Sony PlayStation 3
Release: November 11, 2006 (Japan)
November 17, 2006 (North America)
March 2007 (Europe)
Sony's next big console is the PlayStation 3, or PS3. The system was officially unveiled during the 2005 E3 conference.
The PS3 uses a 3.2 GHz Cell processor that has been developed by Sony, Toshiba and IBM. The raw power of the Sony PS3 system is estimated at twice that of the Xbox 360 and fifteen times that of the Nintendo Wii.
The graphics for the PS3 consist of a 550MHz processor co-developed by NVIDIA and Sony. The graphics are clocked at 1.8 TFLOPS (or 18 billion FLoating point Operations Per Second), and the chip supports full HD output, up to 1080p.
The system also features built-in Wi-Fi connectivity as well as Bluetooth 2.0 and USB.
Controller
The PS3 controller was originally revealled as a stretched out version of previous PS3 controllers. The concept had roughly the same button layout as previous designs, but resembled a boomerang with long handles and a very curved top.
At E3 2006, Sony revealled the new controller, which looks very much like that of the PS2. Unlike the PS2 controller, however, the PS3 SIXAXIS controller is wireless and features motion sensing technology. Gameplay can be controlled by tilting the controller. The controller vibration feature, however, has been removed. Sony says that it interferes with motion sensing.
The motion-sensing technology of the PS3 has received mixed feedback from gamers and the industry. Nintendo calls the motion sensing an immitation of its Wii remote. Microsoft points out that it had similar technology in a PC gamepad that it developed, but that it wasn't a feature that gamers were very interested in. Meanwhile, a handful of companies who specialize in motion sensing insist that the controller could have both rumble and motion technology in it.
Backwards-Compatability
The PS3 will be backwards-compatible with software from the PlayStation 2 by means of software emulation. The graphics for the PS3 will be developed by Sony itself. The system will also support HDTV output. Sony has also committed to producing compatability with PlayStation (PSone) titles.
PS3 Discs & Storage
The media for the PlayStation 3 will be the new "Blu-ray" format of disc. Blu-ray, named for the blue laser that reads it, can hold up to 50 GB, five times more than the standard red-laser DVD. Blu-ray technology, though, is backward-compatible with DVDs.
The PS3 was released in two models, one with a 20GB hard drive, the other with a 60GB hard drive.
PS3 in High Definition
The good news for gamers is that HDMI connections are not required for high-definition gaming on the PS3. While some films using Blu-ray or HD-DVD discs will not play in high-definition without a standards-complaint HDMI connection, this is not required for PS3 play in HD, so any HDTV can view the PS3 graphics in their full crispness.
Kutaragi also commented that the PlayStation 3 is not solely devoted to video gaming. As the PlayStation 2 branched out slightly with it's DVD video capability, the PS3 will embed itself even further into the home entertainment system. The console will have connectivity features allowing it to connect to other Sony devices creating a home entertainment network.
