Katherine Hannaford writes...
As promised, here's the opposing story to yesterday's eight reasons why you should refrain from buying a PS3 in Europe, which many readers seemed to have a *slight* problem with. Perhaps they didn't read the post correctly, in which I said I'd be doing a list of pros the next day...oops! Enough with the fanboy flamings already, jeepers, people on the internet do actually have feelings, believe it or not!
So, on with the show, let's look at the eight reasons why you can justify plonking down 425 big ones in Europe on a PS3. And let's face it...you're not going to have any trouble finding one to buy now, are you?
1.) PlayStation Home and LittleBigPlanet - The two virtual worlds which Sony unveiled the other week at GDC have certainly persuaded a few people to buy the console. Up to date, no other console has anything remotely similar and truly targets the Web 2.0 generation and social networking buzz quite like the PS3. While Xbox 360's Live is certainly enjoyable, albeit purely games-focused, and Nintendo Mii's avatars make an effort towards social networking, Home and LittleBigPlanet are major drawcards for the pricey console for anyone keen on Second Life-style shenanigans.
2.) Blu-ray - Always a huge point of contention across 'tinterweb, Blu-ray has many supporters, not just from television producers such as Panasonic and LG, but also from major film studios such as Columbia Pictures, MGM, Disney, Lionsgate and 20th Century Fox. At CES earlier this year, Blu-ray announced a premature victory, however to date more HD-DVD players have been sold than Blu-ray. Nonetheless, if you are after a Blu-ray player, definitely consider a PS3, as it's the cheapest product on the market by far. Some are even describing the PS3 as being "the world's cheapest Blu-ray player...shame it plays games". Added bonus, then?
3.) Price of games - Sony are charging £39.99 for games, the exact same price as Wii titles, but the graphics are far superior on the PS3, as anyone can admit. Xbox 360 games are ten quid more at £49.99, a huge amount for titles also available on the PS3.
4.) Home entertainment console - As I saw at a product demonstration last year, the PS3 is capable of so much more than playing games. Not only can you rip music to the hard-drive, watch Blu-ray movies, and surf the internet, but in the future you'll be able to download films, TV shows and music from the PlayStation Store. Who knows what they'll sell next - a Galaxy bar delivered straight to your lounge, just as you're jonesing for some pre-menstrual naughtiness?
5.) Innovative add-ons - Through EyeToy, SingStar and Buzz, the future of gaming is looking revolutionary, and it's not just because of the Wii this time. These three games/products show gaming isn't just about mashing the keypad while kickboxing a rather large-boobied elfen woman, and that Sony is capable of thinking outside the box. Hopefully they'll add more creative products and games to their repertoire, as these products prove gaming can appeal to more than teenage males.
6.) The Sony name - Sony may have been tainted of late, what with their disastrous 'All I Want For Xmas Is A PSP' fake fanboy-blog, discovery that their PS3 'footage' was actually pre-rendered videos passed off as footage, and a whole host of otherother unmitigated PR disasters, but well - it's Sony. A universal brand which is as recognised in every country as the words 'Coca Cola' or 'McDonalds', and admittedly does have a good reputation when it comes to games consoles. PS2, anyone?
7.) Graphics - Throughout the whole next-gen 'wars', graphics have been waved about by both Microsoft and Sony as reasons why you should invest in their plastic - but is this a reason to get a PS3? The answer is yes. If you own a HDTV, that is. For anyone who has seen/played a PS3 at 1080p on an LCD or Plasma (preferably LCD, due to Plasma's burn-in), you'll know what I'm talking 'bout. I'm talking 'bout a revolution, yo.
8.) PSP connectivity - Something I saw demonstrated to great effect last year at a conference, the PSP can be connected over the internet for in-game joy. One thing we saw was the possibility of downloading PS1 games to the PS3, then sent to the PSP, and played using the PlayStation Emulator. Something else which floats my boat is that you'll be able to access the multimedia content on your PS3, say your films, music tracks, and photos via your PSP using your home's WiFi. They discussed the possibility of allowing you to access this content from anywhere in the world, something everyone over the age of 20 who uses public transport and knows all too well the dangers of speakers is fearing.
And one for luck, and because I'm feeling sympathetic towards Sony due to hardly anyone turning up to their official London launch last night...
9.) Blind faith - Because you're a Sony fanboy. And I mean that in the nicest of ways possible :)
Agree with my list? Disagree? Ahh, of course you do, which is why you're bound to leave comments below flaming me regardless of whether you actually read the article the whole way through or not. For those of you who didn't see yesterday's post on why you should avoid buying a PS3, take a look here.
Sony is terrible, the 'Sony' name means shady business ethics, lying about all manner of things and ripping off the consumer. There are no pro's to the PS3, only things to lessen the cons. Lame! You should never have written the pros.
Sony is a bad company at keeping promises, also the Euro console is much dearer than other countries and it also has a lower spec, not only that but online gaming with sony is a joke what with all the cheats and glitchers and laggers, yeah it maybe good online for the first two months then when about 10 people go online it will break as it has done so many times before, not worth the money for a george foreman that plugs into the TV.
Another uninformed "posistive" blog.
It's obvious to even the thickest people why the launch events are light on people, because of ample supply, who wants to queue in the cold, when you pre-order and postie brings it on launch day...
I think you should give up tech reporting, your obviously not cut out for it, perhaps take up kitten watching, or flower arranging... I got ironing if your really at a loose end...
Katherine mate, you really cant win can you?!
I tried to come to your salvation in the "cons of the ps3" post but at this point ive decided that fanboyism is a lost cause. ignore these small minded people, if they had seen the last post they would know how balanced and valid your points were.
Its a sad fact that my fellow citizens of the internet feel the need to resort to sexist and abusive comments because of their sheer ignorance.
Keep up your flameguard kat, and here you can have mine as well.
Keep up the good work :)
Tezz.
Why I think you should spend £425 on a Sony PS3? Ummm, because I'm a shill? I think gamers are so stupid they'll foot the bill for blu-ray? So that anyone who wants to burn a next-gen dvd will have to pay twice as much for the media? And pay twice as much for the burner? Idiots... blu-ray is a scam.
OH MY GOD!! It is a GAMES CONSOLE, which really lets face it no matter how good it is IT PLAYS GAMES!! It does not turn you into army man/gangester/footballer/hedgehog
Your calling this woman, saying she should give up writing! GROW UP!!
I always thought games consoles were for kids and this proves it!
Keep up your opinions Shiny crew
If you're going to flame Katherine on this article, then at least do it right. She has given her opinion, along with facts to back them up. Some may believe the accuracy of the facts may be questionable, but at least she is providing some sort of basis to which her opinion stems from. On the contrary...
>> Sony is terrible, the 'Sony' name means shady business ethics, lying about all manner of things and ripping off the consumer.
Any examples? Didn't think so.
>> I think you should give up tech reporting, your obviously not cut out for it, perhaps take up kitten watching, or flower arranging... I got ironing if your really at a loose end...
Why is she not cut out for it? Reporting involves research - which she has done - and used it to construct her arguments. And kitten watching? flower arranging? You actually know girls that enjoy doing that stuff? haha I have a book called "How to detach myself from my games and go out and meet women" if you're really at a loose end...
I read this article to help me decide which console to get. After reading the posts of these ignoramus-maximus people, I think to myself: "These are the people I'd be online gaming with if I got a PS3?". No thanks.
My goodness, leave poor katherine alone! what some people are saying is completely uncalled for, especially the comment about giving up writing. That's just mean. How is it that people don't care how rude they're being just because it's on the internet?
I've found both of kat's posts on this useful and informative, and as part of the actual demographic of this blog then I guess that's a good sign.
I don't think the criticism is personal, it's more because she uses an authoritarian tone with a well informed audience. Always risky. I just read an earlier post called top five noise reducing headphones. How she arrived at her top five isn't clear. Her winning recommendation had a fairly bad review on the blog. If readers want to question her authority to write top tips/eight reasons or whatever, before forking out their money, that seems fair to me.
http://www.shinyshiny.tv/2007/02/top_5_noiseredu.html.
http://www.shinyshiny.tv/2006/08/review_sony_nc5.html
it's ok for katherine to bitch - the guy at virgin feeds her smooth marketing answers, ritatsu thomas is a poor boy she can't help laughing at, sony is a cheapo asian competitor - but readers can't bitch back??? get real
Sorry love your right.. I won't be reading this all the way thru.. because your right.. I came to both your Pro and con list on seperate oocasions on seperate days.. both via the top technical news list on Google.. so hey your doing something right. Good on you Girl.
Put it this way with total expected sales of PS3 at the end of its life probably toppling the 20 million mark (thats my low guess) we are all going to own one soooner or later.. Sony own you!! Microsft own your operating system experience and the goverment own your tax.. live with it.
Well put Kat. Keep up the good work..
thank god for sony i mean what else would you pin heads be talking about.
"Why I think you should spend £425 on a Sony PS3"
Because you've been paid off by Sony?
Obviously Katherine has compromised her ethics and is being paid by Sony to write this article. As she was also probably paid by Microsoft for previous articles. You're losing your cred homegirl.
blog compromised
i think you're right. sure, sony's made mistakes lately, but siding with microsoft is just ridiculous. nintendo has a fun machine, and they did what i wish sony would have done - focus only on gaming, but their machine won't take advantage of the money i recently spent on my hi def tv. propriety BS (blue ray) always irritates me, but i'm a sucker for high technology and good PR. sony's cooperation with the folding@home project (which you should have mentioned) is almost enough to make me buy the machine. i haven't bought it yet because i'm an RPG gamer, and i haven't seen any great ones come out for ps3, yet. it will probably be cheaper when the truly great ones come out, anyway.
anyway, i'm getting one. i hope all the xboxers are content to play on a modified PC (that won't play PC games), and all the Wii'ers aren't dissatisfied with their fun, but under-powered machines.
i own a ps3.
this is how i use it approximately:
to play games = 60% of the time
to watch dvd = 20% of the time
to check email, watch youtube videos, read news, do other internet activites = 20% of the time
is it a gaming console? yes
is it JUST a gaming console? no
MS fans are pissed cause the 360 hasn't got all these extra features that the PS3 has, I can play Resistance, Checkout the forums, F@H and play a Blue-Ray movie all on one machine.
Games
Movies
Internet
That's pretty much the center of home entertainment.
Personally I don't hate Sony even though I've had minor problems in the past with many of their products. I do enjoy the competition though and without it the Wii and Xbox would be able to jack up their prices a lot more due to less competition. So in the end your Wii, or your Xbox 360 may be cheaper now but like pants posted it's more then just a console your getting.
Good article. People love to hate because they either can't save up money and get jealous (job anyone?), take the dime-a-dozen flame articles as fact, or brand loyalty has really bought their souls.
The PS3 is amazing and I am glad I bought one back in December in the 'states. People are missing out on a lot of great stuff. Hey, the thing finds cures for cancer, Alzheimer's, etc... with the new distributed computing program from Standford University. Currently PS3's are 4x more efficient than PC's. And how can you frown at LittleBigPlanet, Metal Gear Solid 4, Final Fantasy 13, Oblivion, etc??
This system would get more positive press if people, such as these fanboy flamers, would get their heads out of their butts. Ps3 is worth it and will "win" the "console war" with its patience and superior EVERYTHING.
Being told to give up writing by someone who can't even tell the difference between 'your' and 'you're'.
Nice.
I've never understood all this fan boy bull, who'll win the console 'war'?!? At the end of the day no one wants a one console world. Competition is a GOOD thing.
I've bought a PS3, had it since launch on the 23rd and I love it, I don't really care which has slightly better graphics as long as the games keep getting better. Bought an xbox360? Good on ya mate.
Can't we all just get along? ; )
If Kat is so bad let's see one of you do it. i think not you can't stop play games long enough to. And any way with the firmware updates u get on the ps3. it make it more fun even more fun if u have a computer because all the music videos and pics on your computer can be put on your ps3 for backup. and i should know i have 4 ps3. one 4 every member of my family even my grandma has one so it's not just a game console it a game console computer. and it even says that on the box
why so many people only think that sony is lame company and breaking promises? how about microsoft? and uncle bill?? anyone? who is billing you all the way down?
microsoft alway promises about the safety & blablabla for windows, since windows 3.1 .... hello?
anybody remember? especially windows ME... which I can remember clearly ... it's blue screening for almost everyweek ... thanks to microsoft's marketing or pr or whatever they have dirty strategy, we are all now using crappy os called windows.
ring of death anyone?? yes microsoft release first (which u say they have kept the promise) but without testing the hardware reliability, while sony postpone their product before the product is ready for the market (see the result blind fanboy? my 360 got burst in just 2 month after I bought it, lucky for you who live in US or any other official country, so you can get in exchange the new one, but I can't) I lost $500 for the trash 360.
And now they are releasing 360 elite? what a joke?? do you expect me to buy another one? I rather get wii (coz I bought my ps3 already after that incident)
I can really say that the console is well build, silent, and it's not overclocked hardware until burn out like my love 360.
tell me that microsoft is a better company? you must be joking, to find other (non)microsoft product faulty. I hear that M$ love to play dirty for competition, I hope you r not from their dirty team.
it's a shame~ I've seen it everyday in my country
1) Those two are not enough. And who wants to pay for a virtual apartment? Maybe if it was free and could be customized aka fantasy-style too, it would appeal to more.
2) Format war hasn't ended yet. I wouldn't spend money on a player if I knew its format would disappear in the future. The facts aren't known yet, so avoid the player. It's not worth it. And it's a first-gen player too. Who knows what future players will do?
3) There's no telling the prices won't go up. I think I'll stay with a Revolution anyway (since dev on the PS3 is about 3x expensive than the 360; do you really think prices will last?).
4) We want a GAMES console, not a ENTERTAINMENT console (also known as a PC, which does a much better job too!).
5) That's just not Sony's area of expertise. And there's nothing really inovative out there yet. I doubt there will be either.
6) The brand of someone who does not create quality products. How many PS2s broke? They won with the PS2 because Nintendo made a mistake. And brand isn't enough to buy a product. Find reviews first.
7) Graphics are irrelevant. If you really need it, 360 graphics look good enough for me.
8) Don't even have a PSP. Why the need for an extra toy you won't use?
9) The most stupid argument ever.