Similar instruction set and does contain a single PowerPC core, but the SPUs are very limited and have to be coded for with the asymmetry in mind. It probably WAS more powerful than the Xenon when fully optimised for but few devs bothered hence the ceaseless debate.

The AMD v Nvidia GPU debate was also bad because there was no desktop equivalent to the R520 to compare to.

I hate the idea of a living room media machine that tries to do everything from TV, games, movies, music, internet browsing to social networking.

I really hope MS doesn't choose that path. But it's already pretty obvious that they will.

I'm expecting only one unique console.

If that console meets success for its uniqueness, other manufacturer's will play catch-up, they'll copy and brainwash consumers it is some sort of improvement.

It's been like that for centuries, in many industries, nothing is gonna change.

But yeah, only one unique coNsole =)

I believe Microsoft will push a more powerful console and moneyhat western 3rd party devs away from the WiiU, and that will lead to a MS/Sony twin effort against Nintendo once again. However this time it won't be as simple, since Nintendo will have the majority of the installbase before the other two have a chance to prove themselves to the industry and devs.

Will be interesting, but in the end Nintendo will make it through regardless, they are just that awesome. Mind you it will be awesome the first few years having a console with everything (best of Nintendo and best of 3rd party), I'm looking forward to that.

I'm not sure I see this as likely ...

Poor performing consoles (generally) end up selling around 50% to 60% of the level of their previous generation counterparts; and the Wii U averaging 10 Million units per year would still make it a viable system, especially being that publishers will (likely) be moving towards games that scale to play on as many platforms as possible. Beyond that you have to consider the impact of launching first. Suppose you have two systems launching a year apart with one system selling 15 million units and the other selling 7.5 million units. If the better selling system launches second this is what you get

1: 7.5 vs 0
2: 15 vs 15
3: 22.5 vs 30
4: 30 vs. 45
5: 37.5 vs. 60
6: 45 vs 75
7: 52.5 vs 90
8: 60 vs 105

Now, if the better selling system launches first:

1: 15 vs 0
2: 30 vs 7.5
3: 45 vs 15
4: 60 vs 22.5
5: 75 vs 30
6: 90 vs 37.5
7: 105 vs 45

Assuming all else is equal, when the better selling system launches second you would expect third party support to drop of to the first system between year 6 and 8 and when the better selling system launches first you would expect third party support to drop off to the second system between years 3 and 5.

The X1600

Sorry, meant R500. It has unified shaders but it's not R600.

nah all of them will be like WiiU! haven't you people learned anything?

They are certainly trying with Smartglass and trumpeted Vita usage. Doing what Nintendo has been diong for a decade.

We can always start with Nintendo is doomed.