The PlayStation 3 is the third home video console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment, and it is the successor of the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. This Video Game console competes with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game systems.
One of the major features that distinguishes the PS3 from its predecessors is its unified online gaming service. This service is called the PlayStation Network, and it no longer incorporates the previous policy of Sony that imposes the dependence of online players on game developers. The other major feature of the PS3 game console is its wide array of robust multimedia capabilities such as connectivity support for the PlayStation Portable and its use of the next generation optical media - the Blu-Ray Disc, and this is its primary storage medium that can hold up to six times as much data as current generation DVD’s. The disc also supports CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, and various DVD-R+ formats.
Sony Computer Entertainment has confirmed that the machine will be backward compatible all the way to the original PlayStation. The console will also have a slot for the Memory Stick Duo, an SD slot and a compact flash memory slot. It will also support a slot for a detachable 2.5 inch HDD that is somewhat similar to the Xbox 360’s.
This video game console was initially released last November 11, 2006 in Japan, on November 17, 2006 in North America, and on March 23, 2007 in Europe and Oceania. As of December 20, 2007, the PlayStation 3 is in third place in home console sales among its competitors.
This video game console features the acclaimed Cell processor, which runs with 3.2GHz worth of processing power. This gives the whole system 2 teraflops of overall performance. The PS 3 has a graphic chip, the RSX “Reality Synthesizer,, which is based on Nvidia Technology. Its GPU has been provided with the capability of offering 1080p resolution features along with 128 bit pixel precision functions, which are among the best HD resolution features that can be found on latest game consoles.
The RSX has a graphics-rendering memory capacity worth 512Mb, and it is integrated with 100 billion shader operations and the production capacity of 51 billion dot pixels per second. The RSX of the PS3 is more powerful than two GeForce 6800 Ultra video cards. The PS3 also supports useful multimedia features such as video chat, Internet access, digital photo viewing, and digital audio and video. The PS3 also shows off its panoramic video functions.
The dual digital output capability of this video game console also allow for an extended game display with gameplay action on one screen and either game information or video chat on the second. The PS 3 also comes bundled with the capability of supporting 7 Bluetooth controllers that can be used for nearly 24 hours before recharging.