Christmas comes early to the SHIELD TV as NVIDIA highlights holiday plans

Just in time for the Christmas season, NVIDIA has announced its upcoming plans for its SHIELD TV, with a new update rolling out to SHIELD TV right now! In addition, the company has announced some holiday promotions for SHIELD TV devices, as well as integration with Amazon Music, so you can listen to that Mariah Carey album more than you need to.

SHIELD TV users have clearly been nice this year as their devices are set to receive one more significant upgrade before the holidays. And since SHIELD makes a great gift, we have a nice offer to help get SHIELD home for the holidays. A gift for yourself still counts as a gift, right?

SHIELD Software Experience Upgrade 7.2

The update brings a host of new features and improvements, including the Amazon Music app. The app joins the likes of Google Play Music (which includes access to your iTunes library), Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, iHeartRadio, TuneIn and more, giving SHIELD users an aural explosion of access to more music than any other streaming media device. Existing Amazon Prime members get access to the same catalog of music they currently enjoy as part of their membership. And whether you’re a Prime member or not, you can upgrade to an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription and gain access to over 50 million songs.

Please note: Amazon Music will only be available in the US.

The update also includes SMBv3 when connecting SHIELD to a NAS or PC, customizable Quick Settings, automatic download and install for software updates, and the latest monthly Android security updates. It also improves the best experience for streaming YouTube with support for 5.1 audio – the first streaming media player to do so.

Don’t have a SHIELD TV yet? Participating US retailers are currently offering $30 off SHIELD TV devices, from Amazon, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart. For those that want to stream some Christmas music, NVIDA has detailed its plans with Amazon Music:

Just in time to play Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas album on repeat for the next 20,160 minutes, SHIELD TV is getting the Amazon Music app – joining the likes of Google Play Music (which includes access to your iTunes library), Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, iHeartRadio, TuneIn and more, giving SHIELD users an aural explosion of access to more music than any other streaming media device.

As an open platform, SHIELD offers a window into your Amazon experience. You’ve been streaming your favorite Prime Video shows and movies in up to 4K HDR resolutions since SHIELD launched early last year. A few weeks ago, you started controlling SHIELD with an Echo. Next on the list: stream your favorite music with Amazon Music.

With the Amazon Music app on SHIELD, Prime members have access to more than two million songs with Prime Music, included with your membership at no additional cost. SHIELD users will also have access to Amazon Music’s premium streaming tier with more than 50 million songs, including the latest releases from today’s popular artists. Amazon Music Unlimited is available ad-free, with unlimited skips and offline listening, starting at $7.99/month for Prime members, and $9.99/month if you don’t have a Prime account.

For a limited time, new Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers can get three months of the premium streaming tier for just $0.99, and enjoy unlimited access to more than 50 million songs and hands-free listening on their favorite devices.

SHIELD has Chromecast built-in, so you can still cast Amazon Music from your phone or tablet to your TV for additional control.

Stay tuned for more news here on Gaming Trend.

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