My original prediction:

Price: $499 USD
Date: June 15th 2006 (no specified territories)
1 SKU

Equipment (bundle form like the US PSP or Xbox 360 "premium"):
Playstation 3 console
External power supply
Component and HDMI cables
Wireless controller w/ rechargeable battery
USB cable for "charge and play"
Blu-ray movie: Underworld Evolution
60GB HDD (very tentative)

I was over confident with Sony's ability to deliver on time and I pooched the launch date. On the other hand I correctly predicted the 60GB HD! (woot for me!). Without further ado here is my revised prediction:

Price: $399 USD (NA)
Date: November 21st 2006
1 SKU

Equipment (bundle form like the US PSP or Xbox 360 "premium"):
Playstation 3 console
External power supply
Component and HDMI cables
Wireless controller w/ rechargeable battery
USB cable for "charge and play"
Blu-ray movie: Underworld Evolution
60GB HDD

Microsoft has set the bar for next gen console prices. The PS3 will not sell for more that $399.

PlayStation 3 launch delay rumors are running rampant. In an attempt to douse the fire I am going to present the only facts that we currently have about the PS3 launch:


-With the reveal of the PlayStation 3 at E3 '05 Sony announced an expected
launch window of spring '06.
-Spring is 3 months long. Beginning on March 20th and lasting until June 21st.
-As of right now the launch window hasn't even begun.
-In response to Merrill Lynch's speculation of a launch delay Sony recently
reaffirmed the spring launch window.
-Blu-ray technology is ready; a release date for Blu-ray players and media has been announced for May 23rd, almost a full month before the end of the spring launch window.
-The Cell has been in production for months and is already in use in evaluation systems.
-In a recent conference call NVIDIA stated that the RSX is finished and ready for production.
-Developers have had alpha/beta dev systems for 8 months and final systems for 3 months. By the end of the launch window developers will have had 6 months with the final hardware.


Is a delay possible? Yes. But it appears unlikely as Sony seems to have all their ducks in a row.

With all points considered I am going to stick with my launch prediction of June 15th:

-within Sony's announced (and reaffirmed) spring '06 launch window.
-2 months after the end of NVIDIA's financial quarter (NVIDIA announced
in a conference call that they wouldn't be receiving RSX royalties before
April).
-a month after E3; making E3 the perfect time and event to officially announce the launch date.

Nope, I'm just bored...