I figured I would let you guys read it and see what you think.
*Updated* - 9/25/07
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a great console and with every firmware update Sony adds new features and modifies others making the overall console better and better. There are many people questioning the console wondering why it costs so much and is it worth it. Each and every feature grants its users functionality, entertainment, and experiences that is beyond what is expected from PlayStation Branded product. There are many thing that make the PS3 a must have console and here are some of the reasons why.
The online function for the PS3 is made using Sony's idea of keeping it a free user based network. Even though it is limited currently you can send messages to other users keep a buddy list, browse the internet using Sony's own internet browser, download music, movies, game demos, arcade games and more. Sony is currently working on a social networking game, if you will, called Home that will be accessible both on your PC though a standard webpage similar to MySpace and the PlayStation 3 to enter the virtual world of Home.
As of this moment there is currently there are 87 games available for purchase at retail or for download off the PlayStation Network Store. Prices for downloads range from 3.99 to 39.99. There are also PS1 games that can be played on both the PS3 and the PSP if you own one. Don't worry though; Sony announced that there will be 200 more games released by the end of the year. There are even specialized media available for download; like Sony's full E3 2007 press conference and game trailers from the Tokyo Game Show and the Leipzig Game Convention.
If you want to make yourself feel good you can use the Folding@Home feature that helps the medical branch of Stanford University study protein stains from diseases in hope of finding a cure from everything ranging from the common cold or AIDs, cancer, and herpes. Recently thanks to the PlayStation 3's contribution a new protein was discovered that folds at the speed of one nano-second.
The price for the PS3 might seem to be a bit pricy but with the features and amount of games available it does justify spending 499 (60GB model) or 599 (80GB model/bundle) bucks but just to farther clarify the reasons to purchase this great piece of hardware here is some more features and explanations on the console’s price point and functionality.
The reason for the price currently being so high is because of the Blu-ray Disc drive installed in the console. You might be wondering why Sony would jam their format into a gaming console. It's for two reasons for this. They are making it so that you can watch movies High-Resolution all the way up to 1080p, and make it so that game developers have enough space to make a huge game without having to worry about discs changing or being limited by the amount of space.
So what can Blu-ray Disc do that rival High-Definition (HD) format HD-DVD or standard DVD's can't? HD-DVD has mostly everything Blu-ray Disc does but doesn't offer nearly as much space which can cause movie studios to limit the amount of HD content or special features on the disc. Blu-ray Disc also has a new feature available called Blu-ray Java which will allow the menus to look even better and enable HD picture in picture if a studio feels imposed to include the feature. Another key detail is that 6/8 Hollywood studios and most hardware manufacturers support Blu-ray Disc.
Another great feature is the internal Wi-Fi Adapter. This allows you to not have to either buy an external Wi-Fi adapter to make your gaming console have wireless internet and saves money on Ethernet Cables.
The HDMI port built in to the console is rated to run HDMI 1.3. Some will say "but the Xbox 360 Elite Edition has HDMI." Well there's a major difference, the Elite 360 only supports HDMI 1.2 which is greatly limited compared to HDMI 1.3 which supports 7.1 lossless-audio which is currently the best audio quality available. HDMI 1.3 also supports up to a 1440p resolution so once TVs manage to obtain the Ultra-High-Definition levels the PS3 will be able to at least play some of its smaller PlayStation Network Store downloadable games at that resolution.
Now finally the key advantage, the Cell Broadband Engine, the heart of the console. This processor is designed by Sony, Toshiba, and IBM. The Cell is currently the most powerful processor to date, and basic desktop processors are expected to take another 4 or 5 years to match its power. The Cell has been rated to be 12 - 15 times faster than Intel's Core 2 Quad-Extreme.
There’s a good amount of titles released and going to be released this Holiday season. Each of the titles bring something to each of their specific genre making it so that if you’re a fan of the genre it’s a must buy. Here’s a list of some of the major titles out and coming out.
Folklore
Unreal Tournament III
Haze
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Eye of Judgment
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
SingStar
WarHawk Bundle with Bluetooth Headset
Heavenly Sword
With this amount of content and games being released, and features abroad there is no reason to not buy a PlayStation 3.
