The New Generation of Interactive Entertainment


The birth of the seventh generation of video game consoles marks the changes that would be made on the gaming industry. Large game console manufacturing companies continue to discover new innovations that could be integrated into their new game consoles. Thus, interactive entertainment is now on its all time high, producing video game consoles that will definitely change the way we play video games—a mileage that would not be forgotten since the Magnavox Odyssey and Atari game console eras.

And Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. (SCEI) is on its way to create such unforgettable mileage on the video game console industry.

SCEI, the subsidiary of Sony Corporation that handles the research, development, manufacturing, and sales of software and hardware for the corporation’s PlayStation game console series, launched another game console, which will most likely to be matched up with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii – PlayStation 3. It was unveiled during the E3 Conference in Tokyo on May 16, 2005 and expected to be a success just like its two predecessors, the PlayStation 1 and 2.

PlayStation 3 features two different system configurations, as detailed in their previous press release after its unveiling during the E3 Conference – the basic and the premium. The basic system configuration of PlayStation 3 has four robust features. It holds a memory of twenty gigabytes, which could be upgraded. A Blu-ray drive is also included in the basic edition. With a Blu-ray drive and disc as its major media format, you will not find it difficult to store digital media. It can save data six times more than the current generations of digital video discs (DVDs). In addition, a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port is also available with the basic system configuration of PlayStation 3.

On the other hand, the premium version of PlayStation 3 comes with an internal sixty gigabytes of hard drive, multiple flash memory card readers, and wireless Internet connectivity. It also features controllers connected via Bluetooth, HDMI port, and Blu-ray drive.

For those who have been attached with the previous versions of PlayStation, Sony promised that PS3 is compatible with them. PlayStation 3 can support all media formats of the previous PlayStation game consoles. Plus, PS3 has slots for the memory stick duo, SD, and that for compact flash memory.

PlayStation 3 has distinctive specs. The game console features a cell processor, which runs 3.2GHz for an excellent overall performance. It also sports immense multimedia features namely, digital photo, digital audio and digital video. Sonny propagated the panoramic video feature for the current version of PlayStation. Thus, expect that you will enjoy the refined audio-video digital technology incorporated in PlayStation 3.

The game interface of PlayStation 3 has the ability to save various user profiles, explore images, play music files of varying media format, and watch movies saved from the game console’s hard drive or removable memory. It is also compatible with a USB mouse and keyboard and has the capability of multitasking—that is, you can listen to your favorite music tracks while at the same time looking at saved images or browsing the Internet. In addition, the cross media bar of PS3 supports different file formats.
PlayStation 3 is the video game console that you should watch out for. It will definitely change the way you play your favorite video games—and probably will define interactive entertainment in the 21st century.