Xbox 360 vs. Apple TV: an overlooked battlefront?


Crave, C|Net’s Gadget Blog, has posted a lengthy article about the often overlooked battle (if you can call it that) between the Xbox 360 and the Apple TV. They mention the install base (around 18 million 360’s compared to less than two million AppleTV’s), but they are claiming that the Xbox Live Video Marketplace is essentially untapped.

I would disagree, as Microsoft sees respectable sales, rivaling the likes of NetFlix and other on demand services. The article goes on to say that …”most of the future Xbox 360 owners are looking for something more than gaming and Microsoft is the only company that can provide it.” Not to shine a light on the competition, but I’m pretty sure Sony has gotten a good chunk of sales with the Playstation 3 since the definitive victory of BluRay! Why the article seems to ignore the fact that, while it may not have an on demand video service (yet), the BluRay feature is a driving force behind making the PS3 quite the home-entertainment choice.

So, even I say the article is a bit spotty – but it’s a good read and brings up some valid arguments about the future for the service.

UPDATE 1: As an additional side note, for our Mac owners out there, a new piece of software called Rivet promises to stream Mac video, music, and photos to the Xbox 360. Though it does carry an $18.95 price tag, there is a trial version for everyone to check out. Let’s hope Microsoft doesn’t get touchy and decide to block it’s functionality, some way, in a future dashboard update!

2008: Family fun, girl gamers, IPTV, and more!

While it was reported yesterday that video game sales in Japan are expected to peak this year, and fall over the next two to three years. Meanwhile, in the states, even the Christian Science Monitor admits that gaming is still tapping into new (see: female) audiences. So much so that the powers that be over at C|Net’s news.com have determined 2008 to be the year of gaming, and companies like Sigma Designs have started partnering with our beloved Microsoft to work on the ability to provide 16 simultaneous streaming video channels to a “set top box” – potentially even the Xbox 360. The pull the gaming industry has on other industries is growing, as the whole video game “fad” becomes more of a cornerstone of American living. Take that, Fox News.