NVIDIA nTeresting Newsletter - 19 February 2013

In This Issue:

· The cloud is transforming the movie and music industries. NVIDIA GRID will do the same for games.

· Tegra 4 and Project SHIELD offer a peek in to the future of gaming.

· How far have real time graphics come? One enthusiast uses NVIDIA demos to chronicle our progress.

GRID Changes Everything

At CES this year, NVIDIA unveiled GRID, a new cloud gaming system that changes everything. It is cloud gaming done right-a bold new solution that will usher in the cloud streaming era and anywhere, anytime gaming for all. NVIDIA's Andrew Fear tells us more in this interview.

"A statement on the GRID site pretty much says it all: ‘NVIDIA's dedicated developer team has worked side by side for over a decade with hundreds of developers to ensure that the best titles are ready for NVIDIA GRID.'

This is particularly relevant from a mobile standpoint.

NVIDIA GRID is the foundation for the ideal on-demand gaming service, providing tremendous advantages over traditional console gaming systems. It's a cloud gaming platform consisting of server hardware and software that enables cloud rendering and streaming of games on any screen - including smart TVs, PCs, tablets and smartphones.

Tegra 4, Power Inside Project SHIELD

AT CES we also introduced Tegra 4. It's the world's fastest mobile processor for smartphones and tablets, gaming devices, auto systems and PCs.

"There's also no doubt of its power. Where the Tegra 3 was built around quad-core ARM Cortex A9 architecture, Tegra 4 brings us a quad-core architecture based on ARM's next-generation Cortex A15 design.

And Tegra 4 powers the Project SHIELD open-platform gaming portable.

"NVIDIA's new power handheld is certainly a sight to behold. Not only does it have a gorgeous shape, that looks to be ergonomically comfortable, but the gorgeous screen and its size seem to complement the device's capabilities."

Project SHIELD always NVIDIA to flex its gaming muscle.

"NVIDIA does have a better grip on the games industry. It has years of experience in helping developers get to grips with new chips through the "The Way its Meant to be Played" programme, and good links with developers from the high-end PC space (Valve, Epic, Crytek, Ubisoft, DICE) and the mobile space through the TegraZone programme and app. It might not always play fair, sometimes encouraging developers to engage with proprietary technologies rather than take a more standards-based approach, but it knows how to get the games to push its hardware. By championing platforms as well as its own hardware, NVIDIA helps drive gaming forward."

See Project SHIELD in action as we stream Borderlands 2 and Need for Speed: Most Wanted from a PC, fight in Real Boxing, and enjoy general zombie mayhem in Dead on Arrival 2.

13 Years of Graphics in 2 hours

Got 2 hours to kill? Then check out 13 years of real time PC graphics. That's two hours of video footage chronicling GPU advances through demos and benchmarks. The video was created by Perfect Hands Productions who says:

"I'm just a nerdy guy who likes to make videos about games and other media. Let me know if you enjoy my videos. :)"

We did. You can use the handy jump list on his YouTube page to see your favorite demo from the past.