So I've had a test PS3 for about two weeks now and while the games are still slightly underwhelming - though I am warming to Motorstorm - the multimedia facilities, not included in my test machine, remained a mystery. So last week I had a chat with Sony's Phil Harrison and a look around the non-gaming elements of the PS3.
First up was music. The PS3 can playback all the standard music files from CDs memory sticks, USB drives etc. All straightforward and exactly what you'd expect from any self respecting media hub. Things will get sexier in the future when you can buy tracks form the online store - almost certainly an option within a year or two.
Importing pictures was, as you'd expect, very easy. USB device, camera, SD card, memory stick - they all worked. The PS3 sorts your images accordingly but the most impressive feature was the ability to look through pictures as if they were physical photos strewn across a table. This sexy graphical effect may be a bit gimmicky but will certainly impress anyone watching.
Equally impressive were the video playback facilities. Like music and pictures the PS3 will import most formats and is easy to use. The ability to create your own thumbnails - for example to bypass the credits at the start of a movie - is another gimmicky but impressive feature. Seeing numerous video thumbs playing at the same time is a classy touch and does actually help when flicking through a lot of content.
Of course, one of the main - and there are many - reasons for the PS3's delay has been the lack of Blu-ray hardware for the console. And with the importance placed on the format by Sony it was something of a revelation to actually see my first Blu-ray movie. Harrison showed Swordfish on a 1080p TV and it looked predictably lovely, all sharp and vivid. Picture quality appeared slightly better than the demo I saw of the 360 HD-DVD add-on though it is too early to say which format is best. And as mentioned before the PS3 runs very quietly, obviously essential for movie playback.
Remote access looked rather neat too, with the PSP easily able to access content on the PS3. And while watching the hi-def Bond trailer on the PSP lacked the impact of a HD telly the potential is clearly there for gaming. An RPG that lets you develop your character on the train and on the PS3? Yes please. Future updates will allow you to access this content online, much like the Slingbox or Sony's LocationFree.
The browser worked exactly as you'd expect - like many things PS3, PSP owners will feel right at home. It includes all the features of a standard browser - flash, multiple windows etc - and you can easily connect a keyboard to replace the rather fiddly text entry system. And let's face it - surfing on an HD telly is far more enjoyable than previous web TV efforts on standard definition.
The only real disappointment of the demo was the online gaming functions, where the PS3 still lags behind the 360. Things that Live owners take for granted - i.e. the ability to send messages cross game - are still lacking. When I questioned Harrison about the lack of community features such as achievement points he unconvincingly argued that the inclusion of browser would offer all the community features a player would need.
So what to make of it all then? Well certainly the gaming side is still lacking. Yes there is a good argument that PlayStation is a more mainstream brand than Xbox and so will have a lower percentage of owners going online. But with Live proving so successful you have to question that strategy. Of course this is very early days and Harrison did say that user feedback will be crucial for future updates to the system. Like the PSP you can expect regular updates to the PS3. However the multimedia side of the PS3 is hugely impressive. Intuitive and comprehensive the PS3 sits more comfortably as a home entertainment hub than the 360, especially when you consider the movie playback and quieter hardware.
