PS4 to contain thought process engineering?

Apparently there is now technology that allows you to complete an action simply thinking about it. For those of you that questioned the "law of attraction" and wondered about it's effects, maybe this is more proof that you can actually understand, rather than the scientific and mathematical gibberish of quantom physics and quantom mechanics, and quantom entanglement theory and what-not.

Believe it or not, our brainwaves are very much things. Anything we think of actually causes our brains to fire electrons off in a certain pattern. That pattern actually causes a vibrational wave with a unique pattern, very similar to the way a radio wave, or sound wave.

Brainwaves are nothing new, this has been known for a very long while. But what's only been recently discovered is proof is the impact these waves have. Brainwaves act almost as a magnetic wave drawing things closer, and pushing things away. Who knows, a kind, highly focused thought might be the cause of all the seemingly miraculous recoveries from diseases.

It's very much true that our brain can effect the entire world around us. But until now, we've never been able to reveal how specific of an effect our thoughts can have.

Although it sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, researchers at Washington University in St Louis have in fact successfully succeeded in creating a computer game that responds directly to brain waves. A grid atop the brain monitors brain activity and translates it into game commands. The study was conducted using epileptic patients. By simply thinking about the motion they were able to get a cursor to move a target and have succeeded in at least a 74% accuracy.

Gamers may think this is really cool, but they are most certainly not the only ones who should be enthused about this information. Researchers believe that as technology develops they will be able to use it to control prosthetic limbs.

Now if you are like me then you are fascinated about the way we think. There are so many possibilities here. Eventually we will be able to track and monitor our brainwaves. Soon we will have those machines able to send us the exact pattern of the specific thoughts that we want no matter what kind of day you are having.

Think of the best day you ever had. No matter what you did you knew that everything was going to work out. Or if you had one of those days where no matter what you did, you would always get the result you wanted. Now imagine being able to program a machine to those waves. You could feel good anytime you wanted to. If you needed to get stuff done, you simply transmit the "efficiency waves".

There are currently machines that do this sort of thing. They actually send you sound waves and light waves designed to stimulate your brain in a certain way
Now whenever you want you can As someone who has read books about the law of attraction and Richard Bandler's NLP, there is hope that we will someday be able to create a complete mold of brainwaves, make the changes needed, and transmit it back to someone.

Personally, I think it will one day be used as a very important tool to monitor a list of things that our thoughts resonate with (that we will attract into our life if we maintain the same frame of mind), but also to act as a guide on how to shape our minds to achieve the results that we choose.

update: The thought processing has actually evolved a step farther with the gaming system eMotiv. Emotive is a gaming system that responds to your thoughts and allows you to control the character with the game. It's not mainstream, but always before a technology becomes mainstream and popular, you will hear about it's development or something similar before hand. Motion technology wasn't at all popular until Dance Dance Revolution, then there were farther developments before the Wii came out and popularized it one step further and then motion technology developed and PS3 was on the cutting edge with playstation move. My guess is that this could very easily be the next stage in gaming but it could be awhile before we really see major improvements and implimentation.

UnOfficial PS4 site

How can I Play Games on the PS4?

As many of you watching the latest PS4 news know, Sony's studios president Phil Harrison said he would "be amazed if the PS4 had a physical disk drive". Some have said that the 'only way this could be possible is if you downloaded games via the internet'.

Hello people… don't you remember Nintendo and Sega genesis?

The original gaming systems didn't have disk drives, they had cartridges. CDs, DVDs, and now blu-ray technology made it possible to hold much more information on disks, so systems have gone that route.

If you could make conveniently sized chips play high quality games, and either store them on the hard drive digitally, or run through the upgraded chip, they could easily run on non disk formatted software.

With the new cell chip, and Sony working on a future chip with less than half the size technology, it is more than feasible that the future will bring games via chips or memory sticks.

And while I'm not proposing that I believe that the PS4 will go back to game cartridges (at least in it's original form), it is entirely possible that with memory sticks and USB ports that the games could be featured without a physical disk drive AND without requiring people to download games via the internet. I mean if someone's going to talk about the future in an innovative market, you think that they could at least maintain an open mind and use their imagination a little bit.

One option is that gaming companies will partner with Sony, and the games will be featured on an upgradeable hard drive. From the software developers perspective it would make no sense to continue to develop games if their wasn't a contract in place to make a specific amount of games, however that would cause the Sony to be ultimately way too high priced. Unless...

Unless they have a monthly subscription price for ALL of that developers games. For example, if you wanted all of say Konami's games, you pay a certain monthly fee.

If you want EA games, another monthly fee. By limiting the hard drives to developers and combinations of games, or by types of games (sports games subscription, shooter subscription), they could mass produce hard drives with several games and upgrade them. This is most likely the most tedious option of all of them, but gaming developers would love a monthly check coming in, especially if they're featured with a top selling game.

Say there was a game with the popularity of Halo. All consumers would order a shooter game. All the shooter games would benefit from Halo's success. Of course the motivation to produce high quality games would be lower, and the consumers that prefer to play fewer game titles would probably dislike this option. However there is also the possibility that the larger game developers would team up to create even better games. Even if this is the least likely to happen, it is still a possibility.

Another option is that games are played on a network, not downloaded through the internet. This would mean that you would go online and either pay a subscription fee, or pay a one time fee to access specific games.

You would then play with others on a network, similar to games such as final fantasy 11, Warcraft, or Everquest. The game would not be downloaded, but it would be already stored on a powerful server, and the games would run from that server.

Of course I'm sure Sony will make it possible to play 1 player games as well. Since you would be playing primarily through the internet, as an added feature they would also being able to keep track of high scores, records, and other player's achievements or even enter time trials. This would allow competition with 1 player games for those with that competitive nature.

To gain access to the games, perhaps you buy a 1 time encrypted access code via stores so you can buy the software the traditional way, and perhaps you could also buy access to the game via the internet. Whether you have to download it or play it streaming or not is another story.

Then of course there is the PSP2 option. This is where Sony would basically require you to buy the PSP2 to be able to play the PS4. While it may not be the most favorable option for consumers, it would allow people to buy the physical disks, gaming sticks (or whatever is used for games), and upload them to the PS4. The PS4 would then be able to either connect directly via a link to the PSP2 for quicker download time, or use a wireless connection and download the games. If they go this route, you would think that they would have more possibilities.

If the PSP2 is involved, I could see them using some sort of memory stick type hard drive for entire games. You would then buy the sticks, and be able to upload them to either your PS4 OR your PSP2.

This would take backward compatibility 1 step farther as newly published games could be used on either system, whether you're on the go or at home... But unless there would be someway of converting your old discs to these memory sticks, this brings us to another common concern with a non physical disk drive.

The PS2 and PS3 have both been backward compatible. Recently Sony’s president Kaz Hirai said that 10 years is the general shelf life for systems, however as explained in a previous article, that doesn't necessarily mean that the PS4 will be released in 10 years). In fact, I still stand by that statement, and I think that it is very likely that the PS4 will have a separate disk drive accessory which allows you to play the PS3, PS2, and PS1 games. And perhaps you could even convert the games into rewritable memory sticks.

This will allow them to transition in less than 10 years if they wish to while still maintaining friendly relationships with the consumer.

However, it is also very possible that I am wrong and that a 10 year deadline is possible. If this is the case, the 5 year extension with IBM and Toshiba that they had working with the cell chips, and working on a chip by using technology less than half the size would clearly show that their original intention is to create a chip for the PSP2.

That way, if the best technology is the small version of the cell chip when the PS4 production rolls around, they can use it, but if technology changes, they can choose to use or develop something else.

While it's very possible that the PS4 is released within 10, 7, or even 5 years, we must still be prepared to go without a PS4 until 2016.

Mike Summers

Featured author

Unofficial PS4 site

Has Sony Already Won The Hd Format War With The Release Of The Ps3?

Has Sony Already Won The Hd Format War With The Release Of The Ps3? by Gary Ruplinger

Can the Playstation 3 Help Sony and Friends Win The HD Format War?

Quiet as things have been, it'd actually be hard to tell that there is a format war going on right now for high definition discs. There's Toshiba (among others) on one side with its HD-DVD format and then there's Sony (among others) with its Blu-ray format. Both offer far higher disc capacity than standard DVD players and much high quality images and sound.

So far neither HD-DVD nor Blu-ray has made much progress making it into consumers' homes.

However, that's all about to change.

With the release of Sony's third generation gaming system, the Playstation 3, millions of homes will have a Blu-ray player in them. Sony made the decision to include its new Blu-ray player in the Playstation 3 rather than go with a PS3 proprietary format or a DVD player that it included with the PS2. Although Sony's decision to include a Blu-ray player in their new PS3 has caused them many problems, including forcing the company to take a much higher loss on each unit than expected* and with production problems due to shortages of the blue diodes needed to make the players, this strategy will likely pay off in the long run for Sony.

In fact, one would have to wonder how Toshiba could even compete with Sony's ability to get Blu-ray players into the homes of millions of Americans. Toshiba has no game system that people will line up to buy.

Given what's likely to happen, it would seem that the answer is no. So far neither format has really shown to be leaps and bounds better than the other. In fact, both are about equivalent. Are consumers who already have a Blu-ray player with their PS3 really going to go out and buy an HD-DVD player from Toshiba? Not likely. However, many owners of one of Toshiba's players will likely go out and buy a Playstation 3 to keep up with the latest gaming technology. It would seem as if Toshiba's HD-DVD format is destined to be another technology relic like betamax and DVD-Audio.

Also, it appears likely that the PS3 will help to drive increased sales of Blu-ray movies since PS3 owners will have a Blu-ray player and will likely want to own their movies in a higher quality format since they have the player. Even those who don't have the high definition equipment will likely buy some in the hopes that in the future they will have the equipment to fully take advantage of the new technology or even merely for bragging rights.

*It is customary for game system manufacturers to take a loss on the sales of the gaming units when they're first released in order to allow more people to purchase the system. The companies know they can make there money back when consumers purchase games for these systems. Also, over time, the prices of the components to make the systems come down so that eventually the manufacturers do make a profit on each system sold.

About the Author

Gary Ruplinger is the editor of PS3ASAP.com and Bluraytips.com. If you want to learn how to get a PS3 before Christmas without having to pay $2,000 on eBay or camp out for 2 days at a store, then be sure to visit PS3ASAP.com right away.

UnOfficial PS4 site

The Age of Blu-Ray by Richard Weber

Do you remember how awesome it was when you upgraded from you old VHS tapes to DVDs? The picture was way clearer and the sound was amazing, right? Well another technology shift of even greater proportions is on the horizon in the home entertainment industry.

A standard DVD or DVD-R disc has about 4.7 GB of storage, but the new Blu-Ray discs have over 25 GB of storage on a single-layer disc and 50 GB on a dual-layer disc! And all that extra space, over 10 times more than a regular DVD, does not go to waste. Movies in Blu-Ray format will have crystal clear, life-like High Definition picture and superb digital sound. This unprecedented high quality combined with a 1080p High-Definition TV will be like nothing you have ever seen before. Are you salivating yet?

The only thing that will stop you from running to your nearest Circuit City, Best Buy or Sony Style to pick up a Blu-Ray player and a couple movies to go with it (and if you're really ambitious, you can buy a Blu-Ray disc burner too) is the large and almost unwieldy price tag.

Today, a stand-alone Blu-Ray player will cost you around $1000, with each movie at about $50, meaning it would take a sizable chunk out of that portion of your bank account you allocate towards home entertainment. Now if you have a phone number annual salary that won't be a problem, but what about for the rest of us?

Well, just as with any new and emerging technology, the price will be very high at the outset, meaning that mostly techies and people who don't mind dishing out a few thousand bucks will buy it. But with time (maybe even in time for the 2006 holiday season), the price will drop until it becomes affordable. And for those of you who absolutely can not wait to get one of these awesome pieces of technology in your living room, you will be glad to hear that the new Sony Playstation 3 coming in November 2006 will come equipped with a Blu-Ray player. This next-gen console will cost around $600, a bargain for just the Blu-ray player.

The Playstation 3 will be the most powerful gaming machine ever released in terms of raw computing power. It features a new technology called a "Cell" chip, which works like 9 CPU microchips in one. This allows for blazing speeds and spectacular graphics, especially when it comes to running lots of programs simultaneously.

So, how do you obtain this tantalizing cinematic machine without overdrawing your checking account? My advice is to wait until the holiday season. The mainstream will have caught wind of the new Blu-Ray technology and it will become a holiday must-have. The price will inevitably be lower, and it will be your choice whether you want to go with a stand-alone player or a PS3.

If you wish to find out more about Blu-Ray players and what movies are available, check out blu-ray-site.com for more information. This is a technology that will awe and inspire, and it will forever change the home theater experience.

About the Author

Richard Weber

-- Author and owner of http://www.blu-ray-site.com

http://www.blu-ray-site.com

UnOfficial PS4 site

The HD Media future by Jay Jeetley

The HD Media future

Everyone knows that media format wars have historical significance in the world of technology. Remember the most notorious battle between the Beta max and the VHS? The winner of such battles will make millions even billions. Later we had the upgrade of tape to CD, a revolution in music. In 1980 the Philips/Sony compact disc standard was finalized and nobody has looked back for the last 26 years (until mp3's came along).

Well as ever there is a new media battle but who will win again is yet unknown. This modern forest of technological mass has produced a new insurgency: THE HIGH DEFINITION WAR. Blu-ray vs HD-DVD are two competing formats which are eventually going to replace DVD's. As you look around at your local electric retailers you can see changes happening in the broadcast world, not only are we changing from our conventional CRT screens to Flat screen but also to HD ready TV. The impact this has on our lives is not as large as black and white to colour, but nevertheless a change that will definitely be a benchmark for future media.

Why New formats?

The reason we have introduced these new formats is that your traditional DVD can hold a maximum of 9.4 GB (Dual Layer) of information. This is not enough for HD broadcast as the information required is higher, being a resolution of 1920x1080. Blu-ray discs can hold 50 GB (Dual Layer) and HD-DVD 30 GB (Dual Layer). These new discs cannot be played on normal DVD players but on new HD media players of which examples are Samsung BDP 1000 (Blu-Ray), Sony Playstation 3 (Blu-Ray), Toshiba HDXA1 (HD-DVD). This means spending more money for better resolution.

Price

This is always important especially when new models of media come out; at first it is always expensive as supply out strips demand. The players are expensive, the cheapest being the Playstation 3 supposedly retailing at £549. Blu-Ray media also being expensive; similar to DVD's when they first came out (taking inflation into consideration), blank media costing from £11.99 to £24.99.

To play a Blu-ray Disc on a PC has brought about a price concern. The fact that you have to purchase a HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) Graphic card, along with a HD monitor, not to mention a Blu-ray Drive and media, controversially may bring about decrease in sales. This is presently being contested with new Laptops and PCs that are Blu-ray compatible, look at the New Vaio VGN-AR21S.

The HD players need to be up to scratch on price. The Toshiba HD-DVD player retailing at almost half the price of the Blu-ray Samsung player creates even more competition between the two media. This could encourage sales of HD-DVD over Blu-ray, even though it's rumoured that Toshiba will be making a loss initially.

Prices of movies doesn't seem to be as high as anticipated; a Blu-ray movie 'House of flying daggers' from amazon.com will set you back $19.95 (£10.68). This may encourage sales. Movies in HD-DVD identical in price, yet Blu-ray is a larger size disc.

Upscaling

Another problem HD may face is that the new DVD players have the upscaling technology ie. DVD is played at 480p but upscalers upgrade the image to 720p or 1080i. This produces a picture which is of high quality to the untrained eye, in fact even the trained eye has difficulty distinguishing between the two. The difference is seen on a 50 inch HD projector and looking right up close. So the question is will 1080p be much different to 1080i? Will people fork out the added expense when they know that a cheaper DVD upscaler will create more or less the same effect?

Media Backup

Software and Hardware companies have invested a lot of money in subsidising HD media. Samsung, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, LG, Sony, TDK, JVC and Sharp support Blu-ray and Toshiba and Microsoft back HD-DVD. Hollywood movie studios Disney, Paramount, Warner, Sony, Eagle rock, Fox and MGM and Lions gate support Blu-ray also. None of these large companies would take such a gamble if they didn't know that this is what the consumer wants.

PlayStation 3

Sony love to bring out their own media whether its Sony Duo Sticks or Sony Mini Discs. Their hunger to dominate the consumer market has always been there and this is nothing different. The Playstation 3 will play Blu-Ray discs, still having the ability to play older media like DVDs and CDs. The success of the predecessor's PS1 and PS2 will give much anticipation to the release of this new console and is what Sony are hoping will convert people to use Blu-Ray. A Sony spokesman has predicted that Blu-Ray will dominate the HD market within 12 months.

The encouraging feature with HD-DVD is the name, everyone's ears will ring with the name and automatically assume that this is a high definition movie. Asking someone in the street what 'Blu-ray' is will bring looks of confusion, along with the fact that both will produce similar quality pictures.

Region Coding

Region coding with Blu-Ray may put people off; the fact that you may not be able to watch a new release from the states or Japan on your European locked regional player will raise eyebrows.

REGION 1 South America, North America, East Asia (except China)
REGION 2 Europe and Africa
REGION 3 China, Russia other Countries

Multiregional configurations on DVD players has encouraged sales worldwide especially with worldwide films from Bollywood, Japan (manga) and South America.

So far the HD-DVD camp has not announced region coding just yet, and if they don't then this will be very advantageous for consumers.

Future Proof

Realistically you only need about 15-20 GB for a feature length film in High definition but who would have known that DVD's could not be able to hold enough for high definition. Theoretically they can with MPEG-4 Compression. In any case media like Blu-ray will hopefully be future proof in years to come.

Conclusion

The timescale and price are the two main issues here, how quick we will universally change to HD and whether this is affordable. From a consumer point of view the necessity for HD doesn't seem imperative, after all VHS was around for 20 odd years twice that of DVD (so far). You could argue that technology is changing exponentially and that changes occur quicker.

As for the battle between the two media there may be compromise ahead. A UK firm has announced a solution to the media war. London-based New Medium Enterprises (NME) has developed a low-cost, multilayer DVD disc that can store Blu-ray content on one layer and HD DVD content on another. This would leave the consumer with the choice of buying either type of player to play the one disc.

The key setback I feel with the looming HD change is the cheaper alternative to a Blu-Ray player or HD-DVD player, the DVD upscaler. Do people want to get rid of those hundreds of DVDs they bought to replace them with an expensive alternative, especially when they might not even notice the difference in picture quality?

However I do feel that HD is encouraged with consoles such as the Playstation 3. Blu-ray is its main format and may revolutionise the games industry.

About the Author

Jay Jeetley is a writer for the website Blu-raychoice.com, a resource for Blu-ray News, movies, forums and media

Official PS4 site

PS3 games online

Regardless of whether you're looking for classic nintendo games, or free playstation 3 demo games, within the playstation 3 network, you can actually log in and download them directly to the playstation 3. Some people speculate that the playstation 4 won't even require disks for the reason that they will be downloaded online. Regardless of what the playstation 4 holds, it's better to understand the intentions of the PS4 by first understanding the advancements that have been made in the playstation 3. The PS3 is by far one of the better, if not the best and most advanced systems out there. It stands to reason that the PS4 will be even better. So I want to direct your attention to an article that I found about PS3 games online. Enjoy.

Title: PS3 games online

John Hight, external production director for SCEA, is the overseer of PS3 games' digital distribution program, E-Distribution Initiative. He claims that this new distribution project will benefit Sony and open opportunities for game developers. Hight explains that online distribution erases inventory risks while being cost-effective. He asserts that this is Sony's contribution in the anti-piracy drive because online distribution will curtail the sales of used games and software transfer.

As added benefit for the developers and aspiring developers of PS3 games, the difficulties of breaking in the game publishing industry is minimized by the online platform. Through the online platform new games by big and new developers can be tested with low risks in a medium that encourages quick feedback. There is no need to publish the game and get reviewers to test it. The prototype of the game is uploaded in the online platform where actual PS3 gamers can play it and post their own reviews. Hight asserts, in another dig at Microsoft, that their company is committed to game development in the circle of its own studios. He reminds that Microsoft relies on third party game developers to supply their Live Arcade with games. He even added that Sony opens platform doors for independent publishers who funded their own games. But not just any game can make it to Sony's online platform. Hight stresses that despite the openness of their platform, Sony is only looking for new and fresh ideas to benefit from the influence of the PS3.

Sony Computer Entertainment's Ken Kutaragi, amplifies the cost-efficiency of their online platform. He states that they expect high returns from the sales of downloadable PS3 games. He also denies reports about added fees and charges for playing and networking through the E-Distribution Initiative. He explains that all basic services from Sony's online platform will be free except for the downloads.

SCEA also confirms reports that some of their PS3 games, downloaded or not, are not compatible with Xbox 360. The company gives hardware demands and game designs as reasons behind the incompatibility. This confirmation coincided with the announcement of new game titles developed exclusively for Sony.

From these, Sony makes it clear that it is taking steps to compete with Microsoft even in the online arena. Though the initial information released by SCEA is vague, the online platform clearly has two primary functions: PS3 games download and player interaction. Its basic functions are much like that of Microsoft's online platform. The PS3 games console is facing a tough challenge from Xbox 360 because of its delayed launch. Whether the E-Distribution Initiative will face the same challenge remains to be seen when it collides with the more established Xbox Live Arcade.

For more valuable information on ps3 games please visit http://www.ps3-game.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carver_Tate
UnOfficial PS4 site

Hot shots 5 for PS3

Hotshots Golf 5 - video powered by Metacafe

Official PS4 site

Watch out for the PS4 bogus hype

Recently I read an article that had the headline "Hirai suggests PS4 is more than ten years away"

After reading the article, I found he made no suggestion whatsoever, and again it was more speculation fanning false flames of curiosity and wonder and taking comments out of context, then it was a legitimate "suggestion".

The article was about an interview between CNet and Kaz Hirai, Sony's president. They drew speculation from the question about the Nintendo Wii's low price,
asking how that effected the PS3. All Hirai said was basically that he thought the PS3 added tremendous value, and that if you bought any of sony's products,
you would still be able to use it 10 years down the road. Now, if he said we want THIS product to be able to be the top product 10 years from now it'd be a different story.
However, the reason Sony has made their systems backward compatible, is so all your old software won't have gone to waste if you choose to upgrade.
If you do not choose to upgrade, there still will be games comming out for quite awhile for the old system after the new system comes out.
The original playstation (PS1) became the first system to sell over 100 million copies... However it didn't hit this point until AFTER the PS2 came out. In fact, sold it's 100 million copy in March of 2005.
This was about 5 years after the release of the PS2. The original playstation is only now starting to lose it's value, and I'd say the users got a good 10 years out of it.
(dates need confirmation)
Hirai even followed up when he was asked if the PS4 would most definitely not be released within the 5 years
and he clarified his last statement by specifying that all he meant was that Sony makes sure that they take care of their customers so that their product is still good.

Then again, mentioning the 10 year thing could give a good smokescreen if in fact they were planning on releasing in roughly 5 years.

But, I digress, I will allow you to develop your own opinion on the interview.

The Interview is as follows:

CNET: Can you provide an update on the PlayStation 3?

Hirai: The PlayStation 3 will launch in the North American market on November 17. Things are pretty much moving according to plan.

CNET: How does a scaled-down Electronic Entertainment Expo affect a company like yours? Was it a good thing to institute some changes in the format, or were you happy with the way it had been?

Hirai: E3 has about a 10-year, 11-year history, if I'm not mistaken. I think it's grown to a point where it became just such a massive show that we needed to take a look at what we were trying to accomplish with the show. We needed to see how effectively we can accomplish those goals. I think it was pretty much across the board in agreement that we should revise or relook at how E3 is structured.

CNET: Beyond the pricing and availability of the PlayStation 3,
one of the big pieces of news from this year's E3 was more information about Nintendo's new console, the Wii.
There were rumors that the Wii would be priced for less than $250. How did that affect the PlayStation 3?

Hirai: The pricing that we announced for the PlayStation 3 is a price that ultimately offers fantastic value to the consumers.
I think that we are offering a very good value for the consumers.
We look at our products having a 10-year life cycle, which we've proven with the PlayStation.
Therefore, the PlayStation 3 is going to be a console that's going to be with you again for 10 years.
We're not going to ask the consumers to suddenly buy another PlayStation console in five years' time
and basically have their investment go by the wayside.
So for all those reasons, I think at $599 we're offering a very good value to the consumers.

CNET: Are you saying that there won't be a PlayStation 4 within five years?

Hirai: Well, I think that if you look at the history of the way we've managed our console business,
we always try to hit a 10-year life cycle.
I can't speculate on when we might come out with a new console after PlayStation 3.
But my message is that once you become a family in the PlayStation family of products, you become a family member.
We make sure that we take care of you.

CNET: Going back to the question of the Nintendo console, it seems like its pricing is significantly lower than what the PlayStation 3, or the Xbox 360, will cost. Any concern that Nintendo's Wii pricing will undercut the market as people decide which console they want to buy?

Hirai: Some consumers will compare features or software offerings and decide that they may want to go with a different console. You also have to realize that we have a very strong, market-leading console called the PlayStation 2, which is at a very affordable price right now. Consumers will also understand that if you buy a PlayStation 2 right now, and you make some software investments, when you feel it's right to move onto PlayStation 3, those software titles aren't going to go by the wayside. Consumers will take that into consideration. I don't think price is the only determining factor when consumers make a choice in looking at their console purchase decisions.

CNET: Is there a danger that some consumers will buy PlayStation 3 just for the Blu-ray player and not the games?

Hirai: Consumers are going to look at the totality of what we offer in the PlayStation 3. Even if there was a consumer who decided to buy the PlayStation 3 perhaps as a Blu-ray player, I think that they will quickly realize the potential and the entertainment value of the fantastic content in true [high definition]. Any consumer would be hard pressed really not to try that functionality out.

CNET: Given the differences in pricing, which is fairly significant between Microsoft's Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, are there any chances of a PlayStation 3 down the line that doesn't have Blu-ray built in?

Hirai: The PlayStation 3 uses the Blu-ray as its storage medium for both games and for movies as well. We wanted to take advantage of the storage capacity that Blu-ray offers in terms of motion pictures and other content, but most importantly, for games as well. Our decision to include the Blu-ray player from day one in all of our PlayStation 3s was the right decision and, quite honestly, the only decision we can make.

Look at the massive amounts of data that's required to provide a truly immersive gaming experience in true HD. If you only have a DVD ROM drive, which can only go up to about 9GB or so, you're going to end up with a game that's going to have two or possibly even three discs. And then you're going to have to ask consumers to swap discs out or cache all the game onto the hard drive, which I think is an inconvenience--not to mention the fact that you're going to fill up a 20GB hard drive very quickly with some of these games. So trying to go without a Blu-ray drive in the PlayStation 3 really is a nonstarter.

CNET: There's been talk recently about production of the PlayStation 3--why hasn't production begun already?

Hirai: We haven't officially announced production on the PlayStation 3 just yet. But we are on track to deliver 2 million units for the launch period on a worldwide basis that we announced at E3. We are going to make sure that those units get out into the market.

CNET: It looks like there could be some shortages, particularly for the holiday season, even with the 2 million by the launch date and 4 million by the end of the year. So what do you say to consumers who are not going to be able to get ahold of one if they do want one?

Hirai: We are going to make every effort possible to make sure that we get as many units out into the market in the major territories as well as some of the smaller territories that we're launching in.

CNET: Have there been any sort of business lessons about filling customer demands and production issues from the things that Microsoft has dealt with regarding the Xbox 360?

Hirai: We don't really look at what our competition did or didn't do. We've had shortages in the past, and there is no guarantee that we will never have a shortage again in the future. But I think that we've learned many lessons over the years that allow us to look at production schedules, look at parts procurement, look at ways of shortening the lead time from the point of manufacture to ultimately getting the product into the retailers' shelves and into the hands of consumers. We're doing everything we can to make sure that we have the most efficient way of getting the product into the market.

CNET: By the time the holiday season moves around, Microsoft will have a yearlong head start. Not only does it have the head start in the console race, but it also has a year's advantage on coming out with new accessories really bolstering its online offerings. What is Sony's take? How can Sony keep up with that?

Hirai: If you look back in history, I think everybody realizes that we've never been first to bring a console to the market. PlayStation was not first and PlayStation 2 was not first to market. As a matter of fact, PlayStation Portable was not first to market in the portable space and PlayStation 3, as you mentioned, is not the first to market either.

It comes down to several things. One is the kind of software experience that the consumers will expect out of a next-generation console. I think we're going to be delivering that, both in terms of the lineup of PlayStation 3s as well as the fact that we're offering true HD gaming. We're also launching a console that doesn't require upgrades as you go along. Right out of the box it will play Blu-ray movies in true HD as well as old games. As far as accessories go, that's really a function of what kind of accessories you need to play or enjoy a particular game.

CNET: How many titles will you have by launch and how many by year's end?

Hirai: That's hard to try to pin down at this point. Everybody is looking at their entire portfolio of software offerings, and I think that the lineup of titles really is something that won't be locked down most likely until three to four weeks before launch.
(end)

Now, of that whole interview their was only that brief comment about the shelf life of Sony's products, and the "I can't comment on the PS4" follow up.
After reading the interview, you can see that centering the whole interview by titling the article, "Hirai suggests PS4 is more than five years away" is just media hype to grab your attention.

Assuming both of these interviews are truthful and congruent, then if Ken Kutaragi said the PS4 is coming within the next decade;
and Harai's statement indicated having every Sony Playstation last for 10 years or more would only make sense if he was talking about the shelf life, rather than the amount of years before the next product releases.

In other words, while the PS3 may not be outdated for another 10 years, it still remains very possible that the PS4 will be released well within the 10 years, perhaps even within 6 or 7 years.

Mike Summers

Featured Author


UnOfficial PS4 site

A comparison of the Sony PS3, and Microsoft's Xbox 360 by Andrew Lawrence

The current generation of game consoles is a market contested by three systems. Microsoft's Xbox 360, which was released in November 2005, Nintendo's Wii, due for release in November 2006, and the Sony PS3, also set to release in North America and Japan in November 06. This is a short guide for consumers interested in a comparison of the PS3 vs Xbox 360.

The two systems are remarkably similar in several ways. They both ship in two different lines - a Basic and a Premium version - and in both cases, the main difference between the two lines for each is the size of the hard drive. In the case of Xbox, the Core version does not have one, while the Premium system comes with a removable 20 GB hard drive. In the case of the PS3, the Basic edition has a 20 GB hard drive, and the Premium comes with a 60 GB drive. Given the similarities of the two lines for each system, from here on we shall just compare the premium version of both systems.

Microsoft's second console, the Xbox 360, is Internet-capable by standard 100 Mb ethernet port, has a relatively advanced on board Operating System (OS), features a triple-cored CPU for parallel processing, allowing a different processor to focus exclusively on different aspects of each game, has a powerful on-board graphics accelerator with an ATI GPU, has 5.1 surround sound support, DVD playback functionality, interfaces with an online matchmaking and multiplayer service, namely, Xbox Live, and with a software update, will support the HDTV progressive video resolution of 1920x1080 (AKA, 1080p). The system also has 3 USB 2.0 ports, which allow users to plug in additional peripherals, such as the Xbox Live Vision Camera, and wireless network adaptor. There is support for both wired and wireless controllers. Microsoft has also announced it will release an external Xbox HD-DVD drive for users who desire next-generation disk format support. The Xbox 360 ships with emulation software that allows users to play some original Xbox games on the new console. The results vary significantly, however, and a compatibility "profile" must first be released on a game-by-game basis via Xbox Live, before users can use old games. In some cases, the older games are able to take advantage of the significantly more powerful hardware available to them and will actually play better than on the original system. Others, however, do not lend themselves well to this feature, and run poorly, or in some cases, not at all, and thus, will not be supported by Microsoft on the 360.

The PS3 will also be Internet-capable via 1 Gb ethernet, and will offer many of the same features as Xbox Live Gold, using the tentatively named "PlayStation Network Platform" (PNP) service for multiplayer and matchmaking. Unlike Xbox Live Gold, however, Sony has announced that their service will not attract a subscription fee, but will instead be free to all users. It has a highly advanced "Cell" processor, which features eight independent "Synergistic Processing Elements" (SPE) for parallel computing. One of these is reserved for the OS, and another is redundant, making the console fault tolerant, should one of the units fail. The other six can be dynamically configured by each game to allow developers to optimise the console for the requirements of every individual game. The next-generation Blu-Ray Disk format is standard for all PS3 units, which also allows standard DVD and CD playback, as with the Xbox 360. The PS3 will support all standard HDTV resolutions, and the Premium version has HDMI output support. The PS3 has Wireless Bluetooth controllers, USB, Flash card and memory stick support, and 7.1 surround sound. Finally, Sony has said that nearly every PS1 and PS2 game will be natively compatible with the PS3, and has indicated that some Sega Genesis (AKA Sega Megadrive outside the US) games will also work out of the box. It will gradually make these games available for download directly to the on-board hard drive, for a fee payable via their PNP service.

When comparing the PS3 vs Xbox 360, it can be hard to make a choice. The PS3 is undoubtedly a more powerful machine, however, it costs much more than its competitor. It includes a host of features very similar to those offered by Microsoft, some of which are definitely implemented better. It is fair to expect generally superior performance from a PS3, so any choice boils down to the investment consumers are willing to make - or have already made, in the case of older games - for that experience.

About the Author

To find out more info on the PS3 including worlwide release dates you can find a full in depth report at ThePS3Report.co.uk Andrew Lawrence is the developer of E-bookz Online a site that promotes mostly info products on all subjects.

UnOfficial PS4 site

Nintendo Wii vs. PlayStation 3 (PS3)

By victor vargo

While both just released worldwide, there is already a great deal of discussion between those who side with Sony on the video game wars and those who side with Nintendo. These games have obviously not begun just yet, but you should be excited to learn just what is possible with both the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii consoles.

While Nintendo has a great reputation and history in the video gaming industry, it has also taken criticism recently for falling behind in the video game arms race that calls for more power and realism. Sony has taken off in the video gaming world and the Nintendo Wii matches up with the PS3 just like this:

* With PlayStation 3, Sony is all set to introduce not only one of the biggest and best gaming consoles in the world today and possibly forever, but they are also releasing a system that demands a plethora of cash to possess. With the prices for the various PS3’s falling between $499 and $699 you are looking at the prospect of missing next month’s mortgage payment. However, Nintendo Wii has come right out of the box with guns a blazin’ to get into these wars with the nice price of $249. There is no alternative packages or upgrades, $249 is it!

* While both companies are certainly innovators in this respect, it remains to be seen if the Nintendo Wii or Sony PlayStation 3 has the best version of motion detection controllers. The Nintendo Wii does require a small sensor bar in front of your television before playing to help with the motion detection, while the PlayStation is ready to play without anything extra. This sounds like an easy choice, but once the controllers are even at purchased and signed on, the Nintendo Wii controller will outstretch the PlayStation 3 by just a tad in distance.

* Sony is obviously a maker of televisions, media players, television, and movies so it stands to reason that their major video gaming console is aimed at adults. Video games with the PlayStation 3 are of an adult nature with scantily clad women and people looking to shoot other people at any moment. However, the Nintendo Wii offers a more wholesome and family-friendly experience with their games. If Wii is right for your children, don’t bat an eye, they will love it!

*PlayStation 3 is set to offer an online community where gamers can compete against one another or download previous versions of PS1 and PS2 games. This is similar to Nintendo allowing Wii users to download old Nintendo games at their choosing.

If you are still unsure of which system that you should go with then you should visit your local electronics retailer and see if you can play a demo in the store. The comfort and ease of the system could help you make the right choice in regards to the purchase.

Victor Vargo manages a network of video game industry websites including VideoGameAlerts.com which provides pricing and availability alerts for the PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii and much more. For more information on Nintendo Wii v. Playstation 3 or for a comparison of the Wii vs. Xbox 360 just visit www.VideoGameAlerts.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Vargo

UnOfficial PS4 site

PS4 could drop discs entirely

Sayonara disc drive?

wednesday, 9^th aug 2006

article by Luke Guttridge

• related articles
• comments

With the PS3's worldwide launch in November drawing ever nearer and Sony still enduring fierce criticism of the forthcoming console from some quarters, what better time to begin speculating on the PlayStation 4 system? In step Sony Computer Entertainment executive Phil Harrison, who reckons the PS4 won't have a physical disk drive, according to comments made in an interview with Wired magazine.

The worldwide studios boss reckons that by the time the PS4 reaches us the world of digital entertainment will be all about distribution via the internet. "We have to change the business model. We have to find a new way to reach the consumer," the big cheese reckons.

Pointing to Korean online racer Kart Rider, Harrison believes such games show the path to the future of gaming, where the game itself can be had for free over the internet, but a plethora of expansions and upgrades can be purchased and downloaded. Apparently, twelve-million Korean's are currently enjoying that title.

"I'd be amazed if the PS4 had a physical disc drive," Harrison affirmed. Digital distribution is of course widely regarded as a delivery method of growing importance, that said, its hard to see where Blu-ray might fit in with this. More soon.

Sony to Release PS4 this Christmas

By Jordan Baugher

Tokyo , Japan- Sony President Ken Kutaragi held an impromptu press conference today, stunning the world by announcing the imminent release of the PlayStation 4. Deciding to forego the intended release of the much-anticipated PS3 and concentrate on the release of the as-yet unanticipated PS4, Sony has decided to market its new system as "a leap ahead of our competition."

While no new titles have been announced for the PS4, Kutaragi assured reporters that the PS4 would be reverse-compatible with PS3 games and that a new system would eventually be released that would be compatible with PS4 games once the technology to make them was invented.

"That system behind you looks like the PS3 we've already seen displayed at much every electronics show for the last year, how is this a different system?" asked one reporter.

Kutaragi replied: "Well, as you can see, this has a 4 on it, and the other model had a 3. That increase represents an entire extra integer of gaming quality, one the critics said we couldn't achieve for another 10 years."

Related News

This article is for entertainment purposes only.

When asked if this was all one big marketing gimmick, Kutaragi went on to explain that while the specs for the PS4 were not essentially different from the PS3, the price would increase dramatically "to reflect the increase in quality."

It is rumored that Microsoft will announce plans to recall all Xbox 360s to "upgrade" them to Xbox 720s in what's being called a "packaging innovation."

--
for those of you that haven't guessed this article was a gag... yeah, it's a little early for April Fools jokes, but I found this entertaining and thought that you all would like reading it

How will the Nintendo Wii effect the PS4?

This article is a little bit different, I am going to post an article I found about the Ninetendo Wii, and then follow up by explaining the future implications that this will have upon the PS4.
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Nintendo Wii Priced To Outsell The Ps3 And X Box 360 by Gditeam

The price for the new Nintendo Wii is quite competitive to say the least. In fact, the word competitive does not do this system any justice. The bottom line is that the Wii beats the competition in price across the board. If you are in the market for one of the newer gaming systems there is no better option than the Wii. Of course you can opt for another like the Playstation 3 or Xbox 360, but if you do this you will have to pay as much as $300 more. Are you willing to do this for a system that many believe is not better than the Wii?

In September 2006 Nintendo began to release information about the seventh generation gaming console known as the Wii. Many people may have been surprised to learn at that time that the Wii is being priced at the low cost of $249.99. To the amateur gamer or somebody who is not in the know, $249.99 may seem like a lot of money; and for good reason. But when you look at Wii prices compared to those of other systems you will be happy that you are interested in what Nintendo has to offer. A new Microsoft Xbox 360 will set you back about $400, whereas the Playstation 3 is being price at $600. So for less than half the cost of the newest Playstation you can pick up a brand new Nintendo Wii.

In addition to the price of the console itself, there are also a few other Wii prices that you should be aware of. For example, a Wii remote is going to set you back approximately $40. Also if you want to purchase accessories such as nunchuks you will have to shell out $20. The games that are compatible with the Wii will cost $60 on average. Yes, this is a bit much, but with the newest features and graphics it is safe to say that it is well worth the money.

It is obvious that Wii prices are among the best in the industry. And there is one thing that you are probably forgetting in all of this pricing excitement. That being the fact that the Wii is supposed to be able to hold its own against the other gaming consoles that are available. So what situation is better for you? Spending $600 on a new system, or being able to get the same thing for only $250? It is safe to say that if you are a consumer you are going to opt for the one that costs hundreds of dollars less.

Overall, Wii prices are something that the industry should be excited about. In today's day and age of technology it is easy for manufacturers to get carried away when it comes to pricing. The fact of the matter is that Nintendo could have easily gotten away with pricing the Wii at $300 or more. But instead of doing this they wanted to stay true to their roots and offer a gaming system that is top notch, for a price that the majority of people could justify spending.

About the Author

Gditeam has research gaming consoles and the pricing for the last few months and developed a guide on getting the new nintendo wii for free which can be found on his site here wii prices

John Simbelson

Featured author

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I disagree with it being safe to say that you will opt for the gaming system that costs less, however, with the lack of availability that the PS3 currently has, I do agree that to start with the Nintendo Wii will probably make more sales. However in the long run it is uncertain if the PS3 will sell more units, but one thing is certain, Nintendo has found a way to become competitive in a market that it seemed to have lost it's edge. But that brings up an interesting point, if the Nintendo Wii does make more sales, will the PS4 seek to lower their prices? And if so, how much quality will they sacrifice to get these lower prices? Or will they go the opposite route and try to make a system so far advanced and so unique that the other systems aren't even considered competition?

Regardless of which gaming system or company you prefer, and regardless of what you think of the Nintendo Wii, one thing is certain... For the consumer, competition is a very good thing, and will allow us as consumers to get better and better service, products, and technology

Update: As we now see, The Nintendo Wii actually impacted the playstation 3 as they created a divice that basically transforms the playstation 3 into the PSmove. This is exciting! I mean think about it, the Wii helped open the door for a superior technological breakthrough within the same PS3 unit. If playstation 3 move has this technology, can you imagine how much more advanced they will make PS4? The PS3 move is able to transform the PS3 into what I thought at WORST the PS4 was going to be like. Well we know that Sony Playstation will not make a new device that isn't superior to everything you had in the old, so not only was I right that the Nintendo Wii would effect the PS4, (as was John the author of the article quoted here) but it will do so more than I could have ever imagined. Not only is the PS3 cheaper than ever to compete with the Wii on price, but it's now superior.

Now I can't wait to see if Nintendo will come up with something innovative to try to compete. This technology war is the best kind of "war", and is actually fun and safe for everyone! (that is, until Skynet, lol!)

Later!

'Tis the Season for Electronics: Gifts for Everyone's Budget

by Chris Robertson

The holiday season is upon us, which can only mean one thing: electronics are at the top of everyone's wish list. Even if you can't snag a new PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii, there are still many electronics gifts that will delight your recipients. Here are just a few:

Cell Phones: Cell phone technology continues to improve, as do the features available on cell phones. A new cell phone, complete with a high-res camera, video functionality, and wireless adaptability, is certain to be a welcome gift. If that's beyond your budget, opt for any of the number of cool cell phone accessories that are available.

iPods: An Apple iPod makes the perfect gift for anyone who enjoys music or television, even if they're not tech-savvy. Not only can they download tunes, but increasingly, they can download television episodes that they may have missed. Again, if you can't afford an iPod, there are any number of accessories - from earbuds to "socks" that are adorable and affordable.

Home Theaters: This year, why not indulge the whole family with a home theater? Flat screen TVs have come so far down in price that they're more than worth the splurge. While you're at it, get a collection of DVDs that every family member can enjoy!

Car Audio and Video: Entertainment has most definitely moved out of the home and into transportation. High-quality car audio and video equipment make wonderful gifts for family members on the go. Everyone can enjoy the high-quality sound that great car audio produces, while the kids in the family will be entertained on road trips with car DVD players.

Computers: For many people, computers aren't a convenience - they're a necessity. Everyone from adults who bring work home with them to students who have to research school papers (and book some time on one or more of the social networking sites!) will treasure a new computer. Again, prices on electronics have come down so much that either a notebook computer or a desktop PC is affordable.

Games: If you're not able to nab one of the new gaming systems, don't worry about it. There are still great games that are made for the Sony PlayStation 2, the Nintendo GameCube, and the Microsoft Xbox and Xbox 360. Final Fantasy XII, Guitar Hero II, Okami, LEGO Star Wars II, Madden NFL 07, and Viva Pinata, are all highly rated games for a variety of interests and age levels.

The bottom line is that, whatever the gift-giving occasion, you can't go wrong with a gift of personal electronics. Your best bet is to find an online source that has deeply discounted electronics, continually adds new items to their inventory, and provides you with the perfect online shopping experience.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies. For tips/information, click here: electronics

Visit Majon's Electronics directory.

The Sony PS3 Launch Day Madness!

by Andrew Lawrence

6 months late and only 400,000 systems for the US nationwide launch, yep, sounds like another games console launch...

On November 17th Northern America saw the long awaited launch of the Sony PlayStation 3, but how many people got what they wanted?

Well, as expected the number of units available was very low and as usual there were quite a few people ready to pay big money to be the first to own a PS3.

The 60GB PS3 has a retail price of $600 and so far eBay has seen a steady flow of units selling for between $1,500 and $4,000 -

Many people camped out over night on the cold streets for a chance of getting their hands on the highly prized console, some waiting three days to ensure a good place in the queue. Outside one Circuit City store 50 plus people patiently waiting but only 10 PS3 consoles were available for sale... A large bold sign reminding queuing hopefuls of this limited number seemed to make no difference, some waiting in line just for the chance that someone's credit card might be declined or maybe an unexpected stock delivery? It's great to see the never say never attitude alive and well in the streets of the USA!

These die hard PS3 fans are a special breed, keeping one-another encouraged and talking amongst themselves about the impending games releases and online capabilities, you can really feel the excitement in the air.

For others though, the cold long wait was just about the money, they weren't afraid to admit that they intended to sell the console on for a profit, As with the games console releases in the past demand far outweighs supply and there are plenty of gamers prepared to pay top Dollar for a early chance to play. One queue waiter commented "I'd rather take the $2000 profit and wait another three months!"

So that's the folks in the US underway, Japan had their PS3's first on November 11th, but what of the European gamers? Well Sony have put off the Europe wide launch until March 2007 because of reported production problems with the graphics chips, and the difficult to manufacture Sony Cell processor, But will they meet the march deadline? They can't say! Sony are currently refusing to guarantee a Spring European launch at all, so it could be an even longer wait for Europe. Let's wait and see...

To find out more info on the PS3 including availability, games previews and more take a look at hhtp://www.PS3-Guru.com

Andrew Lawrence is also the creator of http://www.wholesale-help.co.uk - an online resource for traders looking for trusted and reliable wholesalers.

Why Is There A Playstation 3 Shortage?

by Gary Ruplinger

Sony has again cut their estimate for the number of Playstation 3 units they'll be shipping to the U.S. by the end of 2006. New estimates are saying only 750,000-1,000,000 systems will be available this holiday season.

Several stores have announced they won't even have enough units to cover the preorders they received. Gamestop has reported they'll only be receiving enough PS3s to cover 60% of their preorders. Amazon recently announced they won't be accepting any preorders for the PS3 and can't guarantee they'll have any before 2007.

So why is there a shortage of the Playstation 3 items anyway?

It all goes back to Sony's decision to include their new high definition video format - Blu-ray. The drive will allow for high definition gaming as well as allow PS3 owners to watch Blu-ray movies. The PS3 will be the cheapest Blu-ray player on the market by far as well due to the fact that Sony is absorbing a few hundred dollar loss on each system sold.

The problem with the Blu-ray drive is that making the blue laser diode needed for manufacturing the drive is proving notoriously difficult to manufacture. The two plants producing the diode, one owned by Sony, are both reporting lower than expected yields on their diodes. The low yields have forced Sony to cut estimates of having 4 million units ready this year in the U.S. to just 1 million. Sony has also postponed the release of its own standalone Blu-ray player and is using all the blue laser diodes that it does produce in its Playstation 3.

Although blue laser diode yield rates will certainly be improved over time, in the short term the problem isn't going to go away. Don't expect to see the PS3 sitting on shelves in a store just waiting for you to buy it until well into 2007.

That's not to say it will be impossible to get. For those willing to pay a premium price on aftermarket sites like eBay, there will be plenty of Playstation 3's available.

About the Author

Gary Ruplinger is the editor of PS3ASAP.com. To learn where to buy a PS3, visit his site. He'll explain where you can go to find the item in stock for some of the lowest prices you can find short of being one of the lucky ones that get their preorder.

sony ps4: sooner than you think

People have been raving about the PlayStation 3, the stunning graphics, the cell chip processor, the blue ray and it's amazing capabilities.

Flashback 15 years ago. Capcom released Street Fighter II for arcades. Tecmo released Tecmo Super Bowl for NES, and Sega released Sonic the Hedgehog.
Nintendo releases the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).

The release of the 16 bit Sega Genesis in '89 created competition with Nintendo who was previously dominating the home console internet gaming market. However, in '91 SNES brought Nintendo ahead once again.

At this time Sony was nowhere to be found in the gaming industry. However, at this time Sony had seen the power of the video game consoles, and began quietly working on a console that would rival Nintendo and Sega as the best game console on the market at the time. The Sony PlayStation became the first ever game console to sell over 100 million game units in March of 2005. The Sony also had the capability to play audio CDs, as Sony refused to say it was strictly a game console. This trend continued as it released the PlayStation 2, and it became the fastest selling console, selling over 105 million copies between October 26th, 2000 and March 31, 2006. The PS2 had the capability to not only be backward compatible in playing PlayStation 1 games, but it also played music, as well as DVD movies.

Flash back to the present time and Microsoft has now entered as a major player introducing their 2nd game console the Xbox360, which followed the Xbox. And even though Nintendo didn't have outside revenue from things such as stereos, computer software, home appliance and entertainment systems, they refused to be held back from being a major player in the game console market. They released the Nintendo Wii that will compete not only with the Xbox360, but was released in time for the Holidays to compete with the new PlayStation 3.

The PlayStation 3 is nothing short of amazing. The blu-ray drive makes it possible tor play ultra high density optical discs capable of storing digital media, including high definition video, allowing for some of the most stunning graphics you have ever seen. It also, comes with bluetooth wireless controller and most importantly the cell processing chip, the same chip used in some supercomputers.

According to wikipedia, during the Japan release on Novemeber 11th, 2006, the PlayStation3 sold 81,639 copies within the first 24 hours. It remains sold out and was found selling for as high as $15,000 on Ebay. If the 20 GB built in hard drive isn't enough, the PS3 also comes in a premium version containing not only a 60 GB hard drive, but multiple flash card readers.

Will we see a PlayStation 4? Not only is the answer sooner then many people think, but according to Sony's Ken Kutaragi, they plan on releasing it within the next decade.

"My dream, and the dream of all my team, hasn't finished," Kutaragi told the BBC recently. "In fact we haven't achieved even half of what we're going to do."

"We want to lead with the PlayStation 3, and beyond that to the PlayStation 4 within the next decade."

One can only speculate on what the future of PlayStation is going to bring. It's hard to imagine it getting much better, but yet, every single release manages to innovate and exceed expectations.
But one thing is for certain, they will always look to provide more for their hungry consumers, and they will continue to look for ways to improve technology beyond current capabilities.

Mike Summers

Featured Author

Playstation 4 Within Next Decade?

PS4 Within the Next Decade

Pffft. Forget about the PlayStation 3 (well, not really) - Sony is already looking ahead to its successor.

Never afraid to speak his mind, sony's Ken Kutaragi, the man behind the PlayStation division, is looking to the future - the far future. While Kutaragi and the rest of Sony's engineers are hard at work hammering out the kinks in the PlayStation 3, the so-called father of the PlayStation is letting his mind wander to its successor.

"My dream, and the dream of all my team, hasn't finished," Kutaragi told the BBC recently. "In fact we haven't achieved even half of what we're going to do."

"We want to lead with the PlayStation 3, and beyond that to the PlayStation 4 within the next decade."

Of course, with the PlayStation 3 not even here yet, it's much too early for any concrete talk about the potential of the hardware that follows it. But it may just be something wholly new.

Earlier this year, at the International Games Summit in London, Sony's David Reeves spoke of Sony's vision for the future, where games are a small part of the content that flows through Sony's "games" machines - a term the company insists it has never used about the PlayStation 3.

S P O N S O R A D S:

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As it stands now, Sony's supporters are anxiously waiting to see what the PlayStation 3 will be able to do, and whether the millions of pounds spent developing its Cell chip has been worth it.

There is currently no firm release date for the PlayStation 3, but it's expected to launch in Japan within the first half of 2006 followed by North America and Europe.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games