Microsoft’s Xbox 360 was an early adopter of the NetFlix streaming movie service (November 19th, 2008 to be exact) and added it as a feature available only to Gold members… or, people who pay $50 a year. After months of exclusivity, Sony recently announced that it too is getting in on the streaming game.
Reuters reports that in November, NetFlix streaming will come to those who use Sony’s PS3 and there is no additional charge for it. Interesting. Microsoft makes it something you have to pay to use, whereas Sony makes it free for just being a user. I have both systems and the PS3 Slim is for my media (because it is WAY quieter than the Xbox 360), and this just gives me one more reason to turn on the old ‘digital hub’. However, all of my friends have an Xbox 360 and I use that system to actually play games. The Wii just kinda hangs out, waiting for Star Wars Jedi Battles: The Working Game to be released.
On a related note, Microsoft is also unveiling new features for the Xbox 360, also in November. Apparently we will soon be Twittering, FaceBooking, Zune video marketplacing and Last.Fming our hearts away in this coming update. However, nothing more than a ‘November’ answer as far as when we can expect this to be automatically downloaded and break functionality within our consoles.
What is it with these two being cagey about release dates? Just give us something solid and at least then we can start complaining. As it is, we could all be surprised and happy with a November 1st release date or upset and dejected with a November 30th waiting period, but we currently have no basis for either feeling.
Sony and Microsoft… TELL ME HOW TO FEEL!
On an unfeeling note, my bet is for November 12th and 19th, respectively.
