I did buy the thingy.... You know I am teh kind of guy that when bleemcast for GT2 was announced was capable of going into teh Chicago Slums mall to find a copy and returned in less than 30 minutes via subway to a bussines dinner.
In other words, when theer is software that has no chance of surviving commercially by any reason, or that allows to make something with a console without modifying it.. I am there (Thsi hasn't taken me too far, I must admit).
Well, I do have the thing for testing purposes, since I never use modchips or buy backups. I thought it would be pretty nice it it let me ran imports so I wouldn't have to change the component cables and teh optical input in my HT (which it doesn't).
I've read about it in the forums, and no, it doesn't allow for backups to be copied or played unless you already had a modchip. So the only real use is to have games load faster, and not DVD 9 games (like Substance for instance).
My review.. interesting thingy, but that's all..
And yes, rentals could go up. but since there are no game rentals where I live I couldn't care less and being as I am, if tehre is a game I like, I would go and try to find it.