Video game consoles have traditionally been stereotyped as children’s playthings, but these days that is no longer the case. Not only are more and more adults playing video games, but the consoles themselves now also serve other purposes, and have been transformed into all-purpose media devices.
The Microsoft X-Box 360, for instance, can play DVDs, surf the internet, stream Netflix movies, and play music CDs. For those who initially jumped on to the HD-DVD bandwagon, it will even play those discs, provided you can find a special device that allowed you to do so. The system also outputs in high definition.
Sony’s Playstation 3 system does all those things, as well as others. For one, it plays Blu-Ray discs, along with the DVD capability. For many users, it has become like a secondary computer, as it can store photos and music in high capacities. Sony’s tagline is that it “Only Does Everything,” as they hope that more and more people will see it less as just a gaming console and more as a central home entertainment hub. Both the Playstation 3 and X-Box 360 consoles can also be used with keyboards in order to make internet surfing more convenient, and some users of both have begun to use their consoles as their primary devices for surfing the web.
Nintendo’s Wii is more limited in its extended capabilities, but it is able to surf the internet, and, with a special disc and service, can also stream Netflix movies. Many users have criticized the system for its more simplistic capabilities, but it still provides some options. Along with internet browsing, it even comes with special channels for reading the news and looking up the weather. If you need a new addition to your home entertainment system, why not make it a gaming console?