For several years now, we’ve heard unnamed insiders talk about Apple’s so-called “iTV” project and how it will revolutionize the way we consume movies and television. While the company didn’t launch an actual HDTV on Wednesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook did echo a lot of what we’ve heard regarding the iTV project, such as the company wanting to fix the broken television market.
That said, Apple’s 2015 model of the Apple TV unit is more than a set-top box with a number of installed apps. Customers can finally play games on the device and search for their favorite movie or TV show by providing voice commands to Siri. Even more, the provided remote includes a touch surface and motion-sensing technology for apps and games. It’s the company’s best Apple TV yet, but it’s not alone in the set-top box market.
Nvidia updated its blog on Thursday with a sheet that compares the Shield set-top box (which was launched back in May) to similar products that are on the market, including Apple’s new set-top box, the Nexus Player, Amazon Fire TV, Roku 3, and the 2012 version of Apple TV. The chart shows that Nvidia’s solution beats the competition in cases like console-class games, game streaming from a PC, 4K Ultra HD video playback, and more.
Nvidia’s blog focuses on several aspects that make the Shield set-top box a great value for the money. For starters, the device comes bundled with an actual game controller, which provides “great responsiveness” thanks to Wi-Fi Direct connectivity. The Shield also provides access to Nvidia’s GRID-based cloud gaming service, which features over 50 PC games like Batman: Arkham Origins, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, Ultra Street Fighter IV, and loads more.
“Own a 4K television? Thinking of making the upgrade? You’re not alone,” says Nvidia’s blog. “By 2018, consumers will own more than 100 million ultra-high definition 4K TVs. And SHIELD remains the only media streamer that supports 4K content. There’s plenty of content already available—from both Netflix and YouTube—and plenty more coming.”
On a hardware level, the Shield set-top box includes a 64-bit quad-core chip, 3GB of RAM, and 16GB or 500GB of internal storage. The box also provides gigabit Ethernet, Wireless AC connectivity, a microSD card slot, HDMI 2.0, and two USB 3.0 ports. By comparison, Apple’s new box includes a 64-bit dual-core SoC, 2GB of RAM, 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, an Ethernet port, and HDMI 1.4. There’s no microSD card slot, no USB 3.0 ports, and no bundled game controller.
Nvidia’s blog also points out that the Android TV-based Shield has a built-in Chromecast device, meaning users with an Android or iOS device can “fling” their favorite media to the set-top box. Even more, there are a huge number of Android games on Google Play that cater to Nvidia’s processors, ranging from the low-end Tegra 3 to the more recent Tegra X1 monster.
“Android gives developers access to powerful capabilities,” Nvidia writes. “For example, Shield uses Google Voice with cross-app search. That lets you quickly access content using the SHIELD remote and Shield controller. Simply use Google Voice to give commands, like 'Launch Netflix.' Just like on your Android phone.”
So, what about the price? The 16GB version of Shield costs $200, while the 500GB model costs a heftier $300. As for Apple TV, models will start at $150. So, Apple may have Nvidia beat regarding price. We shall see.
From maximumpc
from http://bit.ly/1NkPz31
