Video Game Consoles

Ok, so you've managed to hold off on buying a new video game system for this long. You'd still be happy with your Atari or Coleco Vision if the cartridges still worked right, but let's face it: you're overdue. Here's the real reason you've been holding off: you aren't familiar with any of the new games, and don't really want to be bothered learning one of those new controllers. Strangely enough, there are plenty of reasons to get a video game console these days that have nothing to do with video games.

1. Web access. Every one of the newest consoles has some way off connecting to the internet for some fairly easy browsing. This can be pretty handy if you've got a family and only one or two computers connected to the net. Let's face it, for a computer that can browse the web, $250-$400 is pretty reasonable.

2. "Old"/"Retro" Games. Ok, I'll admit it, this is more video games, but these are the classics! Each one of the new consoles has its own way of adding these gems to the console itself, so you can play as much as you like without having to pump in more quarters. Now, your options are going to be limited by what each console has to offer, so if this appeals, it's easy enough to do some research into which holds the most favorites for you.

3. Movies. The Xbox 360 functions as a DVD player when you buy the remote control, and the Playstation 3 will play Blu-Ray discs as well. Currently, the PS3 is the cheapest Blu-Ray players on the market, and strangely enough, probably the best. Sony's banking on the hopes that you'll buy games to recover the cost, but not forcing you to, so just enjoy this lower price anyways. The Xbox 360 also has a limited selection of movies that you can purchase/rent for a certain length of time without the need to insert any discs.

4. Media Extenders. This is a tricky one to explain, especially since, in my experience, it's not a term that many in retail are familiar with. A media extender is any device that allows you to view/hear media that is stored(digitally) somewhere else. Confused? Say you've bought a few
songs online and you'd like to hear them without having to sit at your computer to do so. With the right Media Extender, you could listen to them through your home stereo, without having to physically move anything. The Xbox 360 and PS3 both function as media extenders, which can be handy if you've got a lot of videos or music stored on your computer, or elsewhere on your home network. Setting up this feature is no small task in some cases, but can be really rewarding. I will talk about the details of media extenders more some other time, but for now, just remember that this is something to consider when comparing these two consoles.

5. Simple controllers. Ok, this really only applies to the Wii(for now...) and if you find all those buttons a bit daunting from those other game systems, the Wii has got you in mind. Try it out in the store sometime and see how you like it. If you've going to be using the console for anything other than games, remember this is how you're going to be doing it. That goes for the other consoles, too(With the exception of DVD playing).

These are just a few things to consider, and if nothing here really strikes you as compelling, don't buy a system for yourself.