USA: Latest video device from Sony turns gamers into campers

Anxious consumers lined up outside several U.S. retailers on Thursday (November 16, 2006) hoping to be one of the lucky few able to purchase the latest gaming console from Sony, the PlayStation 3. The video game system will be available in limited quantities in the U.S. on November 17. Bailey Sargol said she had been waiting outside a store in Washington for two days to get a chance to buy one, but not for herself. "Mostly my boyfriend," Sargol said. "He wants me to camp out with him and he's gone right now, so I have to save his place." Fans hope the game will provide the latest in high tech gaming. Equipped with Blu-Ray Disc technology and a wireless Bluetooth controller, the PS3 console is HDTV-ready and boasts more disk capacity than ever before. The basic 20 gigabyte model is 499 USD, while its premium 60 gigabyte counterpart is 599 USD. Richard Doherty, director a market research firm called the Envisioneering Group said the machine will be in demand this Christmas. "It's very desirable and I think it's something that's gonna be very hot through the winter" he said. And because of the very strong demand, many people will buy a Playstation 3 just to on-sell. "I want to sell it, make money, pretty much. People are saying it goes between 2,000 and 4,000 dollars and you can buy it for 600 dollars, so its a pretty good profit," said one man Sony's main competition is the new gaming console from Nintendo, the Wii. Slated for release on November 19, Nintendo's Wii does not compete for computing power but has a remote control that can be swung like a tennis racquet or sword, and at 250 US dollars costs less than half the price for the top-line PS3, and significantly less than the 400 US dollar high-end Xbox 360, making it a potential spoiler.

ITN Source | November 17, 2006

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