[GoLugTech] [Tablets] $199 nVidia Shield K1 -- WAS [RANT] Microsoft and It's Horrible Warranties

[Bryan J Smith]

And now there's the "refit" ...

- $199 Shield Tablet K1 [1]

Basically it's the original $299 model (WiFi-only, 16GB + MicroSD up
to 128GB), improved, $100 off. But they've removed the stylus, and
they don't even give you a cable/charger. [2]

But I'd still recommend it, period. Absolutely solid valid, even more
so now. Far, far better than the Nexus 9, especially if you'd prefer
8" instead of 9", but 8" more than 7" (of which the Nexus 7 is nowhere
near as good).

-- bjs

[1] http://shield.nvidia.com/tablet/k1

[2] http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/135938-nvidia-shield-tablet-k1-vs-shield-tablet-2014-what-s-the-difference

I've owned multiple shields (both the portable and the tablet).

I bought the Tablet for my wife as a "gaming" tablet, because she owns
(i.e., asks me to buy and setup for her) every freak'n gaming platform
on the planet (yes, she has everything).
But then something strange happened. I stopped using my Nexus 7 and
Fire HDX ... completely ... and kept taking it away from her. So then
I bought my own. Still using it. Don't want to switch.

I never really understood why they never marketed these in actual stores
that you can walk in and look at them with. That's their real problem.

Do you think nVidia didn't want to? ;)
Who do you think controls that? ;)
I.e., technology is built upon huge subsidies.
E.g., take the camera market ... Nikon subsidizes 3x more than Canon.
Few can challenge them without some sort of other "distribution
channel control," which explains how Sony could compete from Day 1.
But few know about the most awarded amateur-expert brand, with a lot
of features at prosumer prices, without having to spend $5K+. I
discovered them because, living in Florida, I wanted a weather-sealed
system as standard -- and not $5K+ -- and did my homework.

They marketed plenty to existing users - if you updated your graphics'
drivers for windows with any nvidia product at all in the last couple of
years, you were blasted by ads for the tablet and the portable (and now
the set-top box).

Again ... do you think nVidia doesn't want to?
It's about how _limited_ they are in breaking into the market.
Heck ... remember when the only Mac software you could find at Best
Buy was MS Office for MacOS X? Why was that?! ;)
Consumers that only go to the superstore deserve the limitations they
get. They are going to buy only what select companies that already
control the distribution channel let them know about. ;)

You're right, they blow all other tablets out of the water. I don't
understand why hardly anyone bought into them except that they weren't at
the big box stores... so if you're a dinosaur that only shops at best
buy/gamestop/staples, etc, you won't ever see it.

Exactomundo!
And even in the age of Internet and shipment, companies have just
shifted how they "control" what people find out about.

Even better... they recently had a recall (batteries would reportedly catch
on fire under some exotic conditions), so I was able to turn in my 1.5 year
old shield tablet and get a brand new one at no charge (they sent the new
one before I packed my old one up to send back, so zero downtime).

Yep. They actually made their SLA too, despite the complaints.
Shipped replacements overnight.

I enjoy going out to the airport and playing Doom3 on my tablet, watching
people's jaws drop as they realize what the little device can do. I've also
gotten quite a few eyebrows raised playing Witcher 3, Batman Arkham Knight,
and Dragon Age Inquisition on it when I have a good, solid internet
connection. I got a whole lot of WTFs from people when playing Titanfall in
a clearly multiplayer environment in public locations and clearly having no
control issues. I'm rather sad and disappointed nvidia pulled out of the
tablet market... they really put together a miracle of a device. I'll admit,
though... I have never really heard anyone have any good comments on the
*speakers*... Maybe it's just me, but I thought they were rather
low-quality. The portable had some good directional speakers, but the tablet
was barely audible.

Compared to what other tablets? That's the thing. ;)
I've never gamed on my Shield Tablet.
But my wife has. I fact, she virtually _never_ goes to her PC,
because she can stream those PC games to that tablet, without being on
it.
-- bjs
--
Bryan J Smith - http://www.linkedin.com/in/bjsmith