Jane gets caught up in Microsoft’s new convergence vision. While the description is breathless, I have to agree that the Xbox360 most definitely is a part of a strategic play that extends far beyond gaming consoles.

If this diagram is correct (showing that Microsoft recognizes the power of an open-platform), MS could very well dominate in the living-room space. Of course, based on their continuing pushes with Windows Mobile and WMP probably means this is more marketing hand-waving than true sea-change. Still, the way the XboxLive Silver/Gold have been positioned is still ingenious and hints at some sort of cluefulness…

OTOH, Sony, continues to be, well, Sony – software and hardware units still at war with itself (the appointment of Howard Stringer doesn’t bode well). For all that people argue about Sony’s continued strong presence in consumer electronics, Sony’s “Sales Prevention Team” still seems to be in full effect, crippling otherwise brilliant gadgets with ridiculous proprietary formats and poor interoperability. (Everything cool about the PSP that you’ve seen, from web browsing to emulation is being actively fought by Sony. Even within brand — my spanking new Sony T7 shoots movie files that can’t be viewed by the PSP!)

(Nintendo’s Revolution, with availability of the entire Nintendo back-catalog is also ingenious, but it doesn’t look like Nintendo is necessarily interested in expanding into convergence-empire like MS is)