Nvidia amps up Shield Tablet with 4G LTE, more storage
A new version of the chipmaker's tablet comes with 32GB of storage and a 4G LTE connection, but it costs an extra $100.
Nvidia on Tuesday introduced a beefed up version of its gaming-focused Shield Tablet, adding double the storage space and a 4G LTE connection.
The new 32-gigabyte, 4G LTE Shield
will sell for $399 -- $100 more than the standard 16GB and Wi-Fi version. Preorders for the new device are available now for customers in the US and Europe, and it ships September 30.The 4G LTE connection will allow users to stream movies, music and games on the go, but it will cost extra. Users will need to pay a monthly fee for the mobile connection, though AT&T customers can receive a $100 bill credit when they activate their Shield Tablets through the carrier on certain plans.
Nvidia, known primarily for its graphics chips for PCs, started selling its own line of mobile devices last year in an effort to expand beyond its traditional markets and connect directly to customers. It first introduced the $199 Shield portable handheld gaming system , then followed up in July with the Shield Tablet , which runs Google's Android operating system and uses Nvidia's own Tegra K1 mobile processor.
Although Nvidia doesn't reveal sales figures for its Shield devices, it said Tuesday it's experienced "tremendous response from gamers, consumers and the media" for its new tablet.
While the overall tablet market has shown softer growth this year, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based chipmaker has said it expects to buck that trend by focusing on gaming, a popular niche in mobile devices. The strategy is similar to one cited by other companies pushing into tablets, including Barnes & Noble, whose Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook is positioned to capture the digital books and magazines market.