AOL’s financial site, money.aol.com, has recently named five gadgets you shouldn’t buy right now. For those who’ve kept their ear to the ground in the tech industry, the results aren’t particularly surprising. We thought we’d weigh in here on AOL’s opinions.
Lame gadgets 5 through 3 include the 10 megapixel camera, Windows Vista, and the “Draft N” wireless router. Good for them. We’d have to agree that the average birthday party doesn’t require more than five megapixels, consumers can wait on Vista, and most Draft N routers still have some perfecting to do. Far more interesting are AOL’s #2 and #1 lame gadgets, the PlayStation 3 and high definition disc player, respectively.
With regards to Sony’s new console, AOL cites a high price tag and just 32 available games as reason to avoid the PS3. They even recommend the $250 Wii and $400 Xbox 360, with the former offering greater innovation and the latter a vast game library.
Brando’s Take: That’s a no-brainer. There’s really no reason to invest in a PlayStation 3 right now other than to take advantage of the internal Blu-ray DVD player. The PS3 offers the most affordable avenue to 1080p movies, but unfortunately, almost no such bargain on games. Let’s face it, that should be the focus of a console.
Note: Oh, and no complaining Sony fans. Granted, the Xbox 360 launch featured only a few more quality titles by this point, but it was Sony’s decision to wait a year, wasn’t it?
AOL’s #1 gadget to avoid right now is the high definition disc player, with both Blu-ray and HD DVD sharing the tattered crown. With the showdown between both formats comparable to the bitter 1980s battle between VHS and Betamax, AOL recommends consumers wait it out for a victor.
Brando’s Take: Probably good thinking, but at the moment Blu-ray carries enough momentum that many are already proclaiming it the high def champion. However, AOL’s statement that “you may not even realize the picture or sound is any sharper” is about the most ridiculous and inaccurate quip I’ve ever heard.
I certainly don’t believe either of AOL’s top two lame gadgets are forever doomed. Both the PlayStation 3 and high definition disc player are sure to have bright futures, but we’d have to agree that waiting – although the hardest part – is probably a good idea.
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