That ouya thing will be a failure, no doubt. I dont even understand what exactly its trying to be.

The steam box we dont know enough about. What i pictured is a console that you can actually upgrade the parts instead of buying a new box everytime. Given Valves popularity and if it runs PC games, it might actualy work and will expand the PC market alot because games will be for PC and Steam box at the same time. It will spread the PC userbase to the more casuals. It wont phase current PC users though.

So you want a PC?  

The question is, how big a bite will it be? I can't phantom it'll be that much...

Yes, that was what I was trying to say; certain genres won't be a good fit with this kind of console since some won't be able to use mouse/keyboard in the livingroom. I love me some strategy games, and I wouldn't be able to play them on a console like this. I do think however, that Wii U could pull it off if done right, so if Valve follows suit and design a similar GamePad then maybe.

I think this steambox will attract just a few numbers of console gamers and even fewer PC gamers.

I don't think the SteamBox is going to be much of a threat. It will be the first "console" that you could build yourself cheaper than what Valve sells it for. It will also be the first "console" that you already have if you want to pick up and move your PC into your living room.

It's really just a convenient way play Steam games on your TV.

As for Ouya. Anyone who's played Game Loft's Modern Combat games will tell you that mobile games aren't quite up to next gen standards.

Will it sell well with a bargain price and cool box pictures at Walmart? Sure. Will it change the play-field int he gaming market? Nope.

The steam box is not aimed at me or you. It would be aimed at consumers that find PC's too complicated/daunting and prefer the confort of the living room.

Actually, that would be.

While I'd be fine with buying a new stand alone "Steam Box" every 2-3 years instead of buying a new video card for $200-300, if Valve sells a little $99 box that makes it easier for me to play the hundreds of PC games I've bought on their servers in my living room, the only drawback would be that I'd have to leave my gargantuan workstation on regularly, which sucks up a lot more current than any console.

If I have to turn on my PC and wait for it to boot, load Windows, launch Steam and log in before I turn on the Steam Box, that will pretty much kill the point of having the convenience of a console that takes me one button press on a controller and a disc insert before I'm playing. 

I'm not like the normal PC gamer in that my desktop PC isn't running 24/7 and most of my work is actually done on a laptop. And most of my browsing is now done on a tablet. 

If it wants to be successfull it needs more game content than steam can provide. It would also need to support EA Orgin or they cut out all of EA's games.

the steam box will probably have the most controls options. keyboard and mouse, controller, i believe they have or are working on motion controls, and i dont see why they cant use a smart phone or tablet as a controller like MS.

It probably will yes, but using a keyboard and mouse in the livingroom will cause quite some problems for some people since coffe tables tend to be pretty low, meaning you'd sit so very uncomfortably it wouldn't be worth using that set up... But I guess It's a great alternative than to build your own PC. I'd buy one instead of a new PC if it would work just as well as a PC; but I wouldn't have it in the livingroom