It's not native support, it's through 3rd party software (PlayOn).

No, but you have to pay for Live on the 360 for Netflix functionality so it's somewhat comparable.

comparing apples to oranges. xbox live gives you infinite functionality that playon won't give you for the ps3. plus, you could just get playon for the xbox.

PS3 is generally a quality piece of hardware that doesn't use a whole lot of proprietary tech. 360 on the other hand...

As many have said, it really all comes down to how much you plan on playing games vs. multimedia. Games = Xbox (larger library, arcade, online community is much richer). Multimedia = PS3. Also, I will second what JasonF said about controllers.

Speaking of which, did Sony get a clue and add an IR Receiver to the Slim or is it still BT only?

When I was weighing the options a year ago over which one to get, it was a much more difficult decision to make. But now, with both consoles being the same price with different feature sets, I'd say the PS3 is the clear winner. Blu-ray, built-in wireless, free online network, and lack of RROD-level failure rates were the deciding factors for me last year. I also wasn't a fan of what I viewed as Microsoft nickel-and-diming their customers, with their proprietary hard drives and additional wireless adapter, both of which are grossly overpriced. I'm not a fan of the 360's paid online service, but from what I've heard it's well worth it. Similarly, I've heard some people have had problems with PSN's speeds, but I've never had any issues thus far.

Since you've sat out this generation up to this point, I'm thinking you might be a bit of a casual gamer, so I'd say the things that the 360 has in its favor (huge game library, superior online network) might not matter to you.

Haha, touche! I don't think the Slim adds an IR Receiver, but Dolby TrueHD and DTS MA-HD can now be bitstreamed.

I think that PS3 gets a bad rap when it comes to game selection. Most games these days are released on both, and PS3 has its shared of nice exclusives as well...

Besides the price drop, the bitstreaming is the primary reason I'm looking at a 2nd one. It would have been nice if they added that so I could integrate it with my harmony w/o buying a translator.

I'm pretty sure RROD is over, but I don't personally know anybody with a 360 who hasn't had RROD at some point. It's a terriffic gaming system, especially for online. Live is terriffic but costs $30-50/year, and you'll also need a $100 Wi-Fi adapter if you don't want to run a cable.

PS3 plays most of the same games, has plenty of quality exclusives of its own, is a terriffic BRD player and DVD upconvertor, has free online play, has a web-browser, has minimal quality control issues, has built-in Wi-Fi, and costs exactly the same for a usable system ($300).

Yeah, that's pretty much what I consider it.

What exactly is this infinite functionality that you speak of. Playon plays netflix just as well as the xbox dash one does, and doesn't require that you pay for an online service to do so.

Except PlayOn is $30.

I do think that the 360 has more exclusives but casual games who pick up only a handful of games a year (if that) won't notice.

Here is the thing though. If someone doesn't play online with their 360 like I didn't, then to use netflix on the 360 you are required to pay for xbox live which at it's cheapest is usually 40 for a year. So now someone has paid 40 bucks for xbox live when they don't play online games. Playon is 40 dollars and will play without any additional yearly charges. So after the first year you have just saved money from not having to buy a new year of live. If MS didn't make you be a live subscriber to use netflix then this argument would make perfect sense. And you can use playon on the 360, which means that you can buy it and do netflix the same as the 360 dash one does, and not spend the 40 dollars for the year of live. I mean, if you are already paying for live then great, don't do playon. If you are like me and don't already pay for it then playon is a much better option since you not only get netflix, but you get hulu too.

Look, I loved my 360, but with the red rings they cant' fix, the having to pay extra for online play, and pay extra for t he wireless the ps3 was a no brainer for me.

With the recent price drop I'm going to get a PS3 Slim before the year is over. I may wait until Black Friday and see if there are any bundles or anything. I'm going with the PS3 because of exclusives first, and then blu ray. I loved the first 3 Ratchet & Clank games on the PS2 and want to play the two R&C games and other exclusives like Little Big Planet, MLB Show, Ninja Gaiden Sigma (exclusive?) etc. And with Arkham Asylum you get to play as Joker (I think).

BD is not that big of a deal for me, because I'm cheap and don't think it's worth the extra money for blu ray.

PS3 seems to be edging out, so far. I like the controllers better anyway. Online isn't that big of a deal to me, either.

Netflix is a wash, as I have TivoHD that also does Netflix.

What's this about the PS3 bluray remote being Bluetooth? That's not making me happy. I had planned to program my learning remote to operate the PS3 if I used it in a BR player capacity. That won't work if it doesn't use IR signals.

Yup, the PS3 is BT only. You have to get an adapter.

There's the Nyko Blu Wave, that's actually a USB dongle but it can't power on/off.

There are a few actual IR->BT adapters out there, but I think most would recommend Logitech's Harmony Adapter.

Now you've got me worried. It's going to be mainly a gaming platform. I've got Ipods and Tivos and all sorts of good stuff out the wazoo for multimedia.

Perhaps it would be helpful if I list some games I've enjoyed:

RPGs (Final Fantasy style, as well as Fallout/Morrowind style)
God of War
X-Men Legends
Twisted Metal 2 (PS1... all time favorite)
Castlevania: SOTN (and its GBA clones)

I basically stopped playing consoles for several years after City of Heroes and WoW, so I'm just now getting my feet back in the water after being clean from WoW for a year.

I think the bottom line is that they are both great systems. When the price for the 360 was way less than the ps3 it was easier to overlook the flaws with the system (RROD, no wireless, paid online play). However, with the ps3 being as much as a comparable 360 now the ps3 is edging out a bit. Before if you bought a 360 and needed wireless, after the adapter it was still cheaper than the ps3. Now though, if you ever thing you MAY use wireless then go with a ps3.

Aside from a few exclusives, both systems stand up well against each other in terms of graphics and gameplay. On cross platform games it is really hard for the most part to suggest one system over another so you have to look at the accessories, issues, and reliability that is right for you. It is sad though that the most glaring thing holding the 360 back from being on par with the ps3 is the rrod that should have been fixed long ago. As it is I refuse to support a company who can't figure out how to cool their motherboard enough so that it doesn't bend under heat.

Wow, you really are out of the loop.

Yeah, it's Bluetooth only. However, you have a couple of options. One is to get a device (Logitech makes one) that translates IR signals to Bluetooth commands. That will allow you to perform all the functions of the Sony BT remote, including turning the system on or off. The other option is to get a (cheaper) IR dongle that plugs into one of the USB ports. With that, you'll be limited to basic functions (no audio, subtitle buttons for instance) and you cannot turn the system on or off with the remote.

Well that's just stupid.

I'll have to read up on that Logitech. I'm not about to ditch my universal remote for the Logitech, so I'll need to find out if my remote (Home Theater Master MX-500) can work with it.

For the most part you will find most of that on the ps3 as well as the 360

RPGs - Lost odyssey is specatacular, and 360 exclusive. Star ocean is moving to ps3 though I hear. Until FFXIV there aren't any really good old school jrpg's on ps3.

God of war - will always be Ps3 exclusive, and getting the first 2 on bluray is cake

Castlevania SOTN is downloadable on the 360 and I believe the ps3 also

Twisted metal - I havn't heard about a new one, but some sweettooth action would rock. Likely though if it is released it will be ps3 only as I don't think they have ever released a twisted metal game multiplatform, but you never know. edit. NEvermind... twisted metal ps3 is coming http://ps3.ign.com/articles/850/850449p1.html

Don't know about xmen legends, but most of those superhero games go multiplatform so that should be a non-issue.

I read about the Xbox 360 for close to a year after it came out, but the RROD issue kept me away.

For PS3, I looked at the price tag and initial game selection and said "Pfft!" I haven't looked back until recently.