Why do the PS3 controllers hurt so damn much?

[Shadow)OS]

I used to play a lot of fighters on the PS2 (and other consoles for that matter), and I actually still do whenever I get the chance. I've found that the PS2 Controller is pretty much the best suited controller for fighting games. A nice, soft D-Pad, slick outer coating which doesn't irritate the palms, 4 face buttons and 4 shoulder buttons and all with directional precision. You could button mash for days on end and your hands would come out unscathed- it's truly a remarkable fighter controller.

 Now I pretty much expected the same thing from the PS3 controller, but I was dead wrong. The outer coating feel much rougher, the D-Pad was INCREDIBLY stiff/hard, and the R2/L2 button- although not a huge problem- slow you down a tad when you try to press down repeatedly. The face buttons and the top shoulder buttons were the only thing that came out right.

 By the end of a 3 hour "King of Fighters" session I had with a couple buddies, I had a terribly painful blister on my left thumb from the extra hard D-Pad (which hindered my performance near the end), and my palms were slightly irritated. The only controller D-Pad that's ever ruined my thumb like that before was the N64's (and for those who remember, that thing was like a friggen rock).

 Has anyone else noticed these problems? I'm quite surprised I've heard so little about it. The differences are instantly noticeable when you pick a PS2/3 controller.

 Is there any news on Dual Shock 3 becoming more like its PS2 counterpart, or is it just going to be a PS3 controller with rumble?