Nvidia’s Shield Android TV updates with 6.0 Marshmallow, Vulkan support

By Danny Cowan February 22, 2016

nvidia updates shield android tv system software shieldtvupdate header — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Hardware manufacturer Nvidia has updated its Shield Android TV system software, putting the platform one step ahead of competing microconsoles with support for Android 6.0 Marshmallow, among other significant features and additions.

Notably, the Shield Android TV is now the first Android-powered microconsole to support the Vulkan graphics API, an open-standard framework that promises “highly efficient, low-level access to modern graphics hardware.”

“Today, Nvidia is equipping Android developers with fully conformant Vulkan drivers just one week after the specifications launched,” the manufacturer announced. “In addition, Google has announced that Vulkan will be a core platform API in a future version of Android to drive new classes of interactive user experiences.”

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming

The platform’s update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow enables support for a number of recently released mobile apps and games, including Real Racing 3, Oddworld Munch’s Oddysee, Minecraft Story Mode, Metal Gear Rising Revengeance, and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

Shield Android TV owners can also tap into a library of console-quality games via the GeForce NOW streaming service. Subscribers currently have access to a Shield-compatible version of 2013’s Tomb Raider, and publisher Square Enix plans to support the platform with upcoming releases like Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light, Murdered: Soul Suspect, Sleeping Dogs and Quantum Conundrum.

This week’s Shield Android TV update enables new features like dashboard customization, upgradable storage, wireless support for controllers while charging via USB, and quick power menu access via the home screen.

Other improvements include an option for 1080p/60Hz resolution for Ultra HD TVs, fixed audio for the Android Netflix app, support for RGB Full Range, improved color options, and volume control support for third-party audio receivers.

The upgrade is available as a free download, and Shield Android TV owners will be prompted to update the next time they power on their systems.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributor

Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…

Gaming

Best gaming chair deals: Save on Corsair, Razer, and more

Razer - Iskur Gaming Chair.

Sitting down to play video games for hours and hours can be a lot of fun, but it can also be pretty bad for your health. Beyond just the lack of circulation, most modern chairs are not really made to have us sit in them for long periods, and so they don't offer things like lumbar support or breath to help keep us cool. Luckily, gaming chairs have come to the rescue, and if you're looking to at least help keep your body safe and healthy, going for a gaming chair can make a big difference. That said, gaming chairs can be quite expensive, which is why we've gone out and found some of our favorite gaming chair deals for you to pick from.
Homall Massage Gaming Chair -- $85, was $170

The Homall Massage Gaming Chair is affordable, but it will get the job done of keeping you comfortable while playing video games with its ergonomic design and high-quality PU leather materials. It's got head and waist pillows with a massage function that sets it apart from other cheap gaming chairs. The backrest can recline between 90 degrees and 180 degrees so you can find the perfect angle, and it also has a retractable footrest for an extra sitting position.

Gaming

All Fallout games in order, chronologically and by release date

A woman and a dog leaving a vault in Fallout 4.

War never changes. The retrofuturistic apocalypse world of Fallout has graced fans with pretty regular releases since 1997, letting us explore the North American wasteland in the aftermath of a nuclear war in a variety of regions.

It can be a little hard to keep track of the series' timeline if you aren't listening to every holotape in every game and keeping your own log of events. On top of the best Fallout games, we now have to consider where the new Fallout TV show fits in the timeline. We aren't going to get into every timeline detail here (the series' lore is surprisingly deep and detailed) but we will let you know exactly what year every mainline titles takes place in and how you can play them in order.
Fallout games by release date

Gaming

Best PS5 deals: Console bundles, top games, and accessories

A person plays Crash Bandicoot using a PS5 DualSense controller.

The PlayStation 5 is probably one of the most popular gaming consoles right now, especially with the recent PS5 Slim release. It has a lot of great exclusive games to play, including some of the best games on the market, such as Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Elden Ring, so its no surprise that folks are looking to get their hands on the console. To that end, we've gone out and found some of our favorite gaming deals, and that includes everything from the PS5 console itself, to games and peripherals, so be sure to check out all our suggestions below.
Best PS5 deals

The PlayStation 5 has recently seen a great revision with it now slightly slimmer than before and also offering more storage space with 1TB of internal space resulting in 842GB of it being usable. You still get the impressive DualSense controller along with all the benefits that the PS5 offers. With the arrival of the new revision, there are some great bundles around, including a free digital copy of Marvel's Spider-Man 2.