That was quite a mouthful, but the goodies that SHIELD Tablet owners will be receiving in today’s update will definitely be a handful as well. NVIDIA has started the release of its major update to the gaming device and, as promised, the update not only brings in Android 5.0 to the tablet but a whole host of new features, not least among them the new GRID on-demand game rental system that brings triple-A PC games to mobile.
That’s not to say that the arrival of Android Lollipop on the device isn’t a good thing. Material Design, ART runtime, enhanced security, “do not disturb” mode, and many more are coming this way. Not to mention gaming-specific new features, like better gamepad support and new API that tries to deliver desktop-quality gaming to the mobile platform. But aside from the generic new Android features, the update also revamps some of NVIDIA’s custom apps and experiences. A new Dabbler 2.0 arrives, with an enhanced interface to better match Material Design, support for layers, and Twitch.tv live streaming. A new DirectStylus Launcher also makes its way to the tablet.
The SHIELD Hub app was also updated to add support for one of mobile gamings newest stars, NVIDIA GRID. This streaming game service delivers titles such as Batman Arkham City, Borderlands 2, Darksiders II, and more directly to your tablet. No downloads, no installs, no fuss. SHIELD users, both Tablet and Portable, have it easy, with the service offered free until June 30, 2015. There are also new games available for the SHIELD Tablet, like Valve’s Half-Life 2: Episode One and Strike Suit Zero.
NVIDIA is also pushing out some miscellaneous enhancements to the device, including 4K output and improved GPS performance. The update should slowly be rolling out to owners in waves, so a bit of patience is required. But considering how big this update is, we can’t blame you if you’re quite excited about it.
SOURCE: NVIDIA
