PS3 Launches on November 17, 2006 in North America
Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) announced today that it would launch PS3 in “Clear Black” in North America on November 17, 2006, as part of a worldwide simultaneous launch. Sony also announced the PS3 will come in two different configurations, similar to the XBOX 360 approach. One version will come with a 20GB hard drive and cost $499. The 60GB hard drive version will cost $599.
Like you can see in the picture above, only the 60GB PS3A will feature a MemoryStick/SD/CompactFlash reader. The 20GB PS3 will not feature integrated 802.11b/g. Furthermore, the 20GB version will not feature HDMI output. So the 60 GB model seems to be more attractive choice.
PS3 is the most advanced computer system that serves as a platform to enjoy next generation computer entertainment content in the home, realized through the combination of Cell and RSX(TM) processors, in addition to the playability of a vast catalog of PlayStation® and PlayStation®2 software titles.Having Giga-bit Ethernet and a pre-installed hard disk drive (HDD) as standard in PS3, users will be able to download a variety of content as well as access on-line games and services over the network.
Equipped with basic input/output ports, PS3 supports a broad range of displays from conventional NTSC/PAL standard TVs to the latest full HD (1080i/1080p) flat panel displays, offering the joy of the most advanced computer entertainment content to homes around the world. For use in living rooms, maximum heat and noise reduction has been achieved with a noise level equivalent to that of the current slim-line PlayStation 2.
With the overwhelming computational power of the Cell processor, PS3 is capable of playing back content from Blu-ray (BD) disc at a bit rate of multiplex 48Mbps with ease, the maximum bit rate defined in BD standards.
Source: DailyTech and Sony Press Release
