Kutaragi: "...PS3 ...supercomputer"

Entertainment boss Ken Kutaragi has suggested the upcoming Playstation 3 will come equipped with a hard disk. And the hard disk may come with Linux pre-installed.
Kutaragi is miffed that the likes of Nintendo and Microsoft won't call their consoles computers. Nintendo, he complains to Japanese site Impress PC Watch, "keeps telling the world their consoles are 'toys'," while Microsoft keeps calling the Xbox a "game machine".

"We're positioning the PS3 as a supercomputer", he says, "But people won't recognize it as a computer unless we call it a computer, so we're going to run an OS on it. In fact, the Cell can run multiple OSes. In order to run the OSes, we need a hard disk. So in order to declare that the PS3 is a computer, I think we'll have [the hard disk] preinstalled with Linux as a bonus.

Kutaragi said the PS3 will run operating systems as applications. "The kernel will be running on the Cell, and multiple OSes will be running on top of that as applications. Of course, the PS3 can run Linux. If Linux can run, so can Lindows. Other PC Operating Systems can run too, such as Windows and (Mac OS) Tiger, if the publishers want to do so. Maybe a new OS might come out," he adds.

He says that providing hard disk with the PS3 will permit the, um, console, to be used as a computer - for applications beyond gaming. Video editing and photo retouching are examples of applications that could be run on a Linux-powered PS3, he suggests.

It is not yet clear whether a hard disk will ship with the PS3 as standard or whether it will be and optional extra. "There are still some issues if the machine doesn't come with a hard disk," said Kutaragi. "We've added a 2.5-inch HDD bay so that users can add hard disks, such as 80GB and 120GB," he said.

The Xbox 360 is expected to ship with a 20GB hard drive as standard. It is not expected to be running Linux. µ

Imagine a PS3 running windows

Would be too ironic and funny.

do you have the source for this? the news made me squee.

the best part is that, because they're going to run as apps, if you're not happy and windows, let's say, starts blue screening you to hell, you can just chuck that sucker out the window and not worry about how you hardware will be affected.

It is so obvious that the PS3 will have a hard drive, it would be stupid in this era of technology not to do so.......

Linux would be great to have on it, plus sony have a partnership with apple to have itunes and ipod support (seeing as they are both in the hate MS group!)

i wonder if they'll make special tiger and penguin color schemes for pre-installed packages of the two operating systems.

Omnis

i wonder if they'll make special tiger and penguin color schemes for pre-installed packages of the two operating systems.

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Im sure that if it does have some sort of OS it will have the logo somwhere on it.......like in the line of logo's where they say DVD, CD, DOLBY etc etc...

BTW those lines of logo's are soooooo cool.......Sony do it with everything.....

Sounds damn cool. Chances are you could use USB keyboards and mice too I'm willing to bet.

PC and games console rolled into one.Sounds good doesn't it?

I can't see it replacing a pc tbh, but I guess it will be cool in the same way a modded xbox is cool.

If it can do everything you're PC can then the next line of consoles could very well replace the PC, I don't see any reason it couldn't. The question is, will the public view it as more than a games console and use PC type applications on it instead of the PC in the corner. The idea that they could replace the PC appeals to me since you'd have no problems with hardwar being out of date, needing to upgrade that graphics cars ect until the next console comes out, then it's jst a single purchase with no hassle.

but then you have the problem of pricing. the more pc-like the consoles become, the more expensive they'll become, because you wouldn't necessarily need to be dependant on the software and games. but, i dunno. i can't determine what sony will do or what things will become. nobody can.

edit: but in addition, i think this is quite obviously a step to establish the Cell in more PC-like applications as well as for sony's future of console gaming.

I suppose price wise you could put two versions on sale, a PS3 without the HDD and only the inbuilt OS to run games, DVD's, CD's ect, and then a PS3 with HDD and an extra OS to run extra apps for an extra £100 or so, so you'd have the PS3 for £300 and the the PS3+ or whatever for £400-£500 depending on the size of the HDD. The problem with this, is the majority of people buying a PS3 will be parents for their kids, thoes parents will more than likely go for the cheaper option and that wouldn't go in hand with Sony's plans.

I hope that a few years down the road Sony decides to produce Cell processors for the PC. I would be the first in line to get one,hehe. They could serioulsy make a huge impact,outperforming everything tenfold for the same price as a P4 3,2 Ghz. They should do it.

And it looks like no compromise on the HD-DVD/Blu-ray battle. The talks are over and there will be no joint media device. I didn't think there would be, but I was hopeful. Here's what Kuturagi had to say.

BLOOMBERG
Friday, Jun 10, 2005,Page 12

Advertising Ken Kutaragi, who helped invent Sony Corp's PlayStation game console, said creating a single standard for new DVDs that can store more high-definition movies and pictures than current discs is unlikely.
Sony and Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co, which lead a group that developed the Blu-ray disc, have been in talks to unify their format with the HD DVD disc promoted by Toshiba Corp and NEC Corp. The competing formats for the new DVDs promise high-definition pictures, better sound quality, more capacity and improved copyright protection than standard DVDs.

The chances of unifying the formats are "almost none," Kutaragi, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc, said yesterday at a meeting with reporters in Tokyo. "It's very difficult."

Sony is counting on the support of film studios and game software developers to make Blu-ray the dominant standard, and already has the backing of Walt Disney Co and Electronic Arts Inc. The Tokyo-based company is trying to avoid a repeat of past failures, such as its Betamax format losing out to VHS as the video standard more than two decades ago.

"A unified market can help the company increase its content quickly," said Ken Kamo****a, who manages the equivalent of US$25 million, including Sony shares, at Tokyo-based DLIBJ Asset Management. "A breakdown in talks would make many things uncertain in that business."

Blu-ray discs have as much as 20 times more storage capacity than the 4.7 gigabytes offered by current DVDs, while HD DVD can store about 10 times more data.

Both sides have highlighted the problems in creating a unified standard for the discs, which use a blue laser to read and record information. Blu-ray's recording layer is located 0.1mm from the surface of the disc, compared with 0.6mm for HD DVD.

"With the dialogue focusing on 0.1 and 0.6, there is no way for the two sides to divide things fairly," Kutaragi said.

live4speed

The idea that they could replace the PC appeals to me since you'd have no problems with hardwar being out of date, needing to upgrade that graphics cars ect until the next console comes out, then it's jst a single purchase with no hassle.

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Sounds like owning an Mac!

They said the ps2 would be a supercomputer at the time. It was even used with linux clusters by one university. In the end though, it was all hype.

I'd be very surprised if Linux makes it to ps3. Sony tried and failed pretty badly with the PS2 Linux kit. It's just not something the average user needs.

Does this mean that it is possible to make addons (skins, tracks...etc), in case Simbin decides to make the next title (maybe GTL and GTR2) for the PS3???
This also means that we are going to be able to calibrate all the BRD hardware, such as the speed7 pedals, wheel and shifter. If this is the case, I'm going to sell my PC and buy myself a supercomputer, namely: PS3

So my concerns of a PS3 with a Hard Drive may actually happen. I'm a Windows guy, so my Linux experience is pretty limited. I know I said that the XBOX looks more like a computer console, but if this thing about the PS3 is true, should we call the PS3 an Entertainment System, or a Computer System? I probably wouldn't rule out possibilities of maybe taking your PS3 files to your computer for extra storage. I don't think it would be a good idea to hack into them somehow.

Another interesting read by another interesting GTPlanet person. Good one, mate.

Sounds cool but it better come standard with a HD. It'll never replace a pc but its still going to be neat. Id rather see XP since I dont have much linux experience but oh well. still needs a mouse and a kb to be comfortable... i hated webtv. PS3 is defeintely overrated by being called a "supercomputer" but hell, it will be for a short while.

Hehe so now the Playstation is the computer packaged into a box

Maybe MS and Sony will swap names soon? Seems like there doing what each other did the generation before

Black95Z28

Id rather see XP since I dont have much linux experience but oh well.

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Its very easy to learn. I still prefer windows because i have mastered it. I would prolly put Mandrake Linux or FreeBSD on my PS3.

Plus it doesnt have huge virus problems like windows......if you remember even the PS2 had a Linux kit released for it...but it never went mainstream......

The ps2 was already a computer!

Who would trade his computer for a PS3 if it really becomes a supercomputer!!
- What if you could do the same things with the PS3, as you can with a PC ==> creating mods, addons, skins and lots of other stuff???
- What if you can use all the PC hardware on you PS3??
- Keep the advantages a PS (put a dvd in the PS and play, always having stable fps, etc...) has with the possibilities a PC has!!!
This is just a rhetorical question. This is not a question if it is possible or not, just what if it is possible, would you trade your womputer for a PS3???
This would also mean that all the great games are available for the PS3.

If there was some way to hook up my PS3 to my computer, and use it as a render farm for LightWave... oh, I'd be all over that.. hehe. You have any idea how ****ing FAST my renders would be on a Cell? LW uses a floating-point renderer... running on a chip that specializes in floating-point calculations? Oh, baby...

But, probably ain't gonna happen.. not with PS3, anyway.. I'd like to buy myself a Cell-based workstation at some point, though.

On another topic, however... the hard drive. The idea of making a computer out of a standard PS3 would seem to imply a hard drive of some type will be included, yes? I mean, what's a computer without a hard drive? It's a game machine... which Kutaragi has continually stated the PS3 is not.

In referrance to kikie's post, if the PS3 could do everything my PC can but keep the advantages of a games console, my PC would be gathering dust quite quickly.

Yes if it could do everything a PC can do reliably and with high performance, there would be no need for PCs. But in order to do this the reliability of the PS3 envitabily would have the same issues as PCs especially as you mentioned hardware upgrades. So... theres no point considering it because its never going to happen.

Still they probably will add some 'PC functionality' to consoles which is perfectly doable

T5-R

Yes if it could do everything ...as you mentioned hardware upgrades.

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Huh, I did?
I meant: memory sticks, keyboards, printers, digital cameras, Frex, BRD steering wheels, pedals, shifters etc... and lots of other external stuff. PS3 won't be upgradable. It is a PS with an unchangeable configuration

Sorry for the misunderstanding

I would sell my PC without even thinking about it and get myself a super"computer"PS3

I had webtv and I liked it better than a computer. But, it was too slow and not powerful enough to go to all websites and it couldn't do certain things a PC could. That was the one big drawback.

If the PS3 can do anything a PC could, I'd get rid of my PC. I'm not a big computer fan. So many things can, and usually do, go wrong with them and a PS3 sounds like it would be much more simple and more problem free than a PC.

Theres just something about pcs that a console can never match, the way it can be upgraded, the versitility, ya know...I could never replace it with a box under a TV.