Everyone knows about the big competition between Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo to dominate the console use in homes. This is not gonna be one of those "Oh X console is better because ____" This will merely be an informational thing to maybe see how we might need all of them to keep the consoles alive, or essentially who has what and a maybe could be used as an intro for newbies to the console world.

Xbox 360

Alright, for starters lets go with Microsoft's Xbox 360. This piece of equipment has been around and gone through many renditions: Arcade, 20 Gb Pro, 60 Gb Pro, 120 Gb Elite, Multiple Limited Editions, and now the 250 Gb Slim, and from what I hear, an arcade version of the slim is somewhere down the road this year.

Now they also use Memory Sticks which haven't gotten anywhere past 512 Megabytes (half a gigabyte) making them useful only for storing Gamer Profiles and save games. Not too long ago they released the ability to use flash drives as a memory unit, and since those have usually significantly larger memory amounts they can be much more useful for transferring things like arcade games (as long as you have the profile that downloaded it signed in).

For games, Xbox has a large amount of games that come from all types, including exclusives to the console and many others.

Extra features include things like Zune: a large music library you can access for free on your xbox, Netflix: a huge movie collection that, with a subscription will allow you to access as many movies as you want from the selection they give (which is pretty big), The Xbox Live Marketplace which has everything you could want gaming related for your box; Demos, Trailers, Gameplay Videos, Themes for your dashboard, gamerpictures, Xbox Live Arcade games, User made Indie games, Game Add-ons or DLC (downloadable content) and even full retail games in the Games on Demand Section. Microsoft also puts up events on the dashboard like gaming with developers, and videos from IGN. All of this is accessible with an Xbox Live account which is roughly $50 a year.

Playstation 3

Sony has gone through their fair share of different versions of their headline console. They have had multiple memory size difference consoles, and have moved on to the slim design they are known for and release a few more from that. They also provide a way to transfer game content and profiles, through SD cards and memory sticks.

They have a number of content extras like Netflix, and the PS store where you can download Playstation 1 games, original titles, game add-ons, rent and buy movies, and best of all their online service is free (content generally is not), however there is Playstation Plus coming and that adds some new features you need to pay to use.

Sony has their own selection of console exclusive games such as Little Big Planet, the Ratchet and Clank Series , and the Resistance series.

Aside from the playstation network, you can access the internet directly through your PS3 and get all the same stuff the real WWW has minus the mouse.

Nintendo Wii

Our last contender has been using Motion sensors from the start to provide a more unique way to play games. The Wii hasn't gone through much for change other than the newer Wii Black Bundle, but most of the content the Wii offers doesn't take up much memory. You can also transfer data with an SD chip and import and play with pictures with the photo channel.

The Wii doesn't really have a direct online profile for you to use, but they do give you a friend code you can use online to play with friends and provides the online multiplayer experience. Plus you can personalize your very own Mii or 30 on the Mii channel and customize them as you see fit. Which brings me to one of their very popular pieces: the Wii Fit Board. It is a board used most commonly for the Wii Fit game as an exercise tool that can tell you your weight and body fat index and whatnot to help you achieve a fitness goal.

The Wii also offers Neflix, and an online store where you can buy content and channels for you home screen which offer many things, like a large Voting channel, a personal Pokemon farm and many others. You can also buy a variety of older Nintendo Classics like The Legend of Zelda series and Donkey Kong games as well as new original titles.

The Wii provides their very own wide selection of unique retail games such as Mad World, Most of the Raving Rabbids series, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl.