How is XBL better than PSN?

[Profcrab]

MikeB said:

Profcrab said:

MikeB said:
@ Profcrab

think the included headset with the 360, and ease of setup and use, has contributed a lot to the 360's rep as the best online console. I expect Sony will include a headset with the next console. It's a good strategy.

I don't think so, I already have a good Bluetooth headset I can use with my phone as well. It may help to get more people talking, but IMO that's not always so great.

 

The problem with the Bluetooth setup, especially if you are using your headset to pull double duty as your phone headset and PS3 headset is battery capacity. I sometimes like to play games for several hours. If I'm using my bluetooth headset for my phone, it won't last very long in an online game if even one or two people are talking constantly. This makes that solution not viable. That isn't to say there aren't other options for the PS3 (USB wired or wireless), but none of them are included with it so many people don't use them. Having a headset dedicated to the system with a decent battery life and is included with the console makes for a talkative community.

As for the classic tired comment about how it is not always great to have people talking, that is why they include the mute feature and friends lists. I've never found it too difficult to just mute people.

I give that post a 9.3.

 

Some Blue-Tooth headsets support a respectable battery life of up to 16 hours talking, that's quite long. Personally I have a mini-USB (and a normal USB) cable extension from my PC on the to of my desk. The mini-USB port I use to recharge PS3 controllers, recharge my BlueTooth headset and to connect my photocamera or MP3 player. For me it's not much of an issue. The normal USB port I usually use for flash drives, but if I would need another mini-USB port I'll just get the PS3 extension cable from the desk drawer.

After several hours of gaming, the headset probably still has something like 10 hours of battery life left. You could easily connect it to the PC to recharge.

I'm however not using the headset all of the time with my phone, just when being on the road. The battery of my phone runs out quicker with Bluetooth enabled, a phone without battery charge is worse than a headset running out of battery charge.

 

Some bluetooth headsets can have a long battery life.  They are not usually found in the cheaper variety.  I find it odd that Sony doesn't offer a Sony branded headset.  Maybe a USB wireless headset with replaceable batteries at least in some sort of effort to promote online voice chat.  Unfortunately, all of these solutions, outside of a corded USB headset, are costly for anything of real quality.  So, again, not a big fan of how they implemented voice on the PS3 and it's inaccessibility out of the box is reflected in the lack of voice conversation online.  Next time I play an online game on the PS3, I'll probably use an extension cable and connect my USB headset to it.  That defeats the purpose of this whole wireless migration though.  

For comparison, the 360 headset is a simple corded headset that plugs into the controller.  No setup or battery concerns outside of the controller.  That makes the headset pretty inexpensive and easy to use, therefore, more people use it.

I give that post a 9.4.