LAS VEGAS -- If you thought chip makers only messed around with the insides of our gadgets, think again. Nvidia, the graphics-card and mobile-processor manufacturer, surprised a packed house at a nightclub at the Palms hotel in Vegas with Project Shield, a powerful Android game controller that packs the company's latest and greatest mobile chip, the Tegra 4.
Project Shield isn't a peripheral. It's a full game console unto itself, with a 5-inch retina display that folds up from the controls. It can connect to the Android ecosystem and Google Play store via Wi-Fi, and players can mirror what's onscreen to a TV either wirelessly or via HDMI.
It doesn't stop there. In addition to having access to Android's app catalog (including many Tegra-optimized games), Shield can access PC games from a computer on the network, then relay the gameplay to a TV. All the while, the user plays the game with the Shield.
The controller is packed with batteries for extended gameplay, a bass-reflex speaker for big sound and ports for HDMI and USB. The lid has an area for a custom tag.
There's no price or release date, and from the unveiling it's apparent the Shield isn't quite ready for prime time. While demo'ing the device, Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang failed to make an adequate PC link, although event staff were able to correct the problem after a few minutes. Huang also slipped at one point, saying the product was called "Project Thor," which he all but admitted was the name of another secret Nvidia project.
Still, the Shield is an impressive device, and it looks capable of taking the idea of mobile gaming to another level. What do you think of it? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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