my friend wants to buy one locally and he can't find one. not even the 250gb.

They are readily available pretty much everywhere here in San Diego. Every console along with their current models were readily available down here during the entire holidays. I think that some areas got undershipped while others were clearly overshipped, San Diego being one of them. The only place that had sold out of every console by the 24th of Dec was Costco. Otherwise, you could find all the others either at Walmart, Frys, Best Buy, or GS. Frys was especially well stocked on PS3 models. Walmart I couldnt tell because they only shelve a few. BB had piles of PS3's and 360s with the game bundles... and I mean piles and piles. I actually helped a guy in line get one of the bundles instead of the base model for the same price because he didnt know the bundle existed (they were piled into a corner that was not as visible).

http://ps3finder.com/

It's not out of stock.

This site doesn't seem to work that well. Clicking on some of those so call "In stock" links to the site that say they are OOS, or Backordered, or ship within 2 to 5 weeks.

Did you click on them. That site needs to be updated.

The 250 gig is still in stock....you really gotta start to wonder the reason. I can understand changing from boat shipments to air shipments and that would cause a week or 2 with no shipments but other than that there should be no reason they wouldn't be able to stock 120 gigs. Perhaps they are trying to show a profit in this quarter.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3773027&siteID=isIkAyUyNbM-gq8VtNLsIKKH93C3FuyHaw

My brother said, there's plenty at the store he works as well.

What many people don't think about is that sony headquartered in japan. Every ps3 is still sold at a lost. But sony loses more for each ps3 sold in america. Because the exchange rate favors the yen right now. Right now the rate is $1 USD = about 92 yen. Im thinking their waiting til the rate goes back to at least $1 USD = about 100 yen or more. Then they will start shipping more units to the US. As you can see from latest charts ps3 is selling more in others. The value of euro is high against the dollar they lose less money selling on others region, mostly europe. Im pretty sure if they wanted to crank out more ps3 they can but they have to think about profitability also. Once they value of the dollar picks up they can shift more units here.

I also keep an eye out any time I go out and Yes they are always sold out

I just clicked and put my zip code and its not available in my area.