Sony PlayStation 3

SPMC said:
so at this time of typing this, there are 140,000+/- units floating around? as i thought 400,000 units were shipped in north america. yet, you won't find a single place that has 'em now :(
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wow...about those numbers..i find it very dificult to any other console get to the same amount as xbox360..specially with its promotional prices now. i mean they have a 7million units advantage alreeady.
 
Flawl3ssCowb0y said:
http://www.therealps3grill.com/ps3grillpics.htm

:lol::lol:
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wow, it saddens me when people flaunt their wealth and do frivolous things to expensive items alot of people can't readily afford.
like that SmashmyPS3 guy, derogatively dressed as a pimp. it would of made a greater statement if they were dressed as homeless people. shouldn't people also be bashing the world's richest billionaire, not just the sony conglomerate? or even ipods costing $399.
 
A review here from those lovely people at the New York Times...

Howard Stringer, you have a problem. Your company’s new video game system just isn’t that great.

Ever since Mr. Stringer took the helm last year at Sony, the struggling if still formidable electronics giant, the world has been hearing about how the coming PlayStation 3 would save the company, or at least revitalize it. Even after Microsoft took the lead in the video-game wars a year ago with its innovative and powerful Xbox 360, Sony blithely insisted that the PS3 would leapfrog all competition to deliver an unsurpassed level of fun.

Put bluntly, Sony has failed to deliver on that promise.

Measured in megaflops, gigabytes and other technical benchmarks, the PlayStation 3 is certainly the world’s most powerful game console. It falls far short, however, of providing the world’s most engaging overall entertainment experience. There is a big difference, and Sony seems to have confused one for the other.

The PS3, which was introduced in North America on Friday with a hefty $599 price tag for the top version, certainly delivers gorgeous graphics. But they are not discernibly prettier than the Xbox 360’s. More important, the whole PlayStation 3 system is surprisingly clunky to use and simply does not provide many basic functions that users have come to expect, especially online.

I have spent more than 30 hours using the PlayStation 3 over the last week or so and may have played more different games on the system — 13 — than probably anyone outside of Sony itself. Sony did not activate the PS3’s online service until just before the Friday debut. Over the weekend a clear sense of disappointment with the PlayStation 3 emerged from many gamers.

“What’s weird is that the PS3 was originally supposed to come out in the spring, and here it came out in the fall, and it still doesn’t feel finished,” Christopher Grant, managing editor of Joystiq, one of the world’s biggest video-game blogs, said on the telephone Saturday night. “It’s really not the all-star showing they should have had at launch. Sony is playing catch-up in a lot of ways now, not just in terms of sales but in terms of the basic functionality and usability of the system.”

Sadly for Sony, the best way to explain how the PlayStation 3 falls short is to explain how different it is to use than its main competition, Xbox 360. When I reviewed the 360 last year, I wrote: “Twelve minutes after opening the box, I had created my nickname, was in a game of Quake 4 and thought, ‘This can’t be this easy.’ ”

I never felt that way using the PlayStation 3. With the PS3, 12 minutes after opening the box I realized that Sony inexplicably does not include cables to connect the machine to a high-definition television. Keep in mind that one of Sony’s main selling points has been that the PS3 plays Blu-Ray high-definition movie discs. But high-definiton cables? Sold separately. The Xbox 360, by contrast, ships with one cable that can connect to either a standard or high-definition set.

Then, before you are even using the PS3, you have to connect the “wireless” controller to the base unit with a USB cable so they can recognize each other. If you bring your PS3 controller to a friend’s house, you’ll have to plug back in again. The 360’s wireless controllers are always just that, wireless.

If there is one thing one would expect Sony to get perfect, though, it would be music. Wrong. Sure, you can plug in your digital music player and the PS3 will play the tunes. But as soon as you go into a game, the music stops. By contrast, one of the things I’ve always enjoyed most on the Xbox 360 is being able to listen to my own music while playing Pebble Beach or driving my virtual Ferrari. Doesn’t seem too complicated, but the PS3 can’t do it.

In that sense it often feels as if the PlayStation 3 can’t walk and chew bubble gum at the same time. In the PS3’s online store (which feels like a slow Web page) you can access movie trailers and trial versions of new games, but when you actually download the 600-megabyte files, you’ll be stuck watching a progress bar crawl across the screen for 20 or 40 minutes. Astonishingly, you can’t download in the background while you go do something that’s more fun (like play a game). On the Xbox 360, not only are files downloaded seamlessly in the background, but you can also shut off the machine, turn it on later, and the download will resume automatically.

The PS3’s whole online experience feels tacked-on and unpolished. On the Xbox 360 each user has a single unified friends list, so you can track your friends and communicate with them easily, no matter what game you are in. On the PlayStation 3 most games have their own separate friends list and some have no friends function at all. There is a master list as well, but in order to communicate with anyone on it, you have to quit the game you are playing.

There are some high points. The multi-player battles in Resistance: Fall of Man are excellent. The arcade-style action in the downloadable Blast Factor is suitably frantic.

But the list of the PS3’s disappointments remains, from its undersupported voice chat to its maddening cellphone-like text messaging system. (In frustration I ended up plugging in a USB keyboard.) Overall, Sony seems to have put a lot of effort into cramming as much silicon horsepower under the hood as possible but to have forgotten that all the transistors in the world can’t make someone smile.

And so it is a bit of a shock to realize that on the video game front Microsoft and Sony are moving in exactly the opposite directions one might expect given their roots. Microsoft, the prototypical PC company, has made the Xbox 360 into a powerful but intuitive, welcoming, people-friendly system. Sony’s PlayStation 3, on the other hand, often feels like a brawny but somewhat recalcitrant specialized computer. (Sony is even telling users to wait for future software patches to fix some of the PS3’s deficiencies.) The thing is, if people want to use a computer, they’ll use a computer.

Through the decades of the Walkman and the Trinitron television, Sony was renowned as the global master of easy-to-use, seamlessly powerful consumer electronics. But recently Sony seems to have lost its way, first in digital music players, in which it ceded the ergonomic high ground to Apple’s iPod, and now in home-game consoles. For now Sony’s technologists seem to have won out over the people who study fun.

As a practical matter, given the limited quantities Sony has been able to manufacture, the PlayStation 3 will surely remain sold out throughout the holiday season. If you can’t find one, don’t fret. Sony still has a lot of work to do. As Mr. Grant of Joystiq put it: “Maybe in six months it’ll be finished. Maybe by next fall I’ll be able to do all the cool stuff. I’m still kind of waiting.”
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The wonderfully named Ars-technica posted this:

Conclusion

I think my main problem with the PS3 is that philosophically, it's a confused system. It doesn't really know what it wants to do. The 360 wants to be a social system; it wants to get you online, talking to people, playing these fun little minigames, and going for the high score and bragging rights. It wants to bring you together and make you remember what you love about gaming.

The Wii wants to get you off the couch, for you to be physical and to be part of this game world. Wii wants you to connect and to get your friends and family involved even if they don't like games. The Xbox 360 and Wii are systems that know what they want to do.

The PS3 doesn't have any grand ideas; Sony wanted something high-tech, so they started from scratch with the processor and GPU, but what does it get them? Very little so far. The controller is a mash-up of ideas from their old systems, the 360's triggers, and the Wii's motion-sensing capabilities, but once it has that tech it doesn't really know what to do with it. The Blu-ray adds cost, but adds very little to the gaming experience for the user. It's great as a media player, but for those of us who love games first and foremost, we have to look at it skeptically. The PS3 is a system with no core message, and that is what keeps it from being elegant. Will it do great things in the future? I hope so, the possibility and potential are certainly there. For now, it's power looking for a mission statement.

One significant issue with the PS3 is a lack of proper scaling. We know that if your HDTV can't display 720p, you will get knocked down to 480p in some games, which is a shame. The other problem shows itself in Blu-ray movies, with the system having trouble scaling things down from 1080p if your set doesn't support that resolution. In some instances, this results in a grainy image. Hopefully this can be addressed via a software update.

Sony wants to push new formats; we want to play great games and have a good time doing it. We want every bit of that experience, from the menus to the loading times, to help us get into that fantasy world and keep us there. Sadly, with all the new technology, Sony appears to have neglected the overall gaming experience to a degree.

Overall, I am impressed with the system's potential. The graphics power is there and once developers have had the time to tap into it, things should change a bit. In fact, I think we'll see great things from the second generation of games from the PS3. Combine that with a few software upgrades, better HD scaling, and a major overhaul of the online system and you can go ahead and add two points to the current score, three if Sony really delivers with the udpates. The hardware is solid, and the games are only going to get better, but the software implementation leaves a lot to be desired; the score reflects the PlayStation 3 as it exists now.
The Good:

* The hardware looks great, and runs nearly silently and very cool
* Wireless controller is light and feels great
* Great-looking Blu-ray movie playback
* Price is low for a Bluy-ray player
* A lot of multimedia options
* Solid backwards compatibility

The Bad:

* Terrible online store
* Slow, unituitive browser
* No background downloading
* Games continue to play even if you eject the disc; you have to manually restart the UI via the controller
* Messy UI
* HD scaler doesn't work right
* Price is high for a video game console
* No rumble, controller loses sync with system sometimes; little game support for motion-sensing features
* Uninspired launch lineup

The Ugly:

* Knowing that no one is actually playing this thing, every system is waiting in a box somewhere for the eBay profit
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Microsoft stock upgraded on digital entertainment

After last Friday's PS3 launch, the world (Sony's idea of the world that is) finally got a taste of what the PS3 is ultimately about. With the ho-hum reception the system has been getting over the weekend, analysts around the world can finally get an idea of how the next gen battle will shape up. Credit Suisse, an ultimate non-fanboy (if they chose wrong, they can stand to lose a lot of money), has decided to upgrade Microsoft's (MSFT) stock.

Credit Suisse cited Microsoft's improving position in digital entertainment as a key reason why they chose to upgrade the stock to "outperform" from neutral; Credit Suisse expects Microsoft stocks to improve by 20%. Digital entertainment -- officially known in Microsoft as the Entertainment and Devices Division -- includes the Xbox 360.

While we can only postulate what part of digital entertainment is responsible for the upgrade, the Xbox 360 leads the pack; it is singled out in Microsoft's annual report as the key reason why the division posted more than $1 billion in revenue growth fiscal year 2005 to fiscal year 2006. Could the lack of post-launch PS3 love be the reason Microsoft is getting the thumbs up from a major financial institution?
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I don't trust Credit Suisse though...they rejected my application to em last summer :( :twisted:
 
GameStop resupplied on PS3, Wii
One of the biggest hitches with Microsoft's Xbox 360 launch last year was a dearth of follow-up shipments that left the game maker unable to make its next-gen system readily available to consumers until months after launch.

Sony and Nintendo might manage to avoid that problem, as GameStop today indicated that last weekend's launches of the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii sold out, but more units are on the way. In an investor conference call tied to the retailer's third quarter earnings report, GameStop executives confirmed that that have already been resupplied with both systems, and they expect to get more of each on a weekly basis.

The executives also recapped the launch performances of the two systems. For the PS3, Sony's Resistance: Fall of Man and Electronic Arts' Madden NFL 07 were the biggest sellers, while Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Ubisoft's Red Steel stood out from the pack of Wii launch titles.

However, game sales were stronger on the Wii, with GameStop sporting a tie ratio of 3 games sold for every system, compared to the PS3's tie ratio of 1.5 games for each system. The shortfall on Sony's system was attributed to more people picking up the system on its own in order to turn around and sell it for a premium. As those systems find their ways into the hands of "real gamers," the execs said the PS3 tie ratio should increase.

GameStop's higher-ups noted that their chain historically has the highest tie ratio of any retailer in the country, but estimated that they were still shorted on hardware allocation by both Sony and Nintendo. While GameStop and its EB Games brand collectively account for about 25 percent of the US gaming market, the company believes it didn't receive that much of either system's day-one shipments. Executives said that they've never been satisfied with their launch day allocation of any new machine, but added their main concern now is the flow of follow-up shipments--which both Sony and Nintendo have promised will come at a steady pace.
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source: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6162154.html?tag=latestnews;title;1

looks like it will be easier to get a PS3 and Wii compared to the 360s launch, in north america at least.
 
the_thing said:
source: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6162154.html?tag=latestnews;title;1

looks like it will be easier to get a PS3 and Wii compared to the 360s launch, in north america at least.
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But isn't that because Sony have only been able to supply far less than their intended amount - and the stock is coming is staggered portions?:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=acYmICIySKBw&refer=japan
Bloomberg said:
Limited supplies haven't satisfied demand for PlayStation 3, leading some customers who obtained consoles to sell them on the Internet at markups of several times to their retail price. Parts shortages forced Sony to reduce its year-end goal for worldwide shipments of the new console by half, to 2 million, in September.....

.....The company is airlifting in shipments weekly, and aims to have 1 million units in U.S. stores by the end of the year, Otzman said. She didn't say how many shipments were on hand for the launch.
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The PS3 will naturally sell out initially due to hardcore gamers wanting to purchase theirs before all their fellow hardcore mates - and lets not forget those wanting to make a quick buck on eBay. The fact that it is supposedly easier to obtain now perhaps suggest that the initial thrill has died down?

The reviewer in Ars Technica even said that it wasn't difficult for him to get it.

matherto said:
they mention the 360 as being innovative, how!?
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I would say that Ars Technica summed it up perfectly:

I think my main problem with the PS3 is that philosophically, it's a confused system. It doesn't really know what it wants to do. The 360 wants to be a social system; it wants to get you online, talking to people, playing these fun little minigames, and going for the high score and bragging rights. It wants to bring you together and make you remember what you love about gaming.


The Wii wants to get you off the couch, for you to be physical and to be part of this game world. Wii wants you to connect and to get your friends and family involved even if they don't like games. The Xbox 360 and Wii are systems that know what they want to do.


The PS3 doesn't have any grand ideas; Sony wanted something high-tech, so they started from scratch with the processor and GPU, but what does it get them? Very little so far. The controller is a mash-up of ideas from their old systems, the 360's triggers, and the Wii's motion-sensing capabilities, but once it has that tech it doesn't really know what to do with it. The Blu-ray adds cost, but adds very little to the gaming experience for the user. It's great as a media player, but for those of us who love games first and foremost, we have to look at it skeptically. The PS3 is a system with no core message, and that is what keeps it from being elegant. Will it do great things in the future? I hope so, the possibility and potential are certainly there. For now, it's power looking for a mission statement.
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The PS3 certainly has potential....but how many of us are willing to wait? I'm certainly not interested in playing that Mobile Suit Gundam or Genji this holiday season :mrgreen:. I might get a PS3, but definitely not now. Also, most of the best games are non exclusive now anyway (bar MGS).
 
mine arrived today, but no-one was home :(

Its coming again in a few days time. Not looking forward to the customs cost they'll throw at me.
 
Then, before you are even using the PS3, you have to connect the “wireless” controller to the base unit with a USB cable so they can recognize each other. If you bring your PS3 controller to a friend’s house, you’ll have to plug back in again. The 360’s wireless controllers are always just that, wireless.
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:lol: Well done Sony! That is why I left my PS2 for the Xbox.

You all only need to own 2 consoles this Christmas - the 360 and the Wii. Unless you want to pay £400 for an ugly black DVD player with a Spiderman typeface.
 
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And Metal Gear Solid.

Damn, I can live without everything that the PS3 has to offer, but for me, missing out on MGS is like missing out on Football Manager. One of the few games I look forward to no matter what.

I can wait, though.
 
The review from the New York Times is a good one, but is also quite harsh and unfair in some places.

Like where it says that on PS3 when you download something, you have to watch it download and can't do anything else, and how on the 360 you can play a game and whatnot while its downloading. Thats pretty unfair considering it took the 360 over 6 months to incorporate this feature!
 
Flawl3ssCowb0y said:
The review from the New York Times is a good one, but is also quite harsh and unfair in some places.

Like where it says that on PS3 when you download something, you have to watch it download and can't do anything else, and how on the 360 you can play a game and whatnot while its downloading. Thats pretty unfair considering it took the 360 over 6 months to incorporate this feature!
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Yeah but flawless that argument is equally a total load of bollocks. Sony have had an entire year to absolutely NAIL the interface. They should have had a 360 in their possession to see what works and what doesn't and ensure the PS3 can atleast do the same things. They haven't learned, to me that screams of lazyness and that the system hasn't been thought out properly.
 
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Flawl3ssCowb0y said:
The review from the New York Times is a good one, but is also quite harsh and unfair in some places.

Like where it says that on PS3 when you download something, you have to watch it download and can't do anything else, and how on the 360 you can play a game and whatnot while its downloading. Thats pretty unfair considering it took the 360 over 6 months to incorporate this feature!
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That's true about it being too critical....but when you are spending $500-600 for a console, you have to expect a lot of harsh reviews.

I think what people are saying is that - fair enough - it was annoying that Microsoft didn't add the background download feature when the 360 came out but it's ridiculous that - having known about this feature - Sony didn't add it to their console which has come out a full 12 months after the 360. They didn't even consider those with 1080i (but non-720p) compatible TVs(!).

Ars Technica (I can't get tired of saying that name!) mentioned that Sony has taken a very uninspiring approach to the PS3 software. The interface is straight out of the PSP and has proved to be a bit longwinded.
 
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Milanista said:
Same problem here. All I want is fucking MGS!
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It'll be worth waiting for. 8)

And wait you shall! The machine might well have dropped in price by the time Kojima has it ready! :D

I think I'll pick up a PS3 eventually, but have no interest in a launch machine. Why would you want to pay for:

A system with nothing worth playing on it for a year.
A system at it's highest price point.
A system at it's most unstable point (in terms of faults, etc).

Give it a year and it might be worth owning. For me:

PS1>Dreamcast
PS2>Xbox
PS3>360????

If MS continue with their shooter conveyer belt then I think Sony will come out on top again, even with all the mistakes they've made in the lead-up to their newest machine.
 
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