Nvidia Bashes Apple TV, Crossy Road in Promoting Its Own Apple TV-Style Device

Nvidia has taken a shot at Apple and its newly announced Apple TV device in a new promotional push for its own Apple TV-like device, the Nvidia Shield.

Among the announcements at Apple's event on Wednesday was the newest iteration of the Apple TV. Beforehand, it had been reported that the new device would make a major push into gaming. And while gaming was part of the presentation, it seemed clear that it isn't the only focus. Soon after the event concluded, Nvidia sent out an email to the press boasting about how the Shield stacks up in an unusually direct manner. It also claimed, "The new Apple TV reaffirms the category of next-gen smart TV consoles--which Nvidia invented with the Shield Android TV."

The company has now taken its comparisons one step further, publishing a blog post on its website comparing the Shield and Apple TV. While you'd expect it to be pro-Shield, the post doesn't shy away from bashing Apple's product, both subtly and not-so-subtly.

"If you're already an Apple TV user, we don't necessarily expect you to run out and buy the new Apple TV," the blog states. "While many of the features are impressive, the basic offerings may not justify the $200 pricetag [Ed. Note: There's a $150 option, too] over what you already own. There's a more important question however. Do you really want to be locked into that walled garden?"

Later, it says, "The choice is yours. With two high-end streaming options on the table, it's decision time. While the new Apple TV is a definite improvement over its predecessor, the fact remains that would-be streamers and cord-cutters also crave truly high-end experiences."

This is all accompanied by a flowchart (pictured in part below) intended to help you decide what device is right from you. If you're not into games or streaming, it suggests more traditional solutions. But when it comes down to "wanting the best of the best," it suggests the Shield, unless you decide you're "fine with Crossroads," which misspells the name of a game (Crossy Road) featured during the Apple TV presentation this week.

You can see the full blog post here.

The Shield Nvidia is promoting here is the company's Android-powered, TV-connected microconsole. The Shield name was used for two previous projects: a portable games console (which was essentially a screen connected to a controller) and a gaming-centric tablet. This latest version of the Shield launched earlier this year and is capable of 4K streaming, as well as streaming games over the Internet (with Nvidia Grid) or a local network (GameStream, letting you play games on your computer).

The Shield is available now for $200, while the new Apple TV is coming in October for $149 (32 GB) or $199 (64 GB).