Sony PLAYSTATION 3 Console (80 GB Model)

I'm probably preaching to the converted with this review, but it is an awesome bit of kit. It's a bargain. I know that seems hard to believe, what with the £289 price tag, but for what you get and for what it does, it is amazing.I notice how a lot of the reviews tend to focus on the fact that you don't even have to own a game to get the most from it. And you don't. In fact, you could forget that it plays games at all.Make sure you get yourself a HD viewing source, even if it is just a monitor. There are ways and means of connecting to flat panel monitors, and it worked fine with my Samsung SM226BW with a HDMI to DVI adapter and JVC stereo with phono inputs. I have recently upgraded to a 40" Sony Bravia. You can tell this was the way the developers wanted you to use the console, it is droolworthy.First impressions: lovely, slick looking bit of kit, futuristic "buttons" (they don't depress, I think they work like laptop touchpads) and a slick slot-load disc drive, like your car stereo. It runs very quietly, even with a disc inserted and the lights are in-obtrusive in the dark. It seems to have also come with a dust magnet installed, which can be a nuisance.Most people here have already gone into some of the features, but there are some less well known ones. You can install Linux, so it transforms it into a desktop PC, which works excellently, especially on your big TV in the lounge. I used OpenOffice for something I was using for work and emailed it fine using Firefox. I'm using YDL 6.1.Most peripherals for your PC will work, like some webcams, usb keyboards, mice and USB hubs. The console only comes with 2 ports, but I have upped mine to 8 with no problems at all.Using the internet browser, if you find something you want to print, you can try installing your home printer and printing to it. I have a HP Photosmart 2570 connected via the router, I had no hopes it would work, but it did perfectly. Genius.One thing that doesn't seem to get a mention is the music player that will actually import audio CDs to MP3! But it doesn't stop there. You can then insert any USB pen drive (so long as its not in NTFS format, but in FAT32) and copy it to play on your PC! You can even play it on your XBox. For a company fighting music piracy law suits, it's an extraordinary feature.JPEG quality is amazing and significantly better than the XBox. Even my mum noticed the difference. There is no difference between the two for films, but if I found a movie that wouldn't run on the XBox, it would work fine on the PS3. It also runs downloaded HD content very well, so I can watch HD episodes of Lost on the PS3 after converting them to mpeg, which is no hassle at all (takes 30 seconds with a program I found). XBox refuses to play them.I think some people think that the disk size of 80gb is final, but not so. The disk pops out extremely easily, it is a Sata150 Laptop hard drive, and the new one pops in without a problem. My system is currently 320gb for an extra £30. Also Blu-Ray, web browser, yaddyaddyada.If you have a HD TV in the lounge, get it. People who slate this console usually do because it doesn't play PS2 games, but I don't want to play PS2 games anymore. I have a PS2 for that! Some people are fiercely pro-microsoft for some reason, and for whatever reason don't like the console. I have both systems, and this one is my favourite for the features, games and media I want to play.If you want to only play games, get an XBox. If you want a serious, grown-up bit of kit that also plays games, get a PS3. There is a price difference for a reason, you know...

So I ummed and ahhed for some time about buying the PS3. Why?1. Don't have enough time to play Games (full time teacher and Dad to be)2. Heard it was very noisy (untrue!)3. Did I really need it?I have to say since owning it now for some time, it really is a truly remarkable piece of kit. Why?1. The Blu Ray is fantastic. - Just make sure you buy the Blu Ray remote as it's difficult to convince your other half you haven't just bought a games console when operating the Blu Ray with a joystick! That's £200 saved on buying a decent Blu Ray player then (stand alone players don't upgrade themselves either unlike the PS3).2. It has integrated wireless so no wires which is dead easy to set up. Make sure you have your WEP handy3. There is a full media server inside so you can browse all your photos, music, videos via your router and which ever other computers you have in the house. Very important for justifying it to the wife when the wedding pics come up in all their glory on your flatscreen.4. Use it as a DVD player and it automatically upscales the DVD to make them look even better.5. It has a good Internet Browser built in and the BBC are shortly bringing the iPlayer to PS3.6. It is constantly being updated and improved via tried and tested over the air updates.7. It looks fantastic. All black and shiny like the monoliths from 2001 a Space Odyssey.8. Noise? What noise?? A barely audible slight, very distant hum on occasion. The XBox360 Elite sounds like one of those small portable vacuum cleaners and is really annoying in comparison.9. It offers full 1080p playback via my Panasonic flatscreen and looks incredible as a result.10. The Play TV add on turns it into a full on Personal Video Recorder with upscaling. That's another £150 saved then.11. Oh -the games. Fantastic. Little Big Planet is beautiful, FIFA '09 is better than watching Spurs (not really an endorsement to buy I suppose :-)) and who needs Lara when you've got Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.12. If 80GB isn't bug enough then... Google PS3 Hard Drive Upgrade. Undo 6 Philips screws, slide out the old Hard Drive and insert a 320GB Notebook one for £60 from Amazon. Now you can back up everything and all those dodgy 80's Student videos you ripped from VHS to DVD!13. PlayStation Network is improving and is Free. The new Home is just round the corner... downloadable films etc.. social networking etc..etc..So buy yourself a PS3 and watch it develop into your all in one entertainment centre!