The Long Tail argues that"products that are in low demand or have low sales volume can collectively make up a market share that rivals or exceeds the relatively few current bestsellers and blockbusters, if the store or distribution channel is large enough." So think Amazon.com or Netflix. Even self-published writers can make a good living selling on Amazon. So what does this have to do with 360? Chris Anderson, the author of the Long Tail article, has posted some thoughtful impressions of the 360's Media Center extender capabilities on his blog.

In addition to the performance of the machine and its integration with Media Center he also writes about the future of the Xbox as a delivery platform. "If the Xbox 360 and the new content marketplaces of its associated Xbox Live service continue to take off, we really could have the beginnings of a Long Tail platform that could challenge broadcast TV." After our similar experience with the Live Arcade, he can't be far off the mark.