Sony - PlayStation 3 review
To be fair to Sony, the actual hardware was never really going to be in much doubt. And after your first few hours in the company of the PlayStation 3, you’re likely to be impressed.
Several initial thoughts went through this reviewer’s head. Firstly, the machine’s really quite heavy. Secondly, aesthetically, it’s really quite smart. And thirdly, and surprisingly, is that given the immense processing grunt under its glossy, buffed-up exterior, it’s very quiet in operation. It certainly puts the Xbox 360 in the shade in that department.
When we switched on for the first time, following as simple a connection procedure as you’d expect with a games console, we signed up for the PlayStation Network and downloaded an advised, albeit not compulsory, update. This involved us getting the machine online, which was thankfully straightforward. A built-in wireless receiver or the Ethernet port at the back are your two choices, and we tried both, finding the machine adapted to either at breakneck speed.
The download and application of the upgrade took care of the first five minutes or so, but eventually we got to spend some time with the browser interface. This bears striking similarities to the one Sony employed with the PSP, and given that the two machines have a degree of interoperability, that’s perhaps unsurprising.
It was interesting to note, going through the menu, just how Sony has made it easy to support elements you’d usually not expect it to be so welcoming of. The option for an OS install took us aback, and we were pleased to see the Folding@Home client built in too. But on top of that, the likes of keyboards, mice, Web-cams and such like - all of which can hook up via the assorted USB ports - are very easy to add. (more…)
