but the thing is, there ARE 3rd party apps for Windows, not only that, but the OS has to support the Protected Path to begin with. Windows DOES, OSX does NOT.

So its not really a stretch to say Windows Supports Blu Ray and OS X doesn't. At least you can play a Blu Ray on Windows.

Another example of you NOT paying attention. Ben just showed, AGAIN, all the talk about HD-DVD being Managed Copy-ready from the get go was pretty much false. It wasn't going to be free, the spec wasn't even completred at that point.

And probably the only reason Ben even wrote this article is because it ties into another Maganed Copy article he posted earlier. I didnt read the comments for that one, but I'm willing to bet there was a whole bunch of HD-DVD diehards who won't let the format wars go saying how it proved HD-DVD was better, even though Maganed Copy wasnt even ready yet, and those XML files on the discs may have ended up being useless anyway.

Also, the PS3 can support external HDDs, and the internal HDD is expandable with regular netbook HDDs, so capacity is as 'limited' as you wanna have it be.

Well, the Cell on the PS3 could likely handle transcoding, if its implemented.

Probably won't be tho.

If it weren't for the features the 390 has over the PS3, especially with the Slim having been released, I'd have voted for the PS3. But my vote goes to the 390.

It'd take pretty much nothing more than a firmware update for most things to be equal, and my vote to go back to the PS3 Slim again.

I betcha it was supposed to come yesterday with the Netflix and Internet TV additions.

What you say is 100% true, and applies for desktops and laptops.

Unfortunately tho, this doesn't apply to a HTPC.
Maybe a file server backend.

That's right. Not a combo. But you can get a DVD burner for $20 now, I know, I had to replace mine 2 months ago. I guess that's $20 less, but that's just nit-picking.

Newegg has a Lite-On model that runs for $60. I'd link it, but I'm lazy like that.

How would a la carte channels change anything compression wise?