Sony took 3 generations to get it right.

Microsoft made a reliable console right out of the gate.

I don't think I need to say any more.

/Thread.

sony improved gen upon gen, microsft has gone backwards

It tooks Sony 3 generations of hardware to achieve what Microsoft did in 1.

Microsoft > Sony as a console maker because they got it right first time.

The fact that there were hardware problems this generation doesn't make them bad hardware engineers as they have already proved their ability to make a rock steady console. I wouldn't have believed that Sony could make a reliable console until this generation.

This is NOT RRoD that is holding back consumer considering u have the safe "3 year warranty" that was an amazing move from MS.

The main problem is the lack of brandname associated with MS and their Xbox. :

For most consumer :

1/ they dont know it
2/ they consider it is for hardcore gamer (translate male 15-25 years old)
3/ they dont like it (Vista sucks etc ...)

At the opposite :

1/ EVERYBODY know Ninty and Sony
2/ Wii and PS2 are well know from casual
3/ There is not hate agaisnt Ninty, and to a less extent, Sony.

MS, since they are here, never made the step ... never.
(make the step would be like : be the hot console to purchase)

Dude you cant say Xbox has never been the hot console to purchase. Grantec, the Wii's got that firmly nailed down, but consider that the Xbox caters to a different demographic. 2007 was basically year of the xbox in America.

 In some respects MS has gone backwards.  The original Xbox was well made and included a hard drive.  MS mades some questionable manufacturing decisions to get out of the gate first and it has hurt their reputation.  Not having a hard drive in all models is inexcusable.

MS has gone backwards on their second console.

The exclusion of a Hard Drive, and a high failure rate is taking two steps back no matter how you cut it.

Obviously, MS will stay in the game, but they have to be profitable. I don't think that even with all the money MS has, that they can afford to have another console be in the red. MS is down, what, 6 billion or so since the original XBOX came out? No matter how much you have in the bank, if they don't ever see profitability, it won't keep on coming, and the hardware directly ties into that. Spending 1 billion on repairs isn't chump change, and that can never happen again.

 ==> I m not saying that Xbox360 is dying here.

I was just saying it is not the "hot console".

But I agree it was the hot console in 2007 in NA.

Squilliam you are almost on a 1 man mission to dismiss the PS3 and back the 360! No one else is helping you which makes the case for the 360 been better than the PS3 to be low - very low.......