PS3 vs. Wii, Microsoft Zune, Office 2007

Readers discuss pros and cons of the new gaming consoles, Microsoft's MP3 player, and the new Office.

Kellie Parker

Kellie Parker is the PC World Forums online community manager. You can sign up to have the Community Scoop newsletter e-mailed to you each week.

PC World's forums and blogs are buzzing with discussion of Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii. Some of you already have your hands on these machines, and I'm looking forward to hearing what you think about them. For the rest of us, the question remains: Which one should I buy? Don't worry, we have you covered with "So Many Game Consoles: Which to Buy?" After reading the article, click the Comments link and let us know which one you are planning on purchasing.

Microsoft's Zune music player also arrived in our offices, and Eric Dahl posted his first impressions in the Today @ PC World blog entry "Zune is in the House." Many of you reported problems with your new Zune player, but some are holding out hope for this so-called iPod killer. Leave a comment on Eric's blog entry to let us know what your experiences are with the Zune.

In his Techlog, Editor-In-Chief Harry McCracken cited "The Single Worst Thing about Office 2007." What is it? You'll have to read the blog entry to find out! After you do, leave a comment and let us know what you think of Microsoft's new Office.

As we enter the holiday season, PC World wants to know what is on your wish list. Share your list and links to great deals, and maybe all of our wishes will come true. Post your entry on our Wish List thread.

Speaking of gadgets, we finish this week's Community Scoop with some product reviews by members like you. Product reviews can be an important part of selecting just the right gift, so I encourage all of you to add reviews for products you already own. Let the PC World community know what to grab and what to stay away from. To leave a review, go to PC World Shopping and search for the product you'd like to review.

Note: To use our interactive features, such as adding comments to discussions, voting in the weekly poll, and contributing your own product reviews, you must be signed in to PCWorld.com. (Not registered? You can sign up online.) However, you can view the discussion threads and poll results without being signed in.

So Many Game Consoles: Which to Buy?

kj1975 says: If you are looking to invest in a console, the solution just got much easier if you have a decent computer. Microsoft has announced that every good title that is an Xbox 360 exclusive will be available for Windows Vista--that includes Halo 3, Gears of War and Dead Rising, and a few others that are already available for the PC.

willagram says: I'm for Wii all the way. It's cheap and seems innovative.

krndahous says: It all comes down to who is going to be playing it and if it is going to serve a purpose other than gaming. For younger kids, Wii is the obvious choice, as Nintendo undoubtedly caters to that audience. However, as far as title selection goes, Wii offers little in terms of innovative game concepts.

danstutzman says: I personally think that having worked on both, owning both, and developing both that the Xbox 360 is going to win. No console that's been released for over $500 has ever succeeded.

Read all the posts in this thread and contribute your own opinion.

Zune Is in the House!

circusfreakgritz says: I might just have to sell my iPod to buy a Microsoft product. Hmm...

crescentdave says: I guess companies take "online updating" too seriously when it's not used to deliver actual, usable content. But firmware upgrades? Fixes to problems? What's not to like?

mrpiddly says: Zune is [in] my trash. It broke on day two. Before breaking, the player was not all that great. The Zune music store sucks.

Janie says: I've been waiting for this; I truly believe this would be something great. I picked one up on Friday and ran home, as I plugged it in and tried installing the software it gave me an error.

Read all the posts in this thread and contribute your own opinion.

The Single Worst Thing about Office 2007

JimC says: If you used the toolbars that came with the previous version of Office then yes, the new interface is an improvement. But if you are a user like myself who junked the default Office tool bars and designed your own, then the new interface is a hindrance and not an improvement. There are a lot of things that I like about the new version of Office, but the ribbon bar is not one of them.

grillinman says: I'm just not getting it. I've tried out Office 2007 and I've not seen anything warranting the upgrade. There are a few nice-to-have features but not a single "gotta-have." ... If the new ribbon interface is the only reason to upgrade, well, your business must have a lot more money than mine to be spending on that.

AndrewK says: Not only does Office 2007 not have any "must-have" apps, the fact that you cannot customize the ribbon at all is a major turn-off. Why must I have the button for strike-through text visible all the time?

Read all the posts in this thread and contribute your own opinion.

Question: What's on Your Holiday Wish List?

What hardware, gadgets and software are on your holiday wish list, and why? Share with the PC World community, drop us a link to what you are hoping for, and maybe you'll get your wish!

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