PS3 Slim confirmed by legal efforts to silence the story?
The end of last week saw pictures circulating around the Web of a machine which many assumed to be a new slim version of the PS3. The debate as to the validity of the photos and what the product actually was in reality raged over the weekend. Now, the PS3 Slim may have been confirmed by legal threats made to some of the Web sites covering the story.
The chances of Sony launching a PS3 Slim at some time in the 10-year-lifespan of the console are high. Whether now is the right time or not is a tougher question. Which is why the debate as to whether the pictured PS3 Slim is real or not has been so intense. Sure, it could be the real McCoy, but there is a chance these pictures are either of an early prototype of the console or a cheap knockoff from China.
Certainly for my money the product on display doesn’t look like a typical Sony product. While the PS3 is a design classic, all smooth lines and glossy details, this so-called PS3 Slim is ugly and very cheap looking. Whatever it is, it essentially looks like a plasticky Playstation 3 after it has seen the underside of a steamroller.
However, as dubious as the pictures are, their claims to validity seem to have risen with the news that several of the Web sites which covered the story and reprinted the pictures originally posted on LevelUp have received legal threats about their coverage. A firm of Taiwan-based lawyers has sent cease-and-desist letters to both Spong and Engadget, and probably more besides.
The letters, which contain very little legal language, have been sent on behalf of an unnamed client. Which could be Sony but is much more likely to be a Chinese manufacturing plant which has panicked after a leak occurred at their location.
Unfortunately this doesn’t confirm or deny the existence or otherwise of a new PS3 Slim. But it does raise even more suspicions as to the true nature of the product on display in the photographs. I personally don’t think it’s an official Sony product because if so it would be the ugliest piece of hardware the company has ever produced. Then again, stranger things have happened.
This story looks likely to run, and evolve, until at least E3 2009 when the PS3 Slim could be announced. That is, of course, if Sony has any intention of releasing such a product at this point in time. And even that isn’t yet clear.
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31 Responses to “PS3 Slim confirmed by legal efforts to silence the story?”
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May 19th, 2009
Dave Parrack:
I agree with you that has got to be the ugliest PS3 design i ever seen hopefully this is just a fake. I would hate to have to buy that.
May 19th, 2009
“I would hate to have to buy that”
Have to buy that?????
Who’s compelling you Ivan? Is it the voices in your head?
May 19th, 2009
Why would you need to buy another PS3 Ivan? Unless you want to cheat to level up in Socom.
May 19th, 2009
I buy every model of a game console. I do that only for PlayStation and Xbox. I know is pointless to buy but i don’t care.
me_:
Yes
harry sachz:
Cheating is on the pass.
May 19th, 2009
as long as its cheaper and plays the same..who cares. PS1 and original Xbox were ugly as S**T
May 19th, 2009
I don’t think this is a knock off. Have you ever seen pics of the POP station? You can watch a un-boxing and demo on youtube.
My point is that the knock offs don’t have any of the logos on them. In the pics that were released you can clearly see the logos for PlayStation, PSN, Blu-Ray, & Sony. Yes, it could have been photoshopped, but I don’t think that’s the case.
May 19th, 2009
“legal efforts” could mean anything.
My money is that it’s just a design prototype testing the water.
(they should have known better)
“the PS3 is a design classic”!?
LMAO
It’s a bloated over-sized George Foreman grill – and it feels quite cheap when you pick it up.
The only thing nice about it is the finish and even that can’t save the fugly looks of it.
May 19th, 2009
I’m going to say it. The PS3 is by far the sexiest of the 3 consoles.
Though the black version of 360 does make me a little weak at the knees. I love green on black. Not so much red on black though.
May 19th, 2009
HH The PS3 looks 10 times better then the 360.
MS just tried to copy Apple with the white 360.
Typical of MS to copy everyone else.
May 19th, 2009
Oh, I must say MS tried to make it pretty by adding the flashing red light to most of the 360s LOL
May 19th, 2009
ncaissie
You’re as free to hold your opinion as I am to disagree with it.
You think the PS3 looks amazing, I don’t.
They have all tried various colours and shapes, for what reason I don’t know, just give us a tastefully styled black box that stacks properly with the other little black boxes we already have.
That’s all it is at the end of the day, a glorified little plastic box of electronics.
Anyone who honestly thinks that’s “sexy” needs to learn what sex is.
Royzy.
May 19th, 2009
Good god, you’re belligerent, Happy. Maybe it’s YOU who needs to learn what sex is…? *wink wink nudge nudge*
-Arvis
May 19th, 2009
Jebus H Arvis, any old tawdry & patheticly feeble attempt to jibe, huh?
I guess when you’re 13 – 19 that sort of quip might sting.
Sorry son, I’m long past that sort of nonsense and happily married probably longer than some around here have lived.
Maybe I should have added a smilie and in bright red letters put ‘this is a joke’ on my comment to Royzy.
Like anyone asked you in the 1st place.
May 19th, 2009
The PS3 is kind of bulky… but it is a work of art. I appreciate the fact that the design mimics the PS2’s.
May 19th, 2009
Barnabee
Maybe it’s a generational thing.
I recall Bang & Olufson designs that were thin & ultra sleek, very modern looking.
Some of the DVD manufacturers got this too.
I just don’t see a big fat curvy black box as looking particularly ‘nice’.
May 19th, 2009
Haha
Well do you really think it is that large? I don’t feel it is an unreasonable size. As far as design goes, it is still regarded as being very sleek in the design world. That said, we all know how pretentious designers can be.
There is a Bang & Olufsen store near me, there is some pretty snazzy stuff in there.
May 19th, 2009
Yes, obviously you get what I’m on about here Royzy.
Check out a B&O store and you’ll see some guys still trying to style products with a certain style, elegance and finesse.
Neither adjective could be applied to anyone’s game console, mores the pity.
May 19th, 2009
Really? REALLY?
so OBVIOUSLY the PS3 is ugly… only a 360 owner would know what sleek and sexy truely is…
this isnt about having personal taste… in the console war… we must ALWAYS! prove that our console is better… whether it is the design… or its sales record… or backward compatibility… dance puppets dance…
May 19th, 2009
The PLAYSTATION 3 has the best console design it looks stylish a shiny piano black color. The PS3 wins in everything.
May 19th, 2009
Ivan
The finish is hardly the be-all and end-all of the design aesthetic.
FFS wake up.
Spraying a dog-turd in a really nice & cool metallic colour does not make it nice & cool.
(as I had to explain to Arvis who seemed equally confused on the matter)
Have you guys completely lost any sense of objectivity and sense in this type of thing or what?
May 20th, 2009
That’s one fine looking dog turd!
May 20th, 2009
“The finish is hardly the be-all and end-all of the design aesthetic”.
The finish can still make or break almost any product.
May 20th, 2009
Funny how Happy is the only one here saying it is not nice looking!
May 20th, 2009
ncaissie
Sorry to burst your bubble there matey but if you think I’m alone in my POV on the PS3 you’re very much mistaken.
Royzy
That’s true but you have to have a damned sight more than just merely the finish going for you.
The PS2 is very svelte compared to the PS3 (even the mk1 version of PS2).
Besides the usual fanboy excuses (although why anyone wants to make excuses for a CE product’s design is beyond me) is anyone trying to say the mk1 PS3 is not notably over-sized?
May 20th, 2009
Yeah of course, but I’d like to think it does have more going for it than being shiny. Like a cool rotating logo, whats not to like about that. I can’t say any of the 3 consoles really have a jizz in my pants design at the end of the day. Essentially they are all box shaped, that’s why for these I think the finish is quite noticeable.
I felt it was as big as I had pretty much expected. Though nothing would surprise me after the size of the original xbox. PS3 does feel heavy and fragile somewhat though.
May 20th, 2009
“any old tawdry & patheticly feeble attempt to jibe, huh?
I guess when you’re 13 – 19 that sort of quip might sting.”
This made me laugh. Not only did you play the “You Must Be Some Dumb Teenager” Card right after claiming my “jibe” to be “feeble.” But then you went and claimed you were joking and needed to be more obvious about it, completely missing the fact that I, also, was taking an admittedly sad attempt at mirth myself.
Anyways, glad to hear your “happily” married, HH, but you don’t really come off as “happily” ANYTHING on these boards.
As for CE design, if you think the PS3 is ugly, you’d have a hard time passing off the 360 as anything better. The thing looks pretty damn cheesy, like they weren’t even TRYING to pass it off as “mature electronics.”
-Arvis
May 20th, 2009
Arvis, sounds like we both need to work harder making jest more pobvious then, huh?
BTW use your eyes.
Not once in any of this did I ever say the 360 design was better, in fact I have previously referred to it being a silly shape and I am no fan of the white, red or green finish on that.
May 21st, 2009
Never said you did, just irked that you’re so homed in on trashing the PS3 constantly, even on issues where the other consoles fail as well.
Sorry for my annoyance.
-Arvis
May 21st, 2009
The 360 could never have a glossy finish. The coating would crack and chip due to the console’s heat out put.
…. don’t mind me. Just flaming.
May 23rd, 2009
+10 Arvis.
May 24th, 2009
troll couple sited.