Sony's Playstation 3 (PS3) reportedly could cost nearly a thousand dollars, and might not ship in the US until 2007. Entitled “PS3: Everything we know,” a 1up.com story speculates about PS3 hardware, ship dates, pricing, and available game titles, but doesn't mention the Linux OS… options that may be available with the platform.

According to 1up, the PS3 may cost considerably more than Microsoft's XBox — more than $800 or $900, according to a Merrill Lynch report cited by 1up. Most gaming consoles cost about $300, it says.

The PS3's high cost may derive in part from its high-end hardware specification. Unlike most gaming consoles, it will have a hard drive. Its embedded computer will be based on a 3.2GHz “Cell” processor, a graphics chip supplied by NVidia, and 256MB each of RAM and video RAM. It will include a Blu-Ray high-definition DVD drive, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g wireless networking, six USB 2.0 ports, and slots for a variety of removable memory card form-factors. It will also feature a new “batarang” controller.

Overall, 1up expects the PS3 to be more powerful than the XBox, but not by as much as Sony has suggested.

1up expects about 150 PS3 titles to be produced, initially. Unlike the XBox, the PS3 will use an “open” network model in which game creators can run their own websites for multiplayer online gaming.

The 1up article does not mention the liklihood that Linux-based cartridges for the PS3 will allow it to serve in non-traditional gaming console roles, such as video editing, word processing, and photo editing.

1up thinks a Japanese version of the Playstation 3 could ship as soon as the original target date of this spring, with US availability this fall. Or, as Merrill Lynch has suggested, it might reach the US in 2007.

The complete 1up story can be found here.

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.