A bit more details for those of you who are interested
The next-generation console will come in two models -- but both will include a hard drive, unlike Xbox 360.
The base model will retail at $499 with 20 GIG HD. Those with a little extra disposable cash can pick up a premium version loaded with a 60G GIG HD for $599 at launch this November 17TH
This controller has been scrapped for the DualShock
During the Sony E3 press conference, Harrison introduced SCE CEO and president Ken Kutaragi, a.k.a. "The Father of PlayStation". Advertisement
Kutaragi piqued the audiences' interest near the end of the conference by saying he and Sony had "one big secret we've kept from you." After commenting on his fabled "4D world", he then held up the new PS3 controller, which looked much like the old tried-and-true PlayStation controllers. Gone was the boomerang shape that made many gamers' stomachs turn.
Harrison continued to demo the capabilities of the controller, bringing up a 3D image of a wooden crate. After a bit of knocking around, drilling and sawing within the crate, the sides collapsed to reveal the small rendering of a PS3 controller. Harrison proceeded to pick up the physical controller from his podium, and the on-screen rendition levitated as well.
The controller, according to Harrison, has "six degrees of freedom built in", and will come standard with every PS3. He emphasized that it is not an extra peripheral that gamers would have to buy. Kutaragi and Harrison added that it actually weighs less than the PS2's controller, and called it a "fantastic innovation."
To demonstrate the real-life capabilities of the controller, Incognito's Warhawk producer and director Dylan Jobe walked out on stage to play his game in real-time with the controller. He controlled Warhawk's aircraft by tilting the controller left and right, forward and back as he locked onto and fired at enemies.
Jobe stated that Incognito is "incredibly excited about the possibilities of the controller," and commented on its precise accuracy
As already disclosed , the PS3 is powered by the Cell processor and the RSX graphics engine. Both basic and high-end models support 1-Gibt Ethernet and 1,080-pixel resolution. The high-end model has an HDMI output and a flash card slot that accepts Memory Stick, SD and CompactFlash cards.
A new feature is the unit’s wireless game controller, which is equipped with a six-axis sensing system that detects the controller’s position and movement. Thus no separate, corresponding device, such as a receiver, is required to “read” the controller.
Both PS3 models contain a Blu-ray Disc optical drive. Sony and other Blu-ray adopters plan to begin sales of players based on the next-generation optical format at around $1,000 this summer. Since the PS3 will sell for less, Blue-ray platform vendors could feel price pressure from the console. And since low-end HD DVD players sell for around $499, the Playstation 3 could collide in the market with players based on that competing optical-disk format
(Info from various websites)