As we know, Sony has made 4 SKUs throughout 2007. It may have diversified the choice for consumers, but it left them puzzled and confused on which model to choose. Now, if Sony had started out with just one model (the 60GB), it would have been better, but the price is/would still be $600. Don't yell at me yet, though. If Sony just continued this model, with manufacturing costs lowering in the ongoing months Sony could lower the price gradually.

Here's the change; everyone knows that you can change the hard drive on the PS3, right? Why couldn't Sony have just released (in stores and online) some hard drives you could have just purchased without any other SKUs? Without doing hardware revisions like they did in 2007 and removing parts within the system, Sony could have kept just the 60GB model and announced, "You can also purchase either our removeable hard drives or a select name brand that supports our PS3 system." So before a consumer first uses their purchased PS3 at home, they have an option to go to a Circuit City/Best Buy (I only have those two electronic stores near me for example, sorry). I do know that the PS3 uses 2.5" Serial ATA hard drives, which are found on laptops, so it would be ideal for Sony to just keep one SKU to use and tell consumers (or have told consumers) from the start that you can format the hard drive as you see fit.

Who would agree with me here? Sony could have still made another SKU, like a slimmed model later down. This would have eased sales for the console with one SKU and the usage of using a different hard drive. But still, the PS3 has Blu-Ray and the Cell, but manufacturing costs are decreasing and it would be cheaper to produce.

They should have launched with the 60GB but with an 80GB hard drive, although gone with the slightly different European one, then introduced another 60GB model with the 40GB, with lower power, and no emotion engine.

Basically, no 20GB, 80GB at launch but a new model of it without emotion engine

lol, the 360 and PS3 SKU's are like having somebody trying to describe different Ipods to me.

Well, except that I do know what's going on with the PS3 and 360 rather than not caring about Ipods (rather not deal with Itunes). 

@ illegal paladin, the only good thing with iPods is that the SKUs are completely different, and the old ones are always discontinued as soon as a new one is introduced

Just having one SKU would have been enough for Sony. Forget Sony selling HDDs - based on my experience with the PS2 HDD, let some other company do it.

I admire Southwest Airlines because of their ability to use just one plane in their fleet - a 727. Everything is the same - and when they have problems, they aren't tons of revisions. They have one facility to repair the planes at, not multiples ones like American, Delta and Continental.

Southwest is rather ghetto, but they are really making bank.

Even the Wii - just one unit - is selling well as a single SKU, but I needed a session on the difference between a DS and DS Lite was.

The original DS was rather bulky and unattractive to what a consumer would want as a handheld. I have 1 original DS, one white DS Lite and a Zelda DS Lite. The original was bulky and slightly heavier. I used 2 DSs when I go to work, school or whatever. One was back-up in case the one was low on power. The original DS was really bulky to carry around in one of my pouch-pockets in my cargo pants. When I had a Lite in my pocket, it looked as wide as a wallet would, minus being elongated. With the Lite, the revision was to make it more appealing towards a consumer. As I read on VGChartz one time, the original DS was and looked as if it were unfinished; a prototype, if you will. While owning the original DS for 2 years before the Lite, it was losing its charge and the battery consumption was weakening. Even giving it a new battery to charge on, it wasn't keeping it, so I was forced to purchase another DS Lite. The main reason why I got 2 DSs is because I play Pokemon still and would need to trade characters across.

One thing I do like about the original DS is that you can play it outside and in direct sunlight, AND you can switch the backlit light off and on. With the Lite, it's very hard to play it outside and the screen darkens. Even in the shade, it was still hard to see. Plus the screen was more vivid. Lite was more of an improvement, but I wish you could have the option to turn off the backlit light off completely.

I actually think they have now got everything right in regeards to SKUs. They have the high end model, that has everything (Media hub, PSone/PS2 games etc), for people like me who want that sort of thing and are prepeared to pay a bit more for it, and they have the low end model (for playing PS3 games) for people who just want to play PS3 games.

Since changing the HDD in a PS3 is so easy and is only likely to be used by the people buying the high end model I don't think HDD size matters that much.

They should have released more ps3's at luanch.

LOL ... thanks for the info - but I got schooled from folks what the differences were. Nonetheless, I did pick up a DS Lite and love it. It's major fun. 

I think it was very crucial for Sony this Christmas to have a $399 PS3. IMO, It helped them sell a lot and if the original 60GB Playstation was the only one, I doubt it would drop enough in price to match the 40GB for Christmas.