Video game consoles duking it out ...
Monday, December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas !This Christmas season would be the battleground for video game console companies to duke it out, as each of the Big-3 have gotten their gears together in front of game-hungry consumers. Microsoft's bad boy has been out there the longest, the XBox 360 had a year-long headstart in this race. Nintendo and Sony sent out their best efforts almost within days of each other, with the Wii and the Playstation 3 respectively.
Personally, I do not claim any allegiance to any console system. I have had the original Playstation, the original XBox as well as the GameCube. I don't consider myself a die-hard gaming enthusiast, but I do enjoy a few good games every so often. Therefore, this next generation consoles are rather tempting to say the least because I should be in the market for one of them soon if not immediately.
One of the first criteria for consideration would be price. In this case, the ladder in ascending order appears to be XBox 360, Wii and Playstation 3. Many folks on and off the web have expressed dissatisfaction with Sony's decision to price the Playstation 3 at such a high level. Yes, the Playstation 3 hardware is perhaps a more expensive and capable assembly with better expansion prospects, graphics as well as home entertainment compatibility. However, the issue here is probably going to be more so about affordability than it is about hardware capabilities. Hence, in this round, the XBox 360 and Wii would have the upper hands in my mind.
Second criteria, games - games - games. Which among the Big-3 has the game selections that I am looking for ? I enjoy a lot of sports games, such as the Madden series, NBA basketball and also other sports-related titles. I also like IQ-enhancing puzzle-based games. I am not into first-person-shooter(FPS) titles. In this round, I believe it is going to be a 3-way tie because all three console systems are well-stocked with sports titles.
The next criteria in my opinion comes down to aesthetics and user-interface. Somehow, as I migrated from one platform to the next ... Playstation -> XBox -> Gamecube ... the biggest difficulty for me is the controls. I have a hard time adjusting to the X-Y-Z and A-B-C buttons for the different console systems. The user-interface and controls are complicated compared to the good 'ol days of Atari. This time around, Nintendo even created a whole new form of controls by going with the 'Nunchuk' and 'Wii Remote(Wiimote)' concepts. As reluctant as I ought to be, I am leaning towards the Wii for this round, simply for curiosity sake. On the innovation front, 2006 kicks-off a lot of promises for each of the Big-3 video game console makers. I am looking forward to put one of them in my home.
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Detroit revival ...
Monday, December 04, 2006
It has been 3 years since I moved to the Detroit area. This city has been a city of discovery for me and my family because there is a lot of diversity and variety in every facets, ranging from racial composition and dining options to socio-economic status and cultural events. In 2006, I believe Detroit cannot possibly have imagined the windfall from sports. Early in the year, Detroit hosted Superbowl XL that saw an urban revival unlike many, as the city shined gloriously for fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks. There were accolades coming from every direction regarding the state of downtown Detroit. Then towards the later part of the year, we were treated to a World Series berth as our Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees to win the pennant and a chance to play the St. Louis Cardinals. Although the Tigers came up short, we graciously congratulate the Cardinals as the World Series champion.
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Time for reflection ...
Friday, December 01, 2006
During the holiday season, there is usually a lot of time to reflect. I have been looking back and wondered about the significance that 2006 has brought. As we approach New Year's Eve and 2007 in another few weeks, it is certainly important to feel grateful for the many significant events that have left an impression in me throughout this year. I will highlight one event each week for the next 5 weeks that are important to me personally or important to the community at large.
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