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PS3 Problems Parried
Via Joystiq, an article on Gaming Horizon defending the PS3 from its detractors. The article looks at a number of the biggest concerns about the system (price, HD, rumble, blu-ray), and attempts to explain why most of these problems are nothing to worry about. From the article: "As Sony is a company that manufactures HD-TVs, it's in their interest to add that compatibility to give consumers another reason to upgrade. There's various numbers about how long it'll take for HD to 'replace' standard-feed televisions (just as broadband has all but eliminated dial-up), but it's conceivable that HD televisions will become affordable during the PS3's lifecycle, and for those of us that have been blessed by the high-def gods, it's another reason to take advantage of the highest-quality visual equipment available."
The author must be having a dot-com bubble flashback about the rate of technology adoption. Nearly 1/3 of all active internet users in the US are still on dialup (http://www.websiteoptimization.com/bw/0604/). If that's "all but eliminated" I'll be happy to play poker with you.
But if you are spending $500 in the first place, you must be doing so because you believe in Sony's vision of Blu-Ray and HD as the future even if it's more expensive than we've seen in the past. Once sold on the $500 system, the $600 one seems more future-proof with HDMI and a bigger hard drive. Sure, you can upgrade the $500 one in some ways, but you'll never get HDMI and the cost (and trouble) of the upgrade narrows the price difference anyway.
I have seen the future, and it is inconvenient.
Correction: $60 - $90 for a game. Which makes it *that* much worse.
Everything I say is a lie. Except that... and that... and that, and that, and that, and that... and that.
You obviously missed it, but with 80% of produced PS3s being the $600 version, most people buying a PS3 will be spending at least $600, simply because the vast majority of PS3s available will cost $600. So, yes, saying the PS3 costs $600 is basically true.
Yep, for an extra $100, you can upgrade your $500 PS3 into a $600 PS3 minus the HDMI port! What a bargin!
No, really. Assume that a wireless adapter costs $20 and that most USB wireless adapters will work with the PS3. (As TiVo Series 2 owners know, fat chance on that happening.) Assume you get a card reader that costs $20. That leaves us with $60 for the hard drive, which is about the cheapest you can expect to spend.
The only reason to stick with the $500 version is if you don't need wireless, don't need the card reader, and don't need the HDMI port. Don't forget that if you want to grab your save games and head over to a friend's house, you'll need a card reader. Upgrading individual components is barely worth the money saved, epecially with PS3 games expected to cost $60-$100.
You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
My third-party wireless bridge cost me US$20. Free shipping if you buy something else to go over the $25 limit. Works great with the XBox, PS2, 360, took me all of two minutes to configure for WEP128.
"Can't you see that everyone is buying station wagons?"
They already have caved. SCEA's Kaz Hirai has said that "I don't think consumers expect software pricing to suddenly double. ... So, if it becomes a bit higher than $59, don't ding me, but, again, I don't expect it to be $100."
So, yeah, we're looking at $70-$100 games for the PS3.
You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.