Let me start by saying I've always thought that the price ($299) was too high for the original unit and I would always wait until the price dropped...which is why I was super surprised that the PSP was priced so affordably.
The core system doesn't seem to offer anything over and above what the traditional Xbox offers...as a matter of fact, I don't see anything about a hard drive available. The article does not mention that the core unit comes with any kind of hard drive (as the older version did). I would be kind of pissed off if I was used to having a hard drive on the system then they removed it and made it only available on the next model up. What's the incentive to buy the 360 over the traditional Xbox? Perhaps I just don't know enough and having been following the gaming technology. I used to know by the number of bits they were using, but now, I'm outta da loop.
I think the fully loaded package is cool or "nice to haves" but the price is totally ridiculous. I totally disagree with Mr. Pachter's comment "...only a complete idiot would buy the $299 model." If the core model ADDS something over the traditional Xbox, then I'm sure MS will have a core model market at that price...it just wouldn't be me. As for the features of the fully loaded package, I like the removable HD thing. Makes me think I can simply take my HD and stick it in somebody else's console and play my own stuff. If that's the case, I like that. Including all of those cables and stuff and trying to use that to bump up the price is insane. Hardcore gamers probably already have those cables laying around. Totally don't understand the remote control and why it adds value. Can't you (or shouldn't you be able to) control everything from a controller? Why the hell did they have to make a remote control?
Anyway, that's my $ 0.02.
I'm starting to look forward to the Revolution now. I can't believe I slagged it so bad up to this point, but Nintendo might actually be the answer to the crazy inflation. PEACE.
