Nintendo is following up Sony and Microsoft’s price cuts with some of their own. On September 27th the Wii will drop from $249 to $199. Nintendo hopes that the cut will attract customers who are on the cusp of becoming gamers. However I have a feeling that Nintendo did not plan this price cut so early but needed to do something enlight of the cuts for PS3 and Xbox 360. With all the major game console players cutting prices what can we expect for black friday and the holiday rush.

It seems like the sweet spot for console prices had dropped as this generation of players ages. Xbox has $199 and $299 SKUs while PS3 has a $299 SKU. The more you look at it this really seems to make the Wii a very attractive and more reasonable price. It is the only console still in standard definition and the lowest quality of hardware. What doesn’t make sense is why it took so long. How many more could they sell, it seems like everyone I know has a Wii? And it prints money.

Sony has announced that it will be releasing a new Slim version of it’s PS3 for $299 this September. But where does this price cut put it with the competition. If we are to talk price then we must take into account the yet to be announced price shuffling of Microsoft’s.

The current PS3 now sells for $299 (80 gig), $299 (120 gig slim) and $399 (160 gig). There have been talks for a 240 gig slim model which could replace the current 160 gig.

It is well know that Microsoft is planning on cutting out the Xbox Pro for the well equipped Xbox Elite model while keeping the lower price. This puts the Xbox Arcade at $179 and the Elite at $299.

What does this all mean? From my experience the console you are going to purchase has probably already been decided no matter what the prices are. I get asked which console people should pickup and I find that almost all the time the person asking already knows which one they would like to buy. They ask because they don’t know all the facts. I normally inform them that in my opinion the Xbox is the way to go because of the continued innovation of the online community and console firmware.

However we must now be objective and realize the the price drop for the PS3 really does make it a more desirable system. You get enough hard drive space to get you started with downloading games and DLC. Sony does keep making their PS3 only library larger every year. Lets not forget the Blue-ray playback. Really with the best current Blue-ray players hovering around $210 you could say you are only paying $100 for the gaming system.

In the end I think this price cut is only going to effect one group of consumers. Those people who already have one console and want to purchase the other brand. The PS3 now becomes a much more attractive offer for those people who would like to round out their gaming collection. I believe they are the only group that will now purchase more consoles than they would have before.

I do believe we are all agree on one thing. The PS3 needed a price drop. I took way to long for Sony to bit the bullet. I can not believe they had to release a new model of PS3 in order to get the price cut to market but we as consumers are glad to save the money.

The first round of titles for the Xbox ‘Games on Demand’ will be released on August 11th. The ‘Games on Demand’ section is part of the new dashboard update. If you are lucky enough to be in the preview program you probably know what I am talking about. If not the new section allows you to purchase and download full Xbox 360 games directly to your console.  There are 21 titles in total set for this first round of releases. Prices have not been released but you can expect them to be “comparable” to the boxed versions.  The full list is after the break.

• Assassin’s Creed
• Need for Speed: Most Wanted
• Burnout Paradise
• Perfect Dark Zero
• Call of Duty 2
• Prey
• Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
• Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis
• Fight Night Round 3
• SEGA Rally
• Kameo: Elements of Power
• Test Drive: Unlimited
• LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas
• Mass Effect
• Tomb Raider: Legend
• Meet The Robinsons
• Viva Piñata
• MX vs. ATV Untamed
• Viva Piñata 2: Trouble in Paradise
• Need for Speed Carbon

Microsoft announced today that they will be releasing the latest Xbox 360 dashboard update on August 11th. If you follow Major Nelson from the xbox live community you may have heard that Microsoft is looking to making the dashboard run quicker with less lag. Sometimes when viewing my friends list or when trying to add someone to a party there is a long wait time while the console “thinks”. There are no release notes about the speed up of the dashboard it self so I do not know if it will be included in this update or in the next update slated for later in the fall.

There is another thing I would really like to see update on the Xbox and that is how it handles music. I listen to music streamed from a different computer on my network and the way  you navigate and select songs feels like it is from Window 3.1. My biggest problem with it is when you select a song or album to play and when you want to select a new song the system does not remember where you were in your library. You must navigate back from the beginning of the menus making song choosing a hassle. When I first got my Xbox I thought the ability to play my own music while I play or while the game is loading was one of the best features. It is to bad it has not received any attention in the NXE or recent updates.

Back on topic now. The update coming will include several great new features like better Netfllix integration, an Avatar props and awardables, Games on demand (why has this taken so long) and an improved party interface. If you didn’t know you can sign up to beta test the update much the same way you can beta test the new Power Pack 3 for WHS. Hit up the link here and sign in with your Windows Live account. Microsoft will get back with you later this week to let you know if you made it in.

A list of what is included in the update after the break.

This is via Engadget

Netflix Updates

Now you can watch movies with your friends no matter where they are and manage your queue from the comfort of your couch.

• Movie Parties – Xbox LIVE Gold members can sit together in a virtual theater with up to seven friends no matter where they are while your Avatars watch a movie, flirt or even throw popcorn at each other.
• Manage Your Queue – Browse the Netflix Instant Watch video catalogue, choose from the most popular movies and genres and add to your queue all from the comfort of your couch – no computer required.
• Enhanced Playback Experience – Enjoy a smooth viewing experience when your internet bandwidth fluctuates.
• Friends Info – Richer information is now displayed in the Friends channel and in the Guide showing what you and your friends are doing.

Avatar Marketplace

Express yourself! Deck your Avatar out with the latest clothing and props from the top brands and game franchises. Please note that only limited content is currently available in the preview.

Clothing

Download premium items, including branded apparel from your favorite fashion labels and Xbox 360 games such as “Halo.”

• Props – You can now equip your avatar with animated items they can carry around and interact with.
• Awardables – The ability to earn Avatar clothing and props as rewards within games has been added. Please stay tuned for an update on supporting titles.

Games on Demand — Please note that Games on Demand will be available in the preview beginning early August.

Enjoy 24 x 7 access to a growing online library of popular full game titles on Xbox LIVE whenever you want them, in the comfort of your living room.

• Purchase Options – Browse and download a great selection of full Xbox 360 games using Microsoft Points, direct debit, or credit card.
• Game Manuals – Game manuals for Games on Demand titles can be viewed, downloaded or printed on Xbox.com.
• It’s Yours Forever! – As with other Xbox LIVE content, Games on Demand titles are linked to your Xbox LIVE account, so you can delete and re-download anything you have already purchased to the same console or another console.

User Ratings

User ratings help you find games that other people think are awesome!

• Rate it – You can now rate every game on the Xbox LIVE Games Marketplace using a 5-star system.
• Sort and Find it – Now you can easily find the games that everyone’s been raving about by visiting the Top Rated games in the Browse All category of Xbox LIVE Games Marketplace.

Xbox LIVE Parties

Everyone loves to Party! Check out the new and improved Xbox LIVE Party features.

• Party Reconnections – If you are accidently disconnected from your party, Xbox LIVE will automatically reconnect you.
• Streamlined Party Invites – Invites are now just one click away! No need to click through multiple screens to get all your friends together.

Video Display Options

We’ve made it easier for you to see your entertainment in the highest resolution possible on your TV using an HDMI connection.

• Display Discovery – Make sure you can see and hear your entertainment in the highest resolution and sound quality possible with the option to override and select audio and video formats independent of the information your television sends to your Xbox 360 console.

Other Improvements

We’re always listening to you for feedback, and this Xbox LIVE update will include numerous dashboard updates.

• Gold Member Veterans – Xbox LIVE Gold members get to show it off with a stamp on your Gamer Card that tells people how long you’ve been a Gold member.
• Indie Games – Xbox LIVE Community Games has been renamed Xbox LIVE Indie Games. We feel this new name better represents the independent spirit of these titles.
• Achievement Browser – We’ve revamped the Achievements browser so it’s now easier to read through all the achievements while playing a game. You can now also launch a game directly from the browser.
• Achievements Tracking – A new view inside the profile panel which includes a summary of Achievements earned across all the games played, and shows of all your completed games.
• Streamlined Navigation – Streamlined navigation, including new entry points in the dashboard for Active Downloads, redeeming codes, recovering Gamertags and more.
• Voice Messages – No more blank voice messages! When recording a voice message, a warning will pop up if no audio is detected.
• Friends List Sorting – It’s now easier to find your friends! Find and sort your friends by activity, Gamertag or online status by pressing the Y button while viewing the friends list in the Guide.
• Memory – Time stamps now appear in the memory area, which particular handy when managing saved games.

Account Management

We’ve made some changes to make your life easier.

• Subscription Notification – If your Xbox LIVE subscription is about to run out, you will now be notified when you sign into Xbox LIVE.
• Updates for Invalid Windows Live IDs – If the Windows Live ID you provided has expired, you will now be prompted to update it the next time you sign into Xbox LIVE.
• Account recovery – We’ve enhanced the account recovery process to make it faster and more reliable.

What does this Xbox LIVE Update not include?

The following features will be coming in future Xbox LIVE updates, which we’ll be sure to let you know about.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Zune video and 1080p Instant On
• Last.fm