New NVIDIA SHIELD Update Adds 1080p/Wired GameStream Support, Other Improvements

With a minor 22MB update released for SHIELD today, NVIDIA adds quite a bit of new functionality, and improves upon a couple of important things. For starters, the 1080p over wired support that we talked about a couple of months ago is now available, although it’ll require an external mini-USB-to-Ethernet cable. Further, 720p over wireless support has been improved – something I plan to give a test soon.

Also important to note is that a beta for the Gamepad Mapper has been released, which will allow you to share your profiles with others, as well as browse for various profiles and download the one that best suits you for a given game. This is a feature a lot of people hoped for when Gamepad Mapper was first announced, so it’s great to see NVIDIA wasted no time in getting this update out (the speed leads me to believe NVIDIA had plans for this from the get-go).

The full list of updates can be had below:

GameStream Improvements

• Stream from your PC at up to 1080p @ 60 FPS in Console Mode when using Ethernet (via micro USB Ethernet adapter).
• Improved PC streaming quality at 720p @ 60 FPS and Wi-Fi performance.

Gamepad Mapper improvements

• New community profiles BETA feature – ability to share, browse, and rate gamepad mapping profiles.
• Ability to map gyro simulation to analog thumbsticks with new “motion sensor” feature.
• Improved right thumbstick features for first person perspective games that use touch swipes to look around.
• New “accelerated cursor” option for joystick mouse mode.

Full-screen mode updates

• Option to auto-hide status bar.
• View status bar with a swipe down from the top of the screen.
• Enable option from Settings à Display.

If your SHIELD doesn’t automatically detect the update, you can go to your Android System Settings menu, then down to “About SHIELD”, and force the check for the update there.

If you don’t own a SHIELD, but are pondering one, be sure not to overlook the current promotion that knocks $50 off the price and adds a bonus. You can read more about that here (promotion ends tonight at midnight EST!).