It?s my theory that a few generations down the line, consoles will become so similar to PC?s that for all intents and purposes they will no longer be consoles as such.
All consoles now have some form of web access and messaging function. But controllers are not meant for these purposes. The 360 controller even has a keyboard attachment. As console Internet technology becomes more streamlined, users are going to want something much more comfortable than a minute keyboard and thumb sticks for extended messages or browsing sessions. The answer to this will be along the lines of the keyboard and mouse/laser pointer. Now if keyboards are introduced to the console scene, there are a whole load of new keys that could be assigned in game-functions. Since the input on controllers is very limited, it is a very tempting prospect. At some point keyboards will become a standard. A controller is a two handed object and adding a keyboard to this mix wont work, so a one handed solution is needed. This could be along the lines of the Wii?s motion sensor (Natal for example) or the good old mouse. Of course with these new devices, the controller is no longer necessary. Using a keyboard on your lap can be a pain, so you may see people migrate to desks, where a mouse will be much more useful hand a hand held motion controller.
When the first x-box was released I heard it being described as basically being a computer in a box. And to a degree this is true. Consoles now require hard drives, which the game is actively installed on, and the size of these hard drives has grown considerably.
How much easier would have life been for 360 owners if they has simply been able to remove the part that had been causing RroD?s and asked for Microsoft to replace it, instead of having to ship the console away for 2 weeks t cost to the owner? Being able to take the side off and simply replace the offending part would save much time and hassle. Now since this can be done, why not provide more powerful parts for modular consoles? I have noticed some terrible frame rate issues on the 360, but a better graphics card would sort those out if you were so inclined. Noticing slow down on your game?s as they are loaded from your hard drive? Then add some more RAM.
The way I see it, consoles will eventually merge into Pc?s or become them, maybe with Sony and Microsoft competing in a similar way to Dell and HP.
But that?s just my idea, lets get a good debate going here. Do you agree/disagree with the points I raised? Which ones and why?
All consoles now have some form of web access and messaging function. But controllers are not meant for these purposes. The 360 controller even has a keyboard attachment. As console Internet technology becomes more streamlined, users are going to want something much more comfortable than a minute keyboard and thumb sticks for extended messages or browsing sessions. The answer to this will be along the lines of the keyboard and mouse/laser pointer. Now if keyboards are introduced to the console scene, there are a whole load of new keys that could be assigned in game-functions. Since the input on controllers is very limited, it is a very tempting prospect. At some point keyboards will become a standard. A controller is a two handed object and adding a keyboard to this mix wont work, so a one handed solution is needed. This could be along the lines of the Wii?s motion sensor (Natal for example) or the good old mouse. Of course with these new devices, the controller is no longer necessary. Using a keyboard on your lap can be a pain, so you may see people migrate to desks, where a mouse will be much more useful hand a hand held motion controller.
When the first x-box was released I heard it being described as basically being a computer in a box. And to a degree this is true. Consoles now require hard drives, which the game is actively installed on, and the size of these hard drives has grown considerably.
How much easier would have life been for 360 owners if they has simply been able to remove the part that had been causing RroD?s and asked for Microsoft to replace it, instead of having to ship the console away for 2 weeks t cost to the owner? Being able to take the side off and simply replace the offending part would save much time and hassle. Now since this can be done, why not provide more powerful parts for modular consoles? I have noticed some terrible frame rate issues on the 360, but a better graphics card would sort those out if you were so inclined. Noticing slow down on your game?s as they are loaded from your hard drive? Then add some more RAM.
The way I see it, consoles will eventually merge into Pc?s or become them, maybe with Sony and Microsoft competing in a similar way to Dell and HP.
But that?s just my idea, lets get a good debate going here. Do you agree/disagree with the points I raised? Which ones and why?
