Buy a 1080p BRAVIA and Sony Australia will toss in a PS3 for free
[Via CNET; thanks Toby]
PS3 posts


It looks like PlayStation 3 owners could be in for a welcome surprise when they boot up their console tomorrow, at least if an apparent slip-up on Sony's European website is any indication. As a user on the NeoGAF forums noticed, it recently put up a page which revealed that 2.10 firmware update "was released on December 18, 2007," bringing with it a number of additions, including DivX support (with some limitations) and, as rumored, support for Blu-ray Disc Profile 1.1. You'll also apparently soon be able to take advantage of the new "Voice Changer" feature, which will let you disguise your voice in voice or video chat, and you'll be getting support for (VC-1) WMV files in addition to the aforementioned DivX ones. If any of that interests you, we'd suggest keeping an eye out, 'cause it sure looks like this one's about to drop.
Joystiq just noted a peach of a sound-bite from Sony's quip hero, Sir Howard Stringer. In an interview with The Guardian he started by saying, "I'm happy the Wii seems to be running a bit short of hardware." He then chest-thumped a prediction that the PS3, "will come into its own because its [high-end games] are infinitely more fun, demanding and exciting." A theory to be known henceforth as Stringer's Bloated Hyperbole Postulate.



A few of our readers were scoffing at the idea of a $399 40GB PS3. "What's the big deal," you said. This: according to Sony's CEO, Sir Howard Stringer, they've more than doubled sales in the US in the weeks since its launch. "It's the breakthrough we've been waiting for," said Stringer, "We've been holding our breath. Finally, the turning point has been passed." Prior to the October 18th price cut, Sony was selling just 30k to 40k consoles per week. Sales rose to 75,000 in the week ending October 29 rising to 100,000 the following week. Stringer also credits Wii shortages for helping the boost. Andrew House, Sony's chief marketing officer even takes a jab at HD DVD saying, "It puts us vastly ahead of where the other format is going to be in terms of an installed base in people's homes by the end of this holiday season." Perhaps, but we don't expect the boys at Microsoft, Nintendo, and Toshiba to just roll over and let this progress continue unabated now, do we?
The press release is a bit short on details, but it's hard to miss the meat of the story: the PS3 is set to include DivX playback in the near future. Users will be able to add the feature for everyday media playback with a forthcoming update, and developers can start using DivX playback in their games with the latest version of the Development Kit. With all the rumors of DivX support coming to the 360 -- other Media Center Extenders already manage DivX and XviD -- it's hard to tell who will add the feature first, but perhaps we should instead be asking ourselves why it took this long for the both of them.








