Xbox One vs PS4 (do you really need either?)

I'm always excited to see new hardware coming to the market, and when they do I always find myself in the quandary of "do I want/need one?".

I currently own a PS3 slimline version.  I use it occasionally for games (FIFA in particular, or whenever new interesting titles drop such as The Last Of Us), but mainly as my media viewing device.  Now that may be Blu-ray movies, or it could be something that I stream from my netbook, or it could even be some YouTube content using the YouTube app on the PS3.  I'm pretty much satisfied with everything that it has to offer me and I'd say I use it maybe 3-4 times a week.  Great.

So why would I need a new console?

Well, from the look of the games coming to the new PS4 and Xbox One, the graphics and performance look almost lifelike.  I was extremely impressed.  Xbox One added a Blu-ray drive, hmmm about time Microsoft. PS4 added ermmmm, a touchpad thing to the controller. Useful.

So as things stand, that's about as far as I understand in terms of what they have that can really convince me to upgrade my home entertainment system.  And in case you didn't catch the tone of what I'm saying here, let me clarify, I'm not convinced I need to upgrade anything.

My personal feelings aside, the devices both seem well designed, and would slot right in underneath the television in most consumers homes I'm sure.  Sony have priced their PS4 reasonably with no additional costs or catches.  Microsoft have really maxed out the price for the Xbox One and justified it by saying that the Kinect comes with it.

Where Sony have really won already, and Microsoft have shot themselves in the foot (then nailed the bleeding foot to the floor), is with the handling of game ownership.  Sony does not require an Internet connection to authenticate a game, nor does it impose any restrictions on the sale, resale, lending, borrowing, frisbee throwing of games to your friends/strangers/who ever.
Microsoft have a series of ridiculous restrictions that require a user to be connected to the Internet at least once every 24 hours (ET phoooone hooooome), and the whole (potential, depending on game studios) farce of restrictions on games 'registered' to your Xbox One that won't be transferable to anyone else without the game being re-bought.

The other crazy thing is Microsoft's response to criticism of the Internet issue. "Just buy an Xbox 360 instead".  Smart Microsoft, really smart.  On top of that, the Xbox One won't even make an appearance in Asia until 2014!?!?!?!  Wowzer.

So it seems Microsoft might have already lost the war before they even got started.  But then again, does anyone really need a new console anyway?