Samsung Gear S2

Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch, running on Tizen OS! 

I purchased my Samsung Gear S2 last week and have been using it for a week now. My choice was the silver and white edition. My previous Smart Watch was the LG G Watch R. These are my thoughts and opinion on the Gear S2. 

PROS:

• Tizen OS
• Decent Battery Life for a Smart Watch
• Light Weight
• Compact Size
• Sharp Screen
• Intuitive Rotating Bezel

CONS:

• Pricey
• Lack of App Support Compared to Android Wear
• No Support for Google Apps such as Maps, Keep & Google Now
• S-Voice Doesn't Match Google Now for Voice Search 

SPECS:

• Size: 49.8 x 42.3 x 11.4mm 
• Weight: 47g
• IP68 Certified 
• Super Amoled Screen
• 1.2" Full Circular Screen
• 360 x 360 pixel density 
• Duel Core 1ghz Exynos 3250 CPU
• Wifi, Bluetooth, NFC, Accelerometer, Gyro, Heart Rate Monitor, Barometer 

  

EXPERIENCE/OPINION: 

I previously owned a LG G Watch R smart watch, running Android Wear, for about a year. Having switched over to Tizen with the Gear S2, i immediately find the software to be a long way ahead of Android based smart watches. Tizen feels far more polished, smoother and quicker than Android Wear. Android Wear feels very much like a work in progress whereas Tizen feels and acts like a smart watch should. 

The watch itself is a great size, smaller than my previous watch but large enough that even with the text size set to the smallest, text on the 1.2" screen is easily viewable. It also looks very sharp and clear, colours are great also. You can even sync photos to the Gallery App, which also look great. As for the rotating bezel, the idea behind that is absolutely genius. It feels extremely intuitive and is a great way of navigating the watch and apps without your finger getting in the way of the screen. There is a little bit of feedback when rotating the bezel so you don't find yourself over rotating and going past the apps or widgets you want to select. The watch has a great weight, it doesn't feel too light that it feels cheep, but also doesn't feel too heavy. 

The selection of Apps is a problem for many from the reviews and comments i've seen and although the number of apps pales in comparison to Android Wear watches, i don't feel it is such an extreme gulf when you consider that the majority of apps available for Android Wear are just variants of the same type of app. For example, i wanted a calculator app for my G Watch R and i had dozens to choose from, when i downloaded one for the Gear S2, there was just one. It does the job perfectly, so i don't feel like i need more options to choose from. With regards to apps, my biggest gripe is a lack of support for Google apps such as Maps and Keep (two of my most used apps on the G Watch R). You do get Here Maps, but as a long time user of Google Maps, i would have preferred to have that option. There also doesn't appear to be a decent note taking app which i miss. Other than that, there are the types of apps you would expect to find for all manor of activities such as running, diet and nutrition, heart rate monitoring, sports scores, news, stocks etc. as well as a host of watch faces. 

The battery life appears to me to be on a par with the G Watch R. Samsung claim you will get two to three days life on a single charge, however this will depend on your usage. Personally, i end the day with around 50% but i use always screen on, with a relative high brightness level and never turn the watch off which eats battery life but can still get the best part of two days. 

Unlike the G Watch R, the Gear S2 features two buttons on the side of the watch, one works as a back button and the other one a home button. The home button also has an option to choose what the watch does when you double press it. I chose to open music controls as this is the most useful to me. This is useful as you require less swiping and touching of the watch screen to close apps which keeps finger prints to a minimum.  

 

RECOMMEND?
Anyone who is looking for a smart watch should definitely consider the Gear S2. As i mentioned already, Tizen OS is a much more polished OS than Android Wear. The rotating bezel is a fantastic idea which feels like it should be the standard and is the best way of navigating a smart watch there is. Having come from an Android Wear watch, there is no way at this moment i would go back, not unless Google bring Android Wear in line with Tizen, which is frankly a long way off. I enjoyed Android Wear but once you try Tizen first hand, you can see and feel a huge difference. There is the lack of support from developers and that doesn't look like changing any time soon, but there is the large selection of app types which should enable you to find everything you need. As a big Google supporter and user, i am very entrenched in the Google ecosystem, but this hasn't been a stumbling block in using Tizen. Although i do miss Google Keep! It's a slightly more expensive option than some alternatives, but worth the extra investment in my opinion. I don't think, anyone who is interested in purchasing a smart watch would be disappointed in choosing the Gear S2, unless they feel that smart watches in general are just not for them. A very happy purchase that i will get my worth out of and then some. Definite recommend.    

  

Steam Controller

The Steam Controller for Use on Steam Machines and Steam Big Picture Mode! 

These are my thoughts and experience using the Steam Controller. 

I have had an Alienware Alpha (i5) Steam Machine for a while now, but at the time of purchase, the Steam Controller was not available so it came with an Xbox 360 controller. Upon release of the Steam Controller, i picked one up as it was one of the things i was interested in when the Steam Machines were announced. 

The Steam Controller offers a different experience from traditional gamepads because it is isn't geared towards consoles only. It is also capable of playing more traditional keyboard and mouse PC games, via Steams Big Picture mode on your PC, TV using Steam Link or via Steam Machines. This, for me, is why Steam Controllers are worth the purchase, or at least worth trying out. My steam collection is not the largest in the world, but i have tried it on a few games. The controller has weaknesses in some areas and strengths in others. However, whether you are used to playing games exclusively with a mouse and keyboard, or you are a console gamer or gamepad user, you will encounter a learning curve. 

 

The steam controller comes with one thumb stick, rather than two, a d-pad which also operates as a trackpad, another trackpad, the traditional face buttons, two shoulder buttons and two rear paddles. All buttons, triggers and paddles on the controller can be remapped to suit your needs and brilliantly, you can download and apply pre-configured layouts created by the developer or the Steam Community.

The controller itself, is fairly bulky but not uncomfortable, even with small hands, and is easy to hold. But the placement of the face buttons is unfamiliar to anyone who uses a gamepad as they are placed where you have become accustomed to using a right thumb stick, so takes some getting used to but isn't difficult once you've used it for a short time. The trackpad is very responsive and the triggers and paddles all operate as you would expect. The controller doesn't come with a rechargeable battery, but instead takes two AA batteries, one inserted in each of the controllers handles, or can be played wired via the included micro USB cable.

 

Playing first person shooters with this controller is a slightly awkward experience in my opinion, because for consoles gamers, you are used to using one thumb stick for movement and one for aiming, and the familiarity of that is thrown off by having to use a trackpad for aiming instead, which is very difficult to get used to and accuracy is affected. Thumb sticks also have the advantage of popping back into the central position when let go of, this means in order to turn around 180 degrees for example, you simply push the thumb stick all the way to one side and hold, your character will then keep spinning until you let go. The Steam Controller on the other hand, will only turn as long as you reach the end of the track pad, you then have to lift your thumb, place it back in the centre and move again, this creates a jerky movement on screen and is very difficult to get right in quick sequences. You are supposed to be able to change the trackpad to operate more like a thumb stick, but i'm yet seen this done to any standard which matches a more traditional controller. People who play FPS's with a keyboard and mouse will also have trouble with this as the accuracy of the trackpad simply cannot match that of a mouse. In short, FPS's are not the game of choice for this controller at all.

Playing other games, however, has been a great experience. I've been a console gamer far longer than PC gamer and i prefer the use of gamespads over mouse and keyboard. Racing games feel excellent as the trackpad isn't really required. Third Person adventures are served very well, especially as the controls are mappable meaning you can change buttons to suit your needs. Also, the trackpad doesn't suffer from the accuracy issues like it does with FPS's as the camera angles aren't such an issue as accurate shooting is.

I have played Cities: Skylines for hours with this controller so far and the experience is fantastic. The game itself was built for use with a mouse and keyboard, but after applying the controller layout created by the developer themselves, it is very easy to use. the trackpad in this instance doesn't have any accuracy issues compared to a mouse and moving the screen with the thumb stick actually feels more natural to me then using the WASD buttons on keyboard. The same goes for playing TerraTech, this is a game which feels more natural to play with a controller than keyboard and mouse and again, the WASD buttons work better as an analogue stick.

 

Recommend?

I would recommend the Steam Controller to a gamer who uses Console and PC. The familiarity of using a gamepad for any PC game you choose just feels more natural and a lot of the times more efficient than using a mouse and keyboard. However if you are a strict PC only gamer, it will likely feel very alien, and the learning curve will likely feel too cumbersome for you to stick it out.

However, whether you are an exclusive PC gamer or both PC and Console, i would not recommend this for any FPS. The trackpad just fails to offer the level of accuracy and speed of a mouse and keyboard or analogue stick.

I am very pleased with the product and it's also great to see a company offer something different and untraditional. After all, having options can never be a bad thing. The ability to offer re-mappable controls is great and downloading pre-configured layouts from the community and devs is a great addition. Worth a purchase.  
 
 

Elephas EPR60 Portable Projector

The Elephas EPR60 is a portable projector, purchased from Amazon for £65. Compact in size offering great value for money! 

I was looking for a budget projector which wouldn't break the bank as i had booked a holiday to the south of Spain and in typical geek fashion, was looking to take a games console with me for those day's when staying in and relaxing on the terrace was the plan! The television in the house in Spain doesn't have HDMI input and i wanted to take my Nvidia Shield Console. So a cheap portable projector was the perfect option. 

I looked around on Amazon and came across the Elephas EPR60. At £65, it offered affordability for the two weeks i would be away. 

My expectations, given the price paid, were that it would likely get the job done to a half decent level and if not, the price point was at a level where it wouldn't be a large waste. But i have to admit, my expectations were actually surpassed. I was very pleased with it overall, and while it remains a budget option, it did the job exactly how i wanted, and i have found myself still using it back at home for watching movies or just spending nights watching YouTube videos on a larger screen (a wall in my house). 

This is my opinion on the ELEPHAS EPR 60. 

 

PROS:

• Affordability
• Decent Picture Quality 
• Compact Size, Easy for Storage and Travel 
• Remote Control Included
• Lots of Input Options
• USB Output slot

CONS:

• Quite Noisy
• 1000 Lumens Bulb Requires a Dark Room 
• Resolution Decent, but not up to 1080p HD Standards 
• Low Speaker Volume 

SPECS:

• up to 130" Equivalent Screen Size
• 800 x 480 DPI
• Input for USB, AV, SD Card, VGA & HDMI
• 1000 Lumens Bulb

EXPERIENCE/OPINION

As stated in the intro, i bought this initially to take away with me on a break in order to play my Nvidia Shield Games Console, via HDMI. But i have found myself using this more than i had expected since returning home. While being low in price, it offers a decent picture quality. It won't play back at 1080p, so if you're looking for PS4, XBOX ONE picture quality similar to your HD television, you will be disappointed. But if you can look past the numbers, the quality of picture is still there. I used it for videogames and watching DVDs and was an enjoyable experience on both occasions. The 1000 Lumens bulb is bright enough to give an enjoyable experience, but this does require a very dark room. I have black out blinds in my room, so achieving this is easy for me, but if you are looking to use this during the day and you aren't able to black out your window, it might make for a difficult experience. 

I use this just against a white wall, as opposed to a dedicated screen, and don't have any issues. The projector can project images up to an equivalent screen size of 130". It offers a small leg at the bottom which screws out so you can prop up the front of the projector to display the image higher on the wall without having to stack things underneath in order to get the projector itself higher up. You can also adjust the focus and the orientation of the image via two levers next to the lens. 

 

The projector has a number of input options via USB, VGA, SD Card, AV and HDMI. This covers you for a host of different devices, including DVDs, Games Consoles, SD Cards and USB Drives meaning you shouldn't find too much trouble playing the content you want. It also offers, a USB Output slot for charging a device such as a Phone or External Speaker.

While in Spain i was using it to watch movies via a DVD player and to play games on my Nvidia Shield. Both of those connected to the Elephas EPR60 via HDMI.. while the output on those devices in native 1080p, the projector cannot natively play content at the same resolution, but does offer a decent picture quality given the size of screen (mine was 97") and the price paid. My biggest issue was the speaker on the projector which is quiet at best, and is drowned out largely by the projectors aggressive fans, which while they do an excellent job of keeping it cool, is very loud in itself. The sound quality is also shallow and offer little bass. So i plugged in a portable, rechargeable bluetooth speaker for a better sound quality. This plugged in via 3.5mm headphone jack and was a more than adequate option. The speaker i chose charged via USB, so i was also able to use the projectors 5v USB Output slot to charge the speaker at the same time, ensuring the battery didn't run out. 

 

RECOMMEND?

I would recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a very easily portable projector, who is happy to sacrifice a small level of picture quality for ease of use and convenience. It offers a large picture, with decent quality. It does require a very dark room to get a great screen brightness. If you are a looking to play HD quality content and are fussy about resolutions and graphics then this is probably not the projector for you. However, the price point makes this a great choice for anyone who wants a projector for casual use and for travel. The amount of inputs is great, allowing compatibility with a host of different devices. And that the price paid, it really is worth the purchase. 

Alienware Alpha Opinion Review

Home PC console, running on SteamOS Big Picture Mode (HiveMind overlay), Core i5 version. 

A few years ago Valve unveiled plans for Steam Machines, a PC-Games Console hybrid, which would run on Steam OS Big Picture Mode - designed primarily for use with a television, rather than a monitor and for playing games and navigating the menu with a controller instead of a keyboard and mouse. There were a number of partners involved in the manufacturing of the hardware, including Dell. After a couple of years and a couple of delays in release, Dell decided to press ahead with its version of the Steam Machine - The Alienware Alpha. Running on Steam OS Big Picture Mode and Windows 8.1 (now upgradable to Windows 10) with an initial overlay (skin) known as Alpha UI. The overlay has since been changed to HiveMind (based on Kodi).

At the time of release, Valves Steam Controller was not available, so the one i bought came with an xBox 360 controller instead. Versions purchased now have the Steam Controller.

I bought mine a few months ago and this is my opinion/quick review and experiences of owning the Alienware Alpha (Core i5 version).

  

Pros:

• Compact Size
• 1TB Storage
• Easy to Navigate Menus 
• No need for Mouse and Keyboard (Should you wish)
• Re-mappable controller
• Great Gaming Performance 
• Apps include Origin and Uplay as well as Steam

Cons:

• 2GB Video Ram Can Make Some Games Difficult to Run Smoothly 
• Kodi Menu System is Not Always User Friendly 
• Expensive Price Point Compared to Gaming PC Self-Builds

Specs: (Core i5 Version)

• Quad Core, Core i5 CPU  
• 3 GHZ Processor 
• Custom Nvidia GeForce GPU, Based on GTX 860M, 2GB GDDR5
• 8GB DDR3L Ram
• 1TB HDD
• Dual Band Wifi

 

Experience/Opinion

I took the decision to purchase the Alienware Alpha, as i was just getting back into the PC Gaming scene, having been a huge console gamer since a young age. I looked at purchasing a purpose built gaming PC and Steam Machines - upon researching Steam Machines, i came across the Alpha. Essentially an unofficial Steam Machine, in the sense that those official versions were awaiting the go-ahead from Valve. The Alpha was proving to be a slightly more expensive option then a self-build gaming PC option. However, being a huge console gamer i was attracted to the simplicity and familiarity of the Alpha. Playing PC games, on a PC which imitates a console was ideal. So i took the plunge and haven't looked back and i do not regret it.

When you boot up the Alpha, you are greeted with a Kodi based HiveMind UI which is an initial overlay screen. You have a selection of basic Apps including Steam, Settings, Games and a Movie and Photo App. If you select Steam, it will take you into Steam OS Big Picture Mode which is what the core of the Alpha is, and what steam machines will be built upon. Aside from those apps, you can add a library of other apps too. The only ones i went with were YouTube, Chrome, Ubisofts Uplay and my personal favourite EAs Origin. The Origin App allows you to connect to your Origin account to download games held on the Origin Store, load your library and play the games from there. The Games App, is simply a shortcut to your Steam library, which when you select a game through that option will load up Steam OS and load the game automatically, bypassing the Steam menus. 

When you chose to load the Steam App, is where the real heart of the the Alpha lies.

From here, you launch Steam OS Big Picture Mode - a version of Steam OS, specifically build for use on your television, just like a traditional console. 

You will connect to your Steam library. You have access to the Steam Store and Steam Community. The layout of Steam Big Picture Mode is very console like in it's look and navigation. All of which can be completely navigated with the included controller. Keyboard and Mouse can be used, but not necessary. Everything you would expect from Steam is there including the Community for accessing forums and Mods (Steam Workshop) etc. 

The performance of the games within the Steam Store are as you would expect on a traditional PC, that is, the performance is dependent on your hardware. From my experience using my i5 version, only WWE 2k15 had a little trouble running smoothly with the 2GB Vid Ram not quite being enough for a really smooth performance. The game does run and is in my opinion still playable. But there is a little stuttering from time to time which the purists will be quick to point out. Other games in my library include Cities: Skylines, Payday 2, Metro: Last Light and Crysis 3 (played though Origin, not Steam). 

Metro: Last Light, i am able to play on High Settings, with High Textures and Lighting and Shadow effects, locked at 30 fps (which as a heavy console gamer i feel comfortable with, although some will feel 30 fps is not enough. You can increase the frame rate but may find the settings need reducing). The game looks absolutely stunning on my TV and plays beautifully. Likewise Crysis 3 is on high settings also. 

My favourite two games in my library are Cities: Skylines which runs perfectly on high res settings, and TerraTech (Early Access). both of which i have put in over 70 hours of gameplay. 

The Alienware Alpha is also capable of switching to full Windows Desktop mode, which at time of purchase came running on Windows 8.1, but is now upgradable to Windows 10, although i haven't upgraded to Windows 10 myself as i don't require it and am happy with Windows 8.1 for the very minimal usage i need. 

 

Recommend?

The real question is, who to recommend the Alienware Alpha to, or any Steam Machine for that matter. The answer really is a console game who wishes to get into the PC Gaming world or simply expand their videogame credentials and options. Purist PC Gamers, who annoyingly refer to themselves as the 'Master Race' will point out that you can purchase a purpose built, custom built Gaming PC, which for the price of the Alpha will have higher specs. However, they do not come with the convenience or familiarity of the Alpha to those used to gaming on a console. They are also more inconvenient when you want to hook up to your TV for big screen PC gaming. 

If you already own a decent gaming PC and simply want to play on the big screen, while very convenient, the Alpha represents an option which in my opinion is too high on price. There are cheaper ways of achieving this such as the Steam Link. If you are looking for an upgrade, i would recommend at least giving the Alpha a look. But if you are a console gamer looking to get into the PC gaming world, the Alpha is a very good, if slightly expensive option. You will be right at home with the look and feel of the console and be without the often confusing or comprehensive navigation of a traditional PC. Gaming performance is great and it looks beautiful sat under your living room TV next to your games console.      

  

My Favourite Owned Tech

To get to know me and my tastes a little more, i thought i would list the favourite tech i own and use the most. 

Alienware Alpha PC Console (Steam Machine)
 

Intel Core i5. Window 8.1 (upgradable to windows 10). Steam OS (HiveMindUI). 8GB RAM. Custom Nvidia GeForce GTX GPU.

I enjoy PC gaming as well as console and this offer the perfect combination of the two.. sitting next to various consoles on my media bench - it plugs into my TV to enjoy PC gaming on the big screen. The game i have played the most is Cities: Skylines, however, i am literally addicted to TerraTech (Early Access).

Playstation 4
 

I am a huge gamer and upgraded to playstation 4 from the previous gen just after release. I've been playing consoles since the Sega Mastersystem and have owned many consoles since including Nintento, SNES, 64, Gamecube and Playstation 1-4. My most played game on this platform is Battlefield 4. i am currently enjoying Metal Gear Solid: The Phantom Pain.

Nvidia Shield TV (Pro)

 

I bought the Nvidia Shield before UK release as i like the idea of Android micro consoles. This is the first one of which i have purchased as previous attempts to create a decent Android based console have been underwhelming. This one was full of promise though and didn't disappoint. My most played game is Asphalt 8 but i have a bit of a thing for the ridiculously additive Crossy Road too.

X-Rocker Gaming Chair

 

I bought this chair after a renovation and decided to play video games in a little more comfort. It has speakers in the headrest and a bass in the bottom centre of the seat. As the name suggests, you can rock back and forth or sit in a variety of positions due to the nature of the shape. 

Sonos Music System 

 

I bought this music system when my previous speaker died, i decided to go down the streaming route. It's quite a pricey offering but i think it's worth it. The sound quality is great and it fits in nicely in my set up. I subscribe to both Spotify and Google Play Music and both are compatible.

Chromebook Pixel

 

I enjoy the speed and convenience of Chromebooks, but my one criticism of them was generally poor build quality. Google put this right with the Pixel using premium materials and high pixel screen. I use it daily and definitely my favourite laptop (even above the Apple Macbook Air).

Xperia Z Tablet 2

 

I love the look of Sony mobile products. The battery is also a good factor to consider when purchasing, which Sony seem to get right. Their skinned version of Android is also lite and runs very well even well into the life cycle of the device. I enjoy games such as Worms 3 and my most used apps include YouTube, YouTube Gaming, Chrome & Planner 5d.

Avantree Powerhouse USB Charging Station

 

I bought a charging station to clean up my set up and get rid of many excess cables and chargers. This was a good option. It has two 2.1 amp and two 2.4 amp connections. It helps keep my set up clean and tidy and fits in well with my Black, White and Red set up.

Star Wars Stormtrooper Lamp

 

This was pretty much just a novelty item i saw while shopping in MenKind. It goes well with my set up and i wanted a mood lamp and this was just perfect. It is battery or mains operated (via Micro USB).

 
  
 

Nvidia Shield TV - Review

Android powered gaming and media console. 500gb pro version £339.99 from Amazon. My experiences and opinion. 

Android games consoles have been around for a while, my first interest in them was seeing the Ouya on Kickstarter. My interest was prominent being that i am a big gamer and an avid Android guy. So a marrying of the two caught my eye. I decided against backing the Kickstarter campaign as with any device of this type, the hardware often takes a back seat to the software companies (in this case, developers) supporting the final product. So i decided to sit back and wait for the final product to release. My decision was justified by the subsequent failure of the Ouya to bring on board support from many of the notable devs in the mobile and console gaming world. What that product came to be was a device with bags of potential, but little to back that potential up with. And that particular console has now been discontinued.

Move on a couple of years and one or two failed Android consoles later, we have the Shield TV and Shield TV Pro (the difference between the two is just the HDD - 16gb for the standard version and 500gb for the Pro). Why would this one succeed where others have tried and failed? in one word 'NVIDIA'. Nvidia have been in the video game business for years, arguably they are the no.1 GPU manufacturer in the PC Gaming world. They also power many of our Laptops, Tablets and Smart Phones with their GPUs and SOCs. In other words they have a lot of experience and know how when it comes to machines built for playing video games. Something which sadly Ouya was lacking. Nvidia had the the ability to optimise the games on offer from devs to perform at their best on their Android based console, and were a name those same devs could trust to deliver. This means games which are not merely ported from PC or more traditional Android devices such as tablets, but actually optimised to play nicely with your TV and Nvidia Shield gamepad. They also had their own Nvidia Grid PC game streaming service right out of the box. This ensured the console launched with a library already miles ahead any before it.

I've had my Nvidia Shield TV (Pro) for a little under three months now. This will be a brief word regarding specs, hardware, software and my opinion and experiences using the device.

PROS:                                         

• Large HDD (Pro version).                                                
• Excellent design.                                                             
• Compact size, easy for travel. 
• Great dev support. 
• Nvidia Grid Streaming Service. 
• 4K support. 
• MicroSD card support.

CONS:

• Small HDD (Standard version).
• High price point.

Specs:

• Tegra X1 Processor
• 256-core 
• 64-bit CPU
• 3GB RAM
• Android TV, Google Cast Ready
• HDMI 2.0, 4K UHD 
• MicroSD Card Support for increased storage.
• 802.11ac duel band WiFI
• Gigabit Ethernet 
• USB 3.0 (x2) Micro USB 2.0
• Dolby 7.1 and 5.1 surround pass-through 

Experience/Opinion

My personal experience with my Nvidia Shield TV has been a very positive one. I am a huge gamer, i game on PS4, PC, Mobile, Tablet and even occasionally pull out my Nintendo Gamecube or use emulators. This Shield TV is a great addition to my collection. The games, while not able to compete with the AAA offerings on PS4 and PC, are a much lower purchase price, often being able to pick up new games for just a couple of pounds. They range from simple mobile games such as Crossy Road to games you would have been extremely satisfied with if they were on your PS3 or Xbox 360 in their earlier days such as Modern Combat 5 and Asphalt 8. You are even able to download games from previous console generations such as GTA 3, Vice City and San Andreas for as little as £5. Nvidia also offer their Nividia Grid streaming service, which offers you a library of PC titles which can be streamed directly to your Shield TV. The included Gamepad is comfortable in the hand and very responsive, it charges via Micro USB and holds a long battery life. 

In terms of gaming, most of my time on the Shield TV has been spent playing GTA San Andreas, Asphalt 8, Crossy Road and Dead Trigger 2. All of those games run smooth and stable and look great in full screen on my TV. I particularly enjoy using the Google Play Music App in order to play my own playlists while playing Crossy Road or Asphalt 8 (turning off those games musical accompaniment) and kicking back and relaxing in my X-Rocker Gaming Chair with the volume up. I have a gaming PC so haven't really used the Nvidia Grid streaming service, i only used it on one occasion to test it out, it ran surprisingly well with very little lag, but this will obviously depend on your internet connection. If you are looking to play PC games on the big screen, there is the option to stream your personal PC games library via Nvidia's GeForce Experience over your local connection. 

Aside from playing games, the Shield TV offers live streaming to Twitch. Allowing you to stream your gameplay directly to the Twitch streaming service as well as taking screen shots at the touch of a button. It also comes with Netflix pre-installed, and is able to take full advantage of Netflix 4k streaming. Connecting to the Google Play Store, there is also a huge library of games and apps. 

The console itself is lightweight and compact so is easy to pack into your laptop bag or rucksack and carry to a friends house or on your travels, allowing you to plug it in and instantly continue your gaming or movie streaming. I often take it with me to my brothers home when i visit. 

Recommend?

Would i recommend the Nvidia Shield TV? as always, it really does depend on what you are looking for. Is it a viable alternative to the current generation of consoles? no! Does it offer a library which can compete with Valves mighty Steam? heck no! But what it does offer is a great addition to any of those for those of us gamers who enjoy gaming at all levels. You may not be able to purchase AAA titles on Shield TV, but you can enjoy games which wouldn't have looked out of place on the previous console generation for only a fraction of the price those games cost a few years ago. You can also download casual games, whether to kill time or get the family together for a games night. If you are anything like me, i would definitely recommend getting an Nvidia Shield TV to accompany your current gen console or gaming PC. Aside, from gaming of course, it comes with Chromecast support for media streaming from your tablet and smartphone on the big screen and Netflix and other video streaming services for 4K movies so makes a cool media unit to sit under your TV.