Microsoft Xbox

The Xbox is a sixth generation era video game console produced by Microsoft Corporation. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console market The Xbox was Microsoft's first product that ventured into the console arena, after having collaborated with Sega in porting Windows CE to the Sega Dreamcast console.

The Xbox was initially developed within Microsoft by a small team which included game developer John Dunkely. On March 10, 2000 the "X-box Project" was officially confirmed by Microsoft with a press release. The growing video game market seemed to threaten the PC market which Microsoft had dominated and relied upon for most of its revenues. Additionally, a venture into the gaming console market would also diversify Microsoft's product line, which up to that time had been heavily concentrated into software.

The Xbox has an online multiplayer gaming service called Xbox Live. Originally, it was planned to use the MSN Gaming Zone for Xbox games that was supposed to support online multiplayer gaming, allowing both users of Windows and Xbox play together; however this never happened because MSN Gaming Zone was not accurate enough for the Xbox. Arcade games similar to those games offered on MSN Games are playable on the Xbox 360 through Xbox Live Arcade. The ability to connect to Windows computers in a game that uses Xbox Live (which is not possible using Xbox Live) is also being incorporated by the release of Games for Windows - Live. On November 15, 2002, Microsoft launched its Xbox Live online gaming service, allowing subscribers to play online Xbox games with (or against) other subscribers all around the world and download new content for their games to the system's hard drive. This online service works exclusively with a broadband Internet connection. In July 2004, Microsoft announced that Xbox Live had reached 1 million subscribers, and one year later, in July 2005, that membership had reached 2 million.

Manufacturer: Microsoft Type Video game console
Generation: Sixth generation era
System storage: 8-10GB Internal HDD, memory card
Online service: Xbox Live

Nintendo Wii

The Wii is the fifth home video game console released by Nintendo. The console is the direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. It competes with both as part of the seventh generation of gaming systems.

A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect acceleration in three dimensions. Another is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode.

Nintendo first spoke of the console at the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled the system at the 2005 E3. Satoru Iwata revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game Show. At E3 2006, the console won the first of several awards.By December 8, 2006, it completed its launch in four key markets.

Manufacturer: Nintendo
Type: Video game console
Generation: Seventh generation era
System storage: 512 MiB Internal flash memory
: Secure Digital card
: Nintendo GameCube
:Memory Card
Controller input: Wii Remote
Connectivity: Wi-Fi
:Bluetooth
:USB 2.0 x2
:LAN Adapter (via USB)
Backward compatibility: Nintendo GameCube
Predecessor: Nintendo GameCube