As you now know, Sony has presented us with firmware update 2.41, which is now free of any serious bugs and doesn't have the nasty capability of damaging systems like the original 2.40 update. However, even though we're good to go now, some are still wondering: what happened.

Well, according to an official statement issued to ThreeSpeech by SCEE, it seems Sony pinpointed the problem: the flaw in 2.40 "prevented a limited number of PS3s from activating properly after updating to version 2.40, when certain system administrative data were contained on the HDD." Obviously, this has been fixed with update 2.41...but that doesn't really help the users who can't even use their bricked system because of what 2.40 did. If it turned out that badly for you, you need to contact Sony's customer service, and they will replace your busted PS3. That's good news, yes. You may be without your system for a while, but at least you won't have to pay for their mistake, which is always a bonus. Lastly, SCEE did repeat the fact that if you downloaded 2.40 without any problems, everything is fine.

It appears you still have to download 2.41 (the system says it's "required," as it does with all firmware updates), but it won't really change anything. We did hear about an additional "Last Game Played" tab with 2.41 that shows you the date and time of the last game you played on your PS3, but that's about it. This should bring the complicated ongoing news story of firmware 2.40/2.41 to a close now: in-game XMB and trophy support is here, and there should be no further issues due to those significant additions.

PlayTV a well anticipated playstation 3 feature for the UK was priced and the release date was put up on Amazon,com. After seeing such a thing, Sony told Amazon to take it down. Now you only see a blank image and the release date changed to October. The oeiginal Release date was July 31, and it was also priced at £59.99.

Nikko Citigroup upgraded its rating on Sony this morning in anticipation of it breaking even on PS3 costs earlier than expected. At the moment, Sony sells the PS3 at a loss. The respected group of analysts is now earmarking August as the milestone month. Sony's CFO recently suggested that the move would occur in the second half of the year -- a date analysts then pegged at November. No details behind the new upbeat expectations were provided by Nikko CG. However, it's safe to assume that the PS3's break-even event will be realized by a switch to a sub-65nm cell processor, sub-90nm RSX graphics chip, or both, since the smaller chips are less-costly to manufacturer.

P.S. It's worth noting that Sony has consistently stated that the PS3 will only break-even when both the Cell and RSX chips have shrunk.

If you can't afford Ben Heck's PS3 laptop, then here's a cheaper (and obviously not as efficient) solution to portable PS3 gaming. Much like the PS1 and PS2 consoles, the PS3 now has a mini-LCD display screen. The 7" LCD screen is made by a company called Clearvision. A price has not been revealed.

While this may seem like a nice add-on, let's take into consideration what kinds of games you'll be playing while using it. Plan on any RPGs or any game that's heavy on text? Doubt this teeny tiny screen will be able to make words readable since most PS3 games use relatively small fonts. This thing would probably be best for action-oriented games. Still, 7" isn't enough; 13"-14" sounds more like the sweet spot to us.

Messiah Entertainment brings to the market the Sony Playstation 3 Hardwear Console Armor.

If you carry around your Sony PS3 you risk scratches on the shiny top. The Hardwear console Armor is protecting your PS3 from that danger. It is actually made with real metal and easily attaches and detaches.

The PS3 Armor is available for pre-order on Amazon.com for $19.99.
The shipping date of this PS3 console accessory is June 12th.

To complete the metal look of your PS3 system Messiah Entertainment also offers the Hardwear Controller Armor. It is also available for pre-order on Amazon.com for $9.99. It ships already on May 16th.

t looks like the United States Air Force needs some heavy research machinery at a low cost. Who do they turn to? The PlayStation 3, 300 of them to be exact.

The Air Force Research Laboratory is conducting a technology assessment of certain cell processors. The processors in the Sony PlayStation 3 are the only brand on the market that utilizes the specific cell processor characteristics needed for this program at an acceptable cost.


At this moment it is only a Request for Proposal, in which sellers will provide price quotes to the Air Force.

Today at the Game Developers Conference 2008, Logitech revealed the official Wheel of Gran Turismo, for Sony's PlayStation 3.

The wheel, named Logitech Driving Force GT, has been crafted for use in Polyphony Digital's upcoming Gran Turismo 5, and will be available in Europe on March 28th, and April 17th in North America.

Suggested retail price is US $149.99.

At some point this year Sony will launch Play TV, the PlayStation 3 exclusive TV tuner, similar to a normal Sky+ plus box, that lets you watch, record and rewind live TV.

According to wikipedia, PlayTV is a twin-channel DVB-T tuner peripheral with digital video recorder (DVR) software which allows users to record television programs to the PlayStation 3 hard drive for later viewing. Wi-Fi connectivity with a PSP allows for portable viewing of live or recorded television programming. Recorded programs can be transcoded and transferred via USB to the PSP for viewing programs on the go. The software features a 7-day electronic program guide for utilising the DVR features.

A trailer has already been doing the rounds online, but now the BBC have a first look video, showing you how it will work:

PlayStation 3 owners who don't have PS2 backwards compatibility may yet be able to enjoy the feature after a Sony executive hinted at its return.

At launch, all PlayStation 3 consoles boasted PS2 backwards compatibility - with the US and Japanese machines offering a hardware solution while the UK console featured software emulation.

However, Sony removed the feature in later editions of the console, including the 40Gb model currently on sale in the UK.

PlayStation network director Eric Lempell told EGM that the function could return for those PS3 consoles currently lacking it. "There are possibilities through technology and software emulation to make that possible," he said, but added that Sony has no "specific plans at this point".

High-End Wireless Controller with Rechargeable Battery Pack for PlayStation® 3.. Coming March 2008 (Limited Early Release Edition without rumble in select retailers now).

Experience innovation with the Zero wireless controller for PlayStation 3. The Zero controller is an entirely new ergonomic design, built to maximize comfort for all players while providing a unique and stylish appearance. With full six-direction tilt functionality and vibration support, the Zero is fully compatible with all PS3 software and control schemes. The Zero is powered by an included NiMH rechargeable battery that provides up to 25 hours of wireless gameplay.

When necessary, simply plug the included charging cable into the PS3s USB port and play and charge the controller simultaneously or use the included AA battery pack. The Zero is the first controller to feature LED back-lit action buttons, heat dissipating aluminum panels and a hybrid metal-resin design. The Zero is the paramount in controller precision, design and engineering.

Wireless:
Low Latency, high-end wireless chipset provides a fast, responsive and secure connection.

Hybrid Design:
Unique metal-resin design provides a strong grip, and comfort for long gameplay sessions.

Backlit Buttons:
The back-lit LED action buttons allow for easy navigation in low light situations.

NiMH Battery:
Rechargeable NiMH battery pack provides up to 25 hour of playtime.

Pics for the features of this product can be seen at the link up top!!

The one version of the PlayStation 3 that currently supports PlayStation 2 software—via emulation of the "Emotion Engine"—looks like it's about to go the way of the dodo. Exactly how crushed should those of us be, should we want to experience PS2 classics on our future PS3s? Oh, totally crushed for now, but the future may provide a glimmer of hope, backing us away from the ledge. PlayStation Network director Eric Lempell says there are "possibilities" the PS2 playing capabilities could come back to the gutted PS3 in the most recent issue of EGM.

When asked by the mag if the now BC-less console kills any chance of offering PS2 games via the PlayStation Store, as it does for original PlayStation games, Lempel said "We haven't talked about that yet, but there are possibilities through technology and software emulation to make that possibles."

Lempell chose not to talk about "specific plans at this point" but that doesn't mean we can't hope. And pray. And start online petitions.

The full interview, which is actually with Sony Computer Entertainment SVP of marketing Peter Dille—he says backward compatibility is "important to us"—is in the newest issue of EGM, which is in subscriber hands now. We hope that 1UP will publish the interview online, in-full, at some point soon.

I don't know what it is about the PlayStation 3, but there are very few people out there who've dared to attempt any sort of casemodding for the shiny black console. So I was tickled when I came across this PS3 mod which cleverly integrates the curvaceous lines of Sony's latest gaming system. Inspired by the game Rainbow Six Vegas, the console is disguised as a casino tower in the midst of the Vegas Strip. If you squint really hard, it's reminiscent of the design of the Wynn. Illuminated with bright colorful LEDs, the PS3 serves as the backdrop for the Strip, which includes a tiny Eiffel Tower (Paris), a Pyramid (Luxor), little tiny people, and even a light up S.W.A.T. van to get you in the Rainbow Six mood.

Built by German casemodder Butterkneter, the Vegas PS3 was built for a special UbiSoft promotion.

Guess having a black and white PS3 wasn't enough for Japan. Sony have announced that, on March 6, Japan will get a "Satin Silver" PS3. Retailing for ¥39,980 (USD$374), it's the standard 40GB setup, and of course the bundled DualShock 3 SIXAXIS will be in silver as well. Looks pretty classy! I've got the satin silver PS2, and it's stood the test of time quite well. Only thing left to do now is for Western fans of colour variation to wonder out loud why Japan's on its third colour scheme while we're still (for the mean time) on our first. Presser follows.

UPDATE - That controller pictured above isn't actually a DualShock3! For some reason, despite releasing the silver version of their updated controller on the same day, Sony are not including a DualShock 3 with the new console. No, instead it'll come with an already-outdated SIXAXIS. If they want a silver DS3 to match their silver PS3, Japanese consumers are going to have to fork out an additional ¥5500 (USD$50). Blergh.

nods3.jpg See? No "DualShock 3" text under the blue "Sixaxis" means no included DualShock 3 :(

Last week various reports/denials from Sony came in concerning the supposed demise of the 80GB PS3 model. It began with a leaked memo from Best Buy stating that the particular SKU would be phased out, then followed with the mysterious removal of the 80GB PS3 from Best Buy's website. However, new evidence has come in further confirming the - what now seems like inevitable - discontinuation of the 80GB SKU.

A GameStop conference call was held today, which supposedly explained that the system was no longer being produced, in favor of a 120 GB or more model bundled with the Dual Shock 3 controller. There's no official date for when this enhanced model will be ready for purchase, or the price, for that matter, but it should be relatively soon. GDC is just a few short weeks away, so at the latest, it should turn up by then.

Sony, of course, offered no comment regarding the GameStop confirmation. We'll just have to wait for Sony to officially announce something.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has told GamesIndustry.biz that there are currently no plans to introduce a 120GB PlayStation 3 in the region.

Rumours are circulating that Sony America is due to launch a new model PlayStation 3 in the US, as stocks of the 80GB model begin to disappear from shelves.

Gaming blog Ars Technica has reported that a 120GB sku is due shortly - complete with DualShock 3 controller and retailing for the same price as the 80GB Spider-Man 3 bundle - although Sony has made no comment to confirm this.

However, if any 120GB unit is to be launched in North America, there's no such roll-out on the cards for Europe.

"We do not currently have any plans to release a 120GB PlayStation 3 in the UK," said a spokesperson for SCEE.

Sony has hinted in the past that it could release PS3 units with larger hard-drives if consumers demanded it, to take advantage of the increasing supply of digitally delivered content via services such as the PlayStation Network.

Sony has constantly chopped and changed prices and hardware configurations in all three of its key territories, most recently discontinuing the 20GB and 60GB skus in Japan.

This strange appendage snaps on to the bottom of your standard PlayStation 3 SIXAXIS joystick, turning it into a poor-man's DualShock controller.

PS3 Vibration Feedback Attachment

PEGA's oddly-named "Vibrating Bag" adds rumble capability to your stock PS3 controller. Now they don't specify if the vibration actually works when the game generates its feedback signal, or if the thing just continuously rumbles. But couldn't your tired hands use a relaxing massage anyway?

In addition to adding some unwelcome bulk to the controller, the remote receiver that plugs into the console's USB port has a huge antenna sticking out of it, messing with your PS3's sleek good looks.

If the contraption wasn't off-kilter enough, it also has a built-in FM radio - 'cause there's not thing I like to do more while playing a round of Uncharted than cranking up the Boomer and the Nudge morning show.

Sony and Nichia have jointly developed a smaller, less costly Blu-ray reader/writer module.

The company expects the new laser unit, which is just 3mm thick, to appear in the company's 9.5mm laptop drives sometime this year.

According to a Tech.co.uk report, the new unit is able to handle disks with organic dye in the recording layers which can be churned out from existing DVD production lines.

A smaller, less costly Blu-ray laser unit could undoubtedly reduce production costs for the PlayStation 3, allowing Sony to drop the price even further should it choose to do so.

Although the company has denied an impending price cut, rumours have surfaced from US retailers suggesting that Sony will be phasing out the 80GB PS3 model. An internal Best Buy document surfaced allegedly indicating that the retailer would no longer carry the 80GB SKU after January 28.

Whether that means the company plans to introduce a new SKU or keep the 40GB as the only SKU - at the same price or at a lower price - remains to be seen.

Long time ago, oh, say a year and a half ago, Sony director Phil Harrison called backward compatibility a "core value." Here's what he told GamePro in May 2006.

"Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices -- PSOne, PS2, and now PS3."

I have a copy of Sony's January 23 "PlayStation in Review" press release sitting in front of me. Among other things, it devotes two of six bullet points to "PlayStation total [hardware and software] revenues." Clearly part of this company wants us to see the value of "PlayStation" as a brand, not a singular ailing third generation console.

Another part -- the one making decisions about what configurations of the PS3 ought to be put to market -- would apparently prefer you kindly forget its second generation product. Forget it, that is, despite a library of some 1,500 games, December sales of 1.1 million units (beating the PS3, with 798k) and more software unit sales than any other console on the market.

Why, if an unverified memo turns out to be correct, will Sony really drop its $600 80GB PS3 and the only currently available version that lets buyers play PS2 games?

Maybe they aren't. Maybe they're planning to introduce a $300 model and add PS2 compatibility to the $400 model. Maybe they're in fact planning to discontinue a really dumb idea (making PS2 compatibility a buy-time decision) and add software compatibility to the $400 model. Maybe they'll even offer a system update to buyers of the existing 40GB model that up-flashes their systems.

You know PS2 compatibility is just a software trick in the 80GB model, right?

Sony may be planning to release a white version of its 40GB PS3 system in America soon, according to updated photos presented to the FCC. The photos submitted showcase a very sleek looking white system from a variety of angles. As is typical for the 40GB model, it appears it only has two USB ports in front, and no memory card readers. This listing doesn't necessarily mean the white system is confirmed, but it does make it much more likely that PS3 shoppers will get a new color option in the future.

Dust is a problem. A big, big problem. Well, it is for my PS3. Those dust particles cannot be good when they get sucked up in the consle's air vents. But, I can't even seem to keep it dust free! Peripheral maker Hori has a solution: Dust Guard Kit 3. Guarding all four air vents, it includes a filter that prevents dust and things like cigarette smoke from entering the PS3. There are also covers for open ports, too! Sounds just like what the dust doctor ordered.
Dust Guard Kit 3

I like the colour (it's got a nice matte finish), and the rumble's fine, but the nicest part is the new, slightly heftier weight, making it feel more like a control pad and less like a...well, a crummy, cheap plastic toy.

Starting last week, PS3 owners started reporting that their next gen console would not read their Blu-Ray discs. Some users reported that their PS3 would not even read DVDs. All reports started to come in after gamers made the upgrade to 2.01.

"I inserted Blu Ray Disc into PS3 for first time and movie appeared under video tab. It started to play and i started skipping previews and then all of a sudden screen went blank. I went back to PS3 home screen and tried ejected and inserting Blu Ray movie back into PS3 and the icon fails to appear under the video tab. I then tried DVD and that did not appear either. PS3 Games still work. Please help!"

Today when I myself tried to update my PS3 to 2.01, I was left with a half bricked PS3. What I mean by this is that I can longer use any media that resembles a severely flattened donut on my PS3. This includes cds, dvds, games, and blu-ray disks. Some of you may be familiar with the message of "Disc Unreadable/ Unrecognized", however this does not even show up when a disc is inserted.

Tomorrow I am heading over to Best Buy to swap it out, and I advise you (if you have the warranty) to do the same if you are unable to resolve the problem any other way.

Here is a video of the problem:

Someone is always saying to me that why does he need to install a bigger in is Sony PS3 when all he need to do is plug a USB one in. I can understand in respect as it could void the warranty, but in another it only take a few minutes to replace and it beats having a storage device next to your Playstation 3.

Check out this video where it shows you just how quick and easy it is to change a PS3 hard drive for one with more storage. Once you install a much faster hard drive you will notice the speed boost and the fact that DivX support will be coming soon, the bigger hard drive is needed.

Activision has announced that the wireless controllers for Guitar Hero III will finally be made available separately in early 2008. Ultimately, this means that if you want to play 2 player this Christmas then you'll need to buy two copies of the game or know somebody else who has one too. Bit of a shame, really, when you consider that this is the time of the year when families are getting together to celebrate stuff.

Rock Band is currently suffering from the same problem, especially on the PS3 - the controllers for GHIII and Rock Band are incompatible. At least Rock Band has two other controllers of various types included in the box, making it the perfect holiday party game.

The Bitbag writes, "Well Black Friday is passed and if tradition serves correctly, it's the day that sets the trends for the holidays. How was the console war affected by Black Friday? Word on the streets is that Wii's are still hard to find, Xbox Premium and Elite systems are nowhere to be found and PS3 systems are everywhere, yet still selling."

Toshiba, manufacturer of the ever-controversial PlayStation 3 chips Cell and RSX, plan to create the graphics processing RSX at a 65nm process next month according to Nikkei.

The chip has been manufactured at a 90nm process since before the PS3's launch last November. The smaller die size of the chip will equate to less system heat, leading to less fan noise, creating a more reliable PS3. In addition, it should help cut hardware costs for Sony, which will eventually lead to cheaper prices for the consumer.

The Cell is currently created at a 65nm process, a smaller size than the 90nm seen at launch. It is generally believed that the switch in size allowed Sony to price the 40GB SKU at USD 399.

Unsurprisingly, Nikkei also reports that Sony will reduce the processes for PS3 chips to 45nm in either Q3 or Q4 of the 2008 fiscal year, once again benefiting both the company and the consumer.

Officially announced at this year's Tokyo Game show and due to hit the west next spring, Sony's long hoped-for rumble-enabled Sixaxis controller for the PlayStation 3 is now available in Japan. We've found some pictures on a Japanese Web site which show off both an exposed view of the controller's insides as well as the rumble effect of the motors. Click through for those latter ones.



As expected it's a similar twin-motor set-up to the previous Dual Shock 2, Sony having turned down Immersion's newer, more streamlined technology. Also on show is the ceramic white edition of the controller, which you can find on the third page. It's a sleek and sexy little thing indeed, but we can't help thinking that the black buttons k