The increased performance of the new Shield TV enables it to deliver 4K HDR streaming video. Nvidia said the new shield is the first device to offer 4K HDR content from both Netflix and Amazon Video. The device can also access standard 4K streams from Netflix, YouTube, Google Play Movies, and VUDU. And in the coming months, YouTube\u2019s TV app will launch on Shield TV, which will let you stream immersive 360-degree YouTube videos to your TV.
The most surprising update for the new Shield TV is without a doubt the device’s newfound AI capabilities. Nvidia worked with Google to integrate Google Assistant into the new Shield TV, which allows you to ask Shield TV to do things for you with voice commands. The concept is like the voice command options that Microsoft\u2019s Xbox One allows, but Nvidia took its system to the next level.
Huang likened the Shield TV\u2019s AI capabilities to Tony Stark\u2019s J. A. R. V. I. S. AI assistant. The new Shield TV includes SmartThings Hub technology, which allows you to link a wide range of smart devices. Shield TV can effectively act as the central control system for an entire connected home controlled by voice commands.
\u201cWe\u2019re excited to be part of the new Shield TV, powered by the Android TV platform,\u201d said Sascha Prueter, director of Android TV at Google. \u201cWhen the Google Assistant comes to Android TV in the coming months, Shield users will be able to enjoy a hands-free Android TV experience through \u2018Ok Google\u2019 voice commands.\u201d
Nvidia\u2019s new Shield TV can manage a smart home, but it requires your voice input to execute tasks, which means you must be within earshot of the device\u2019s microphone. That\u2019s fine if you want to dim the lights in the room that you keep your Shield TV, but if you want to listen to music in another room, saying \u201cOK, Google\u201d isn\u2019t going to do you much good. That is, unless you have a microphone system elsewhere in your home.
If the idea of having your own personal J. A. R. V. I. S. outweighs to potential Orwellian ramifications of having such a device in your home, you can pre-order one now. Nvidia is asking $200 for the base Shield TV device, which it intends to ship to customers later this month. The Spot AI microphone will be available later this year for $50.<\/p>\n