In an interview with Nikkei, SCE's Masayuki Chatani, from the company's strategy planning department, has revealed that not only were Sony looking at making the Slim even smaller, but that they were looking at some fairly radical solutions to the problems of HDD sizing.

One of those was to use flash memory instead of the conventional HDD the PS3 currently uses, which would have cut down on the size, running costs and even noise levels of the console.

Another was to leave local storage out of the equation altogether, and instead rely on the PlayStation Network to save all of a user's game data, personal files and settings (similar to how Gmail works, for example).

Chatani says Sony "considered both options", but in the end, "felt that the price would be too high for the amount of storage capacity the PS3 needs", so they stuck with a conventional HDD.

He also says, when comparing the Slim with the PS2's redesign - a model that made far more drastic cuts to the dimensions of the console than the Slim has managed - that reducing the size of the PS3 even further was a possibility, but that in order to do so, the machine's power supply would have to have been made external (as it was on the PS2 Slim), which "would have imposed restrictions on transport and use, making it harder to use freely."

PS3, PSP Made Smaller, Lighter to Capture New Customer Segments [Nikkei]

Google Cuts Price of Online Storage by 800%

You know how sometimes the new version of a product will offer 50% more, for the same price? And how you think that's such a great deal? Well, Google just stomped all over your puny 50% upgrade by bumping their online storage to a ridiculous extent. Now you get twice the amount of storage for a quarter of the old price. That's right, that's eight times more for the same amount of money. For those that are having trouble with math, that means the storage now costs $5 a year for 20GB of space, and you can buy up to 16TB at that rate. If you're looking to store stuff in the cloud, this is a pretty killer deal. [Google]

Apple Updates Genius Bar Reservation System

Apple's Genius Bar is a pretty good system, although the first time I went they told me to arrive 15 minutes before my appointment, like the fact that their 6-week-old, $1500 product spontaneously broke was somehow my fault and not something for which they should accommodate my schedule. They're tech support guys, not doctors, right? ANYWAY, they've redesigned their online reservation system, and while I have screenshots of the new version, I never cared enough about the system to be able to notice what's different. It's in Remainders for pretty obvious reasons, I think. [Thanks, Grant!]

Gold-Dipped PS3 Slim: The Hot Holiday Gift (in Donald Trump's House)

The dudes at Computer Choppers have dipped a PS3 Slim in 24kt gold (along with two controllers) and will be selling them for an undisclosed price in a limited run of 5. To the only person reading this: Hey, Mr. Trump! More photos and price will be coming soon, so if you just toss me your email I'll be sure to let you know when you can finally get the current-gen gaming console to match your skyscraper. [Geeky Gadgets]

Sanyo's "Stick Booster" Looks and Sounds Far Dirtier Than It Is

Sanyo's "Stick Booster" name sounds like the kind of product you hear about in spam emails, and it looks mostly like a vibrator. But it's actually a pretty nice-looking gadget charger, once you realize what it's for, taking two AA batteries (rechargeables, of course; it's in Sanyo's green initiative line) and offering a USB port to charge your phone, camera, or whatever for about 90 minutes. It's available now for about $35. It winds up here in Remainders because it's definitely not the first AA-USB charger we've seen, although it might be the prettiest. [CrunchGear]

As you'll see, the PS3 flies off the test sled, and careens about 10 feet through the air before hitting its target...wicked. [Gizmag via Kotaku]

Just head over to SonyStyle and check out the $50 they're hacking off the price tag for the PS3 "fat" console. They're also throwing in a second Dualshock3 wireless controller with the 80 and 160GB consoles through Halloween.

If you really don't want the slim model, which makes sense given some of the features taken out to achieve that svelte new frame, this is actually a nice little deal. [Dealzon - Thanks, Ian]

There's a storage nook for the power cord, front slot-loading Blu-ray drive, and an Iron Man Arc reactor-inspired fan grill. He also says it could have been made smaller, but he wanted to keep the big 17-inch display. Sexy! (More pics once Ben uploads them to his site).

The complaints are coming in via a big thread over at the official PlayStation 3 forum. Regardless of PS3 model: Some claim the issue affects their authentic DualShock 3, though it now looks like any problems may be specific to knock-off controllers.

Kotaku also mentions that a handful of users are reporting mid-game freezes in Uncharted: Drakes Fortune, but points out that it's not uncommon for this sort of thing to happen with PS3 or 360 system updates.

They've contacted Sony for comment, and we'll let you know what they have to say. In the meantime, have you run into any problems yourself? [Kotaku]

In this demonstration, conducted by the same source as the original testing, we see the PS3 Slim (firmware 2.8) load Uncharted: Drake's Fortune against the PS3 Slim (firmware 3.0). The difference is considerable (you know, for adjustments to software alone), and we don't see why most other games wouldn't encounter similar loading improvements.

That's gravy.

Of course, whether or not the Slim is booting or loading Blu-ray movies with less delay than before is yet unmeasured (so you may have gravy without the meat and potatoes). But given that the most annoying wait times revolve around game load times, let's just call the Slim the overall winner and be done with it (well, technically gravy can't shouldn't be the most vital part of any meal, so maybe this metaphor isn't working out). [Thanks Eric!]

UPDATE: Blu-ray loading is faster, too.

Now, these videos are in no way conclusive evidence that the PS3 slim is a slow poke compared to its fatter older sibling. In fact, while some show the PS3 "phat" speeding past its svelte counterpart, others show the slim edging the big black obelisk out for the win. In either case, we're talking a matter of seconds.

So, no big deal, right? I mean, what meaningful thing could you possibly do in seven seconds that's being robbed from you thanks to a pokier PS3 slim? No, really. I want to know. [SanKaku Complex via Kotaku]

Yes, Blu-ray is a big aspect of what makes the PS3 appealing. But for gamers, is that a huge selling point? As for Wi-Fi, well, that depends on your setup. Most gamers who are serious about playing online probably would rather plug their console right into their router. And Bluetooth? Who gives a shit about Bluetooth?

To be fair, there are definite advantages to PS3 that make it appear to be a better value. Really want a Blu-ray player? Home theater setup too far away from your router to plug the console right in? Turned off by an annual charge for online services? The PS3 is right up your alley.

But for many people who are interested in serious gaming consoles, what matters most is software, not hardware. And the Xbox 360 arguably has the best games library and the best online service. And for me at least, that makes up for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi about 50 times over, which is why I would personally recommend the Xbox 360 to a friend over the PS3. But despite that fact, the decision as to what console to buy has never been harder.

Aw, what the hell. Just buy both. [Kotaku]

Whether it's Blu-ray playback, gaming or just idling the system, the PS3 Slim uses less than half the power of the original.

So is that impressive? Yes and no.

Yes, because the PS3 Slim now uses about half the power of the original Xbox 360 while gaming, and about 10% less during normal gaming (96 watts vs 187 106 watts). No, because the PS3 Slim still uses about 4x more power during Blu-ray playback than you see in a Samsung standalone player (81 watts vs 22 watts).

In other words, the PS3 Slim is efficient for an HD game console, wasteful for a Blu-ray player. [Crave]

Sony can shrink down the other parts, but it's hard to shrink something that needs to work with a fixed size component (the Blu-ray discs). However, the logic board and everything else does seem smaller, maybe to make room for that massive fan. [iFixit and Rapid Repair]

Update: Rapid Repair's doesn't seem to be up yet for some reason.

A tipster sent us this shot from a Daytona Beach Best Buy, where there's already a healthy—and as of yet untouched—stack of Slims, marked at the expected $300 price. Meanwhile, Engadget got a similar tip from Brandon, which is about two hours away from Daytona, where a reader actually bought one. This could've been one regional managerial goof-up, but could equally be two unconnected incidents, and a sign that Sony might've been using the word "September" loosely.

So, Floridians: It's probably time to check your local Best Buy. Non-Floridians: It couldn't hurt to have a look anyway. Let us know what you find. —Thanks, Boomy and !

UPDATE: And then this tip from a BB employee, who says his store—a Tampa location—has been authorized by corporate to sell the Slim starting today:

I work at one of the Best Buy's in Tampa. We got a notice in our system yesterday that we were getting the PS3's today and that there was no street date on them. No snafu here. Don't know about other districts but we were told.by corporate we can sell them today.

UPDATE 2: Lovely intern Rosa actually stopped by the Port Richey location, and after a little hassle, managed to buy one. There are also reports trickling in that other retailers, like Walmart, GameStop and Amazon, have them in stock, and not just in Florida. So yeah, the floodgates have either opened on this, or they're about to.

Because after a $100 price reduction, Sony exec Kaz Hirai revealed that PS3 "hardware alone" is still losing money. However, he claims that when you look at the whole PlayStation platform (from consoles to peripherals to software to avatar clothing in Home), it's reached a "gross profit" threshold.

Besides, while we could mock Sony's difficulties producing budget-friendly hardware, we've all seen what happens when a console—even a great console—is produced a bit too much on the cheap. [TimesOnline via Kotaku]

Looking Back: Our Verdicts On PS3 Slim Rumors
Verdict: Many rumors were true.
You're Confused About Metal Gear? Hideo Kojima Is Confused, Too
Your Pokemon Card Game Championship Winners Are...
It's a funny, sad pic.

APB Impressions: Financial District In Conflict
Think Grand Theft Auto meets WoW.
Interplay Classics (i.e., Fallout) Now Available On Steam
If The PS3 Is A Formula 1 Racer, What Is Xbox 360? The Wii?
Burn!

Transformers DLC Brings Back More Of The Transformers We Love
New Borderlands Screens
I saw this behind closed doors a long time ago and was totally underwhelmed. Now, especially with the recent punky reskin, I can't wait to play the game.
Diablo III Impressions: Hands On With The Barbarian

Audio nerds had suspected (or at least hoped) the PS3 Slim would offer such support. We've not yet confirmed it ourselves, but Japanese Tech News site, AV Watch, makes it sound like a done deal.

The HDMI chip used by existing fatty PS3 models doesn't support the relatively recent Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA codecs. This forces them to decode internally, and send the audio to your receiver via LPCM.

Bottom line: Great news if you use the PS3 for watching Blu-ray movies with a high-end surround sound system. If not, just nod and know that this is a good thing.

Wanna know more? Check out Giz Explains: Dolby, DTS and Home Theater Audio Codec Confusion. [AV Watch (translated) via Engadget]

First off, it's not actually called the PS3 Slim, that's just it's nickname. It's officially called the PS3 120GB. Either way, I plan to buy one myself. I like that the matte finish is more scratch and fingerprint resistant, even if it comes over as a little retro Chinese knock-off. In the same vein, these 10 considerations may not affect how you plan to use the Slim—but knowing is half the battle, right?

1. Available September 1, Prices Already Dropped (North America)
If you prefer your PS3 fat and glossy, the existing 80GB model has now dropped to $300—that's how much the new 120GB PS3 Slim will be in September. (The current 160GB PS3 has also been reduced, to $400.) And be on the look for bargains as retailers wind down stock: Today's Gadget Deals of the Day has an 80GB bundle that includes LittleBigPlanet and a Blu-ray copy of Wall-E for $299 (normally $400).

2. You'll Probably Want the Stand
As Jason said in his hands on, the Slim isn't really stable enough to balance vertically without its stand. Problem is, the stand is sold separately, and at $24, seems over priced. You also won't be able to pick one up until 2 days after the PS3 Slim first goes on sale. Expect to eventually see third-party alternatives in a Skittles-rainbow of colors.

3. Hard Drive Upgrades
As we've mentioned, FCC records indicate that Sony may also have plans for 150GB and 250GB versions of the PS3 120GB. Either way, it only takes one screw (now located under the front, instead of the side) to swap in your own SATA laptop hard disk (and doing so won't avoid the warranty).

4. PS3 3.0 Firmware Not Initially Pre-Installed
That's because it's released on September 1, the same day the Slim goes on sale. So to get the 3.0 Firmware goodness, you'll need to sit through a software update out of the box. Sony says it'll preinstall 3.x in later units. Sounds fair to me.

5. It Won't Play Your Old PlayStation 2 Games
That won't be returning," Sony's John Koller recently confirmed. Likely not a big deal unless you've got a massive collection of PS2 titles that you don't want to part with. If so, the launch PS3s with hardware PS2 Emotion Engine are your best bet (for greater compatibility), but the second-generation 60- and 80GB models will also play PS2 games using software emulation.

6. No Linux for You!
In its infinite wisdom, Sony has removed the "Install Other OS" feature (Settings -> System Settings -> Install Other OS) and official Linux support along with it. The current 80- and 160GB PS3s support Linux, but Sony's cut the cord on the Slim because it wants to "standardize" the OS. Counting down to open-source hack in 3, 2…

7. No On-Off Switch
The Slim has no on-off switch at the back, so now relies on the standby power button at the front. Both the power and eject buttons are no longer touch-style; they've been changed to physical buttons.

8. No Media Card Reader
No surprise here: PS3s haven't had media card slots for ages. Why not just stream photos from your laptop to the PS3 wirelessly, or copy them to a USB drive? Speaking of which…

9. Two USB Ports, Not Four
Not what we had hoped for, but again, not surprising. Not only is this a slimmed-down model, but all third-generation PS3s have only 2 USB ports (and skip the media card reader).

10. Bravia Link
Connect the PS3 Slim to a Bravia Link-capable Sony HDTV (via HDMI) and you'll be able to control the XMB interface with your TV remote. The TV will even automatically power down the PS3 when it gets turned off.

11. It Plays The Same PS3 Games!
Slim or not, it's still a freakin' PS3 and will play the same PS3 games and Blu-ray movies you throw at it! Plus, the smaller 45nm Cell chip helps it consume less power, and may potentially even be a little faster.

But while Sony has done no favors for its fanbase, the company has just handed over a potentially huge pile of cash to third party peripheral manufacturers, like Mad Catz and Nyko, who will make a killing selling the things in hot pink polka dot finish for a still-ludicrous $15 a pop.

Oh, and to address those who think the Slim doesn't need additional hardware to stand upright, our own Jason Chen confirms that the Slim really isn't stable enough to balance vertically without one. [Kotaku]

Turns out "Sand Dollar Enterprise, Inc"'s address in Foster City, CA is registered to Sony, and by listing the PS3 Slim under a different company, they avoided detection by diligent FCC hunters like, well, us. Interestingly, the filing includes mention of two other models, differing only in HDD capacity from the 120GB model we've seen—looks like a 150GB and a 250GB. They'll presumably command a higher price, though we have no idea exactly how much just yet. Still, we've got to commend Sony for this little bit of FCC espionage. [PS3 News via Engadget]