Gaming consoles have gone a long way.  It started in the 1950s where use vector displays instead of videos.  Then, Magnavox released Magnavox Odyssey in 1972.  However, video games only become really popular when Atari released Pong.  Video game popularity dropped in 1977 but was revived in 1980 when Atari released a conversion of the arcade hit Space Invaders.   The gaming console industry crashed again in 1983 because of the industry got flooded with low quality video games from small companies.  The industry is now on it’s seventh (7th) generation, with the Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Nintendo’s Wii, and Sony’s PlayStation 3 dominating the market.

  • Xbox 360 was released in 2005.  It was the first console with the ability to use wireless controllers out of the box.  Through Xbox Live  service, the console can connect to the service via internet through the built-in ethernet port or a wireless accessory.
  • Nintendo Wii was released 2006.  The Wii does not use an internal hard-drive, instead, it uses a 512 MB of internal flash memory and includes support for removable SD card storage.  It has a completely redesigned controller which resembles a TV remote.  The controller detects motion and orientation with a high degree of precision.  Nintendo Wii also compatible with previous Nintendo consoles and can play all GameCube games.
  • PlayStation 3 was also released in 2006.  It is the 3rd upgrade of the PlayStation which was released in mid-1990s.  The PS3 comes with a hard drive are and is ready to play Blu-Ray video discs and games out of the box.  The controllers connect to the console via Bluetooth and have tilt-sensing capabilities.  The PS3 has 3 versions that are available in the market: the 20GB HDD for around USD499 (discontinued in North America), the 60GB HDD for USD499 (formerly USD599), and the new 80GB HDD version that is sold for $599.

Compare the prices, read reviews and compare the retailers services and pricing of these gaming consoles through mpire.