iConsole.tv gaming PC to support SteamOS through its Android shell
Mobile Media Ventures' iConsole.tv gaming system is quickly turning into a jack of all trades, as the company now plans to support SteamOS through its PC's Android interface. Valve's TV-friendly platform will only be a shortcut away, MMV claims. Players won't have to partition drives, tweak firmware or otherwise mess with low-level settings, either. We won't know how well this Linux-on-Linux approach works until the company provides more details in the months ahead, but it's promising -- it could greatly expand iConsole.tv's game library without compromising on simplicity of use.
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iConsole.tv Android Gaming Console to Integrate Valve's SteamOS
Key Points
* First Android device to embrace SteamOS alongside Android gaming
* First device outside Valve ecosystem to embrace SteamOS
* Users will be able to easily jump between Android and SteamOS without typical setup, installation challenges of a PC
SANTA CLARA, CA - Mobile Media Ventures today announced another new innovation for iConsole.tv, the upcoming high-end Android gaming console; support for SteamOS.
"Today, we're pledging support for Valve Corporation's SteamOS on iConsole.tv." Said Christopher Price, CEO. "We will ensure it's possible for our customers have access to the entire launch lineup of SteamOS games, and we'll work with developers to ensure SteamOS games are tuned for iConsole.tv."
iConsole.tv is powered by the Android operating system. The iConsole.tv Developer Kit, Unit 00, is the most powerful Android device shipping today.
Unlike PCs, a user will not need to take any significant efforts to load or deploy SteamOS onto iConsole.tv. Whereas a PC requires installing SteamOS as a second operating system, iConsole.tv will provide an integrated experience.
iConsole.tv is capable of using SteamOS, unlike other Android devices, thanks to its breakthrough utilization of Intel Iris® graphics technology. As announced last month, iConsole.tv is the first Android device to be announced with Iris graphics, and the first gaming console to tap Intel's revolutionary graphics array.
In addition, the production iConsole.tv features a revolutionary integrated Linux Desktop, providing users the first gaming console that can quickly and easily switch to functioning as a traditional PC. With the ability to output to two displays simultaneously, iConsole.tv is designed to perform in various different gaming and computing environments.
Users will be able to launch SteamOS from inside the Android experience on iConsole.tv, ensuring an easy-to-use experience. After exiting SteamOS games, users will be taken back to the iConsole.tv Android experience, complete with integrated connected television services, including optional HD DVR capabilities.
"By extending the olive branch to SteamOS, we're ensuring gamers will have an experience that excels past other consoles." Christopher continued. "We expect to launch with a great array of Android games that showcase how Android can scale up to a high-performance console. SteamOS will stand alongside that top-tier experience on iConsole.tv."
Specifics on support for SteamOS onto iConsole.tv will be announced in the coming months.
By combining Android and support for SteamOS in one platform, Mobile Media Ventures aims to lower the cost of high-performance gaming to consumers. "For the first time, Android game developers can scale up to true console quality by using an existing codebase, ensuring minimal effort. This means consumers will benefit from having an entirely new ecosystem of low-cost, console-tier games inside iConsole.tv. Additionally, traditional console and PC developers supporting SteamOS will benefit from having to take only minimal steps to optimize their games for iConsole.tv.
