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PS3 Delayed, Scheduled for November 2006, Hard Disc Drive Confirmed
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posted by: Chris Martin
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date posted: 02:31 PM Wed Mar 15th, 2006
last revision: 08:37 PM Fri Mar 17th, 2006



Click to read.It had been rumored that the PS3 wouldn\'t be launched until later this year and now it has been confirmed. November 2006 is the time frame we\'re looking at, according to Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutagari. Problems had reportedly arisen in the \"Blu-ray spec finalization\" and that the rest of the console was right on time.

So November isn\'t bad - this is the time frame many consoles in the past have launched (August through November seems to be the right time). But despite the fact that the PS3 won\'t miss its Holiday window, Microsoft might take the delay as an opportunity for the Xbox 360. Will buyers wait until November for a next-generation console, or will next-gen fever get to them? Kutagari has also stated that the PS3 will be launched in all territories in November.

That\'s right, Sony is planning a universal launch of the PlayStation 3.

It was also announced by Kutaragi that Sony was hard at work on a type of Xbox Live service for the PS3. The service, called \"Playstation Network Platform\" would likely be a two tiered service (not unlike Live) and, as Kutagari explained, would feature a \"basic service\" for \"free\" (ergo the likelihood of the two tiered system).

Kutagari also announced that, in order to avoid the downfalls of it\'s competitor, the company plans to have 1 million units ship each month after the console\'s launch, effectively having 6 million units sold by March 2007.

One of the biggest announcements was that the PS3 would use a 60 GB 2.5-inch hard disc drive (HDD). The hard drive will use the Linux operating system, as opposed to Microsoft Windows OS. Whether this means the hard drive will be packaged with the PlayStation 3 or that it will be for purchase separately has yet to be announced. \"We might end up installing it in all PS3s, though that depends on the market,\" said Kutagari.

Another big announcement was that PS3 games would only release on Blu-ray discs, as piracy of DVDs has become all to prominent. Each Blu-ray disc will be able to story up to 50GB of information. As confirmed previously, the PS3 will still play DVDs, CDs, PS2 and PS discs, according to GameSpot.com.

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