360 / Wii / PS3 owners - internet?

[dafuzz]

Can anyone vouch for the internet capabilities of the latest gen consoles on a telly? Preferably also a recommendation for a wireless keyboard / mouse.

A not-so-techno-savvy friend wanted advice on a cheap laptop for internet access, but as she already has free Sky wireless access she doesn't use, and an HD telly, I thought this might be a simpler (and cheaper) option.

She was pretty enthusiastic about the wii because of the wii sports / fit ads she's seen, but I don't want to have her buy one then it turns out to be a slow frustrating nightmare with half the web not working properly etc. Apparently they work with common or garden wireless usb keyboards/mouses?

But then a 360/PS3 has a harddrive so she can view all her photos and whatnot, although all she really wants to do is read / write email and shop.

Any advice would be much appreciated as I'm getting all manner of gibberish off google.

Cheers

[strumstrum]

the PS3 is the better all round 'computer' type,especially with Linux installed, and the PS3 supports printers so if you had Linux on with OpenOffice installed and a printer hooked up you are good to go for office tasks, plus iit supports mouse aswell as keyboard...

for the internett though the Wii still has the edge due to its better flash support, but Sony isnt too far behind.

[dafuzz]

Ta muchly

Looking at the bumpf on the official sites I'm more impressed with the Wii for ease of use etc - she's not looking for a cheap PC with office apps, just a means of basic surfing. The controller looks like an ideal sofa based mouse replacement.

Although she might be taken with the bluray of the PS3, and the harddrive is fairly sizeable, and she has a PSP (but can't get on with the www browser and frankly I don't blame her) so can stream movies, photos, music (I imagine) which might appeal.

Hmmm...

[thereformant]

the wii isnt bad at all, you do need to buy the browser separately with points from the wii store though. It only costs aobut a fiver or something.

[JonEve]

Not even that much - but the browser is pretty poor unless for very basic stuff. I can't even login to my account on here via the Wii! I always get an error message.

[strumstrum]

I use my PSP as a remote control for pretty much all my media needs, I have a 320gb external HDD hooked to the PS3 that has all my music/photos and lots of films on it that I can control all around the house and at wireless hotpots with the PSP, I can also control where the sound comes from so if I am in bed and want some tunes I tell it to come from the PSP and then have headphones or a 3.5 to phono lead to the bedroom hifi... or I can tell it to go via the PS3 which is hooked up to the living room hifi and then have a full media jukebox at my disposal... allwithout having to have the tv on or even being near the PS3, and I turn the PS3 on/off with the PSP, its genius.

[strumstrum]

Originally Posted by JonEve

I can't even login to my account on here via the Wii! I always get an error message.

that something your end then as I have posted on here via Wii a few times.

[danabnormal]

The PS3 is fab. However if she isn't very tech savvy then switching between Linux and PS3 functionality probably isn't a great bet...

The native PS3 browser does support flash but only sometimes. Also, I quite often get 'out of memory' errors on large complex pages, which can be a pain in the rear. New firmware updates are continuously released tho, which do genuinely add useful functions. I've never had a Wii or 360 tho, so can't vouch on how well they perform.

[dafuzz]

Thanks for all the replies - looks like a Wii for her and some severe PSAS for me!

Gonna have to read up on the cfw side of things - expect a thread along those lines next...