XBox 360-Is enough enough?
A tough problem for parents in this holiday season and gadget freaks in any season is when do you upgrade to the latest technology? Is the new XBox, for example, significant enough to merit the expenditure of a couple of hundred bucks, especially if the household already has a game console?
As a technologist for over 25 years, I get calls like this from friends and family pretty much every week. Unlike doctors and lawyers, I can't find an excuse to shift it into a billable event, so I just answer it. Interesting enough, the doctors and lawyers are never shy about asking for technology advice.
So when is enough technology? I believe that there are three reasons to buy new technology:
1. Leapfrog - When the technology that is being replaced is so antiquated that you have to buy something regardless so you buy the newest available.
2. Enhancement - When the features of the product are so much better that the new version solves a problem and need that earlier versions did not.
3. Blackmail - When you are forced to because the manufacturer stops supporting the old product.
There is a fourth reason that only applies to geeks-- because it's there. Some people will buy the latest technology, just because.
The first three reasons are a good basis for a decision for most people. Applying them to the new XBox is an interesting test. Some people may buy it for reason #1 because they don't have a modern game console at all. Very few people will really buy it for reason #2, although many people will argue that they are. The new features aren't that compelling, HD output included. #3 is an excellent reason in the software business (think Microsoft), but not so much for game machine companies. They don't really support the product so much themselves because by then there's a significant 3rd party group that will.
I suspect that the real reaon people are buying the 360 is reason #4--because it's cool and don't let anyone tell you any differently.
Posted on December 28, 2005
