Hmmm... it seems that the Wii has gotten quite popular nowadays. In fact, people have been smitten by it so much that they prefer it over Sony's lean machine, the PS3.

American Technology Research analyst P.J. McNealy says that Nintendo's Wii launch was a bit better than people expected, while the PS3 launch turned out to be quite a disappointment. Even New Media Strategies (that's a research firm, mind you) claims that "many" have opted to switch to Wii, instead of getting the PS3. If ya want numbers to back it up, the said research firm says that "about 49% of online discussions were favorable to Wii, compared with 27% for PS3."

They also cited some testimonials from impressed Wii customers:

The Wii, says Bryan Clute, 26, of Silverdale, Wash., rates an A because the new remote-shaped wireless controller is "something I haven't been able to experience before. Clute, who waited in line at a GameStop store to reserve a system, says, "It was well worth it."David Nieves, 26, of Philadelphia gives the Wii an A-. "Nintendo has definitely gotten it right."

November 17 is coming. The wait is almost over. But after the PS3 arrives, then what? Do we run around like headless chickens without something else to look forward to? According to American Technology Research analyst P.J. McNealy, there's still more to come from Sony when springtime hits next year.

GameDaily Biz got a tip off from McNealy that Sony is working up on their PS2. He says that they're going to be releasing a limited edition PS2 this fourth quarter to spark up some sales. What with Sony's expected lifespan for the PS2, they're still pushing for the the now-ancient(?) console to its maximum, especially with a PS3 shortage. If some of the fans won't be able to get their hands on a PS3, then a "limited edition PS2" would be good enough (for now).

Next up: the PSP. Based on McNealy's observations (and we do stress that this is just an analysis), Sony will introduce a "refresh of the PSP hardware line, including a hard-disk drive PSP and a second PSP with no hard drive but with a significant amount of flash memory on board." Ah, it's another forecast of the fabled PSP2. In any case, what McNealy suggests is that we could expect two kinds of PSPs next year. What those are - new firmware, perhaps; 2.81 or 3.0 - who knows?

And of course, the PS3. They're milking their next-gen console for what it's worth, and with all the frenzy that they're investing in for the long term overhaul, why not chuck in a couple of Sony Bravias in the package? Hence, all those demo kiosks with the PS3 + Bravia tandems. He says, "Sony is bulking up its marketing at retail for the PS3, helping to explain the value proposition of the PS3 and putting 15,000 PS3 units for hands-on game play at retail in North America between the end of October and likely Black Friday, the retail day after Thanksgiving."

So yes. All we can really tell is how Sony would try to make the most money from their investment. Wouldn't any other company do that as well?

Citizen high, citizen low. While that story about the PS3 purportedly overheating at TGS 2006 continues to rumble both through the press and through the stock market, an old, familiar name is "upbeat" about Sony being able to meet their target of two million PS3 units shipped by the end of December. That, even with the launch cut.

P.J. McNealy of American Technology Research (you know he's a familiar name because we got him tagged) says that, based on his research, he believes that production of the console is now at full steam: "It is our opinion that given the 13 weeks or so of production time, SNE can still come close to its forecast of 2 million units worldwide by the end of December."

He's done game industry-related research before, and, well, he's got mixed results. For example, he did blow the call he made to CNN Money that Sony would cut PSP prices. On the other hand, he did note back in early July that Sony would have a bit of a problem manufacturing the PS3.

Well, economics can be a *female dog* - take it from one who has studied it as a profession - but let's hope that McNealy's right on this one, and that he did his homework well on this.

The rumor that the price of the PSP will be cut by up to $50 was quickly dismissed by Sony. Breaking their silence on the issue, a Sony UK spokesperson has issued a statement saying "Currently we have no plans to cut the price of the PSP at this time." It has been noted by other analysts that Sony would most likely cut the price of the PS2 instead.

News of the price cut for the PSP has recently spread over the internet like wildfire after industry analyst P.J. McNealy recently told CNN Money that "There is a price cut coming in the second half of the year."

However, as we enter the last few months of the year, many are still hoping for yet another change of heart from Sony after this disappointing dismissal.

While Sports Illustrated for Kids announced the Wii's launch on November 6, CNN columnist Chris Morris, citing insider buzz, says it could be as available as early as late September. While Nintendo, unlike SI for Kids, has not made any formal launch date announcements for the Wii, it was generally expected to hit retail around the PS3's debut on November 17.

The company could now be manufacturing final retail units of the Wii, according to a June 21st analyst's note from P.J. McNealy of American Technology Research, saying "October is a reasonable timeframe." Early manufacturing will help Nintendo meet consumer demand since new consoles sell out fast. In contrast, Sony has yet to begin final manufacturing of its PS3. Nintendo continues to downplay any suggested dates.

Meanwhile, the pricing for the Wii remains a mystery. Industry analysts place it between $199 or $249, cheaper than both the PS3, and the current Xbox 360 price.

When  Master gamemaker Kojima called the PS3 as the future of gaming he was, of course, referring to its technical power. But the price for having all that muscle could result in production shortage, at least in the early stages says Analyst P.J. McNealy of American Technology Research.

“We've learned the Sony Playstation 3 is not just a game console. It’s a movie platform. It’s also a super-computer. This is now the most complex box that’s ever been built in this industry. It’s going to have a Cell processor, it’s going to have a Blu-ray drive. The number of pieces that are going into this box are even more astounding [than the over 1700 parts used in the Xbox 360]" McNealy says.

The complex manufacturing process required in putting the PS3 together could be a problem. Citing the Xbox 360's manufacturing-related shortage, McNealy thinks Sony will also be limited in term of production.

Sony is confident it will meet its PS3 shipment target of 1 million units per month (6 million units shipped by the end of March 2007) and says it will have two million units ready for its global launch in November. McNealy is not. “Sony, we don’t think, is going to be in assembly for another four to six weeks--end of July, early August." McNealy expects PS3 production to hit its stride sometime in 2007 when "the wild-card becomes, [whether or not] people still want to spend six-hundred bucks on the box."