We at onAXIS like to do these kind of articles for some reason, hoping maybe someone will see this and take action upon it. This article is going to go very in-depth, so keep with it.
Okay, first, lets start off with interface, below we have the interface for the PlayStation Network, and the interface for Xbox Live.
Now, if you take a look, Xbox Live lists "Messages, Friends, and Chat" usually with an ad under Xbox Live when logged online showcasing a new download or game on the Marketplace. While the PlayStation 3 lists the friend addition, blocking, and message box, all under one XMB icon.
That is something about the PlayStation Network interface, it lacks a certain feel of things. Now I own both consoles, and I love my PlayStation 3, but when I log on to Xbox Live, I feel complete. When I log onto my PlayStation 3, it feels like a revamped version of PlayStation 2 online, very bland and such.
The Xbox Live Marketplace is displayed the same on every television, even those crappy small SDTV's that your uncle gave to you after he threw out his PSone that you dug out the trash to play on that TV. The PlayStation Store displays differently depending on which sort of television you have. If you have an SDTV, it will display with only 4 selections and no right panel.
The Xbox Live Marketplace is always full of ads, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Most of the ads give benefit toward you, as they show the latest games, movies, tv shows, etc. Another thing about the Marketplace is, is that it is very organized, it has sections for everything. The demos can be categorized by genre, name, date, etc. They have Bringing It Home during special events, and they don't update on one specific day.
This Marketplace also has Video on Demand, which means TV downloads, Movie downloads, and such.
The interface is very easy to browse through, and there is no waiting times to see information about a game.
The PlayStation Store, it updates every Thursday of the week. It's "featured items" also known as new arrivals are shown on the store front upon entering. The store is based upon a browser web-page which makes browsing through the store a hassle. The only organization in the story is category organization, or full story alphabetically.
Sadly, it has no video on demand.
Due to having an SDTV, some users of the Network might not be able to see the two ads, which are usually the same for a long time until being changed. The ads are usually only for games, as well.
Lets now take a look at the community, because thats what online is really all about. With Xbox Live, talking to your friends, cross-game inviting them, voice chatting them, video chatting them, and instant messaging them is all at the click of a button (the (X) button).
On the PlayStation 3, in order to get to your friends list, you must exit your game to do so. There is no in-game voice chat, or cross-game/in-game invites. Quite disappointing.
On the Xbox 360, each user has their own unique profile, with their recently played games, personal slogan, gamerscore, achievments, and such.
On the PlayStation 3, a user has a profile with an icon, a small about me section, and a section of what languages you speak, which cannot even be viewed in-game. The PlayStation 3 sports no sort of achievements, but sports Home soon enough. But some think that Home may not be the ultimate experience, what if you want to do all that you can do in Home, outside it?
If you want us to tell you the drastic truth, Xbox Live wins this match, and it will keep winning this match until Sony takes action and starts rolling out it's forces. I'm a big supporter of Sony, but facts don't lie, in fact, they can't talk.
http://onaxis.blogspot.com/2007/09/onaxis-live-vs-network.html
Wow so Xbox Live is better. So I'm not missing out on anything spectular on the PS3 Online. Go Microsoft!!
