Another interesting snippet from our interview with industry analyst Michael Pachter, was his prediction that Microsoft might introduce a tiered payment system to Xbox Live.

When asked how he thought Microsoft would react to Sony charging for premium services on the Playstation Network, he responded:

“I think that Xbox Live subscriptions will be tiered in the future, and expect a modest increase to the Gold subscription. It’s currently $50 per year for Gold, and the subscription includes online gaming, Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm, Netflix, photo sharing, video chat, and a few other features.

“I could see Microsoft changing the Gold tier back to what it was (essentially online gaming and a few chat features), and charging more for a premium tier with the other features. My guess is that we’ll see Gold go to $60 per year, and the premium tier go to $100.”

Well, that prediction really puts us in the Christmas spirit. We certainly hope that Microsoft isn’t in a hurry to start charging more for its online service, but stranger things have happened.

The American Counsel on Exercise, collaborating with University of Wisconsin La Crosse, found what it deemed “underwhelming” results in testing the most pressing activities on Nintendo’s Wii Fit. For all the hype, the study found you burn more calories playing the flagship Wii Sports. The group analysed the 6 most challenging aerobic exercises included with the electronic game mat – Free Run, Island Run, Free Step, Advance Step, Super Hula Hoop and Rhythm boxing. The study found these activities “underwhelming” and their exercise intensity “milder than expected.”

In the games tested, ACE determined the similar real life activities had significantly higher rates of caloric expenditure. Especially pointed out when it came to the step workouts; players are stepping onto a 1 ½ inch board instead of the usual 3 or 4 inches associated with the typical step aerobic workout.

The peripheral’s Free Run and Island Run exercises burned the most calories, an average of 165 calories per half hour. This does not meet the requirements for minimum intensity, rather exercise that actually benefits you. Rhythm Boxing burned a mere third of the calories per minute as traditional boxing.

“While we found that playing the Wii Fit burns twice as many calories as a sedentary video game [sic], the outcome of the study suggests that Wii Sports…is a better option and more capable of helping consumers meet minimum intensity guidelines for exercise,” said Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D., ACE’s chief science officer.

Read the full report here

 ”This could be the time for the [PS3] to shine,” says DFC Intelligence, business analysts. We’ve all come to this conclusion with the drastic revamp of system and price point, but the more startlingly disclosure by the analysts is perhaps something we had in the back our minds; just no one has said. The Wii paved the way for a PlayStation 3 comeback.

 ”The video game [sic] console market is a marathon, not a sprint. Keeping a game platform around for the long term is an ongoing and difficult task. The main danger Sony faced was that the Xbox 360 would become embedded as the system of choice. Instead consumers flocked to the Nintendo Wii. The Xbox 360 had solid sales, but they have not been enough to give Microsoft anywhere near a breakout market position,” said DFC.

 In other words, Xbox didn’t sell enough to edge out the PlayStation completely. The Wii market is saturated, so who’s on first now? Perhaps what is really startlingly is not this cause and effect, but rather how saturated the Wii market became; and how that will undeniably affect all of the big three. Sony must be smiling, however, that every child has a Wii. Now those same children with a PlayStation 2 are nipping at their folk’s wallets. “People who purchase a PS2 are more likely to purchase a PS3 in the future. Consumers, believe it or not, are pretty loyal,” contends DFC. Now the PlayStation 3 is within their reach, costing half of an initial launch model. Was the original price point a tease while Mario bounced back?

 Finally, the report says Nintendo and Microsoft are preaching to the choir this holiday season. “There is nothing new for these systems that would attract users that have not already purchased the system.” In contrast, the PlayStation 3 offers a high-spec Blu-ray player and has quickly ratcheted up its first party software support to coincide with the price cut.

 While DFC does not mention Sony’s upcoming motion controls, surely they owe a debt to the Wii as well. Nintendo’s Wii made motion controls a household affair, and now Sony may well need to thank the brand. “Now is the time for Sony to shine…or else.”

Read the DFC report here