how does 600 bux qualify as free? blu-ray logic baffles me..
The comment was made tongue-in-cheek.
The PS3 is primarily a premium gaming system...that just happens to be an outstanding BD Player and run Linux quite nicely too. What games can be played on an HD DVD stand-alone player? And what operating systems can you load onto them? As for the XBox360, it was pointed out the HD DVD options will cost an addition $199 for this capability. It's just not an apples-to-apples comparison to considered the PS3 as a stand-alone BD player only. To be honest, I am not interested in a BD stand-alone player until the price comes down a couple hundred dollars...and I really don't need one since I have two PS3.
This weekend I noticed Costco had a Toshiba HD DVD player selling for $249.99 after $100 instant rebate...a very tempting price until you realize Blu-Ray will probably have 80% of the HD disc market come next summer. Still, the offer comes with five (5) free HD DVD movies (rebate) which is a good deal if you have already purchased a number of HD DVDs. I have never considered HD DVD, but I just may take them up on this offer and pick-up a player this week. Heck, the better the HD DVD offers the faster BD prices will drop. I don't mind being caught in the middle of a price war...it's all good for us!
A huge mystery is why (11-years after the Telecommuncations Act of 1996 was enacted) can't I purchase a stupid cable set-top-box at the local Wally-Mart, Besty-Buy, Circuitous-City? Really! Sony had a wonderful HD DVR with free built-in TV Guide On Screen and Cablecard support, but they pulled it off the market more than a year and a half ago. The only other cable STB on the market is the Tivo Series3 which, after paying $600, then requires the owner to fork-over a monthly Tivo fee. Ugh! (sorry to get off-topic)
