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Should Game Consoles Make Breakfast, Too?
Ryan writes "Is the idea of 'convergence' (the notion that a single digital appliance will handle multiple tasks) in gaming consoles even worth it? CNET News has an article discussing the issues of convergence related to gaming - it seems like a lot of consumers aren't worried about the bells and whistles, yet they keep throwing them at us." The article mentions the "underwhelming" response to Sony's PSX console/DVR combo, whose "arrival in North America--originally slated to happen in time for the 2004 holiday shopping season--is now set for an unspecified date in 2005."
I dunno. Right now, Tales of Symphonia is currently selling exceptionally well, despite it being a GameCube game, and GameCube supposedly being unpopular.
And Xbox is a more "ideal" system than the PS2, yet the PS2 constantly outsells it. Microsoft aren't really doing anything "wrong", but you can't deny that the mindset of all three consoles is different.
Nintendo tends to sell to the more discriminating gamer, who will tend to prefer good games with good design and gameplay, so the fact that it can't play DVDs is largely irrelevant. And if you cared about DVD so much and wanted a convergent system, you would have bought the Panasonic version instead, which can play DVDs.
The Xbox excels in replacing a DVD player, but IMO isn't particularly good for gaming. Somehow the graphics capabilities claim to be "so much better" than the GameCube, yet the GameCube graphics consistently look better, and play smoother (and the Xbox games suck to boot.) Smooth marketing, Microsoft!
[Obligatory Sony bashing] And Sony sells to idiots... but since there are so many idiots in the world, it's naturally going to sell better. :-)
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"1. All-in-one = single point of failure when something breaks, and needs to be replaced."
.mp3, the CD, the DVD, or the video game???
.mp3, the CD, the DVD, or the video game???" It plays whatever you've just put in that one drive. Just like any other console.
Bullshit. See the airplane principle: an airplane with two engines has twice the probability of an engine failure. _If_ I was to assume that electronics have a high failure rate, I'd be more worried about having 10 modules than about having one.
But the failure rate isn't that high in the first place. My PS2 still works flawlessly. For that matter, so does my old Playstation. So does the Dreamcast I used to carry around everywhere. (Man, I loved that thing.) Admittedly, they've been well treated, but then I'd assume most people who are serious about watching DVD on one don't go around pouring Coke in them either.
And if it was to break tomorrow, wth, I got years of gaming _and_ DVD playing out of it. Methinks that's great value for the money.
And if we're talking reliability, let's talk a very related point: the advantage in using standard, proven components. The only ones experiencing any significant failures were the ones who went their own non-standard, non-converging way. Sega even got bitten hard by that, as their first units had massive problems with the still experimental "GD-ROM" drive. The ones who just went with a standard format, like DVD, even for convergence reasons, actually ended up with a more robust product.
"2. Generally speaking, all-in-one devices incorporate propietary technologies to promote lock-in and/or reduce 3rd party tech licensing costs for the company (SONY!!!!)."
Bullshit. You don't need proprietary DVDs to play on a PS2. Any old DVD will work.
Au contraire, if you want "proprietary" and "lock in", look no further than Nintendo. Or Sega. Where Sony put a bog-standard DVD-ROM drive in the PS2, both Nintendo and Sega went and made their own obscure proprietary CD formats.
"3. Quality of stand alone components is usually much higher. Think stereo equipment."
Bullshit. Or at least missing the point. Not everyone is a rich consultant, who must have some $3000+ designer module even to play CDs.
Sony's components in the PS2 are perfectly on par with most consumer grade stuff, and actually better than the cheap on-board sound you'll find in most PCs. And you get all that for a mere $15 extra. For most people it's superb bang per buck.
"4. Modularity = more cost effective upgrade path."
Bullshit. More cost effective than $15 for the DVD playing capability? You must be smoking some really good shit.
"5. All-in-one = usually more complex than individual devices. Stand alone means you can learn and understand the functions fully before moving onto the next component. Sometimes the 'role' of a device is confused when it is consolidated. e.g. Does 'play' mean play the
Bullshit. Have you even seen Sony's remote control, or are you talking out of your ass?
Hint: It's a standard remote control, just like those you'd get with a standalone DVD or VHS player. Anyone who can't figure that out, is probably too stupid to use any other remote control too.
Plus have you even seen a console? It only has one drive. How the heck would anyone get confused about "Does 'play' mean play the
And it has auto-play, just like Windows. So you can just see it on the screen if a game started, or you get a DVD's menu.
Briefly: anyone stupid enough to have trouble with that, would probably be too stupid to figure out whether they're playing Donkey Kong or Castlevania on their Nintendo 64. Or for that matter whether they're playing Doom 3 or Solitaire on their PC. I.e., at that point the problem isn't the complexity, it's just a user with single digit IQ.
"6. All-in-one convergence not always a logical combination. Digital camera cell phones? mp3 playe
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