Come May and we will witness Nvidia’s first foray into the TV console gaming market. The graphics giant, more known for its cutting edge GPUs, has been for the last couple of years trying to branch into a market dominated by the other three big players: Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.

The Shield “Microconsole” which was recently announced by Nvidia, happens to be the company’s third offering in the Shield lineup (the other two are the Shield tablet and the Shield handheld gaming console.)

(Also Read: Nvidia Claims Consoles Will Die Out By Next Generation)

The console which Nvidia calls the “Android TV console” is to come with a very powerful Tegra K1 processor, a Maxwell-generation GPU and 3 gigs of ram, running a version of Android.

The Shield’s hardware specs are weaker than both the PlayStation 4 and the XBox One, with Nvidia claiming performance figures to be twice that of the previous generation PS3 and the Xbox 360. However, what sets the Shield apart from its competitors is its advertised ability to stream 1080p resolution 60 fps gaming into your TV (where all the computing is done by Nvidia’s server farms via Nvidia’s grid service).

Needless to say, stable, high-speed internet connectivity is a must-have for this feature, with Nvidia recommending 15 Mbps.

Not only that, some of the year’s most anticipated games which include the latest iterations of the Witcher and Metal Gear Solid saga, will be available on launch for the Shield. Although the initial library will be small, this will likely be expanded rapidly in the future and with both AAA and Android games made available. So, if there’s one thing that you can be certain of about the forthcoming Shield console, it’s the obvious fact that  running out of good games is unlikely to be an issue – ever!

Nvidia’s approach certainly throws a new insight into the gaming industry. As today’s state-of-the-art hardware becomes average and then obsolete within a span of not more than 2-3 years, Nvidia’s champion with its cloud computing prowess could save a lot in expensive and regular hardware updates. Also, with its versatility and ability to stream 4k video output, Shield definitely has the potential to entice a lot of PC gamers who are looking to play their games on bigger screens and also want the accessibility of a console.

However, while the Tegra K1 processor is very capable, it will no doubt be surpassed by something more powerful sooner rather than later – especially if we choose to take the pace set in the Smartphone market as an indicator. This implies that Nvidia may be banking more on a strategy of much faster console upgrades, compared to current industry practice of following usually ten year cycles.

Even with its purported versatility, Nvidia’s offering may not get enough time to build its fan base before being eclipsed by the next upgraded model. Consumers may also shy away from the fact that while they will have upgrade their more traditional consoles once every ten years, going with the Shield might entail a more frequent and hence expensive upgrade cycle.

However, with the Shield being priced at $ 199 in the US, it is also cheaper than its competitors. This might assuage some of the upgrade fears. If the Shield can achieve its potential, very soon we might have a device that is not only capable of streaming 4k resolution output; but is also a dedicated gaming console to boot.

So, do you think Nvidia’s Shield has the potential to make it big in the worldwide gaming console market? Feel free to share your thoughts using the comment box below.

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There are too many different types of tablet computers across a variety of platforms floating out there in the market today – but the million dollar question here is, which of these devices really hold the potential to evolve as the workspace favorite in the long run?

Many observers tend to be inclined towards the belief that tablets are the future and quite understandably, it’s that kind of a prediction that PC makers do not take too kindly to.

While, many of us don’t really believe that tablets can pose serious existential threat to laptops (and PCs) in workspace, it’s an undeniable fact that enterprise IT has come a long way in the past few years. As a part of this change, tablets are playing an increasingly more dominant role at work – either through bring-your-own-device (BYOD) program for the staff or through direct purchases by the organization itself.

In a bid to stand out in the cut throat competitive market, tablet suppliers usually offer an array of products varying by operating system, screen size, connectivity options as well as other accessories and features. The size of the device plays a particularly important role when it comes to attracting buyers. For example, surveys conducted on online shopping trends in the U.S. have highlighted that most buyers usually tend to opt for traditional tablet sizes.

According to one study, 61 per cent of the consumers who either own or plan to own a tablet prefer slates sizing in the range of 8.9” and 10.1”. Notably, this range includes products such as the Amazon Kindle HD (8.9”), Apple’s iPad (9.7”) and Samsung’s Galaxy (10.1”). However, the fact that 39 per cent consumers do not prefer tablets belonging to this category leaves ample space for devices with other form factors to bloom.

The same study found that approximately 16 per cent consumers prefer slates between 7” and 7.9”. At 7”, Amazon’s original Kindle Fire HD is a good option for those preferring products of that size, and so is the iPad Mini that has been playing an increasingly more important role in Apple’s tablet portfolio. Meanwhile, Microsoft is also committed towards controlling a big chunk of the smaller tablet market with its Windows 8.1 and Windows RT OS powered devices.

Larger tablets have their own fan-base too. The study concluded that 11 per cent consumers preferred tablets larger than 10.1”. However, 12 per cent consumers do not know what kind of tablet they actually want. For them, it is extremely important to try out a device firsthand before purchasing it. This, no doubt, highlights the importance of offering a superior retail experience to consumers – something Apple seems to have mastered quite well over the years.ga

Apart from the size, another crucial factor that adds to the success or failure of a device is the Operating System. Traditionally, Apple has been the dominant force in this category with its iOS platform surpassing the competitors by huge margins. However, with the popularity of Android powered slates soaring high and the emergence of many new and promising Windows tablets in the recent past has made sure that Apple’s firm grip over the worldwide tablet market comes under severe pressure.

Tablets are slowly but steadily making their way into the modern workspace, and the fact that there will be around 738 million sold devices by 2017 further boosts the prospects of a more widespread BYOD behavior.

In those offices where BYOD can’t be an option on legal ground or for some other reason, a co-opt policy could be the answer. This is when companies could exercise the option of purchasing slates at par with the best consumer devices available in the market. Microsoft sees a much more lucrative future here for the company’s tablet portfolio that come blessed with the power of popular Windows applications such as Office.

Tablet suppliers will also have to take into account the fact that most companies prefer to build their unique systems for employees. The ability to build proprietary apps for intra-office usage at a much lower cost is another important factor that gives tablet computers an edge in the modern workspace. Many companies these days are using software development kits to roll out programs designed to solve the issues their employees face during day-to-day operations. Therefore, making their platforms easier and more accessible for app development could give tablet suppliers a key edge over their competitors.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the better part of the past one decade, you are guaranteed to have heard of Netflix. Starting out with DVD-by-mail services, they have since expanded into online streaming and are now a dominant player in the streaming industry. With literally thousands of hours of content, everything ranging from documentaries to your favorite series available online to watch at your own leisure.  However, many of us would prefer to watch on something larger than your average laptop or desktop computer screen (read: a big arse TV). This is actually quite easily done. A bit of your time and a few components is all that you’ll require. So if this piques your interest, then read on.

By Connecting your laptop or PC to your TV

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Consider this: The video gaming industry is now bigger than Hollywood. And with new games being released every other day, it is indeed the rare gem that comes along with compelling characters and a convincing plot, and manages to stay with us long after we have beat the game itself. Everybody has their own favourites, but these are a few which came out in the last couple of years that we feel you must try out. With all the hallmarks that make a great game, in no particular order:

Last year in October, HBO made it clear that the company plans to enter the lucrative and ever expanding streaming TV market by rolling out its own standalone streaming service at some point in 2015. Quite predictably, the market was abuzz with all sorts of speculations within hours – with some even going to the extent that this could well be the end of cable television as we know it.

Adding more to these speculations, CBS announced only a day later that it too was preparing to join the bandwagon by launching a proprietary streaming service. Similar announcement came from Showtime, CBS’s flagship entertainment channel.

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