Games HOT SPOT - Hardware & Accessories

Playstation 3

The PS3™ is the shiny, black juggernaut of the console wars, and it enjoys a legion of hardcore fans that have fallen in love with the machine due, in large part, to the resounding success of the PS2™ console. The very first thing you'll notice when you see a PS3™ in action is how big the step up in graphics is from the previous generation. Cars racing look arguably better than they do in real life, the environments are richer in detail and believably populated, and some of the sports games can actually trick your older, non-gaming relatives into thinking that they're watching real-life broadcasted games.

The current version of the PS3™ has the following features: 40GB Hard Drive (for storing game saves, music, video, etc), 2 USB slots, Blu-ray playback, wireless capabilities (for connecting to a pre-existing wireless network in your house), HDMI output (for eye-melting 1080p high definition visuals), plus you get a wireless controller.

A major feature that distinguishes the PS3™ from its predecessors is its unified online gaming service, the Playstation Network. This contrasts with competing online services by being free to use. Other major features of the console include its aforementioned multimedia capabilities, connectivity with the handheld PSP® system, and its use of a next-gen optical media, Blu-ray. Blu-ray offers game developers much more room to store additional game content, as opposed to the usual DVD discs used in rival game consoles.