Cigarettes are technically burning embers, which is fire.

Grenades... depends what kind of grenade you are talking about. Although im sure all of them explode because of a small flame inside.

if sony could make a smaller CPU then expect a slim PS3 anytime

It's one of those unspoken rules of releasing updated products.

Announcing something like a major update, upgrade or price drop early will only result in a sharp drop in sales of current product, forcing manufacturers and retailers to drop prices on existing stock or risk being stuck with slow moving older models.

The only smart reason to buy one now would be if you found a good deal on one. The entry price has been set at $399 since late 2007 after all. It's not like there's any rush to buy one immediately at that price.

That being said, expect to see more sales like the current $449 160GB SKU bundle on Amazon in the coming weeks.

PSP Go was only announced well in advance of the release date due to the higher price over existing models as a profit making device.

A cheaper PS3 being a "stealth" release seems all the more likely by contrast.

45nm CBE is currently in production. Of course the entire chipset still needs to be reduced as well to fit onto a smaller mobo (80GB SKU one is already a smaller square compared to previous mobos).

45nm RSX would probably be required as well.

Personally, I think this has already happened and that they're currently under production based upon the overwhelming signs from SCE (not Cninese "spy photos" and shakey youtube videos from the Philipines).

And whiny Americans complain about $399.

Slim can't revive PS3, from a hardware perspective only price can revive PS3 sales, whether it's Slim or Phat doesn't matter too much. But even with a better price it really needs software to make PS3 soar.

I tend to think Slim is coming soon, and is definitiely coming some time. Sony did a slim for PS1 and 2 so it stands to reason they will do a slim for PS3. If you can ship 3 slims within the space that it takes to ship 2 Phats then that's a 30% saving in shipping costs right there. If you are planning to ship 10 million per year and it saves 1 dollar per console then that's fair amount of money. A lot of that reduction in size is removing empty space, and Sony are not in the business of exporting air.

They are really releasing the PS3 Chunk.

I've just completed a comprehensive survey of local retailers and can announce that the PS3 slim is a reality:

I went down to a central city retailer, and in their cabinet where they display all the consoles (unboxed), incl the PS2 guess which was the only console not there ? That's right the PS3 phat was not on display (there was just a little sign saying PS3 with the price on it). The cabinet had 3 360s on display: Elite, Pro, Arcade, and on the Arcade model in the display cabinet they had a "Sold Out" sign.

Now why would there be no PS3 on display (when it's still available for sale in the shop), when there is an Arcade on display with "Sold out" on it. There is only one possible explanation: PS3 Slim! Anyone who says differently is just a hater.

Through various mathematical calculations which are too lengthy to post here I have proven that I only need a sample size of 1 in my survey to establish the existence of the Slim with 100% probability.

If this isn't cast iron 100% confirmation for the doubters then nothing short of the Sony CEO paying you a personal visit to show you the slim and let you play it on your TV will be enough.

I'm pretty skeptical of it too, and at this point, I think people just want it to exist. There is some evidence, but it's sketchy and I think most people are just grasping at straws.

i'm beginning to doubt it myself

you do realize that all across Australia retailers have run out of ps3s...it's not just in America, or Europe.