Nvidia Releases Massive OTA Update for Shield Console

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Nvidia's Shield gets Android 4.3 support as well as several other new features.

Nvidia today announced a massive update for its handheld gaming console known as Shield. This update brings Android 4.3 Jelly Bean to Shield as well as introducing a host of new features including Console Mode, which introduces a portable living room console, and Shield Gamepad Mapper, which allows you to create your own custom controls for thousands of Google Play titles. There's also support for the recently announced Nvidia GameStream, which provides the ability to stream PC games to your Shield, and the ability to properly move apps to the SD card.

Our own Don Woligroski took the new OTA update for a spin and was over all pretty impressed with the update after a less-than-successful first run with the device earlier this month:

"Nvidia isn't calling its October 2013 OTA update a re-launch per se, but from where I'm sitting, that's certainly what it feels like," Don writes. "In my opinion, this mobile gaming platform shouldn't have been released without a game control mapper and working App2SD functionality in the first place."

Check out Don's full review of the October update for Nvidia Shield here!

Follow Jane McEntegart @JaneMcEntegart. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

7 Comments Comment from the forums
  • meowmix44
    Hmmmmmmm. I will never buy a shield anyway... Dont have the time for it, I'd rather game on at least 1080P on a real monitor and keyboard plus a mouse.
    Reply
  • wussupi83
    ^^i agree, the Shield definitely has a niche, just not sure who is in it :p... Road warriors, family men whose familys beg them to spend more time on the couch than at the computer and kids with a lot of money to throw around? ...not saying the concept isn't cool... This is the closest step forward toward future high end PC like cloud gaming that I've seen brought to market (which it doesn't need to be said still needs a lot of other pieces in play first) or a means to make our mobile operating systems viable gaming platforms...Just saying, as a PC gamer, in my mind it doesn't yet fit with the traditional PC gamers who I think are the most aware of what this device is...it will be interesting to see how it does.
    Reply
  • notsleep
    can't wait until amd comes out with their own mobile android console called 'sword.' :P it will only support 'mantle' api :)
    Reply
  • rokit
    *spills the tea* they still play with that thing? But, but didn't they say they don't like consoles and not interested in anything other than PC, they ...they lied =(
    Reply
  • IM0001
    My shield is fantastic for playing the Controller Enabled PC titles anywhere in my house. If I want to play some Awesomenauts on the toilet, by golly I can and I will enjoy it.
    Reply
  • littleleo
    Be sure you wash your hands when your done.
    Reply
  • robob0g
    As a gamer, a road warrior, and a family man whose family would prefer to see him occasionally, the Shield has been the perfect fit for me. It's definitely not for everyone, but the device itself is great, and is exactly what I wanted. I personally don't understand all the bashing the device seems to get on these threads...

    Reply