Following my post from last year, I am happy to announce that the Sony PlayStation 3 has been released in Japan today.
The Premium version of the PS3 features Wifi wireless Internet connectivity and multiple memory card readers. It also has a 60 GB harddisk. It is backward-compatible with the PS1 and PS2.
From Wikipedia,
The PlayStation 3 is based on open and publicly available application programming interfaces. Despite earlier rumours of programming being difficult, IGN reports that they were told that the dev kit “seemed extremely adaptive and easy to program for”. Sony has selected several technologies and arranged several sublicensing agreements to create an advanced software development kit for developers. In addition, in 2005 Sony purchased SN Systems, a former provider of Microsoft Windows-based development tools for a variety of console platforms.
The open standards are specified by the Khronos Group, and are intended to work with Nvidia’s Cg programming language. Scene data are stored with COLLADA v1.4, an open, XML-based file format.
Rendering uses PSGL, a modified version of OpenGL ES 1.0 (OpenGL ES 2.0 compliant except for the use of Cg instead of GLSL), with extensions specifically aimed at the PS3.
Other specifications include OpenMAX, a collection of fast, cross-platform tools for general “media acceleration,” such as matrix calculations, and OpenVG, for hardware-accelerated 2D vector graphics. These specifications have GPL, free for any use, and/or commercial implementations by third parties.
Sublicensed technology includes complete game engines, physics libraries, and special libraries. Engines include Epic‘s Unreal engine 3.0. Physics libraries include AGEIA‘s PhysX SDK, NovodeX, and Havok‘s physics and animation engines.
Other tools include Nvidia’s Cg 1.5 (a C-like shading language, which HLSL was based upon), SpeedTree RT by Interactive Data Visualization, Inc. (high-quality virtual foliage in real time), and Kynogon’s Kynapse 4.0 “large scale A.I.”.
So lots of opportunities for programmers! Notice the use of various open standards with implementations released under the GPL.
The PS3 also runs any PowerPC-compatible Linux (for example, Yellow Dog Linux) and, for once, Sony fully documents the procedure (i.e. they want lots of people to run alternative OSes on their PS3…)
As most of you already know, the PS3 has a fantastic new processor called Cell and a GPU from the Nvidia GeForce 7 series.
There is also a Basic version (compared to the Premium) without Wifi, memory card readers and with a smaller 20 GB harddisk.
The PS3 will cost $499 in the US (i.e. Rs 20,000) and therefore I guess it will be available around Rs. 30,000 in Mauritius in some time.
Is it worth it?
Personally, I’ll never put Rs. 30,000 in a game console. But I don’t mind paying that amount (of course, I’ll have to convince Christina first) if I get a world-class game console compatible with PS1 and PS2 games + a complete media center (MP3, CD, DivX, DVD etc) with top quality audio and video and recording capabilities + an Internet Web browser with full support for latest W3C recommendations)
Hans says
12 November 2006 at 20:57Sounds cool man. Hey wouldn’t the Xbox 360 a cheaper option? I suppose around the Rs 20,000 or so if I’m not wrong. Same complete media center and full featured one ;)
I think what’s going to divide the choice are the game titles? What are your favourite game titles?
Val says
12 November 2006 at 21:55i’m an avid gamer but 30k for a game console?? i fink its quite unrealistic especially since am broke lol!! (and imaginin my kid cousins playin about wiv it is nothing short of a nitemare!!) i’d rather beef up ma pc with that money! i’d still get an awesome gaming experience and do plenty of other useful fings as well!! if the ps/ps2 trend is maintained, then the ps3 games should b pc compatible, so imho, 30k would b way better spent elsewhere!!
avinash says
13 November 2006 at 06:48Hi Hans,
I don’t know whether you’ll believe me… but I don’t play games :-) Give me a computer, Linux or Mac OS X, a decent Internet connection and I am happy.
Personally, I’m interested in the PS3 because it seems to be something that can really replace a lot of devices (a DVD/Blue-Ray player, CD/Radio players, a computer, etc)
Another thing which I need to look at is the Cell processor itself. It is (theoretically) extremely powerful.
Of course, the price is bound to decrease in some time…
Hans says
13 November 2006 at 11:53Ah! Ok! probably another computer console to analyse, interesting our geeks ;) hey but then won’t Mario and the 1990’s games woo you?
btw, can you install your own applications on it? That might be a great thing then!
killer04 says
27 December 2006 at 18:28The PS3 is Rs 38 000 at media space, Rose-Hill (near courts). The Xbox 360 is Rs 23 500. The Xbox 360 is a cheaper option as the graphics are better on it. But still the PS3 games are running at 30% of their capacity for now.
Didav says
16 January 2007 at 16:27How can the Ps3 already available here if it not yet released in Europe?
It cant be!
yogesh says
15 October 2009 at 12:34play station 3 available at rs 13,685 at any sony world shop in mauritius.
Sd says
26 November 2009 at 12:39pa blier Amiga500.mo encore Zouer wings lor a500.
avinash says
3 December 2009 at 15:44I had an Amiga A500 too and I loved it :-)
I still play SWOS from time to time on UAE…
Mo lamem la says
29 October 2010 at 15:39Ps3 in fini vine 15 000….
Minku1807 says
10 August 2011 at 14:36hi i am coming to mauritius for a holiday and i want to buy a ps3 can u tel me the price ? pplz
Avinash Meetoo says
10 August 2011 at 14:52About Rs 12000-13000 I would say…
Boojharutyogesh says
5 September 2011 at 15:48i want to buy a ps3 can u tel me the price ?
Avinash Meetoo says
6 September 2011 at 05:43Like I said to Minku, I suppose you can get one at about Rs 12,500 now.
PERBHOO says
2 December 2013 at 08:21Please may i know the actual price of a PS3 at present ? you replied it earlier as Rs 12,500/- . Please tell me where can I get it?
To note: Mr Meetoo, I attended your class on technology at the Open University two weeks earlier .
Hope to hear from you, thanks
Mrs Perbhoo Mariaye
Avinash Meetoo says
4 December 2013 at 11:28Dear Mrs Mariaye, please call Happy World and they’ll give you the latest price for the PS3. Note that the PS3 exists in two versions in Mauritius: uncracked and cracked. The cracked ones can play games you buy on the street. The uncracked ones have access to the PlayStation Network online, YouTube, etc.
Thanks for following my presentation at the Open University. Hope you found it interesting and useful.