Sony Announces PS3 Slim, Price Cut, Improvements To Home

Sony's press conference today at the Gamescom convention was full of announcements. They officially revealed the PS3 Slim, which will be 36% lighter and 33% smaller than the normal PS3. It will come with a 120 GB hard drive and list for $299 when it hits retail stores in early September. Normal PS3s will drop to that price as well starting tomorrow. (Unfortunately for Sony, their unveiling was spoiled a bit by several retailers jumping the gun on new advertisements, not to mention the rumors that had been swirling for weeks ahead of time.) Sony also announced a PS3 firmware update as well as new features and customization options for Home. In addition to that, the PS3 and PSP will be getting a digital reader service. At launch it will bring access to Marvel comic books, and will expand from there. They didn't talk much about their upcoming motion control scheme, but promised more details next month at the Tokyo Game Show.

Comments

It would be really nice...

[8127972]

..... If Sony restored backward compatibility with PS2 games. That and not the price nor the size of the console is why I haven't bought one yet.

Re:It would be really nice...

[Microlith]

Considering that PS2s are still selling (strangely) well and getting new game releases, it's unlikely Sony will restore BC (even if only software emulation) to the PS3 platform. We'll probably see it return around the time they EOL the PS2 platform completely (once the PS3's successor is out.)

Although I'm not sure that holds water, at least if they're still selling the PSOne, which I think they are...

Re:It would be really nice...

[space_jake]

Just seems like they are shooting themselves in the foot by not offering backwards compatibility with the PS2. The PS2 has a huge library and dominated the console market for its generation.

Re:It would be really nice...

[geminidomino]

Just seems like they are shooting themselves in the foot by not offering backwards compatibility with the PS2. The PS2 has a huge library and dominated the console market for its generation.

They did on the early models. They yanked it out of a later revision (a month before I was going to buy one, amusingly enough).

Re:It would be really nice...

[Xtravar]

Find a used CECHA01 (that's the serial number that has hardware backward compatibility).

Yes, I now own two PS3's. The CECHA01 runs a little hotter and slightly noisier, but I mostly fixed that by changing the thermal paste on it - heck, the warranty was void anyway.

ZOMG NERD ALERT!!

Re:It would be really nice...

[Mad Leper]

Sony will however sell you a PS2 compatibility kit to go with your PS3. It's 100% compatible with all PS2 games and even comes with an original PS2 controller.

Re:It would be really nice...

[halcyon1234]

We'll probably see it return around the time they EOL the PS2 platform completely

I doubt it. I'd love to be able to play my PS2 games on the PS3, but I know it'll never happen. Not when they can "sell" the same games through the PS Store and get another $10-$20 out of people who have already bought the games.

Re:It would be really nice...

[King_TJ]

It only seems strange that the PS2 is still selling so well, until you realize that the PS3 really isn't "standard def. TV friendly".... I know quite a few people who play games on their PS2, and bought replacements when their old unit broke/wore out, but have no real interest in a PS3, simply because they're still using a large-ish tube type standard-def TV as their main television set. (If you have cable or satellite, you really have no need to replace it, after all.)

My experience with using a PS3 in standard def resolution was eye-strain inducing, trying to read many of the text fonts the games would display.

There's a pretty big ratio of PS3 owners who coupled the purchase with a new plasma or LCD TV .... partially because they wanted a Blu-Ray player for that fancy new set, but realistically, it's practically a requirement to enjoy many of the game titles too.

Re:It would be really nice...

[Nursie]

I've got one of the ones with hardware back-compat.

Unfortunately I bought it in the far east and live in Europe.

So it won't play any of *my* old games library. Damn them.

Re:It would be really nice...

[Chris Mattern]

Er...you can't buy PS2 games for non-compatible PS3s through the PS Store because the lack of PS2 compatibility means you can't play them. You can buy PSX games through the PS Store, but you can also play PSX games right from the disc (if you still have your old copy) on *any* PS3. The real gyp is that you can't play old PSX games on your PSP, because the PSP has no way to read the discs. For that, you really do have to buy them again from the PS Store.

Re:It would be really nice...

[Lulfas]

Launch PS3 used an Emoticon Chip. Essentially, they cheated and hid a PS2 under the hood. It was NOT done with software.

Re:It would be really nice...

[Chris Mattern]

No, the original PS3 actually had all the hardware of a PS2 built into it to provide compatibility; no software emulation. Then they removed most of the hardware and did software emulation, and then the current models removed the rest of the hardware and provide no compatibility at all. Europe was the most out of luck here; no hardware-compatible PS3 was ever released in PAL format, although they did get a software emulation model.

Re:It would be really nice...

[BassMan449]

360 is the same way. It looks beautiful on a decent size HDTV, but developer seem to still not realized that not everyone has a 720p or better TV. On my old 26" tube most text outside of the main menus was completely unreadable for most 360 games.

Re:It would be really nice...

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

My experience with using a PS3 in standard def resolution was eye-strain inducing, trying to read many of the text fonts the games would display.

This was precisely my experience before I bought a HD capable monitor. Next gen games are quite simply unplayable on anything less than 720p.

However, the big problem here is that Last gen games are unplayable at anything above 576p! OK slight exaggeration, but old games do look awful on a HD TV. Aliasing everywhere. And therein lies the biggest reason that Sony and Microsoft need to keep up backwards compatibility. I can tell you that PS2 games played on a PS3 instead of a PS2 look a hell of a lot better. It's like night and day. Add to this the convienicen factor, and I'm pretty irritated with Sony for dropping this feature and refusing to reimplement it. There are still loads of fantastic PS2 titles I haven't played, and more are still coming out!

Re:It would be really nice...

[DigiShaman]

People still watch tube tvs?

That was a dumb question. Of course they do!

More often than not, very large tube sets are "good enough" for most people that have them. However, replacing them is such a huge PITA because of how large and heavy they are. So until it decides to die one day, there really isn't much of an incentive replace it with a flat panel.

Re:It would be really nice...

[Talderas]

The problem exists with XBox 360 as well, Dead Rising was a PITA to read text on.

However this is indeed an issue. I couldn't read most test for GTA4, my minimap in Dynasty Warriors 6 was fuzzy and practically useless. I had to pause to look at the largest battlefield map to get an idea of what was going on. A lot of things became a lot cleared when I went to a HDTV.

Re:It would be really nice...

[iamhassi]

"PS3 really isn't "standard def. TV friendly".... My experience with using a PS3 in standard def resolution was eye-strain inducing, trying to read many of the text fonts the games would display."

I use a ps3 on a 5 yr old reasonably-sized SDTV and you couldn't be more correct. It is a HUGE pain to try to play any games with small print. PixelJunk Monsters is almost not playable because your character is too small to see, and you can forget trying to read any subtitles or instructions. I keep looking for a way to increase text size or change the screen size but it seems everything is set-up properly to display in SD, it's just the way the games display.

I'll probably get a HDTV within the next year so it's not a huge deal, I really bought the ps3 to play one particular game and that works well, and lately I've been using it for Hulu and the seemingly endless supply of free game demos so I'm satisfied.

Re:It would be really nice...

[mrdoogee]

There is a way to run a PS1 disc in your PS3 and stream it to your PSP over LAN/Internet.. .Location free player is the util, I believe. It does have (especially over the internet) some major latency issues though.

Re:It would be really nice...

[Gizzmonic]

Hell yeah! I got a 36 inch Sony tube HDTV with 1080i res, HDMI, all the candy! SDTV *and* HDTV look great. The first thing people normally say when they get an HDTV is "SDTV looks horrible." Not so with my TV! However, it does weigh 220 lbs. (100 Kg) so it's not going to be fun to move.

Re:It would be really nice...

[dns_server]

For you in America and Europe yes they did that but not in Australia where it was done in software.

Re:It would be really nice...

[Hatta]

So keep an old CRT around. They're cheap, and you need one to play Duck Hunt anyway.

Re:It would be really nice...

[Beardo the Bearded]

Also, LCD and plasma look like hell. That's the reason I haven't replaced my CRT. At least that's the case on every single one I've ever seen, no matter what feed it's using.

Blue-Ray feed with HDMI cables on a 240Hz LCD still has ghosting and jitter.

Plasma is like watching a slideshow.

Re:It would be really nice...

[NoobixCube]

Not enough to justify getting games up to 18 months after their release date, or paying $120 for a new game when the US$ price is about $60 and the exchange rate is up at roughly 80c. At least TV and movie producers have wised up. There was an article here a few years back saying how much of global piracy happened just in Australia, just because we got TV series and movies so late.

No Linux Support?

[alphan]

"Removal of 'Install Other OS' feature

The new PS3 system will focus on delivering games and other entertainment content, and users will not be able to install other Operating Systems to the new PS3 system."
http://www.scee.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=4842&NewsAreaID=2

Sony abandoning Linux on new skus means they are effectively doing the same for the old ones.

Epic failure.

Re:No Linux Support?

[ivan256]

Sony abandoning Linux on new skus means they are effectively doing the same for the old ones.

Explain.

To me it says "we used slightly different controllers and peripherals, and don't feel like investing the time to port the drivers and such to a new linux kit".

I didn't see the bit where they said they were making it stop working on my existing device.

Re:No Linux Support?

[Microlith]

They'll make it stop working on your existing device by simply removing the option to install when the update comes down the pipe. I doubt there's any real technical reason for dropping it, other than some beancounter deciding that the loss of respect from technical users was less costly than the upkeep for the hypervisor (assuming they remove it.)

Assuming they don't, you'll be able to keep what you have on there, but not reinstall or do a new install. Which is a huge amount of ass considering how much work was done by the open source community to port things to the PS3 including kernel patches and various GCC ports and additions for the SPUs. All of that is now wasted, even on older consoles unless you never, ever let them contact PSN.

Re:No Linux Support?

[Turken]

I would assume that the loss of Linux support is likely due to not bothering to accommodate for the large changes in hardware under the hood. If their research shows that not enough people are using a feature make it worth developing and supporting, why should they waste resources on that feature? Of course, by that logic, then Home should have dies a long time ago too...

At any rate, it shouldn't take too long for unofficial workarounds to show up.

Re:No Linux Support?

[hattig]

The internal design architecture of the new PS3 system, from the main semiconductors and power supply unit to the cooling mechanism, has been completely redesigned, achieving a much slimmer and lighter body. Compared to the very first PS3 model with 60GB HDD, the internal volume as well as its thickness and weight are trimmed down to approximately two-thirds. Furthermore, power consumption is also cut to two-thirds, helping to reduce fan noise.

So: Still has internal PSU (my major worry), but isn't as great a size reducation as say the shrink from the PS2 to the PS2 Slim. Sounds like more chips are 45nm than before. Obviously there was a circuit board redesign. One major fail is not having a USB port on the back for PlayTV.

Even quieter fan noise will be a nice feature for movie watchers, not that it is a major issue now.

And the price is very competitive with the 360. Price drop here coming soon I presume! Otherwise there's even less reason to get a 360 compared to the PS3, especially if you don't have wired ethernet near your media setup.

The new firmware looks like it has some nice features, for people who get excited by such things.

Re:No Linux Support?

[ivan256]

No doubt they *can* make it stop working on my existing PS3 if I choose to install their update. But it doesn't say anywhere that they are planning to remove it. I highly doubt they are, since the cost of maintenance on leaving it there is zero.

Re:No Linux Support?

[timster]

Not really surprising... they used the same pattern with the PS2. Announce during the pre-release hype that there will be Linux, and you get a bunch of pundits and gullible geeks talking about how it's going to be taking over from the Real Computer. The actual possibilities with the Linux kit end up limited and forgotten, little more than a technical curiosity.

When the hardware gets updated later on, the Linux kit doesn't as it was only part of the pre-release marketing process. Expect the same thing with the PS4.

Re:No Linux Support?

[KnownIssues]

I never realized how badly I wanted to be able to install another operating system on my PS3 until I found out I wouldn't be able to.

Re:No Linux Support?

[Mad Leper]

The install other OS option was utterly useless, only one cell was supported and you had no access to any of the advanced hardware. No reason for Sony to continue to support a feature that was used by only a very tiny fraction of PS3 owners.

People who pick this above all others as a reason not to buy a PS3 are just being petulant.

Re:No Linux Support?

[Nursie]

1. There is only one Cell in a PS3
2. You had access to the main cores and all but on of it's vector processing units
3. The GFX chip is what was cut out.

Re:No Linux Support?

[GizmoToy]

That's a standard "figure 8" connector typically associated with AC transmission. You see them on everything, but the place a Slashdot reader is most likely to have seen them is on the cord that goes between the AC wall outlet and a laptop's power supply. Dell uses them a lot.

I see nothing that would indicate an external power supply, and in fact the presence of that connector would imply the opposite.

Re:No Linux Support?

[marcansoft]

My prediction:

- The PS3 slim will be hacked. Now that there is no Other OS support, there is the same incentive as there has been for running homebrew on every other console.
- Said hacks will be used for warez, probably by people other than those who developed the hacks.

Linux hackers tend to be much more successful at system reverse engineering and exploitation than the kids who want warez. This is why Other OS is a Good Thing for Sony: it removes the incentive to bypass their security for a lot of people. By removing this option, they're setting themselves to have their security broken. And we all know how long it takes for "other" people to use these hacks for less than legal purposes (I learned this the hard way).

I firmly believe Other OS is one of the main reasons why there is no PS3 software piracy so far. Check out this table from our 25C3 presentation.

Re:No Linux Support?

[marcansoft]

The kind of people who want to tinker with their hardware out of passion would still push the envelope even if the Slim was Linux-friendly. People hack stuff that's completely open as well.

Ah, but there's a difference. With Other OS, people still want to hack out the GPU access restrictions (as has been done once or twice). With the facility removed entirely, people will attack the Native OS. Piracy shows up when you start messing with a console's native facilities, not a linux-specific mode that games can't run on anyway. I also learned this the hard way: software piracy on the Wii is possible (and popular) because we embraced the existing OS facilities and explored them, which then made it trivial for the warez kiddies to build launchers and whatnot. If we'd done something like BootMii to begin with (and ditched all of the existing proprietary code), they probably wouldn't have succeeded in creating piracy tools. (BootMii is a complete replacement of the Wii software starting at one of the early boot stages, including both the PowerPC code and the "security" ARM code).

Besides, I know a few hackers (including myself) who have chosen not to attack the PS3 because Sony actually made an effort to enable (some) open programming. People value the Other OS feature more than you'd think.

Sure, some people have been trying to hack the PS3 Native OS anyway already, but now you'll have a lot more people trying (those who wanted the Other OS feature as is, and those who were avoiding the PS3 due to Sony's attempt at being open).

Re:Sweet

[GigaHurtsMyRobot]

Rather than a good deal, I'd say it's finally priced the way it should be. I will also be getting one at this price... I have been a 360 zealot for a long time, but will get one of these for exclusives and PSN titles if I want them.

The 'old' PS3 is $299, too

[Dr. Manhattan]

The 'fat' PS3's price is being cut to $299 and it retains the "OtherOS" feature. The press releases says "users will not be able to install other Operating Systems to the new PS3 system" [emphasis added]. (It's also not clear yet how hard it'll be to upgrade the HD in the 'slim' model, if it's possible at all.)

I've got Linux on mine, but I haven't had a chance to use it much. The annoying thing is that there's no real equivalent to a bootloader. If you set it to boot Linux, it will always boot to Linux until you boot the PS3 "Game OS", at which point it will always boot Game OS until you explicitly change it again. Makes it annoying to experiment with when the kids use it, too.

Re:The 'old' PS3 is $299, too

[revengebomber]

At least the removal of the easy Linux functionality will spur developers to look for more "complete" paths to develop for PS3 systems.

Re:The 'old' PS3 is $299, too

[Jophiel04]

The HDD is user-upgradeable as confirmed by engadget

Are we still expected to pay $0.30 for Home shoes?

[_xeno_]

So, new changes coming to Home. More customization options. More places. Neat, I guess.

Except for the part where they apparently think people are willing to pay $0.29 for a pair of shoes that no one is going to see. Likewise the $5 to buy a new "personal apartment" that basically no one except yourself is ever going to see. (Sure, you can invite friends over to your virtual apartment but, really, how much is it worth to have your virtual self live in the Ghostbusters station?)

Not to mention the charges on logo-ed shirts. I can't remember prices, but I think those were in the $0.50-$1 range. So I'm expected to pay money to be a walking virtual advertisement. Sure...

If the Home avatars had any use outside of Home (like the Miis and the Xbox Live Avatars) I could almost see the more pathetic fanboys paying money to dress them up in a T-shirt with a Ghostbuster logo on it. But $0.50 for a virtual shirt that can only be seen in a single virtual space in which there is essentially nothing to do? Please!

Last time I checked (which was a month ago, so not terribly long ago) PlayStation Home was still just like this Penny Arcade cartoon. The only difference I found from the beta last year is that the stores now actually sell something rather than being completely empty.

Re:An even better model

[dc29A]

How about they release "PS3 Reliable edition"?

Of the two PS3 owners that I know (a friend and myself), both have had the Blue-ray drive fail. And mine failed just after I sold the console on Craigslist, making me look like a fraud.

The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'evidence'.

Re:Whoa!

[Enderandrew]

* 120 gig HDD.
* Built in wifi-fi.
* Streams all my media content from my computer.
* Top-notch BluRay player.
* Built in web browser
* Oh, and plays games.

I think it is a great value actually, But to each their own.

Firmware 3.0

[CopaceticOpus]

The new firmware is designed to help Sony advertise, and does almost nothing that PS3 owners actually want.

New Features:

• "What's New" screen (ads for Sony products, links to Sony store)
• Sony store now appears in several menus instead of just one.
• New animated themes that you can buy.
• New avatars, some of which are for sale. (Yes, they're really going to charge you to put a little picture of Sonic next to your username.)

Things People Actually Want:

• PS2 Compatibility
• Better video support, especially MKV files. (Yes, you can convert MKV files to be playable. No, I don't think that's good enough.)
• Ability to play media files over a Windows/Samba share, rather than having to use media server software.
• Ability to backup the PS3 over a LAN automatically.
• Less klunky web browsing
• 1080i support for more games. (Since some TVs are 1080/480 only, and downgrade 720 down to 480.)

Thanks a bunch, Sony.

Re:Firmware 3.0

[MaWeiTao]

"What's New" screen (ads for Sony products, links to Sony store)

The What's New screen has always been there.

Sony store now appears in several menus instead of just one.

I'm not sure what you mean by this as I haven't read anything about it, but the Store is already exceedingly easy to access.

New animated themes that you can buy.

Themes have always been for sale as well although there are a decent number which are free. In my opinion, however, at least 95% of them are amateurish garbage. I'm not sure how the companies producing these themes were allowed to offer such crap.

I personally would never waste money on something like a theme. And there's a tool available that allows anyone to create their own theme, for free. I assume the tool will still be available for the slim PS3. And you can change the background image to anything you want any time you feel like it.

New avatars, some of which are for sale.

I assume you're referring to Home. This is nothing new. Sony even charges for clothing.

Frankly, I think it's ridiculous especially given there's not much of anything to do in Home. I also think anyone spending money on that stuff is a fool. But hey, that's their own decision.

PS2 Compatibility

Do that many people really want PS2 compatibility? It would be nice, but is it all that crucial?

I'd argue most consumers are clamoring for the latest games. And for anyone who owns a decent library of PS2 games I have to assume they already own a PS2 otherwise what's the point of all the games.

Better video support, especially MKV files. (Yes, you can convert MKV files to be playable. No, I don't think that's good enough.)

Ability to play media files over a Windows/Samba share, rather than having to use media server software.

I don't see why either of these requests are important. It seems like an issue a miniscule segment of the user-base would be concerned about so why should Sony bother investing time and money into this?

Ability to backup the PS3 over a LAN automatically.

Backing up to a USB drive is so trivial that I don't see much of a need for this. And there are games out there that, frustratingly, don't allow backups anyway.

Less klunky web browsing.

It's not great, but it does the job reasonably well. There are things that probably should be addressed but honestly, how many people really care about this? It doesn't matter what they do, the experience is unlikely to ever compare to browsing on the PC for many reasons; the PS3 uses a non-standard browser and websites are designed with PCs in mind.

1080i support for more games.

Again, this is a minor issue. What HDTV today isn't 720p or 1080p? The biggest issue I have here is that most games are don't run at 1080p, but addressing that is far from trivial.

Sony's responsibility is to satisfy as large a segment of consumers as possible. It would make no business sense whatsoever for them to try to address every last issue people raise. What you want isn't necessarily what most people want or even care about.

Sony Electronic Reader

[Orion Blastar]

I want to be able to do more than read Comic Books with a reader program. I want to be able to read PDF, ODF, RTF, HTML, CHM, and other formats that eBooks come in.

If I buy a PSP or Slim PS3, I want an educational value for it as well as a gaming one. I want more than a Language Tutor program or BrainAge, I want to be able to read eBooks as well.

I am sticking to a PS2 because the PS3 price is too high and they took away backwards compatibility with PS2 games on most PS3 models. I might as well buy a Wii because it runs GameCube games, or an XBox 360 with a hard drive that can run XBox games. Sony really needs to learn a lesson here to run legacy software like the others, or risk losing these console wars.

No more Rootkits either, ok? Sony we are sick of them.

Re:Sony Electronic Reader

[MeatBag PussRocket]

I want to be able to do more than read Comic Books with a reader program. I want to be able to read PDF, ODF, RTF, HTML, CHM, and other formats that eBooks come in.

If I buy a PSP or Slim PS3, I want an educational value for it as well as a gaming one. I want more than a Language Tutor program or BrainAge, I want to be able to read eBooks as well.

I am sticking to a PS2...

last i checked the PS2 has none of those features. if you're serious about using a gaming console for education i actually think the PS3 is about as close as you'll get. in addition to the obvious of being able to teach somebody the basics of running linux from the command line, since its the only console with a blu ray you can get the blue planet series on BD its an incredible documentary that is full of education.

PSP Digital Reader Service

[gEvil (beta)]

Sure, the PS3 Slim is nice. But what I find interesting is the PSP Digital Reader Service. The (very brief) article mentions that Sony is teasing about extending it beyond comics by the end of the year. Not coincidentally, that's also when they plan to have their eBookstore migrated over to the ePub format. Considering the iPhone/iPod Touch are among the most used digital book-reading devices, and the PSP has a screen resolution that's similar, this could be a very wise move. Assuming this actually happens, you'll also have the ability to buy new releases directly from the PSP using WiFi (something that many people are wishing for in a new Sony eBook reader). Interesting times ahead...

Re:An even better model

[Filip22012005]

The failure rates were published on joystiq a couple of days ago: http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/17/game-informer-xbox-360-at-54-2-percent-failure-rate/.

xbox: 54.2%
ps3 10.3%
wii 6.8%

Too bad Greenpeace didn't consider those when they named Nintendo such a non-green company.

Re:Are we still expected to pay $0.30 for Home sho

[gEvil (beta)]

Not to mention the charges on logo-ed shirts. I can't remember prices, but I think those were in the $0.50-$1 range. So I'm expected to pay money to be a walking virtual advertisement. Sure...

Hell, people pay 20-30 bucks (and more) all the time to be walking real-life advertisements.

They had backwards compatibility

[Prien715]

Sony is retarded for removing backwards compatibility. It's the only one of the 3 consoles where the developer got the bright idea to remove features.

I bought a PS3 last year since I wanted to play Metal Gear, but I also wanted to get rid of my PS2 (DDR is still played on occasion).

You can still find them on Craiglist/etc. Be sure to look for the 60 GB one as it's the only one that has it in hardware.

(But it's not as good as Nintendo's. You have to buy a memory card converter to actually get save games on it and buy another peripheral if you want to use you Guitar Hero instruments on it (is there another way to play the GH1 track?). But the play itself is solid/perfect as far as I can tell.)

Re:Are we still expected to pay $0.30 for Home sho

[geekoid]

I agree. What I think they should do is offer those items as accomplishments for in game goals, and have a place to shoe them off. Use the peple desire to collect and show off stuff to sell games.

Shocking, I know.

Re:Needs an Infrared Port

[PRMan]

http://www.schmartstuff.com/sony-ps3-ir-upgrad.html

Just a satisfied customer.