Eclectic Electronics

Sony PS3 finally gets $100 price cut!
Sony PS3 slim version to debut on September for $299
WD TV Mini loses HDMI and 1080p capability but gains component output

Posted: 18 Aug 2009 03:30 PM PDT

A couple of weeks ago, there was a good indication that Sony might soon give the PS3 a long-overdue price cut. Today, Sony has finally given in to insistent consumer demand on lowering the price of their Blu-ray powered console. The $100 price reduction officially brings down the PlayStation 3’s price to $299.

Sony said Tuesday it will cut the price of the currently available 80 gigabyte PlayStation 3 effective immediately. Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, says there is no question the consumer reaction to the cuts will be "phenomenal."

Now, the dilemma in purchasing doesn’t lie entirely on pricing. Should you get a shiny, old, hunky-looking 80GB PS3? Or wait a couple of weeks for the slim, ugly-looking 120GB version? Although I personally don’t own a PlayStation 3, the price slash certainly puts it in the realm of temptation.

[via Sony Insider]

See also:

Sony PS3 slim version to debut on September for $299

Posted: 18 Aug 2009 02:30 PM PDT

Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) Size Comparison

Sony has imposed a diet regimen on the PlayStation 3 which has led to the birth of a slim version, the PS3 slim. It comes with a 120GB hard drive, consumes 34% less power and is 32% smaller.

The Sony PS3 slim features two USB ports, HDMI, optical audio out, ethernet port and will use an external power supply. Feature-wise, it does everything it’s older brother used to do.

The slim Sony PS3 is expected to be available starting September 2009 and has a modest $299 price tag.

Frankly speaking though, the slim version is a lot uglier than the older version. Seems like the Sony design department has taken a liking into the PlayStation 2’s matte textured-style finish. The PSP Go’s design sucked, but this definitely takes the cake! I wonder what’s up with Sony’s design department lately. Losing a lot of creative minds, eh?

[via Sony Insider]

See also:

WD TV Mini loses HDMI and 1080p capability but gains component output

Posted: 18 Aug 2009 01:30 PM PDT

WD TV Mini (Retail Box)

While the recently leaked WD TV-2 isn’t available in stores yet, Western Digital has decided to trim down their highly popular WD TV, via the introduction of the WD TV Mini HD media player.

The WD TV Mini loses some features, particularly 1080p video output and HDMI connectivity but gains component video output in addition to composite. It uses the same USB 2.0 interface as its older brother.

The WD TV Mini HD media player is smaller than its older brother by an amazing 66% (based on volume). The device plays pretty much everything you can throw at it, including Real Media (RMVB) format.

Feature	WD TV Mini	WD TV
HDMI output	No	Yes
Component output	Yes	No
Composite output	Yes	Yes
Maximum output resolution	1080i	1080p
Height	0.8 inches	1.57 inches
Length	3.6 inches	3.94 inches
Width	3.6 inches	4.94 inches

Turn your USB drive into a media player.
WD TV™ Mini media player is an easy, affordable way to watch DVD-quality digital media on your big screen TV. Simply plug in WD’s My Passport portable hard drive, or similar USB drive, and play movies, music, and photos in a wide variety of file formats, including Real Media (RMVB) format.

Retail package includes the following items: WD TV Mini HD media player, compact remote with batteries, composite AV cable, component AV cable, AC adapter and quick install guide.

The WD TV Mini HD media player is now available at select retailers with a MSRP of $99.99. Although not in stock yet on Amazon, they’re taking pre-orders of this diminutive yet classy looking HD media player for just $79.99.