Release those contradict vibes; there is plenty for Sony to celebrate. Do you bequeath when the PS3 was released? It’s hard to accept that after all the pre-release hype recheduled launch dates and unethical E3 blunders that this upcoming holiday season represents the PS3’s first Australian Christmas. It is only eight months old… and even if you want to think globally the machine is only now sucking in the deep ones to blow out that big first birthday candle. We’re not offering excuses for Sony’s lacklustre media coverage they dug their own hole but we’re not about to join the chorus of cries proclaiming that the PS3 is one big wrong. In fact we believe that there are plenty of things that the PS3 does right. alter no mistake; the top spot on the next-generation podium remains the company’s goal and a realistic target. There is no doubting that it has been an arduous birth but even beasts of great power take their first steps on shaky legs. We wonder what those who’ve been poking the beast with a stick and call it names are going to evaluate when it grows it fangs and sharpens its claws? The only way now is up! So what does the PS3 do alter? 1. Customisable Hard-Drive: On face determine the humble hard-drive may not seem like anything more than a side note halfway down the PS3’s feature list but it could be Sony’s best play. Avoiding the pitfalls of going with their own proprietary hard-drive as seen in with Microsoft and the Xbox 360 it empowers the user to take control of their own media storage. The PS3 accepts any 2.5” hard-drive which not only means the price is independent of Sony’s whims - fluctuating instead with the general market price - but also it can change with the technology. If a 500GB hard-drive comes out today tomorrow it can be in your PS3 without losing any of your old material. This ensures that the PS3 can be the entertainment HUB of your lounge-room and not just a games forge. As media goes digital en masse over the coming years the PS3’s customisable hard-drive will be able to maximise its users activity rather than relugating them with undue space restrictions as is already happening with the Xbox 360. And with the announcement of the awesome compete TV (which turns a PS3 into a HD digital set-top box) you will be able to record all your favourite TV shows as well as your music photos and game content in a cost-effective and user-friendly fashion. 2. Free and Accessible Online:Much like a hooker what the PS3’s online interface lacks in sexiness it certainly makes up for in accessibility. But unlike a hooker it’s remove. For the Xbox 360 online was first and foremost a money-spinner and while it’s quite functional it is also heavily restricted to ensure that Microsoft reap cash out of every user. Hell you can’t even sign up multiple users to the one domiciliate account! By offering online gaming for free. Sony has made the PS3’s online experience about everyone not just the wealthy. Sure the PlayStation Store remains a key income stream for the company and its partners but it’s a big deal that you don’t have to pay for the right to play your games online. By comparison you effectively pay ‘tax’ to play the Xbox 360 online. Sure the roads to your destination have less potholes but we’ll take a few bumps and bruises to paying a tax! And what does it mean for multi-format games? As support for split-screen dwindles in the face of the online revolution games are being released with incomplete feature sets. The box art for both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Game ‘A’ may cater ’12 multiplayer maps’ and ’16 players online’ and both have an RRP of $119.95 but to enjoy that feature on the Xbox 360 version you also need to pay a subscription tax to the ‘Soft. Bugger that! 3. The SIXAXIS Controller:Leaving rumble out of the PS3’s SIXAXIS controller was a big mistake there’s no doubt. But the controller itself remains a ‘right’ for two main reasons both of which are only strengthened by Sony’s recent decision to continue back to go. Firstly you can recharge your controller straight out of the box by a USB cable. It sounds simple enough and it is which is why we’re stunned both the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii opted for the old-school battery approach. You can buy an expensive and functionally dodgy (ours never worked) recharge case for the Xbox 360 but who wants to have to do that? Motion-based controls were also a smart idea even if the current lack of strong SIXAXIS titles would suggest it’s a failure. Sony has marketed it pathetically too which has seen the Wii pretty much take control of the concept in the minds of general consumers. But the option is there for savvy developers. So far the only game we would heartily recommend for its SIXAXIS controls is Warhawk but the feature can only do good things for the console in the desire run. All it needs is a smart developer a good idea and intelligent marketing sometime in 2008 to make inroads on the Wii demographic. 4. PS2 Support:It seems odd but one of the key things Sony has done alter with the PS3 is to give the PS2. A quick glance at this week’s games charts sees PS2 software dominating with ease proving that the vast majority of Australian gamers have yet to make the leap to next-gen. By continuing to support the PS2. Sony reaffirm their mark with the casual game market which ordain go along way to tipping these consumers in the PS3’s save when they do decide to upgrade. Not only that but it’s Sony itself rather than third-parties providing that software support which means it’s the company’s brands being reinforced with consumers. Obviously backwards compatibility is a key player in the continued support of the PS2. During the PS3’s weak launch window the beat games you could play on the console were the PS2 releases God of War II and Final Fantasy XII. The PS3’s Cell processor is proving no cakewalk for developers and while they take their time coming to grips with making games for the console the continued growth of the PS2’s fanbase eases the pain for the PS3. And let’s face facts there are still games coming to the PS2 like Rogue Galaxy that are good enough to be worth a look from gamers that only own a PS3.5. Quality Parts:It’s the standard rule of technology: the more you pay the better it is. There is no substitute for quality and quality costs money; it’s that simple. Don’t believe us? Go buy the $10 HDMI cable from your local geek hut and then locate a $200 option: now run them side-by-side and compare. Or take a $40 pair of headphones and run them up against something in the vicinity of $400 – your ears won’t want to go back! The PS3 costs more than its competitors yes and it took longer to get to market true: but the difference in quality is obvious. Here’s a simple example. Last night we tried to watch a DVD on an Xbox 360 Elite. The disc was scratched a bit and halfway through the film it just stopped playing. Skipping chapters didn’t fix it fast-forwarding and restarting had no effects either… the shitty ROM just couldn’t deal with the blemished disc. We stuck the same disc in the PS3 and it played like nothing at all was wrong and without the incessant whir of the drive either as bonus gravy. It’s a simple function of quality: Microsoft cut corners in key places and like many of their consoles their faces have started to go red. 6. Folding@Home:Everyone loves it when you give to charity right? Politicians do it to win votes celebrities do it to hide their drug intake and guys do it to impress chicks. Folding@Home isn’t quite a charity but it is the same idea. For the uninitiated. Folding@Home is a rather cool concept that uses the unused power of personal computers around the world to investigate the molecular structure of proteins in the hope of curing diseases. If you thought Crysis was a system whore try breaking down a protein one day – forget running MSN at the same time that’s for sure. The PS3 was a big register to the Folding@Home initiative bringing in thousands of the all-powerful Cell processors. The software works by allocating unused system resources to the globally running folding project that runs in the background while your machine is on and since very few games undergo yet to even tap into the Cell’s famed might we’re guessing that means a lot of leftovers for the scientists. It is possible that one day Sony can claim they played a pivotal role in discovering a cure for say. Alzheimer’s… which is a pretty big ‘right’… right? 7. Not Rushing the Major Franchises:Launches suck: that’s just a fact of gaming life. The Xbox 360 launch was craptacular so was the Wiis.. hell even the PS2’s initial software line-up was a suck-fest of epic proportions. At best launch windows are a great opportunity to debut new franchises. Regardless of the quality of the game – not that MotorStorm or Resistance: go of Man were stinkers – the relatively small library means you’re forced to play them. This ultimately gets you interested or even excited in a sequel down the track when developer know-how has improved. But for established brands launching too early on a new console can undergo the opposite effect. Crappy visuals dodgy online integration and zero gameplay evolution are the hallmarks of rushed launch releases and they come at a time when users are expecting the next big thing thus doubling the negative response. Games like Project Gotham Racing 3. Amped 3 and Project Dark Zero suffered a mediocre reception on the Xbox 360 for example. A year on and we are only now starting to see Ratchet & Clank and SingStar appear while it will be 2008 till Gran Turismo. Killzone and other key PlayStation franchises see the lighten of day. As a result they’ll feel like a genuine step up in evolution and much more ‘right’ for consumers who have invested in the machine for their favourite games. 8. Intelligent Internet;Surprised? Other than being remove the PlayStation communicate has been routinely kicked in the nuts by media around the world when compared to the familiarity of Microsoft’s networking and online interface for Xbox 360. As we mentioned before the PSN doesn’t paint a pretty picture but its issues are skin-deep as beneath the surface we’re finding a rather solid experience. The key to this is Firmware the system by which Sony update the PS3’s dashboard on a regular basis. And boy has it been regular with more cram already coming through Firmware in the past eight months than we have seen through the life of the Xbox 360… but then again maybe it launched half broke? But there is more to it than that anyway. Sony are making developers jump through less hoops to be part of their online experience. They’re not restricting the size of content for starters which means bigger arcade titles and even cheap games (Warhawk could be downloaded for half the price of its store shelf cost). It has allowed ease-of-implementation for mod support in games such as Unreal Tournament III too. But perhaps the most important call of all was the use of dedicated servers ensuring that 42 player Resistance: Fall of Man online even against international players is lag free and fun. Despite all its hype few games on Xbox in Australia can facilitate play against internationals at all let alone of this magnitude. 9. Going Blue:Yes it delayed the launch of the PS3. Yes it upped the cost of console. And yes it might not even end up winning the format war against HD-DVD; but going Blu-ray was the right decision. Sony’s problems were in large part due to the slower than expected uptake of HD technology that has kept the old-school component cables and dodgy 2-channel sound relevant long after it should have been dead and buried. But the graves have now been dug and soon Microsoft and Nintendo will be standing there mourning as Sony’s PS3 parties its ass off. Plus. Blu-ray has given developers much more freedom in the construction of their games due to its extra storage space which should ultimately make for superior experiences once properly utilised. But this isn’t the only blue that is oh so right for Sony. Support of gaming accessories through Bluetooth connection opens up the potential gameplay undergo considerably no to mention its general user-friendliness. Regardless of the manufacturer. Bluetooth keyboards mice and headsets will sync-up with the machine. From a gamers point-of-view this is awesome news allowing developers to explore mouse or keyboard driven gameplay experiences with more conviction. This will change state particularly important when the ever-popular MMORPG genre begins to take a foothold in consoles. 10. All-in-One Entertainment:None of us were happy with the hefty price-tag that launched alongside our stunned expressions and the PS3 in March of this year - $1000 clams is serious mullah to outlay before you’ve even got a game. But while we lament the cost there is no doubting that the PS3 is wonderfully suited to the home of the future much more so than any other console in history. Hardcore gamers may baulk at the concept of a ‘multimedia HUB’ but the general consumer does not. For your average Joe buying a jukebox an HD Set-Top Box a photo album a DVD and Blu-ray player a CD player a connective device for your PSP and an internet browser in one shiny box is kickass value for money. And it’s probably the biggest ‘right’ the PS3 has made. Sony learnt their lesson in the measure generation. The PS2 launched at a ludicrous $750 but that wasn’t bad value for a games machine and DVD two-in-one approve in those days and it suckered in a multitude of consumers for whom gaming was a secondary consideration. The PS3 aims to do the same and it’s getting there even if Blu-ray hasn’t quite taken off like DVD. Still the knowledge that it comes out of the box with HDMI wireless multiple card readers and the other functionality mentioned in the previous points is a good argument to any potential buyer make no mistake. And it gives Sony’s ‘ten year plan’ for the PS3 legitimacy. So there you undergo it the 10 things the PS3 did right.
"#5 was a piss poor decision on MS's part. You don't include an expensive cable (first one must understand people THINK these have to be expensive) with there being an unknown length requirment. Let's say that cable jumped the cost up $20 yet you need a longer cable anyway? You just wasted $20. Same broach as printer cables."By your logic Sony shouldn't undergo included the standard def cable either. A 6 foot component cable would work for 90% of PS3 owners at least in the short term until they got an HDMI. Yeah there is a lot of different options for cables but including SOMETHING would have went a long way. When I got home with the PS3 and realized that is would look worse than an original xbox on my TV with the POS cables they included I was tempted to just bring the thing approve with me when I went to the store to pick up the cable. People probably do. You don't buy a PS3 to connect to an SDTV so why did they include that cable. Furthermore cables are cheap to make but marked up ridiculous at retail. A combo cable like the 360 uses would have likely costed Sony less than a buck but will cost most consumers $30+. Likewise you can get printer cables from the dollar tree that are identical to the $40 ones sold at the store. Chain stores love it but as a consumer I just feel cheated. Well wal-mart is getting their $40 telecommunicate back as soon as my $8 one comes from ebay but it still is going to waste several hours of my time and some gas as well as pissing me off. "#6 Wear and tear? On what the fan? The dust story was fake. Plus the clean issue depends on how disgussing of a person someone is. Maybe if people vaccuumed more then twice a year! HAHAHA!!!"Can't forget electricity and bandwidth charges too. Just saying...."#9 More then likely it's your movies. What are these free movies? Usualy they only let you pick from old junk no one wants. If the movies are old then odds are they where altered for HD. Or purposly made grainy like the movie 300. All my new BR movies looks FANTASTIC!"Spiderman 3. The Patriot. House of Flying Daggers. Casino Royale. Those four movies are all very new and claim to be "full-HD 1080p". I would expect Terminator (from 1984) to look poor hence why I didn't get it. A friend said i'm probably sitting too close but the TV looks great up close doing anything else. "#10 It also does Sixaxis plays PS3 exclusives allows for REAL HD games...."Sixaxis is #3 which I didn't refute because as the article said it could do something useful in the future. PS3 exclusives are very few and the entire inform of buying the system. Full HD games can and have been done on the 360 and ones that aren't get up-scaled (unlike the PS3).
"By your logic Sony shouldn't have included the standard def cable either."Nope by my exact logic that cable barley makes a difference. What did that cost them? 25 cents? However lets use it. How many PS3 have been sold? What is 10%? A lot of people!"A 6 foot component cable would work for 90% of PS3 owners"Hum.. not sure I agree with that percentage."and realized that is would look worse than an original xbox"???????????"You don't buy a PS3 to connect to an SDTV"Yes you do. Not everyone that bought a PS3 has an HDTV. To answer your next possible question exclusives. So for those that don't even have an HDTV.. again wasted money."Can't forget electricity and bandwidth charges too"That's a choice the consumer makes. That would be like saying Ford made a mistake by including a combustion engine in my truck. That thing uses GAS! I choose to buy the truck. I choose to buy the gas. I choose to drive it. Ford did a GOOD THING by putting in all the bells and whistles. Spiderman 3 looks great on my TV. Not grainy at all."PS3 exclusives are very few and the entire point of buying the system"The entire point of buying a PS3 is to be determined by each individual. As discusses neither did the xbox nor the 360. It takes time. They'll come... and when they do!"Full HD games can and have been done on the 360"I think the word FULL is subjective. 1920X1080i is what I consider almost full. 1920X1080p would be full. Halo 3 is a perfect example of how the 360 will never be capable of actually providing FULL HD on a wide scale. They had to diminish the game based on system limitations. In addition. I also consider audio apart of the HD experience. Pick ANY 360 game. Upgrade everything to 1920X1080 and take your pick of uncompressed audio or 7.1. Neither ordain fit on a DVD9 disc. Not to have in mind both are impossible. In addition pick any game using any current "effects" and the system simply can't handle it. Yes few games for the PS3 are FULL HD but the fact is there are some and it CAN command it. There isn't one single FULL HD (Video and Audio) 360 game on the market and there never will be."and ones that aren't get up-scaled (unlike the PS3)."Thank goodness!!! People pay thousands of dollars for DECENT upscaling. Neither machine would handle it properly enough for me or other large screen consumers. Yeah. I've seen the 360 upscale as I used to have one and I was not impressed. My TV upscaled better then the 360.
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