Consoles to computers: Potential vs Realization

[Pantechnicon]

Sorry for the cryptic wording of this thread, but here's what I'm wondering about: It seems like nearly every game console is marketed at one point with some sort of promise of becoming far more than just a game machine. From the early days of the Atari 2600 "Video Computer System" to the recently released PS2 Linux bundle the promise is made that indeed, one day (so say the brochures) this thing will become an indispensable tool to your daily life...i.e. - a computer.

So what I'm wondering about it which consoles do you think most fully acheived their potential as a daily computing tool? Can't do this as a poll because there are too many choices. If you had a VCS, for example, and one of those "turn it into a real computer add-ons", did you really use it on a regular basis or was it just a novelty? Is anyone out there still using there Dreamcast to surf the web? Got a Zodiac yet? You get the idea.

A couple of stipulations, though: 1) Things like C64's and Atari 800's are much more obviously computers and don't count for these purposes as "game machines". 2) No hacks like X-Box Linux. I'm talking about official releases or approved third-party add-ons or software intended to take your console to the next level so to speak. Discuss?

[Gzilla23]

I can't say any of my consoles reached that level. I may have surfed the web once or twice with my Dreamcast but if I need a computer i use a computer.

[Flack]

I almost got to that point with my PS2 for a while. I messed around with Qcast tuner (link) for a while with it, which allows you to stream movies, pictures, and mp3's from your computer over a network to your PS2. The idea is that then your PS2, ostensably in another room than your computer, becomes an indespensible part of your home entertainment center.

So what happened? Well, my new living room DVD player, a cheapo $30 Apex piece of crap, plays MP3's, JPG's, and downloaded movies. So, the PS2 moved back upstairs with all my other consoles, and the new DVD player, although not networked, does what Qcast promised.

The most useful examples of what you mentioned are all hacks (especially the greatly expanded functionality of the Xbox, none of which was intended).

[Graham Mitchell]

Sony sure does seem to shoot for at least having the potential of achieving this goal with every console it releases. Making the PS2 a DVD player is an example (it also, of course, won over people who wanted a cheap DVD player...it doesn't anymore because DVD players are cheaper than PS2's these days.) The PSP functions as an MP3 player, too I hear.

The thing is that consoles are popular because a) they play games, and b)they're cheaper than a computer. If you want the best graphics and sound and blah blah blah, you plunk down your $1000+ for a PC and continue shelling out cash to upgrade it anually. But if you just want to play games (which is the situation with most console owners, I would think) you just buy a console.

Adding all these features makes a console less dedicated to playing games. To keep them playing games as well as they did before all the crap got added on, the consoles must become more expensive, hence defeating the purpose of buying a console in the first place for many people.

So, it's nifty tactic these companies are using to corner the market, but I don't think it'd ever really take off.