Considering Sony threw out backwards compatibility for the most popular console it ever had, not sure they will be considering backwards compatibility essential in the next Playstation.  Price point is key, along with hitting the right essential feature point(s).  On both these counts, Sony failed at its launch.

Th-th-th--t-th Thirty-two synergistic proccessing elements?! Holy sh*t.

It reminds you of the movie?  For me, it either reminds me of the lowest level of terrorist organizations, what you put prisoners in, or building blocks of life.

it reminds me of this guy :p

Well, guys, there's some things to consider.

The PS2 was the weakest console of last generation... Well, second weakest.. It was only stronger than the Dreamcast. The PS3 is about power, and high polygon counts, etc. Also, everyone already had a PS2, so, including the E.E. engine in the PS3, when people already had a PS2 was essentially making them buy a PS2 along with the PS3.

If someone wants to play PS2 games bad enough, they'll take out their PS2. That's partly why the PS3 doesn't do PS2 game anymore. And, about you guys saying Sony plan to use the Cell in PS4... Didn't they plan to use the E.E. in PS3? Wait a minute... they did.. :P

Sony cares about backwards compatibility. That's why people can still play PSX games. But, everyone may not have a PS1 still, each, and every PS3 plays PS1 games, so, every PS3 does have backwards compatibility... It will come back for PS2 eventually. It has to be emulated. Sony's still making money off the PS2. PS2 games may be downloadable from PSN by premium users... Maybe not.

But, if they use the Cell, it'll be to make PS3 games playable, because I'm sure a lot of people will probably just update to a PS4.

The PS3 did kinda bite the bullet for future PlayStation consoles. It made that expensive leap so that it could hold off it's own in the next generation. It was expensive when it came out, but, it wont become outdated as fast as the Wii, or 360, so, when the successors of those consoles come out (and people get pissed, because they just bought a Wii, or 360) The PS3 will still be around, will acceptable graphics, and help ensure that the PS4 is above the next generation of consoles..

Look at the Wii, it's cheap, and doesn't have the best graphics. The PS3 is the next generation Wii... except it got here in 2006...

The PS3 bit the bullet for no real gain in the end for future Playsation consoles. Its only earned Sony losses. The thing is the Wii had an impressive motion control technology and the brilliant software to use it. The PS3 as far as the world is concerned may as well be a slightly suped up Xbox 360 or from the perspective of the past an Xbox 1 or Gamecube remembered today.

What gimmick does the PS3 have? It doesn't get a free pass with motion controls as they are old hat now. It can't implement 3d as well as a clean sheet design can as the library of games don't leave the performance spare to implement it well. It doesn't have the install base to warrant continued support. Its just another Xbox 1... you know how that ends.

cell dead? blue gene is made of cells maybe cell won't be used in next supercomputer by IBM but cell is not dead
think about at least 20 million more ps3s (during it's lifetime) that will use cell as well as some Toshiba HDTV's among others :)

Devices with Stream processors will sell at a rate of 50:1 devices with the Cell processor.

taken from wikipedia
Power Architecture
This box: view • talk • edit
Historical

POWER • POWER1 • POWER2 • POWER3 • POWER4 • PowerPC-AS • PPC6xx • Gekko • AIM alliance
Current

PowerPC • e200 • e300 • e500 • e600 • QorIQ • PA6T • POWER5 • POWER6 • PPC4xx • PowerPC 7xx • 7xxx • PPC970 • Cell • Xenon • Broadway • Titan
Future

POWER7 • e700

ps3 is a POWER4, so there are plenty of others to upgrade to, should sony decide to stay with teh cell.

Sony will use the Cell as a base for the next processor. They never use the same tech more than once.