outed its next-gen Tegra 4 mobile CPU at CES. As expected, the chip packs 72  GPU cores, offering a 6x bump on the Tegra 3′s graphics processing performance — to make the most of higher resolution displays — along with the first quad-core ARM Cortex-A15, to boost web browsing speed by 2.6x and deliver improved app performance. Also on board: LTE support.

Nvidia is talking up the computation photography capabilities of the Tegra 4, with automatic support for HDR photos and video, and also its power efficiency — claiming it consumes up to 45 per cent less power than the Tegra 3 in “common use cases”, thanks to features such as a battery saver core for low power during standard use. The Tegra 4 supports up to 14 hours of HD video playback on phones.

Also today at CES, Nvidia has launched an open gaming handheld — dubbed ‘Project Shield‘ — powered by the new Tegra 4 chip. The handheld can download Android games from Google Play and Nvidia’s TegraZone game store, and also wirelessly stream Windows PC STEAM games — provided you have a PC powered by Nvidia GeForce GTX GPUs elsewhere in the home. The use-case here is presumably if you want to flop out on the sofa to play to play PC games, rather than sitting at your desk.

The handheld hardware includes a 5-inch, 1280×720 HD retinal multitouch display, hinged atop the controller:

Nvidia’s releases follow below:

NVIDIA Introduces World’s Fastest Mobile Processor

 

Tegra 4 Features 72 Custom GPU Cores, Quad-Core Cortex-A15 CPU for Superb Performance and Efficiency; LTE Enabled with Optional Chipset

LAS VEGAS—CES—Jan. 6, 2013—NVIDIA today introduced NVIDIA® Tegra® 4 , the world’s fastest mobile processor, with record-setting performance and battery life to flawlessly power smartphones and tablets, gaming devices, auto infotainment and navigation systems, and PCs.

Tegra 4 offers exceptional graphics processing, with lightning-fast web browsing, stunning visuals and new camera capabilities through computational photography.

Previously codenamed “Wayne,” Tegra 4 features 72 custom NVIDIA GeForce™ GPU cores – or six times the GPU horsepower of Tegra 3 – which deliver more realistic gaming experiences and higher resolution displays. It includes the first quad-core application of ARM’s most advanced CPU core, the Cortex-A15, which delivers 2.6x faster web browsing and breakthrough performance for apps.

Tegra 4 also enables worldwide 4G LTE voice and data support through an optional chipset, the fifth-generation NVIDIA Icera® i500 processor. More efficient and 40 percent the size of conventional modems, i500 delivers four times the processing capability of its predecessor.

“Tegra 4 provides enormous processing power and efficiency to power smartphones and tablets, gaming devices, auto systems and PCs,” said Phil Carmack, senior vice president of the Tegra business at NVIDIA. ”Its new capabilities, particularly in the area of computational photography, will help improve a whole range of existing products and lead to the creation of exciting new ones.”

Computational Photography Capability

Among the Tegra 4 processor’s breakthroughs is its Computational Photography Architecture, which automatically delivers high dynamic range (HDR) photos and video by fusing together the processing power of the GPU, CPU and the camera’s image-signal processor.

Its HDR capability captures images, including those taken with a flash, the way they are seen by the human eye – with detail in both bright and dark areas.

Unprecedented Power Efficiency

Designed for maximum energy efficiency, Tegra 4 includes a second-generation battery saver core for low power during standard use, and PRISM 2 Display technology to reduce backlight power while delivering superior visuals.

Tegra 4 consumes up to 45 percent less power than its predecessor, Tegra 3, in common use cases. And it enables up to 14 hours of HD video playback on phones.

Tegra 4 Key Features

• ·         – GeForce GPU with 72 custom cores
• ·         – Quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 CPU, plus a 2^nd Generation Battery Saver Core
• ·         – Computational Photography Architecture
• ·         – LTE capability with optional Icera i500 chipset
• ·         – 4K ultra-high-def video support

Useful Links
www.nvidia.com/tegra
www.tegrazone.com

NVIDIA Untethers Gaming with Project SHIELD

 

Gaming Portable for Open Platforms Designed for Gamers
to Play When, Where, How They Want

LAS VEGAS—CES—Jan. 6, 2013—NVIDIA today announced Project SHIELD, a gaming portable for open platforms, designed for gamers who yearn to play when, where and how they want.

Created with the philosophy that gaming should be open and flexible, Project SHIELD flawlessly plays both Android and PC titles. As a pure Android device, it gives access to any game on Google Play. And as a wireless receiver and controller, it can stream games from a PC powered by NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX GPUs, accessing titles on its STEAM game library from anywhere in the home.

“Project SHIELD was created by NVIDIA engineers who love to game and imagined a new way to play,” said Jen-Hsun Huang, co-founder and chief executive officer at NVIDIA. “We were inspired by a vision that the rise of mobile and cloud technologies will free us from our boxes, letting us game anywhere, on any screen. We imagined a device that would do for games what the iPod and Kindle have done for music and books, letting us play in a cool new way. We hope other gamers love SHIELD as much as we do.”

Project SHIELD combines the advanced processing power of NVIDIA Tegra® 4, breakthrough game-speed Wi-Fi technology and stunning HD video and audio built into a console-grade controller. It can be used to play on its own integrated screen or on a big screen, and on the couch or on the go.

 

Tegra 4 at Its Heart

At the core of Project SHIELD is the world’s fastest mobile processor, the new NVIDIA Tegra 4, which delivers enormous power from its custom 72-core GeForce GPU and the first quad-core application of ARM’s most advanced CPU core, the Cortex-A15. These, combined with its battery-saver core and energy-saving PRISM 2 technology, deliver hours of gameplay on a single charge.

Windows and Android Games

Windows and Android are the world’s most successful computing platforms, with massive ecosystems of system and software developers. While not specifically designed for gaming, both open platforms have drawn gamers by the millions. Project SHIELD is designed to allow them to enjoy Android and Windows games in a new, exciting way.

Project SHIELD can instantly download Android games, including Android-optimized titles available on NVIDIA’s TegraZone™ game store, which has already delivered more than 6 million downloads to gamers. It can also be used as a wireless game receiver to a nearby PC equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 GPU or higher.

Console-Grade Controller

Project SHIELD’s ergonomic controller was built for the gamer who wants ultimate control and precision.

Retinal Gaming Display

Brilliant gameplay and video are provided by Project SHIELD’s integrated 5-inch, 1280×720 HD retinal multitouch display, with 294 dpi. Plus, Tegra 4 with Direct Touch technology gives it touch responsiveness that is a more consistent, accurate and smooth-flowing touch input experience than a standard touch device.

Tuned Port, Bass Reflex Portable Speaker System

Deep, rich audio is critical for a great gaming experience. And Project SHIELD provides fidelity and dynamic range never before available on a portable device, through its custom, bass reflex, tuned port audio system – with twice the low-frequency output of high-end laptops.

Project SHIELD can also access Android apps such as Hulu, Netflix and Slacker Radio, so users can enjoy their movies and music anywhere without expensive, clumsy wired or wireless speakers.

 

Support by Leading Industry Analyst

Patrick Moorhead, president and lead analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, said: “The market has waited years for a breakthrough gaming device that offers the flexibility, quality and total enjoyment of Project SHIELD. Few companies other than NVIDIA have the vision, guts and deep gaming experience to have pulled this off.”

Support by Leading Game Developers

Yves Guillemot, co-founder and chief executive officer of Ubisoft, said: “Ubisoft is always excited about new hardware developments, and Project SHIELD promises to bring both mobile and PC gamers a great new gaming experience. Seeing the PC version of Assassin’s Creed III run on the device is a great example of this, and further strengthens Ubisoft’s long-standing relationship with NVIDIA.”

Mark Rein, vice president and co-founder of Epic Games, said: “With Project SHIELD, NVIDIA brings an uncompromising, high-performance console experience to mobile devices. Amazing games including Real Boxing and Hawken, which utilize the latest Unreal Engine technology, look fantastic on Project SHIELD. This is just the beginning, and we’re truly excited to see what more Unreal Engine developers will do with so much horsepower in such a compact gaming device.”

Bill Wagner, chief production officer at Meteor Entertainment, said: “Coming from the openness of a PC platform, we love how accessible Project SHIELD is, and the flexibility it gives gamers everywhere. Project SHIELD gives us the cutting-edge ability to bring a huge free-to-play PC game like Hawken to the handheld gaming audience.”

Support by Broader Industry

“Shadowgun and Dead Trigger showed how Tegra can redefine mobile gaming on Android. Project SHIELD’s performance has allowed us to bring an even better experience with Dead Trigger 2,debuting first on Tegra 4 devices. Our fans are going to love it.”

– Marek Rabas, chief executive officer of MADFINGER Games

“Project SHIELD has changed how we approach mobile game development. Tegra 4 helped us create Bloodsword – a new game debuting with the highest resolution textures, graphics and shading we’ve ever seen on a portable device.”

– Seunghee Do, co-founder at OneQ Soft

“We are very excited to be part of Project SHIELD, and are quite amazed by the gaming potential of this device. Project SHIELD is by far the fastest mobile device we’ve worked on and it lets us put console quality graphics on a handheld device.”

– Stine Waern, chief executive officer at Ravn Studio AS

“Thanks to Project SHIELD’s performance, we’re able to use the same quality textures and shaders in Rochard as on the PC version. We’re super excited to bring Rochard to Project SHIELD, the first time it’s ever been playable on a mobile device.”

– Jan Achrenius, chief executive officer at Recoil Games

“Put simply, Project SHIELD is an amazing leap forward, enabling us to create console-quality visuals previously unthinkable on a mobile platform.”

– Arden Aspinall, chief executive officer and project lead at TickTock Games Ltd.

More information is available at shield.nvidia.com.

About NVIDIA
NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) awakened the world to computer graphics when it invented the GPU in 1999. Today, its processors power a broad range of products from smartphones to supercomputers. NVIDIA’s mobile processors are used in cell phones, tablets and auto infotainment systems. PC gamers rely on GPUs to enjoy spectacularly immersive worlds. Professionals use them to create 3D graphics and visual effects in movies and to design everything from golf clubs to jumbo jets. And researchers utilize GPUs to advance the frontiers of science with high performance computing. The company has more than 5,000 patents issued, allowed or filed, including ones covering ideas essential to modern computing. For more information, see www.nvidia.com.

[CES 2013] When it comes to gaming, NVIDIA comes to mind as one of the main GPU manufacturers, although lately they  have been attempting to make a splash in the mobile scene by creating their own brand of mobile chipsets, such as the recently announced Tegra-4.However it looks like being the backbone to gaming setups isn’t enough and the company has recently announced a new Android handheld gaming console of their own which they have dubbed Project Shield. Essentially what Project Shield could be thought of as a 5″ Android tablet with a gaming controller attached to it, and one of the highlights of this console would be its “pure” Android experience. What this means is that gamers will not have to put up with weird or funky skins that manufacturers typically install on their products to help differentiate themselves from the competition. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Tegra 4 Announced By NVIDIA, NVIDA GeForce Experience App Finds Near-Perfect Game Settings,

Taking aim at the multi-billion dollar gaming industry, NVIDIA today revealed its own mobile gaming console, codenamed “Project Shield,” which is designed to combine the best of Android handheld devices with the best of console gaming.

The compact handheld is powered by NVIDIA’s powerful new Tegra 4 processor, which has a whopping 72 GPU cores, and 4 A15 CPU cores (though it’s not clear if it comes with the 4G LTE modem processor that’s offered in the Tegra 4.) It’s got a full console-quality controller built in, complete with dual analog sticks, a D-Pad and all the buttons you’re used to. You’ll also find a pair of tuned-port bass-reflex speakers which are supposed to provide higher-quality audio than typically found in a handheld.

It also has standard HDMI, microUSB and 3.5mm jacks, as well as a microSD slot for storage. At 5″ diagonal, its 720p touchscreen display is only about the size of a large smartphone.

There’s a complete Android Jelly Bean-based system built into the lid of the Shield, providing full HD video when connected to a TV via HDMI. They also are expecting to offer a wireless video capability like AirPlay down the road. It can even play 4K video, if you’ve got a high enough res TV for that. Of course, you can always play games, videos and music directly on the handheld’s small screen.

During the launch demo for CES 2013, they showed a set of Project Shield handhelds playing Hawken head-to-head, so it’s definitely capable of supporting multiplayer gaming. The device can even wirelessly stream and play games from your PC if it has a GeForce GTX GPU, though the CES 2013 demo of this capability stumbled a bit.

There’s no word yet on pricing or a release date for Project Shield, but I’m certain we’ll hear much more about it in the coming months.