Microsoft to drop Xbox 360 price just in time for PS3 launch.

So, word on the web is that Bill Gates and the boys are gonna chop $100 off the price of the Xbox 360 by the holiday season, which should coincide with the PS3 launch. That will put the 360 at around $300, or roughly half of the cost of the PS3.
With the PS3 set to launch with a $600 price tag, a next generation gaming machine at half the price will look even more appealing to buyers. The high cost of the PS3 is tied to its Blu-ray high def DVD player. When you consider that the drive doesn't give any benefit to the PS3 as a gaming device, only allowing owners to watch high-definition Blu-ray movies (Sony’s proprietary standard as it launches into the high def DVD wars) that choice is looking more like a bad decision everyday. Considering only a small percentage of the population is set up to view and enjoy HD video content, the ongoing concern over what will be the next DVD standard (HD DVD versus Blu-ray) and the high cost of the PS3, consumers will think twice about spending big bucks on a gaming console. With similar game play capable on the cheaper Xbox 360 and the cheaper still Nintendo Wii, its not looking good for Sony.

Mover lovers rejoice, watching at home just got easier.

Netflix, known for its all-you-can watch DVD mail service for $19.95 a month, is moving in to make a another rental industry change.
Netflix is reportedly hard at work on an internet connected set-top box that would allow access and downloads to all the movies in their inventory. So they will eliminate the simplest of renting processes (putting a DVD in an envelope and dropping it in a mailbox) with the ability to download any movie with the click of a button.

The issue with on-demand that we've grown accustomed to as part of our set-top cables boxes is the selection of movies and that selection changing too often. Which leaves you to make the dreaded trip to the video store to look for the movie you want. That brings up another problem. If you love the more obscure, foreign or anime films you still might not be able to find them. Not so with Netflix, this box would give you acces to EVERY film that can be rented.

Now this is what we expected out of downloadable video. High resolution movies and the push of a button. Easy for us and it should make the movie industry rest easy too. Since you're downloading the movies to the box, there's no way to pirate a copy of the film. Bad for us, good for them. Better yet, we may see it by the end of the year. It'll make the perfect holiday gift for movie buffs.

What can't my Xbox 360 do?

Yes, if you hadn't figured it out from my posts below I am a robe owning, card carrying, kool aid drinking member of the Xbox 360 cult. I love the blade interface, the tons of downloadable content (ranging from game videos and demos, music, developer's diaries and wallpapers), and of course the great games and visuals but now......now I have on more thing. What's the capper? My Xbox 360 has a blog about me! It's like it peers into my very gaming soul and sees the true gamer I am. Okay, its probably just a program that catalogs what I'm playing and associates random pre-rendered sentences......but I still thought it was pretty cool.

Check out what my 360 is saying about me @ RangerDutch's Xbox 360 blog.

Let me see, soda snack or PSP?

Well why not? Sony looks to get their hands into everything and they figure we'll buy any product they put out (see post below about $600 gaming console). The issue is they must think that its not easy enough for us to buy Sony goodness. So what can they do to make it so? Well to make it easier on us the consumers why not build a PSP and PSP accessory vending machine. Yeah, that's the ticket. No really, I can't make this stuff up, behold the picture of the "PSP Vending Machine".
That's what keeps everyone from buying a PSP, it's so difficult to get to the store and purchase one. Seems a few select locations (Atlanta GA, Santa Rosa CA and Boulder CO) have received these Sony kiosks that feature a vending machine like set up where you can walk up and select your item from a touch screen, swipe your credit card, purchase a PSP (along with whatever "must have" accessories) and have them delivered to you a la a robotic arm. Ever wonder why that robot arm machine in the arcade could never hold on and deliver you a toy? Must have been because you weren't giving it enough money because for $200 this arm makes sure you get the toy. Sensors make sure the item has been picked up by the buyer and a net connection makes sure products and pricing are up to date. Need something to entertain you while you ponder your purchase? The touch screen also displays music videos and movie previews.

The Nintendo Wii is coming, and it won't break the bank.

This past week Nintendo of America finally gave us some information we've been waiting for, the price tag of its next generation colsole, the Wii.

Nintendo said that the Wii would not exceed $250. To top it off Nintendo said it also plans to ship 6 million systems between its launch in the fourth quarter of 2006 and the end of its fiscal year in March 2007. So, we can afford the Wii and they'll be enough of them shipped for us to get one. Yes I know, novel concept huh?

Unlike, Xbox and Sony Nintendo has taken a different approach and instead of focusing on next gen graphics and making the console the center of your entertaiment system its focuising on more intuitive, easier-to-play games and feature a new motion sensor controller that has the gaming indusry all a buzz. So instead of picking up an Xbox (two version priced at $299 and $399) or a PS3 in November (two versions priced at $499 and $599) you can wait and pick up the Wii for under $250. Not to mention the Wii will have on-line access to the entire Nintendo library for downloading. The choices get tougher and tougher.

Thank you FatWallet, you help keep...my wallet fat.

I don't think I've ever talked about FatWallet.com but let me fix that oversight right now. I do have a lot of "toys" but I normally get them for free, in some type of trade, at some type of discount, but I NEVER pay retail price for anything. What has helped me in my quest to be the stingy (yet cool looking) tech guy? FatWallet.com of course. If you think I spend every waking minute looking for new high tech there are just as many people out there looking for great deals. I have friends (you know who you are) who spend the better part of everything morning just scanning the "hot deals" forums looking for what's on sale, if there's a rebate or even if its free.
So yesterday in my stumbling around the interweb looking for great deals for Xbox 360 games (they are around $60 afterall) I saw that Strawberries Music and Video had Perfect Dark Zero, Project Gotham Racing and Kameo on sale for $29.99 a piece. A good deal but it gets better because when you buy the game you get a $20 per game rebate (by the way, the people at the store didn't even know about the rebate)! So those titles that normally cost $60 everywhere else, I picked up for $9.99 each. $180 worth of games bought for $29.97, after mail in rebate. Ah, the euphoric glee I get from saving money. I wanted PGR and then I have another money "hack" for the two other games (maybe I'll share that at some later time).

I didn't post about it sooner because I found out about it yesterday and not everyone has a Strawberries and I thought the sale ended yesterday. I have since found at that there are similar deals at Coconuts, the Wherehouse and FYE's (all part of the TWEC chain of stores) and the deal might run through Friday. My suggestion, call your local store to see if they have the $29.99 deal and then go purchase to see if you get the rebate. If not you can always say no thanks.

So getting back to the point of this story, if you're looking for the latest geat deals on almost EVERYTHING then FatWallet should be the first place you look. You never know what you might find.

How cool is this?

I say it all the time but I feel very lucky to have my day job and meet/work with the people I do.

Case in point, I've been consulting on the Ghost Recon series for the past few years. There just happens to be an article on me and the game over at Xbox.com. Really? Yes really, I thought it was pretty cool too. Check it out here when you get a chance and tell me what you think.

Just the thing every kid (or grown man) needs.

The perfect blend of RC car and James Bond gadget is the Spy Video Car from SpyGear.

Why we never thought of putting a wireless video camera on a remote control car escapes me but here it is. But wait, it gets better. The car doesn't just have any camera, it has a night vision equipped camera mounted to the front end. slyly on the front of the car, and it sends its signal up to 75 feet back to the user. By using a set of glasses with a small screen over one eye (just like the Army does it), your wanna be 007 can hide anywhere and pilot the Spy video car in every crack and crevice within a couple hundred feet. So this is a prime little gadget for reconnaisance missions: snooping on the big/little sister/brother or sneaking into bathroom, the neighbors house or whatever strikes your fancy.

Using the car was not an easy task. The screen is not high resolution(what would you expect?) seeing a great picture or using it while keeping both eyes open proved to be a challenge while navigating the car took some time. But hey, little Junior (or big Junior) can also learn the idea of patience while playing.The Spy Video Car should be available for Christmas and will cost between $99 and $159.

Sony, are you guys serious?

From the annals of "I can't believe he said that", Sony Computer Entertainment Europe CEO David Reeves told Computer and Video Games that "We (Sony) have built up a certain brand equity over time since the launch of PlayStation in 1995 and PS2 in 2000 that the first five million are going to buy it, whatever it is, even it didn't have games." Are you freakin' kidding me? Its bad enough that you're going to charge us $600 bucks for a system, then push the launch date back, THEN tell us we won't own the $60 games we buy but now you show Sony's ego by stating we the public will buy the console even it it ships with no games?! So we'll line up to pay $600 for a Blu-Ray DVD? I don't think so. And I'm certainly not the only one that feels that way. Do a little Google search on that quote and see how up in arms everyone is.

I can certainly see that Sony has been market leader for two solid generations of console making. HOWEVER, the console wars are an ongoing event and Microsoft s rapidly cutting its piece out of the market. Ther new console, line up of games, and Live service are outstanding. Not to mention Nintendo's Wii and its new controller. I think Sony, and more specifically its leadership, might be placing a little too much faith in the perceived strength of their brand. They better pray to the game gods that their console is the best thing on the market and delivers all the promises or the PS3 is going the way of the SEGA Saturn!!