Rob Stevens

No thanks.  There’s a reason why rocking chairs have that “rocking crest”.  It’s so you don’t fall forward or backward.  This thing is a death trap.  :)

The Ten Legged Rocking Chair October 25, 2006

Andru ... there is no new 60GB version.  It’s the 30GB that’s $249.  Doesn’t seem to be much reason for the 30GB ... unless physical size is an issue.

It's Showtime Apple Keynote Highlights September 12, 2006

First, HD-DVD has already proven capable of handling movie content, and the early reviews comparing BluRay v. HD-DVD versions of the same film are all suggesting that the HD-DVD versions are superior.  Perhaps things will change down the road, but if HD-DVD gains ground before BluRay gets these issues settled, it won’t matter.  Storage capacity is really irrelevant right now, and your information about the theoretical capacity of BluRay is wrong.  Upper limit for BluRay is 50GB, HD-DVD is 40GB (IIRC).  The concerns about HD-DVD not being able to hold a full film are baseless.

As for the cost of adding HD-DVD to Xbox 360, most people are still watching movies on DVD.  I think many would chose to buy a console they can watch movies on now, and not want to pay more for technology they might not be able to fully benefit from.  Plus, there’s the idea that since you would purchase the Xbox 360 first, and probably buy the HD-DVD add-on down the road, the cost of the Xbox 360 is “sunk”, meaning that since you’ve already paid for it, the cost doesn’t factor in. 

Yes, I’m a fan of the Xbox 360.  I’d be a fan of the PS3 as well if the price were closer to that of the Xbox 360, but the reality is, I could buy an Xbox 360 and four games for the price of the PS3 alone.  (And if I were a Wii-man, I could get a Wii and SIX games, or even an Xbox360 and a Wii.)  But that doesn’t mean that my analysis is in any way biased or flawed.

I will say this ... if this argument were solely about HD movies, it would be a much closer deal.  Xbox 360 and an HD-DVD add-on would cost roughly the same as a standalone HD-DVD player, while the PS3 is $400 cheaper than an equivalent BluRay player.  That’s quite significant.  The problem is that while DVD could be enjoyed fully by anyone right away, both HD formats require an HDTV, making cost very much an issue.

If the argument is about games, and I’m certain that it will be, the fact is that the Xbox 360 is cheaper, plays regular DVDs just fine, and already has a year head start in software.  The advantages that made PS2 so successful just don’t exist this time around.

Why PS2 Succeeded, and Why PS3 Will Fail August 23, 2006

OK, but here’s the problem with that.  WE (you and I and the other gamers on the internet) remember the name.  But we’re not the ones Nintendo is trying to target.  The fact that we’re starting to soften on the name doesn’t mean that the mainstream public that Nintendo is going after are going to give them the same chance.  It’s a dangerous game that Nintendo is playing, the stakes are high, but if they can pull it off, they’ll have a huge hit.

Wii: Thoughts On Product Naming May 6, 2006