Sony Playstation 3 Information

History

• The PlayStation 3 launched in November 2006 with a two-model approach. A $600 console came with a 60GB hard drive, built-in Wi-Fi, flash card readers, an HDMI port and an Ethernet port. In addition, a $500 model was made available, with 20GB of hard drive space and no Wi-Fi support or flash card readers.

  Since then, Sony has phased in and out different models of the PlayStation 3 as production costs decreased and newer technology became available. It has also brought in several price cuts in order to stay competitive with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii. In September 2009, Sony released a slim model of the PlayStation 3 with a 120GB hard drive for $299.

Features

• Even if you aren't interested in video games, the PlayStation 3 has a lot to offer. It has an HDMI port and is a Blu-ray player, allowing you to watch or play high-definition resolutions.

  The PlayStation 3 has a built-in hard drive for storing videos, pictures and music, all capable of being used whenever you wish. You can also stream content from your PC.

  The PlayStation 3 is rounded out by its online functionality, including its own web browser. The PlayStation Network is free to use and lets you play or chat with people around the world. You can buy gaming content through the PlayStation Store or digitally rent or buy television shows and movies.

  Sony updates the PlayStation 3 through firmware updates, free downloadable patches that add or refine various features.

Hardware

• The PlayStation 3 has an upgradable, 2.5" SATA hard drive. It is equipped with high-definition (up to 1080p) and Internet capabilities, as well as a drive that can read CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs. It uses a 3.2 GHz multi-core Cell processor as its CPU and a NVIDIA RSX "Reality Synthesizer" for processing graphics. It has 512MB of virtual memory, half of which is reserved specifically for the RSX.

Gaming Software

• The PlayStation 3 was underwhelming at first in terms of games. Many multiplatform titles ran better on the XBOX 360. This was attributed to the complexity of the hardware.

  As time went on, multiplatform titles leveled out, and some even perform better on the PlayStation 3. Many critically-acclaimed exclusive titles were released on the console as well, including "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots," "LittleBigPlanet," "Infamous" and "Killzone 2."

Considerations

• Sony has faced strong criticism with the PlayStation 3, considering its initial price and early software performance. With solid gaming options, a Blu-ray player, multimedia features and finally a competitive pricing point, the PlayStation 3 is a solid addition to your home theater.