That's a big display, and a hinge that's a big point of failure — but the good news is it should last a while

Stating the obvious here, but you're going to be opening and closing NVIDIA Shield a lot. You don't have a choice. To use it, you've got to flip open that 5-inch display, exposing the controls underneath and giving you a screen to work with. And that opening-and-closing mechanism also was one area NVIDIA focused on since we first saw a prototype in January. The hinge has been made more robust, NVIDIA told us at its headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif.

But just how many times can you open and shut this thing before it gives out?

More: Hands-on with new NVIDIA Shield

Apple says Samsung's new flagship smartphone "is an infringing device"

Apple will move to have the Galaxy S4 added to its patent infringement case against Samsung, court documents reveal. In documents filed with the U.S. District Court in California and published by The Verge, Apple says it has examined the handset and "concluded that it is an infringing device." As such, it will add the GS4 to its list of infringing products, but remove one of the existing 22 so as to abide by the court's request that it limit the number of claims and devices.

The list currently includes such phones as the Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy Note, Note 2, Note 10.1, U.S. Galaxy S2 models and the Galaxy S3.

Today at BlackBerry Live 2013, the quintessential BlackBerry Messenger was announced as coming to Android this summer! It's going to be totally free, which is a welcome surprise. 

CEO Thorsten Heins announced his company's goal to make BBM the standard in cross-platform messaging and that they'll be bringing their long-standing device-exclusive service to iOS and Android. In the long run, they intend to include advanced features like groups, screen sharing, and the recently-announced Channels to the other platforms. Keep an eye out for this one in Google Play over the next couple of months, and expect it to displace a lot of the current messaging platforms out there. 

Any of you guys know folks that still use BBM? Any ex-BlackBerry-owners that miss BBM?

The better part of the CrackBerry crew are at BlackBerry Live 2013 this week, and there was a bit of news for Android fans amid the general session. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.1 was announced, which includes support for Android devices. That means your IT guy can roll out apps and lock down BlackBerry devices throughout the company just as easily as it can with any Android devices. 

The fight against texting and driving has done something nearly unheard of in this mobile industry -- the four major U.S. carriers are joining forces to take part in the "It Can Wait" campaign. The new initiative begins May 20 with a co-branded advertising campaign in which you'll hear the real stories of folks whose lives have been affected by texting and driving. It'll kick off with the story of Xzavier Davis-Bilbo, AT&T says, who in 2010, at just 5 years old, was paralyzed from the waist down after being struck by a car driven by a young woman who was texting while driving.

In March, a study commissioned by AT&T found that 49 percent of commuters reported having texted while driving, compared to 43 percent of teenagers in a companion study.

You'll also see the "It Can Wait" campaign in various retailers nationwide.

More: AT&T

It's coming this June for $349, and we've got your first look at the refined NVIDIA Shield with stock Android

Easily two of the more exciting announcements to come out of CES 2013 this past January were the Tegra 4 mobile processor and graphics platform from NVIDIA, and its "Project Shield" handheld Android gaming controller. Combining some of the most powerful mobile processing graphics available with a traditional gaming controller -- and a 5-inch, 720p display for good measure -- we finally had the potential for some real console-style gaming on Android.

The big question, of course, would be the price. Today, that's been answered. Shield -- having dropped its "project" designation -- will retail for $349, a bit lower than what many of us here had expected. But "we're not selling Shield at a loss," NVIDIA told us from its headquarters in Santa Clara.

However the math works out, what you get is a highly capable mobile gaming system that in fact can best consoles in some areas.

We got a new look at NVIDIA Shield, with its refined hardware and expanded gaming roster. 

NVIDIA promises to change mobile gaming with the Shield -- a handheld console that's pure Android and pure fun

Think back to CES this past January, and chances are you'll remember NVIDIA's Project Shield. It sort of stole the whole show, and it's finally here. In case you missed all the hub-bub surrounding the device, think of a 5-inch, 720p multi-touch display, paired with a full game controller powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 4 chip. It's plenty powerful to play console-grade games, and the best part -- it runs Android so it launches with a full compliment of optimized titles to put it all to use.

It doesn't stop there, either. Using an NVIDIA graphics card in your gaming desktop (GeForce GTX 650 or higher) you'll also be streaming titles using Steam, getting a cross platform experience like no other. The Shield promises to bring your gaming to a whole new level. And of course, we expect things to work quite nicely between the Shield and NVIDIA's new Grid platform.

To get you started, there are two great titles pre-loaded -- Sonic 4 Episode II, and Expendable: Rearmed. You'll also have all the great games in Google Play available, including Tegra 4 optimized titles like Dead Trigger and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. In addition, NVIDIA has five new titles all lined up to make the most of the great hardware the Shield has on-board: Broken Age and Costume Quest from Double Fine, Flyhunter: Origins from Steel Wool Games, Skiing Fred from Dedalord Games and Chuck's Challenge from Niffler. Look for these titles to come soon.

It all sounds pretty exciting, but the big questions are when, where and how much? We're going to detail the full availability, including how preorders will work, but know that general preorders start May 20, and the Shield will have a retail price of $349 when it ships this June. We're expecting this to be a whole lot of fun, and we can't wait to get units into our own hands. In the meantime, the forums are open for all the discussion you would ever want about the Shield, and the press release is after the break.

More: NVIDIA Shield forums

The NVIDIA Shield might be a powerhouse of an Android-based gaming system, but that's really just the tip of the iceberg, right? If you're really looking to take your brain for a spin, you've got to try Shield with the Parrot AR Drone. 

If somehow you've been able to avoid the AR Drone -- or its cousin, the Quadricopter -- picture this: A lightweight flying machine with four rotors, a few cameras and a Wifi Direct connection straight back to your smartphone. You control this miracle of modern mechanized flight using the controls on your phone or tablet. 

But anyone who's used onscreen buttons knows that a physical controller is much better. So many more options Tactile feedback. With NVIDIA Shield, you get the best of both worlds. You get a physical controller, plus a 5-inch display so you can see what the AR Drone is seeing. It's a ridiculous amount of fun. And it being my first time with the AR Drone, I was horrible at it. So, after the break, we get a little help from an old friend in taking the AR Drone with NVIDIA Shield for a spin. Check it.

NVIDIA has a couple of kick-ass accessories to keep your Shield safe and looking unique

We know where and when you can finally get your hands on an NVIDIA Shield, but once you get it you'll probably be interested in some of the official accessories for the device. At the time of launch, NVIDIA is making both a carrying case and removable custom lids for the Shield available. The carrying case will retail for $39.99 and is a hard-sided zippered affair that will keep the Shield nice and protected while you're not using it. The back is designed to let you charge it while completely closed in the case -- a nice touch.

For the device itself, you can buy replaceable custom lids that adorn the back of the screen at $19.99. There will be several different colors and patterns available, with surely more to come. The stock lid is a brushed silver color, which matches the plastic insets on other parts of the device. Stick around after the break for a few more pictures of the case and a nice animation of how the custom lids are removed and replaced on the back of the Shield.

More: NVIDIA Shield Forums