In Round 2 of our Vs. Mode discussion and debate about the Xbox 360 Elite, we said that Microsoft's overall pricing for the Elite and its various accessories could only be described as price-gouging, and that the company's three-SKUs-and-counting strategy was a recipe for consumer confusion. Our sparring partner, San Jose Mercury News technology columnist and blogger Dean Takahashi , argued that any consumer that can navigate mobile phone pricing plans could certainly choose which of the three Xbox 360s models best suited their needs and wallet. He also pointed out that while a $479 Xbox 360 Elite wasn't appealing, a $400 version would be, and that we should think more about where Microsoft is headed than where it is at this moment.

This being the Final Round, we attempt to quickly rebut Takahashi's partial defense of the Elite. But we've devoted the bulk of today's entru to the Playstation Portable, with an analysis we've unsurprisingly called "Tokyo, We Have A Problem, Part II, Or, What's Wrong With the PSP." Let's just say there's more than one problem, and we're not convinced that Sony is focused enough on the PSP--or has enough of the right pieces of the puzzle in place--to meaningfully resuscitate its handheld's unhealthy ecosystem. Takahashi, for his part, mixes up his combinations by splitting his time between his evaluation of the Xbox 360 Elite ("a 'play it safe' strategy with the Core, the Premium and the Elite as one of the costs of going first") and the PSP ("The $169 price helps. But if you're No. 2, you can't charge more.") Let us know what you think about the PSP's prospects in our message boards.

1. MKW...Check out this Mortal Kombat Wii video
2. PvP... Microsoft and Epic spar over Live on PCs
3. DSL...A makeup kit adventure game? Whoa.
4. WAH...Nintendo's flops and follies , listed
5. RND...Women Who Blog; The Men Who Hate Them