Home is going to use they're in-(game?) advertisements to generate profit from what I'm getting. Sure you can buy all that other useless crap if you really feel the need to :P But lets just consider that downloadable content yah ;)
The free service by itself will generate profit for them. And it doesn't cost us anything. Win Win on both parties. They found a working solution.
All in all, it just seems to me like MS doesn't have any passion for this market. Sony's notorious for creating so many failed formats, most of which however, have been better than what was out there at the time :/ They seem like tinkerer's to me. Hell they created a new microchip, it could benefit them down the road, but who knows? And that's really the point, it wasn't a safe move, but it's one they took anyway. There still creating, still inventing. They still seem fresh :P Whereas with Microsoft charging me so much money for the dumbest crap, it's like, seriously guys? It's highway robbery sometimes and people shouldn't be ok with that.
I kid you not, my friend spent like $80 buying a black wireless 360 controller, and the rechargable pack for it when they came out. That's insanity >
And the cost of the HDD's and adapters and such is just so ridiculous that it's comical.
Then like you mentioned, silver does everything gold does ACCEPT play online, for that they charge you :/ XBOX HAS NETFLIX!!! If you pay for gold... sigh :(
From 0 to KICKASS in .stupid seconds.
