Nvidia Shield Tablet K1 Receives Marshmallow Update

News
By Kevin Carbotte
published

Nvidia relaunched its Shield K1 gaming tablet in November and declared that it believed the K1 tablet would be one of the first devices to support Google’s Android 6.0 Marshmallow update. It appears Nvidia was serious about that claim.

Google's Android 6.0 Marshmallow was first released on Google Nexus smartphones a few months ago, but few other devices have adopted the new update. Nvidia announced that the Shield Tablet K1 is among the first third-party products to receive the latest Android OS update.

Nvidia said Android 6.0 Marshmallow incorporates three new features: Now On Tap lets you search Google for more information about what you see on your current screen with a single click; Adoptable Storage takes internal storage and micro SD capacity and combine them as one volume so you don’t have to manage where you save files and apps; and App Standby, which automatically puts idle applications into a standby state to conserve battery power.

Nvidia said the Marshmallow update also includes improved app permissions that let you manage permission options in one central location.

In addition to the Android 6.0 features, the Nvidia Shield K1 Software Update 1.0 includes a new camera app that features a burst mode and the ability to add HD image effects in real-time.

Nvidia said the user interface has been upgraded to allow for some personalization. You can now set a custom wallpaper on the Home and Lock screens. The company said you can configure the Quick Settings menu to your liking, as well: It will let you add, remove and rearrange the available toggles.

Nvidia said its Software Update 1.0 also includes the ability to use Google Now voice commands from the lock screen.

Google’s Android 6.0 Marshmallow is a free upgrade for Nvidia Shield Tablet K1 owners. The updated operating system is available today.

Follow Kevin Carbotte @pumcypuhoy. Follow us on Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube.

Kevin Carbotte

 Kevin Carbotte is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware who primarily covers VR and AR hardware. He has been writing for us for more than four years. 

10 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Fullertonman05
    I can only hope the Shield Portable will be getting an update as well...
    Reply
  • Vatharian
    Is this update available only to relaunched K1, or to original Tablet too? Especially 32GB variant?
    Reply
  • Murissokah
    Is this update available only to relaunched K1, or to original Tablet too? Especially 32GB variant?

    Considering the hardware is exactly the same, aside from the extra memory on the 32gb model and the lack of a bundled stylus, I'd expect a release soon. When Nvidia first annouced the update for the K1, they also stated it would come to the previous models, although no timeframe was provided.
    Reply
  • Vatharian
    ... and the lack of a bundled stylus

    Mine had bundled stylus, in fact I had spare one in the original package. Also Lollipop was around month later for 32GB/LTE version.
    Reply
  • jaber2
    I can't be the only one thinking "how did this thing get started?", someone was playing games on his smart phone and thought "hey, I like playing games on my smart phone, but the screen is too small, what if I also have a controller like my console, that would be great" and this is why we have THIS.
    Reply
  • Murissokah
    17171866 said:
    ... and the lack of a bundled stylus

    Mine had bundled stylus, in fact I had spare one in the original package. Also Lollipop was around month later for 32GB/LTE version.

    Yeah, mine too, but they removed the stylus for the K1. It doesn't even have the slot for it. In fact, the only differences I'm aware of are that the "K1" version does not come with the stylus and also has no 32GB version.

    Edit: I can see how my previous post was very confusing.
    Reply
  • clonazepam
    I can't be the only one thinking "how did this thing get started?", someone was playing games on his smart phone and thought "hey, I like playing games on my smart phone, but the screen is too small, what if I also have a controller like my console, that would be great" and this is why we have THIS.

    We're evolving. At one time, in the harshest of winters, Man might have had to climb a tree to do a proper #2. Eventually, we had our bathrooms, and so we read anything we could get our hands on, even the labels on normal household goods would suffice. Eventually, there came a day we could explore open worlds, and run and gun despite the runs. It was a glorious day.
    Reply
  • rex2001
    Got my update yesterday morning. Installed smoothly. Except, apps collapsing, not working. Resolved to delete and instilled again. Problems with downloading either from Google Play or devrlopers' websites. No help. Finally had to restart tablet a few times to get it working.
    Tried to contact Nvidia but email never got out (in que). Chat line on company website has no answer.
    Anyone have the same problem or solution?
    Reply
  • somebodyspecial
    Great to see how NV supports their stuff (most tab/phone makers dump product support with the next gen ASAP), but I'm really waiting for 13in+ die shrunk X1 or whatever is next. Shocked they didn't update to X1 by now for everything. Not sure what this means. X1's not high enough production to make it into other stuff or maybe something else just around the corner so no point? Produced too many K1's so can't move on? I'm sure their die shrink is coming, but not sure why they didn't push X1 more. I might have even bit on an X1 handheld update for xmas. But I won't buy a tablet without an NV die shrink (mostly about games and watching training vids for me). Same with a vid card. Die shrink (16 or 14nm) or forget it. I've waited so long now I'm committed to a die shrink for both period.

    AMD is still in the running for the gpu, but it has to beat NV's power/heat or I won't hesitate to go NV for driver updates (for games at launch etc) alone. With AMD pushing the cpu (to pull in gpu I guess first) they probably lost my dad's cpu upgrade to Intel just like me.

    From where I'm sitting my xmas toys to myself were merely drives (pair of 4TB's)...ROFL. This is a sad xmas when the best tech can get me to do is say "well, I guess I could use more HD space and some blank blurays"... :( Monitor put off until more shakes out on gsync/freesync still and of course which way I'd go on gpu. So again, no good toys this year...Get with it tech companies, I feel like I should have just slept in this year...LOL. Maybe it's just me, but I really hope next year is a better tech year.
    Reply
  • Ilian_I
    I received the OTE update yesterday and can confirm it is working quite nicely.
    Reply