Forbes provided some hyped linkbaiting today with an article on why Apple’s iPhone could kill, not compete with, but kill the Nintendo DS. I’m taking the bait to quash Apple’s gaming might once and for now.

Tech pundits love finding that new “killer” app to quash the incumbent which, in recent memory, always seems to be something Apple related: iPod “killer”, iPhone “killer”, and even Apple TV “killer” (do you need to kill something that isn’t even selling?).

Nintendo’s DS is the powerhouse of handheld gaming, the benefit of almost 20 years and more than half-a-dozen hardware generations. Sony launched its first handheld competitor, the PSP, barely clutching to 30 percent of the market, a credit to the system’s power and Sony’s well-established Playstation brand. Apple comes to the gaming world with no experience (except the tragic Pippin), no game studio, no retail presence or expandable memory, and most importantly, no interest in killing Nintendo.

Forbes writes its article ahead of Apple’s release of 3rd-party software include, presumably, an assortment of games. When Apple announced its developer’s kit for 3rd-parties, major game publishers Sega and EA were there to show off the first games for the platform. These high-profile releases led blogs to speculate on the iPhone’s potential as an actual handheld gaming platform.

This assumes Apple wants to be a handheld platform. The recently announced $25 for games sales Apple has other priorities. Gaming platforms have relied on low priced hardware subsidized by royalties from game sales. Sony’s PSP struggled initially at its $200 price point - how can Apple’s $400 iPhone think to fare better.

The other point against Apple’s gaming interests are its lack of actual gaming. EA’s cute flOw clone, if holding to Apple’s aforementioned price, costs $8 on the PS3. A rare $20 game on the PSP, Patapon, featured dozens of hours of gameplay. The DS offers assorted casual games like those likely to dominate on the iPhone, but also offers a varied library of epic stories and varied genres. Casual gaming is big business, yes, but hard core gaming is still bigger. The Wii sells amazingly, but software beyond Nintendo (first-party) fails to sell like games on the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Games will never sell the iPhone. The iPhone sells itself because of its variety of features and solid casual gaming will appeal to that user base in ways even the Nintendo DS can’t. The result will be different markets, not competitors.

Next-Gen editor Collin Campbell wrote a lecture on the evils of selling and buying used video games. He claimed resellers of video games like GameStop are costing the industry $1 billion (source?) because when GameStop sells used games, the publishers receive no additional revenue. Instead of backing up his position with facts, Campbell follows the common practice of claiming that publishers have some entitlement to more money, rather than letting the market decide and recognizing that there is more money to made thanks to the second hand market.

Video game companies have been critical of used game sales for years, with Sony even attempting to build-in copy protection on PS3 games to prevent them from being resold (Sony did not include this feature). Even book publishers criticized Amazon.com, claiming selling used books would hurt the sale of new books. But no study has shown used game sales hurt the video game industry, though one study has shown sales of used books can actually help the industry. Campbell’s unsupported $1 billion cost to the industry is only attributed to how much GameStop makes selling used games, meaning Campbell is assuming every used game sale would transfer to a new game purchase. Of course, Campbell’s claim that GameStop forces used games on its customers is contradicted by reports that 17.6 percent of GameStop’s holiday sales came from used games - 43.2 percent came from new games.

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Video game fans know it sucks to invest hundreds of dollars in consoles, accessories, and games only to do the whole thing over again in five years. We do it, but we hate it. Sony’s PS2 is showing the console lifecycle might be lengthening, with awesome games still being releases for the seven year old system. The PS2 even outsells the state-of-the-art PS3 meaning people seem willing to invest a couple years in the aged platform.

But Sony’s PSP handheld is a different beast. John Koller, senior marketing manager for Sony’s PSP told IGN he believes the handheld has a 10-year lifecycle similar to the PS2 and PS3. Using firmware updated and some hardware revisions, they can milk the life out of the PSP. But this is a bad idea and an example when starting fresh is better in a few years.

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Forget about Republican versus Democrat, Pepsi versus Coke, and dogs versus cats. Geeks love our rivalries. We are ferociously loyal to one group over another and thing anyone who disagrees must be an idiot (which, in my opinion, they usually are). So here is, in my opinion, the best, geekiest, and most fun rivalries in all of geekdom. These rivalries must be going on currently (no Nintendo vs. Sega) and it must affect a significant group of geek, meaning Ewoks versus Care Bears will have to wait for another list.

7. Cheats vs. no cheats

Passwords. Hacks. Mods. Game genie. All tools of the trade for people who want to beat the game or just skip a really hard level. But is this ethical? Does reading a walkthrough count as cheating? Who are you cheating? Yourself or the game? Message boards across the internet when asked for passwords will sometimes have users who refuse to tell on the grounds that cheating in video games is wrong. It lessens the experience. Why waste your money on a game you aren’t going to play. Well, what should you do is (for the answer, please hold R while pressing UP DOWN RIGHT UP UP A B LEFT LEFT UP).

6. Piracy vs. no piracy

Yes, another ethical debate. For some, piracy is a way to sticking it to the Man, getting lots of stuff free and easy, or maybe just trying something out before spending the money. To others, it’s stealing, wrong, and immoral. If you want to watch a movie, listen to a song, or play a game, spend the money. It’s the only way to keep more of these movies, songs, and games coming. But neither answer is as simple as the downloading on IRC (it’s not simple, if you weren’t sure). And while lawyers try to figure out the legality of piracy and file-sharing, the practice still causes ire among geeks who are easy to ire.

5. Console vs. PC

In the on-going battle for the hearts of video gamers worldwide, the television and personal computer have been fighting the longest battle. Which works better: Controlling your character with a mouse and keyboard or a home console gamepad? Which has better graphics? Which is simply more fun? In truth, the answer to the first two questions is PC. The mouse and keyboard more often than not provide more precise and customizable control (though it’s far more complex to learn) and PC graphics will long out pace video game consoles. But consoles have many advantages from always knowing your game will play on your system (no processing power requirements), simplicity in set-up and often playability, and cost. And thus far, the market is choosing home consoles over PC by billions more dollars. 2006 showed gamers spent $6.5 billion on consoles and handhelds versus $970 million on PC games. But the battle is far from over, especially as more games are released on both consoles and PCs. Then we might see who really wins.

4. Open source vs. commercial

It’s the David and Goliath battle. Should I use Microsoft Word or Open Office…or maybe even Google Docs? What about hacking my iPhone to use user made software or should I wait for the official releases? And then there’s even those piracy questions, like should I use these open source Bittorrent programs or video game emulators or use iTunes and video game consoles. This all comes down to freedom of software choice. But don’t expect others to like it. It all seems innocent until you can’t share your files. That’s when bitterness becomes anger. Yeah, you know.

3. PC vs. Mac

Ah, this one separates the coders from the designers. Macs pride themselves on simplicity and a long understanding of being better with visual and video design software. PCs, while more complex (a lot more), offer more programs and a mountain of exclusive video games. Hardcore PC gamers will tell you there is no option other than a PC and they’re right. But Apple looks prettier. And does more faster. And you can escape from Microsoft’s Window’s loving clutches. Leaving you more time for Photoshopping. Doesn’t that make you feel better?

2. Nintendo vs. Sony vs. Microsoft

You know a geek fight’s big when it gets mainstream media attention. The video game console wars between the Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstation 3, and Microsoft Xbox 360 haven’t been this fierce since a little company called Atari ran the industry. And that might have not been this bad. The video game industry means a lot more to more people these days. The multibillion dollar industry can be quite the cash cow when mixing in game licensing fees, in-game advertising, and online downloads all of which didn’t exist in the 1980s. And that’s just what the companies fight over. The fans often barely have enough to buy one video game console. So when they buy that console, they want to validate that choice and will fight anyone who challenges them. Preferable in a battle of Street Fight II. That ends up on every system ever made, doesn’t it?

1. Marvel vs. DC

Yes, this little rival of comic book universes is one of the most rabid, cruel, and longest running rivalries in geek history. You either love Marvel or DC. You might like characters in each universe. A Marvel fan might even pick up a Superman comic on occasion. But each comic fan has his or her loyalties with only one. DC Comics is original universe…but Marvel perfected the comic universe. DC is too corporate…Marvel’s too corporate. Batman is the best character…Spider-Man is the best character. The back and forth is endless and likely will never end. The debates over the best comic book company and comic book universe only makes reading comics more fun.

Every Monday, I force my opinion on you, my fearless readers, ranking the seven of something geeky.

Everyone needs one portable gadget to carry all their music and movies. And I must go against popular opinion and say I love my PSP more than my iPod.

7. Multimedia

The PSP provides MP3, video, and image viewing with built-in speakers and a radiant 480p screen, far bigger than any iPod screen. I can then plug in my PSP to watch videos, either UMDs or MPEG-4s (just like your iPod), on my television. The larger screen even works better for reading comic books and websites. And if you’re ever bored, you can keep many flash games you find online to play on your PSP.

6. Wireless and web browsing: no extra charge

It only took six years and six generations of iPods before Wi-Fi and web browsing finally came built into the MP3 player. The PSP has had an impressive web browser for years with wireless networking to play games. The PSP had an RSS reader built-in.

5. Expandable memory

Want an more TV episodes for that long plane ride? Just have too much music for one iPod Nano. Well for the PSP, you can buy one, two, four, or eight gig memory cards giving you unlimited space for all your media. You can buy three four gig memory cards (about $40 each) and a PSP ($169) and spend less than the $299 iPod touch with eight gigs.

4. Easily replaceable batteries

So did that battery in your iPod crap out? Now you have to replace your whole iPod. Or worse, were you watching a video in the car ride to grandma’s when your battery dies? If you had a PSP, you could just switch out a new battery. Keep two around. Or three. And never worry about being without your precious music, movies and games. And you never have to wait for those annoying appointments to have college student do what you can do yourself.

3. Homebrew and accessories

While both Apple and Sony aren’t happy about random people making random stuff for their hardware, PSP has a much larger and successful homebrew community, creating eReaders, ISO loaders, original games, and GPS services with maps. One downside are the current best accessories, like the video camera and official GPS have yet to be imported to the U.S. Europe also will be getting live TV, instant messaging, and a video download service, many of which are soon to be coming to the U.S. And until that happens, I can always use Remote Play with my PS3. I might be across the country, but give me a wireless connection and I can be enjoying all the games and movies on the attached 500 gig hard drive.

2. Games

Pretty obvious, the PSP plays games. This handheld is a power house almost rivaling the home console PS2. While the console has had more misses than hits, there’s far more quality games for the system then the iPod which has, well, none. From an original Grand Theft Auto game to classic remakes of Final Fantasy and Mega Man, the PSP offers a nice assortment of value-adding games. And if those games aren’t enough, try out flash games from the web (which you can save onto your memory card) or play some free homebrew games. All the features of an iPod and a game machine. All for a …

1. Lower price

You get more features than the $300 iPod Touch for the price of an iPod Nano. And a lot more features than the iPod Nano…for the same price.

And no I did not forget the UMD movie format. UMD is a waste. But the PSP can play all your digital movie files just as well, on a wider, bigger screen than any iPod. Just wanted to remind you of that.

Every Monday, I force my opinion on you, my fearless readers, ranking the seven of something geeky.

Within days hackers cracked the iPhone like the glass touch screen rolled over by car tires. Apple released a new firmware that freezes hacked or modded iPhones preventing users from accessing programs or services, possibly permanently.

The mainstream press has followed the thus far short give-and-take between Apple and iPhone hackers, and this sudden firmware update looks like a powerful win for Apple. But this is only because the mainstream hasn’t seen hackers battle and beat corporate America over and over again.

Video game consoles have been fighting a back-and-forth war between hackers freeing up console firmware. The console maker than updates the firmware, often for the sole purpose of blocking the hackers. But within a few weeks, a new hacked firmware gets released. Nothing is perfect.

Apple will discover the same painful challenge. In a few weeks or less, this new iPhone firmware will be cracked and people will once again be able to customize their iPhone until the next firmware gets released.

But as Between the Lines points out, Apple’s battle with hackers might cause more bad than good:

We do know none of these hacks to unlock the iPhone would be necessary if we had carrier choice. What’s the cost differential between adding a few carriers to the iPhone and wasting time developing software to outflank hackers?

Even with an extremely successful launch for the iPhone, Apple has started seeing their power getting the better of them. The mass of attention on their products, from the media to the early adopters to the general public, means little information can hide. Most people will never know or care that Sony blocks PSP hackers every chance it gets. But Apple battling hackers will get attention and at some point, the once sweet Apple might get too many sour stories affecting the taste. Apple thrives on rapid evangelical early adopters. After forcing users into one phone service, announcing a major price cut early, and now freezing people’s phone, there might not be enough of a good thing left to adopt.

Like Leonardo DiCaprio running to the doomed Titanic, Paramount has gone HD DVD exclusive. They cite HD DVD’s lower cost and market ready technology, both reasonable criticisms of the Blu-Ray format, if it weren’t for the fact that Blu-Ray players out sell HD DVD players 2 to 1 and Blu-Rays sells as many discs. Blockbuster and BJ’s Wholesale are Blu-Ray exclusive while Target only stocks Blu-Ray standalone players (Target continues to sell HD DVD discs).

The worst part of this, as many commentators have recognized, is now the format war will continue longer (Paramount is committed to HD DVD for 18 months).

Personally I only own a Blu-Ray player (in my PS3) though I have yet to buy any Blu-Ray discs and refuse to spend extra money on the 360 HD DVD attachment. Even with a Blu-Ray player I am hesitant to buy discs at the premium prices. It’s more cost effective to pay for premium movie channels and on demand.

Movie companies are forgetting they aren’t just competing with two HD formats for consumer money and attention. I can continue buying regular DVDs or rent from Netflix. On Demand offers a growing list with a developing HD niche. And, of course, there’s always piracy.

Now that’s the question in front of movie companies. This HD format war can continue because DVDs still sell enough to make everyone tons of money. But eventually HDTVs will spread and consumers will demand a format winner. If the movie companies haven’t settled down with one format or the other, consumers will find alternatives. And not all of those choices will make movie companies happy.

With the next-gen races begun, this year’s E3 looks to be a major turning point for the Big Three, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. From exclusive games to price cuts to redesigns to new colors, each console (and handheld) has a lot of hype (Nintendo) and bad press (Sony and kinda Microsoft) to trounce. While everyone’s doing their predications (PSP redesign, I hope), I figure I’ll instead go over what each of the big three has on the line at this E3.

Nintendo

Everyone’s favorite underdog rules the roost (enough cliches?) this E3 with the best selling Wii and DS and massive profits perfect for game development and R&D.

Nintendo needs playable AAA games that finally show the Wii isn’t just a fad. Super Smash Brothers Brawl is out, but look for Metroid Prime 3 and maybe even Mario Galaxy. Announcing no more supply issues would, of course, make everyone happy, though who knows how realistic that is.

But the two biggies: online strategy and a hard drive. WiiWare, the upcoming Wii channel with original games, is the Wii’s answer to Xbox Live Marketplace, shows Nintendo isn’t just using digital distribution for milking their own library. And while their at it, Nintendo will reveal its Mii and online codes for 3rd party developers so we can finally start getting some multiplayer party games. And instead of keeping a library of twenty SD cards with WiiWare and inevitable Sega Saturn and NeoGeo games, let’s just have a hard drive peripheral.

Verdict: For all it’s hype, Nintendo will meet expectations with games, but the buzz with start moving to other places…

Microsoft

This slow and steady giant has a staggering fall line-up of exclusive must-have titles, Halo 3, Mass Effect, and Blue Dragon, plus its own editions of once-PS3 exclusive blockbusters like Grand Theft Auto IV and Devil May Cry 4. But Microsoft won’t let the past limit its future. They’ve still got tricks up their sleeve.

Aside from getting the glowing praise it’s AAA games deserve, Microsoft should and will already prep the future, either with a new game announcement or some new exclusive stolen from Playstation. Either way, Microsoft needs to hype its stellar holiday line up, and accent this with a small but headline generating price cut for the 360. Maybe even announce a Halo 3/360 bundle. And free Xbox Live would stick it to Sony’s anemic online presence.

Microsoft’s wild card will be the long-rumored gaming handheld. While the disappointing Zune may leave a sour taste in Microsoft’s…hands, the Xbox’s growing brand name is proven and soon to be profitable. A handheld puts Microsoft in the larger and cheaper end of the gaming market. Even the “failed” PSP, with 25 million units sold, has outsold all three next-gen consoles combined. Microsoft could again aim for third place in this handheld generation, offering more of a portable PC than a handheld Playstation.

Verdict: The games will impress. The announcements will generate buzz. And a new handheld could be the announcement of the year.

Sony

The PS3 has failed to meet the staggering expectations set by the PS2. Sony has the most to lose should their games and announcements not start showing why the PS3 is worth $600.

First things first, price cut. The free press alone could save Sony enough marketing cash to make this worth it. And with some playable Metal Gear Solid 4 and several top secret announcements, the value of the system will begin to make sense. Also, more information about HOME and a download service for the PSP and PS3 will reveal Sony’s elaborate and free online strategy. Rumbling gamepads and a PSP redesign are near certain announcements.

Unfortunately, the only hype Sony needs to generate is in games, and ones that come out this year. Microsoft and Nintendo have mega exclusives this holiday season but the PS3’s killer apps are months if not a year away. Heavenly Sword and Lair must meet and beat expectations, and hands-on at E3 need to support this. Some other AAA games, even if they’re original IPs, will make the PS3 worth buying before the new year.

Verdict: The PSP will generate huge buzz with its redesign and new download store, both out by the fall, but the PS3 will still suffer from being an inexpensive Blu-Ray player that also happens to play games.

While working at Boston.com, I got to test the Boston Globe’s preview PS3 this weekend. We compared Resistance: Fall of Man on the PS3 to upcoming first-person shooter Gears of War on the Xbox 360.

Without question, the PS3 looked better (Sony also sent us a 40-inch HD TV to get the real effect). The textures were far crisper; the lighting and particle effects had far more detail. Gears of War, with extremely complex controls, had subtly better gameplay and AI, but for the supposed killer-app of the Xbox’s holiday season, little shocked and amazed.

Most interestingly, we tested some PS2 games on the new system. Set up took a bit, trying to figure out the virtual cards on the hard drive. I tested Okami (cause it’s one of the best looking games on the PS2). Once in high-definition, the pixils became gigantic and saturated. Nevertheless, the game went wide-screen without effort, a real treat.

PC-based emulators, programs that allow console-based games to be played on computers, have provided various options for Playstation emulation. DCEMu Yoshihiro has released a Playstation emulator for the handheld PSP.

The amazing thing here is not the program itself, which technically limits portability since you have to plug your PSP into a computer to play the CD-ROM. But the interesting this is the jump in technology: a small, hand-held system can play the games that broke all limits for graphics and 3D worlds. Sony, and Nintendo DS, are both hosting games updated from older games that were, in many ways, state of the art when released, as in Mario 64 now crammed into a small cartridge for your DS. And Final Fantasy III’s cute pixilated 16-bit world just can’t muster the glow needed for the PSP, as the game comes re-released in all-new 3D graphics.

The added benefit of these imports is that hand held systems are finally enjoying some console styled game play with rich storytelling and cinema-styled visuals. This will make those long plane rides much more fulfilling, but your train ride to school might start to limit game choices. This will be the trade off to consider, between the quick hits and full immersion.