Jan 07
Vizio’s got a nice surprise at CES this year: one of the only tablets with a Tegra 4 processor inside you can find anywhere in the world, outside of some death vault at Nvidia headquarters. We used it. More »
Jan 07
CES 2013 has only just started, but already NVIDIA has made its pitch for product of the show with Project SHIELD, the Tegra 4 based portable console that pairs the growing Android gaming scene with remote access to your home gaming rig. An eye-catching clamshell, borrowing cues from Xbox 360 and with a 5-inch 720p display, Project SHIELD promises the best of portable play with the freedom to output up to 4k Ultra HD video to your TV when you’re home.
At its heart is Tegra 4, the freshly-announced fourth-gen chipset which NVIDIA expects to dominate Android phones and tablets in the coming months. In a head-to-head test on-stage yesterday, NVIDIA showed how Tegra 4 could load 25 unique, full websites in 27 seconds, versus the Exynos-powered quadcore Nexus 10 which took 50 seconds to do the same.
That’s thanks to 72 GPU cores and four A15 CPU cores, along with NVIDIA’s work on pulling all those engines together to squeeze the best out of the chipset. Tegra 4 also includes some potent real-time image processing, which could make for interesting augmented reality type games when Project SHIELD is out in the wild.
Where Project SHIELD gets interesting – and maybe shaky – is in remote play. Rather than solely relying on Android games, the handheld can wirelessly stream games from your PC or notebook. That requires a specific set of hardware components, however, most notably an Intel Core i5 or above processor, and one of NVIDIA’s beefier GeForce graphics chips.
However, there’s also support for NVIDIA GRID, for cloud gaming. The chip company didn’t say whether that will entirely free up gamers from having to leave their PC on permanently, on the off-chance they might want to play a game; instead, it focused on the STEAM integration and positioned GRID as more of a conduit between the various components of the Project SHIELD system.
Unfortunately, in many ways there are still more questions than there are answers about Project SHIELD. NVIDIA says the console is expected to launch in Q2 this year, though there’s no telling whether that ship date will slip, and the name is set to change before it arrives on shelves. Biggest question, however, is price: NVIDIA conspicuously gave no indication of how much the pocket powerhouse would cost.
If the company can bring it in within the 3DS and PS Vita bracket – under $320, the same price a PS Vita with 3G goes for – then it could well find some buyers. However, the requirement for a decent-spec gaming PC or notebook for the remote play functionality means players may have to set aside some extra cash for upgrading or replacing their home rig. That might start to get expensive, especially compared to the bundle deals around on mainstream consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360.
We’ll have more coverage – including some hands-on time – with NVIDIA Project SHIELD during the show, so keep an eye on the SlashGear CES Hub for all the news!
NVIDIA Project SHIELD – Should you be excited? is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Jan 07
Nvidia Outs Next-Gen Tegra 4 Quad-Core A15 LTE-Enabled Mobile Chip; Also Unboxes ‘Project Shield’: Open Gaming Handheld That Supports Android, PC Titles
Posted in: Today's Chili
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 CapabilityAmong 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 2nd 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 WantLAS 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.
Jan 07
NVIDIA is aiming for a Q2 2013 launch for the Project SHIELD, the chip company has revealed, though the hardware, software, and name of the portable games console are likely to change before that happens. The compact powerhouse – which features the new Tegra 4 chipset, complete with a whopping 72 GPU cores – currently lacks the LTE radio that the new chip features, and is WiFi-only in its prototype form.
That’s set to change by the time launch comes around, however, just as OS is likely to. Currently, Jelly Bean is running on the new chip, but NVIDIA says it’s aiming to keep up to date with whatever version of Android Google has whipped up at the time.
As for the release itself, the name is likely to change before there’s any sign of the console on store shelves. Exactly what to is, unsurprisingly, something NVIDIA either doesn’t know or isn’t talking about here at CES, but it’ll be the US and Canada which gets to plunk down an unspecified amount of cash first.
Meanwhile, if you’re keen to see if your PC is up to speed with the necessary specifications for remote gaming with Project SHIELD, you can check the system here. In short, you’ll need a Core i5 processor or higher, and either an NVIDIA Kepler-based GeForce GTX 650 or above on your desktop, or a GTX 660M or above on your notebook.
Expect Project SHIELD in Q2 2013 confirms NVIDIA is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Jan 07
It was made plain this week at the NVIDIA presentation at CES 2013 that their newest beast, Project SHIELD, was a personal gaming machine that could stream games from the cloud with graphics and abilities only otherwise available to a PC. The abilities shown here were foretold earlier in the presentation this week via NVIDIA GRID, the company’s cloud processing solution for the future of gaming. This system connects with STEAM to bring on the games you already play on your PC streamed – and played – through the cloud.
This means, if it wasn’t plain before, that you’ll be able to play games you own on STEAM with your NVIDIA Project SHIELD device no matter where you are – not just at home, not just in a place where you can bust out your laptop. The fabulous graphics and gameplay shown in the NVIDIA presentation were not just shown on the Project SHIELD device itself, it was pushed to an LG 4K television as well.
The Google Play app store curated by the NVIDIA Tegra Zone and the STEAM store from Valve will play host to the NVIDIA Project SHIELD device. Because this machine goes by the name “project” SHEILD, we’re not expecting to see it tonight – but later this week? We shall see!
Have a peek at the rest of the action as presented by NVIDIA through our very own Tegra hub through the week and through the future, and don’t forget to stick to the SlashGear CES portal as well – hands-on and up to the minute updates galore!
NVIDIA Project SHIELD cloud streaming gaming abilities revealed is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Jan 06
This week NVIDIA’s CEO Jen-Hsung Huang spoke onstage during CES 2013 about a brand new NVIDIA push for the future of gaming, that being NVIDIA Project SHIELD. Speaking on how their engineers are gamers and how gamers want to make what’s most innovative and fantastic in this universe, Huang showed a video which constructed, piece by piece, starting with the NVIDIA Tegra 4, moving on to show three 3400 mAh rechargeable li-ion batteries, and an audio system all it’s own – a tuned port and custom bass reflex. From there it only gets better for this personal gaming device the likes of which we’ve never quite seen before.
The world’s first custom-based reflex system lives inside this device, this understanding and knowing when you set the device down so it can stop rumbling around, and right on par with a dedicated Jambox – so sayeth Huang. This machine works with Android and is able to “drop back into Android” at a press of the SHIELD button right up front and center.
UPDATE: Have a peek at the construction video we’ve described right here front and center – and experience one of the more impressive looking reveal reels we’ve seen in recent history:
This amalgamation of gaming magic works with a 5-inch 1080p touchscreen display and has mini HDMI out, micro-USB, and a headphone jack for good measure – not to mention a microSD card slot. The whole system has one giant customizable tag on its back (or on top if you close the lid) – this being another “SHEILD” that, when this beast comes to fruition, you know good and well we’ll be blasting with SlashGear and Android Community marks galore.
Project SHIELD is set up to work with Android, so you’ll be working with Android games, of course, but it’s also connected to the cloud – so you’re able to play games with the same prowess we’ve seen made possible with NVIDIA GRID. Have a peek at more information on NVIDIA GRID from earlier today (if you’ve not already) in the timeline below and make sure you stick close to SlashGear for more on this device and the ecosystem that surrounds it all week long and into the future through our NVIDIA Tegra portal!
NVIDIA Project SHIELD revealed as Tegra 4 personal gaming device is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Jan 06
NVIDIA unveils i500 Soft Modem with Tegra 4, capable of pushing 1.2 trillion ops per second
Posted in: Today's Chili 
NVIDIA’s apparently still not out of news from its CES 2013 presser — the company just unveiled the i500 Soft Modem chip. The soft modem, which is the fruit of the company’s purchase of Icera and is utilized with Tegra 4, is a baseband processor that can do 1.2 trillion operations per second and is reprogrammable with software to work with a lot of different networks. The modem, which is 40 percent the size of a conventional baseband chip, is sampling to manufacturers this month.
Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, NVIDIA
Jan 06
This week the folks at NVIDIA made with the reveal of the NVIDIA Tegra 4 SoC, a processor with 72 GPU cores – and with it came the next-generation NVIDIA Computational Photography Engine, architecture that basically gives your camera the ability to take amazing photos. This processor process takes a massive amount of image data in at once, allowing you to create what you’d only been able to do with HDR before here, now, with a single exposure – instantly.
A demonstration was done with an unnamed tablet onstage with a bright window behind a bar, a photograph taken of NVIDIA’s CEO and a lady. This photo, with most traditional cameras, would be blown out in one way or another without a doubt. What NVIDIA was able to do was not only take an image with exposures mixed to create a balanced image, they were able to do it instantly, right there on the spot. Additionally, it was shown onstage live, with a sliding screen showing a preview of what would be photographed with ease.
This is what NVIDIA calls the first “Always-On” HDR Camera. They’ve made to clear that this process will work for all apps – anything working with a Tegra 4 processor. Much in the same way that music changed for the better, became much more high definition with each new generation of transmission technology, NVIDIA makes the case that this technology will change photos.
Stick around all week right here on SlashGear in our NVIDIA Tegra hub as well as our CES portal for more NVIDIA action than you know what to do with!
NVIDIA Tegra 4 brings on “Always-On” HDR Camera technology is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Jan 06
Tegra 4 Announced By NVIDIA
Posted in: Today's Chili
[CES 2013] What comes after Tegra 3? Why, the simple answer would be one of the world’s worst kept secrets, Tegra 4. Just what kind of processing muscle does the Tegra 4 pack? For starters, there are 72 GPU cores, a quartet of Cortex A15 CPU cores, and a 4G LTE modem, how about that? Smartphones and tablets that intend to pack Tegra 4 underneath the hood, you might just want to beef up on your battery lifespan. Just sayin’.
Tegra 4 will continue to retain the low-power “5th” core that is used for low-power apps such as ebooks and music playback. For starters, a demonstration saw 25 web pages load on the Nexus 10 that is powered by Samsung’s own dual-core A15 setup, and with the Tegra 4 chip, it took nearly half the amount of time compared to Samsung’s efforts.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Alienware X51 gaming PC is a milestone, NVIDIA Quad SLI with Intel X79 Chipset,
Jan 06
This week at CES 2013 the CEO of NVIDIA, Jen-Hsung Huang, revealed the next industry-leading processor by NVIDIA’s clock, that being the Tegra 4. This processor works with 72 GPU cores, 4 A15 CPU cores, and the ability to work with 4G LTE. The first test this processor was put to live on stage was between itself in an unnamed tablet and the Google Nexus 10 – loading webpages on the Tegra 4 (imagine that) finished much, much quicker than the Nexus 10.
This processor loaded 25 unique, high traffic sites in 27 seconds while the Nexus 10 loaded the same in 50 seconds. That simple test means one thing, said Huang, is that if you’re loading a webpage with the NVIDIA Tegra 4, you’ll get it “in one second”, while when you’re working with the current most powerful tablet on the planet (the Nexus 10, so they say), you’ll get it “in two seconds.”
In a comparison chart onstage, Huang showed the Tegra 4 as fastest, the iPad 4 as right behind it (though slightly slower, of course), the Nexus 10 coming in next, Droid DNA after that, and the Kindle Fire HD down at the bottom of the pack. Though we’ll be investigating these claims in the very near future, it’s fairly plain at the moment that NVIDIA’s architecture here is the most powerful solution for mobile devices on the planet.
Stay tuned as we continue to transmit all the details straight from CES 2013 through our massive CES portal all week long!
NVIDIA Tegra 4 revealed with 72 GPU cores and 4G LTE is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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