What do you think of those non-gaming extras on Video Game systems?

[KentaRawr!]

I've found most of the Wii's extra channels to be pretty useless as of late, with the exception of the News Channel, which I check daily.

What about you?

[Vyk]

I kinda like that my gaming systems can play DVDs, 'cause I never bothered getting a DVD player. What with my computers and gaming systems I already had like 4 players xD saw no reason. And I'm glad they're not forcing me to change that decision

[Ashi]

Never really use them. The Wii menu feels like something that comes between me and my game!

[Captain Maxx Power]

Gimmicky tools on a gimmicky console for gimmicky people.

[JKTrix]

Some of the Wii channels have some interesting social value, particularly for families. For most of us '1P' gamers though, it seems like something we don't really care about.

I use my PS3 more for DVDs and streamed media way more than for games. It is a pretty darn good media device. I use the 'folding' thing every now and then, I hope that actually gets some results in the future. I wasn't really interested in 'Home' (and I'm still not intending to spend much time with it), but some of the stuff that they've shown of it looks pretty cool.

Besides the system being broken, I don't have access to Xbox Live's video download service. There's some stuff on there I would love to have, but since I don't live in one of their supported territories they block me.

Extra features are nice, but if I have a game to play I don't waste any effort on them. And if I don't have a game or video to play...the system usually isn't on.

[Loony BoB]

I just feel sorry for the people who paid for the HDDVD player on the 360. :p

[Roto13]

I use the Everybody Votes channel for :skull::skull::skull::skull:s and giggles, my husband uses the Internet Channel for YouTube videos, I think everyone uses the Mii channel now and then, I really only use the Photo channel when I want to take a look at the pictures people have sent me in Wii messages. (It's less of a hassle than rooting through the message board.) The weather channel is kind of pointless. xP It only shows me what the whether was like at 3 in the morning. I use the shopping channel pretty frequently for Virtual Console games. I still have the Metroid Prime 3 preview channel for some reason. xD

So yeah. I guess I use a few of those a fair amount.

As for DVD players in consoles, we live in an age where everyone has, like, 4 DVD players. I have one I bought for like $20. I just use that. I'll probably use my PS3 for Bluray movies when I get one, though.

[Roogle]

I do not have a Wii, but my friends use the Weather Channel, the Internet Channel, and the Shopping Channel on a regular and consistent basis. I think that when I get a Wii, I will use those channels on a regular basis, too.

I think that the Weather Channel has very good music, and I don't like the Weather Channel on television, so if the Weather Channel on Wii can provide a weekly forecast or, at least, a daily forecast, I think that it would be very useful to me.

[Bolivar]

I've been using my ps3 for alot of things. It has an SD slot, so I've been transferring video files from my computer onto the hard drive. I got the entire Sopranos Season 5 on my ps3's HDD, it plays them full screen at pretty great quality. Not to mention it's also a blu-ray player, so it's got movies covered on multiple fronts.

Since it's hooked up to my surround system, I saved a ton of music on there also, so that's good to play when i'm cleaning/chilling/whatever.

And then there's linux. Surfing works great on mozilla firefox, the instant messaging and computer interface works pretty good. And it kind of has been a gaming extra as I've got SNES and Genesis emulators with a ton of roms on it. Wireless internet has been a big help with alot of this, too.

I play games a hell of alot on my ps3 (PS3, PS2, SNES, and Genesis games), but the extras make the package just that much better.

[Dreddz]

Im not bothered for the most part. Ive always had a DVD player in my room which I prefer to use over any console. I have a CD player (which I never use anyway). I guess the only thing Im thankful for is Sony putting a Blu-ray player in the PS3. I own a HDTV (despite being very small) and I would never of got to see its potential until I smacked the Blu-ray version of Blade Runner into my PS3. It was incredible. Im planning to buy some more Blu-ray movies soon if I get enough money.

[Germ Hamee]

I got over most of the Wii's extra features pretty quickly. The only thing I ever use regularly is the Shopping Channel (I like the music! :D), and I used the Internet Channel for streaming video until I got a PS3. It looks a lot better on that.

I'm in love with everything the PS3 does. I watch videos I've downloaded with my USB drive all the time. The hard drive's full of game demos, HD trailers, and pictures to slideshow just to show off my TV. My love affair has lasted much longer with this system than it did the Wii, purely because of all the things it's capable of.