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The Big Three's consoles: size matters
Just thought you'd like to know. And yeah, even thought it's not the stylingest, we think aesthetically (if not the Wii then) the PStwo is probably our fav. But that's just us.P.S. -We understand the Wii's not 100% accurately represented here. Looks pretty close though.[Via Joystiq]
MacBook vs. iBook
Everyone has gone MacBook crazy (or is it just me?)! However, let us not forget the honorable iBook that the MacBook has replaced in Apple's product matrix. System Shootouts hasn't forgotten. They have, in fact, pitted the MacBook against the iBook in a point by point comparison. Who comes out on top? I'm not telling, but I think you might be a little surprised.
Don't know what Mac laptop to get?
There are a veritable plethora of Intel based Mac portables for you to choose from now, thanks to the just added MacBook. What's a consumer to do? Why, check out this comparison chart to see which model has what gizmo. This is very handy (and notice that the MacBooks ship with 2 256 RAM chips, so keep that in mind if you want to update the RAM).[Via Red Sweater Links]
The MacBook compromise
The big difference between a MacBook and a MacBook Pro? In my opinion, and the one thing PC users will be quick to point out: the absence of a dedicated video card. The video cards on the MacBook Pros are fantastic, and bring a lot to the table when doing graphically intensive tricks like 3d animation or, say, games. I priced a MacBook Pro to my liking about a week ago, 120 GB drive, 1 GB of RAM, 2 GHz duo. Guess what? A similarly configured MacBook is a lot cheaper, but keep in mind the graphics compromise you're going to make. The proof will be when someone runs World of Warcraft on their MacBook... One thing I'm glad they added back in though: audio input, and they added digital I/O!
Anatomy of shame: Dual Shake vs. Wiimote
Perhaps you heard a loud rumbling sound several moments after our friend, Krazy Kutaragi, took the stage at the Sony E3 press conference and revealed what was, according to him, a big "secret" regarding the new old and improved PS3 controller. The source of the noise was undoubtedly the countless gamers rolling their eyes in unison at a new "innovation" that, if you're at all interesting in gaming, is unlikely to have struck you as very innovative at all. It's arguable that Nintendo's Wii merely uses parts that have been around for ages and isn't particularly innovative in that sense, but it's difficult not to raise an eyebrow when a competing console manufacturer decides to implement a control interface that, until recently, was considered unorthodox. It was pretty shameless.
Cheaper PS3 loses HDMI, slots, Wi-Fi, 40GB
As you can see above, there are a few things different between the two PS3 SKUs planned. (Hint: the obvious alterations concern high-def output and wireless connectivity -- though Bluetooth controllers should work just fine with both, with or without any chrome case highlighting.)So what's HDMI, built-in multimedia card-reader slots, wireless internet connectivity, and an extra 40 gigabytes' hard disk space worth to you? $100? Now that Sony's gone with the 2-SKU approach with its next-gen hardware (a la the Xbox 360's premium and "Core" systems), we can expect some tough consumer choices after six months -- with console shortages possibly for another six months after that -- as $100 separates the base $499 and premium $599 versions of Sony's "Clear Black" hope.HDMI is important to those who want to take full advantage of Blu-ray high def and have the new screens to use it; MemoryStick, SD, and CompactFlash slots would be nice for the PS3 memory-card users and those will run multimedia on the system; Wi-Fi's the only way to avoid stringing ethernet cables for online access; and 360 owners might appreciate the full 60GB available to potential buyers of the premium PS3 model. Neither model comes with a second HDMI port; thankfully, one should hopefully be all most users need. The details are laid out in a feature-comparison table at the end of Sony's official PS3 hardware press release, available in both Adobe Reader and Microsoft Word formats. Determine what's most important to your PS3 ambitions there.[Image pieced together from the PlayStation.com forums; thanks, Guru]
And then there was Lite
Like many of you, I was forced to endure a torturous waiting period before I could even consider touching and otherwise inappropriately fondling a Nintendo DS Lite. After wrestling the package away from a disgruntled postal worker and slashing him it to ribbons with a few well placed knife strokes, I was finally able to grasp that which had eluded me for so long. A DS Lite--Enamel Awesome. I mean Navy. Of course, I can't just tinker with this wonderful device and keep all my findings and thoughts to myself. That would be rude. Instead, I'll spend this weekend putting the system through its paces, informing you of its inherent dangers and in doing so, undoubtedly take so many comparison shots that you will become violently ill upon seeing them. If you have questions about any aspect of the DS Lite, post a comment and let me know which parts of the system I should be putting under a magnifying glass or sticking a screwdriver into. I'll try and answer to the best of my limited and frequently embarrassing ability.No, you can't have it.
Lite vs. Phat: Round Five
If you still needed convincing of the DS Lite's considerable improvements upon the original DS design, Shacknews has now posted their analysis of the Enamel Navy variant. Of course, you won't even bother reading it since you're clearly the most stubborn person in the known universe.As usual, the culprits behind the Lite's criminal allure are present and accounted for here: Brighter screens, more tactile buttons, a better stylus, sleeker trimmings and the ability to gather a wide variety of dirty fingerprints. It's interesting to note that the Enamel Navy unit looks almost pitch black in the photographs, though that may be attributed to weird lighting conditions and/or meteorological phenomena. See also: Lite vs. Phat: Round One Lite vs. Phat: Round Two Lite vs. Phat: Round Three Lite vs. Phat: Round Three and a Half Lite vs. Phat: Round Four
BF2MC comparison video
While you're restlessly waiting for the Battlefield 2: Modern Combat demo to show up on XBLM, check out this EA-produced video comparing the Xbox and Xbox 360 versions of the game. As Xboxyde notes, it's a nice retort to the "Xbox 1.5" haters out there.That's great EA. Now where's our friggin' demo?
Twenty years on: gaming now and then
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. This short but sweet comparison shows games from the 1980s put side-by-side with their modern counterparts, helping to show how far gaming has come in two decades.What's harder to judge is whether the games on the left are fundamentally any different from those on the right. A glossy graphical coating might mask identical gameplay, and you may have had as much fun playing The Bard's Tale then as you do World of Warcraft now. The success of various Xbox Live Arcade titles is testament to the timeless nature of some games; next-gen graphics are undoubtedly nice, but they serve to hide any advances being made on the gameplay fronts.[Via /.]
Lite vs. Phat: Round Four
This week, Eurogamer joins in on the rather one-sided battle that is the original DS versus the swanky DS Lite. Their conclusions are strikingly similar to the ones shared by most sane people, in that Nintendo's revision boasts a more compact design, sleeker looks, a better stylus and much brighter screens."We never really complained about the old DS screen, but put next to its younger sibling it draws howls of derision. Really, howls - we're not showing it to girls any more, they hurt our ears."If you find yourself swelling with hatred and jealousy after reading the rest of the excellent article and realizing that your import Lite has yet to find its way to you (join the ever-growing club), at least find some solace in the fact that, unlike Eurogamer, you didn't opt for the Arctic Blue Lite. We're joking. Don't kill us, Blue fans. Seriously though, it's the worst one.(Yes, still joking.)See also: Lite vs. Phat: Round One Lite vs. Phat: Round Two Lite vs. Phat: Round Three Lite vs. Phat: Round Three and a Half
Lite vs. Phat: Round Three and a Half
With some questions still lingering after his conclusive DS to DS Lite comparison video, Cabel has uploaded another informative video of Nintendo's smart redesign, this time examining how it handles monstrous GBA carts, how its thickness compares to other handheld devices and, of course, the insane brightness levels. He also hands down some pointers with regards to holding the DS Lite. Apparently, coddling it like a baby isn't the way to go about it. [Thanks Bbasya!]See also: Lite vs. Phat: Round One Lite vs. Phat: Round Two Lite vs. Phat: Round Three
MacBook Pro Value Proposition
NotebookReview.com has an interesting article on the new MacBook Pro that at once takes a preview look at the Powerbook replacement (albeit a non-hands on preview) and compares it to other PC laptops running the same Intel chipset. It's interesting because it is the first time that Apple laptops have been so easily comparable to PC laptops due to the shared technologies between the two devices. No more special magical algorithms to determine the proper PPC to Intel Mhz conversion. The article is basically tackling the age old question—are Macs overpriced?—and seems to be asking a lot of the right questions. If you're considering getting a MacBook Pro, it's definitely worth a read. Check it out.
Next-gen console size comparisons
Here at Joystiq, we love comparing the size of different things. Ignoring for a moment the deep-seated psychological trauma behind it all, we've found this image which takes PS3 and Revolution mockups and compares them to the Xbox 360, Xbox, PS2, slimline PS2 and Gamecube. Whew. Hit the 'Read' link for the full image.It looks a fairly realistic mock-up, with the Revolution winning "tiniest console by far" award, stealing the crown from the slimline PS2. However, if the Revolution really will be that small, we can't help but wonder how large the power supply will be in comparison.[UPDATE: 4 color rebellion point out that the picture of the Revolution is misleading, as the CDROM wouldn't actually fit. They've fixed the scaling here.][via digg]
iPod nano comparison shots
I just wanted to write up a quick post and let everyone know that I took some shots of our contest winner's iPod nano in its box and alongside the bag I'm sending with it. I also took pictures of my already scratched up iPod nano next to the box and on the box to show how the design on the packaging is actual size.
