For those who don't understand the posibility of a Slim PS3 look at the macbook air. It is a full featured (well relatively) laptop that is less then an inch thick. How? A smaller processor, a smaller motherboard, less heat (and thus less fans) and efficient use of the space. It also fits a 2.5" HD in there, which if you've ever replaced the HD on a PS3, is rather tiny. If you can fit a full featured laptop into a manilla envelope you can certainly make a similarly sized console.

Um..well..kind of..except that macbook air doesn't have a disc drive.

There will be a slim PS3 next year, it is just a matter of when. I have been thinking late August or early September would be good, but perhapps they will try and strike sooner.

It all makes since. They have said that they will profit, and be more price aggressive starting next financial year, and a slim model is the only way that can be achived. I would not start expecting to see this in April, because chances are you will be disspointed. If it does make it by then next year will be very interesting.

If Sony gets a Slim PS3 out next year by April, and announces PS2 emulation for later in the year, this generation could see a violent swing. Only time will tell, but I have a strong feeling this could be true.

   I wasn't saying exactly the same ;) but yah the slot loading drive might make it super fat like my 1 inch macbook pro!

   That is a good point, they REALLY need to just add in hardware emulation.  It doesn't have to be the including the emotion engine emulation my 60GB launch PS3 has, but at least SOMETHING to play most PS2 games.  I agree that was the absolute dumbest idea Sony ever had, removing their big trump card, backwards compatibility.

For clarification, the MacBook air does have a hard disc drive, but does not have an optical drive.

http://www.apple.com/macbookair/

I'm presuming that's what you meant, but it wasn't perfectly clear from your post.

Why does it seem like there is an unlikely Sony rumor every other day. Well one of these days one will be true.

Makes no financial sense. You make more money if you release the new model at the same price. Then after those sales have subsided, then you drop the price.

They need both a price drop and a way to bring attention back to the PS3 after the holiday. The price drop mixed with the new model accomplishes both. Just dropping the price wouldn't have nearly the effect nor would a 400 dollar PS3 slim (slim alone isn't the same as a price drop).

The main point of the slim is reducing costs once going slim is possible, not just making the system sexier.

But if your price point is too high for the average consumer you might benefit from a smaller contribution from each console * far more consoles sold.