Game Information

Next Generation Games Consoles - Separating Fact from Fiction


Over the next 18 months the 3 giants of the Games Console world will be battling it out in stores and homes across Europe, America and Asia for the title of the world greatest Games Console. The stakes are high in this multi billion dollar business, not just for the console sales but for the games sales that go along side it. Since the launch announcements of all 3 consoles in May at the E3 conference in LA. The 3 combatants have been vying for the millions of column inches that have been written about the Next Generation Consoles. Each Press release has been hotly followed by another press release from a rival company so much so that extracting the facts from all the hype has been nearly impossible. At the launch press conferences Microsoft boasted that the Xbox 360 could do 9-billion-dot-product-operations per second. Sony then came out and said that the PS3 could do 51-billion-dot-product-operations per second however Sony had combined the CPU and GPU performance numbers whilst Microsoft only reported its CPU performance number. When the consumer is up against this sort of publicity blizzard it is best not to believe a thing until you can check the facts for yourself.

So what do we know?

Well for the Xbox 360 and the Sony Playstation 3 we have lots of lists of hardware and specifications which actually don't mean very much in isolation. The main thing that need concern us are the processor speeds and they are both stated as being 3.2 GHz The only time that the hardware will mean anything is when we get to run them side by side and then if experience is anything to go by the difference in real life performance won't be noticeable and will just be used by the press departments to battle it out.

Despite all the press releases and information that has been spewing out of the headquarters of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo we actually know very few facts.We know that in all likelihood the Xbox 360 will be on the shelves in time for Christmas, Amazon are currently taking pre-delivery orders and are quoting a release date of November 28th. The prices have been set at $299 for the Core System and $399 for the Xbox 360, the difference being that the Core system doesn't have the external hard drive required to save games and download new content or the headset required to play online on Xbox Live! Why 2 prices? and why a version that hasn't got everything included? This looks very much like a product of the marketing department trying to get a product at the historically important sub $300 level more than anything and this may backfire on them in the long run.

Next to hit the Shelves will be Sony's Playstation 3 supposedly in spring next year once again we have very few facts to go on, Sony are continually releasing press releases and mentioning in public that the price will be high and the figure of $500 has been mentioned but many industry experts suspect that this is a ploy so that when they release it at $300 or $350 it will look like a bargain. The final console to hit the shelves will be the Nintendo Revolution some time late in 2006 and 2007. Since the "launch" at E3 this year very little has been said about it by Nintendo. It seems at this time the "Launch" was just a way to deflect some of the publicity away from Microsoft and Sony.One fact is certain, If Microsoft do get the Xbox 360 onto the shelves before Christmas it will be this year's biggest selling Christmas gift. So until you get your hands on one of the consoles?.Question everything!

Mark Thompson ran an IT consultancy in London for many years. He now live in Spain and runs an number of websites including NextGen Consoles and World of the Weird


MORE RESOURCES:

ESPN

James, Wade lift Heat over Pacers in Game 4
SI.com
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- LeBron James scored 40 points, superstar sidekick Dwyane Wade added 30 - 22 in the second half - and Miami's dynamic duo took over after halftime to get the Heat even in the series with a 101-93 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game ...
James, Wade combine for 70 as Heat win Game 4The Associated Press
Heat change lineup again for Game 4Yahoo! Sports
Sunday's NBA playoffsChicago Tribune
Huffington Post -CBSSports.com (blog)
all 1,192 news articles »


Globe and Mail

Day After Game 3 Loss, the Devils Make Changes
New York Times
Parise did not grant interviews Saturday afternoon after the Devils lost to the Rangers, 3-0, to fall behind in the Eastern Conference finals, two games to one. As he walked through the locker room twice, Parise was tight-lipped and clearly frustrated ...
In Rangers-Devils,Battles to WatchWall Street Journal
There's a word to describe Devils' feelingsESPN (blog)
New Jersey Devils See Frustrating Similarities In Losses To RangersSB Nation
Fox News -CBC.ca -Canada.com
all 1,771 news articles »


Bleacher Report

W2W4: 76ers-Celtics, Game 5
ESPN
It's game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semi Finals. The Celtics lost Game 2 at home and they haven't lost consecutive home playoff games since 2005. WALTHAM, Mass. -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers said that Avery Bradley's shoulder dislocated again during ...
As Big Three era winds down, Rondo must set tempoNBA.com
Game 5 Preview: Celtics Look to Bounce Back from Game 4 CollapseBleacher Report
After break, a breakthroughBoston.com
Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia -Yahoo! Sports -NESN.com
all 2,456 news articles »


New York Times

Coyotes Blank Kings on Road and Take First Step Out of an 0-3 Series Hole
New York Times
LOS ANGELES — If the Phoenix Coyotes succeed in winning four consecutive games to reach their first Stanley Cup finals, they could look back to a rare power-play goal as the start of that seemingly improbable task. Shane Doan scored that goal in the ...
Coyotes force Kings to face adversityESPN
Coyotes stay alive with 2-0 win vs. KingsUSA TODAY
Coyotes beat Kings to avoid sweepFOXSports.com
Bloomberg
all 2,481 news articles »


San Antonio Express (blog)

W2W4: Memories of Games 1 and 7
ESPN (blog)
By Pedro Moura | ESPNLosAngeles.com LOS ANGELES -- It seems like so long ago now that the Clippers put together their most memorable performance of the 2012 playoffs, a massive first-round comeback in which they pulled out an improbable 99-98 Game 1 ...
Spurs-Clippers PreviewYahoo! Sports
Tony Parker leads Spurs offense, shuts down Clippers' Chris PaulLos Angeles Times
Game rewind: Why the Spurs' reaction was so Spurs-likeSan Antonio Express (blog)
Bleacher Report -HoopsWorld
all 2,341 news articles »


NRL.COM

State of Origin Game One preview
NRL.COM
Just eight Blues players remain from the 17 that lost 34-24 in Game Three last July. Brett Stewart returns in the No.1, with Jarryd Hayne shifting from the centres to oust Brett Morris on the left wing. Josh Morris will suit up at right centre ...

and more »


Kansas City Star

Game thread, Mariners vs. Rockies, May 20
The Seattle Times (blog)
ROCKIES EIGHTH: First 1-2-3 inning of the game for Mariners, with Furbush getting the first out, Wilhelmsen the next two. Mariner relievers have worked three scoreless innings. 6-2 Mariners. MARINERS EIGHTH: They go down in order, but still hold a 6-2 ...
Mariners try to close out road trip with sweep of RockiesFox News
Preview: Mariners at RockiesChicago Tribune
Rockies fall again, swept by Mariners with big crowd at Coors FieldDenver Post

all 850 news articles »


Bleacher Report

Thunder rally past Lakers, take 3-1 series lead
Fox News
LOS ANGELES – Kevin Durant stood above the 3-point line and watched the shot clock dwindle in the final seconds of Game 4. When Metta World Peace backed up slightly on defense, Durant hesitated only an instant before launching a 26-footer.
Lakers vs. Thunder: Game 5 TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and MoreBleacher Report
Thunder take 3-1 series lead at Staples centerNew York Daily News
Lakers vs. Thunder Game 3 ReviewOpposing Views
Lakers Nation
all 1,633 news articles »


Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)

A Tale of Two Games
Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)
And this particular match-up was very much a tale of two games. The one played in the first half, which looked like a continuation of the tired out and unimaginative play of the Sounders from last weekend against Real Salt Lake, and the other game ...

and more »


Daily Mail

Making Beckham Britain's captain would be a lightbulb moment for London Games
Daily Mail
By Laura Williamson David Beckham must be the first player Stuart Pearce selects for Team GB's football squad at the London 2012 Olympic Games. It is time to stop being snooty and finally embrace our transatlantic superstar: a serial winner who ...
Flame for London Games arrives in BritainReuters
Flame arrives in BritainElizabethton Star
London 2012 Olympics: start of the Olympic torch relay means the Games have ...Telegraph.co.uk
Mirror.co.uk -Seattle Post Intelligencer
all 4,590 news articles »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006