Most people have been trying to predict the next-gen console war winner on their graphics capability alone. This, my friends, is a mistake.

You only have to look at the current generation of systems to see that the most powerful console does not always equal the most market share. The current Xbox is much more capable than the PS2 but, despite that fact, Sony was the clear “winner” when it comes to market share in the current generation. Nintendo’s GameCube, which is also more capable graphically than the PS2, is a distant third. It should be obvious that it takes more than mere muscle to come out on top.

The next round of console wars is almost upon us. All three hardware manufacturers are trying to position their next-gen system as being “the one”. Now, more than ever, it will take more than snazzy graphical effects and beatiful scenery to end up in first place. All three systems, no matter what anyone tells you, will be more than capable enough to produce incredible graphics, smart a.i., and huge gaming worlds. The “big three” will need to offer something above and beyond graphics to convince gamers that they should spend their hard-earned dollars on their console. This is where I think Microsoft will have an advantage over Nintendo & Sony.

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Nullriver Software — best known for their Playstation Portable (PSP) to Mac sync software PSPWare — has introduced Connect360, a utility that helps the Mac share content with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 video game console. Available now as a public beta version, Connect360 costs $10 to register.

The Xbox360 is more than just a game console — it’s also capable of playing music, viewing digital photos and more. Connect360 is a Mac utility that shares iTunes and iPhoto content with your Xbox 360.

Connect360 automatically indexes your iTunes Music Library and your iPhoto Photo Library. It can also automatically detect an Xbox 360 on your home network, regardless of whether it’s connected to a wired Ethernet port or the Xbox 360’s optional WiFi adapter. Once shared, you can navigate your iTunes and iPhoto content using the Xbox 360’s dashboard. A built-in Access Control List (ACL) can limit which Xbox 360’s can connect to your Mac.

Right now, Connect360 is limited to sharing MP3 audio files and JPEG photos. Nullriver said it’s working an automatic conversion layer to support other image and audio formats.

System requirements call for Mac OS X v10.3.9 or later, an Xbox 360 with a network connection, iTunes and iPhoto. Connect360 is offered as a Universal Binary, capable of running natively on PowerPC or Intel-based Macs.