The PlayStation 3 (PS3 hereafter) is a video game console and media center created to succeed the PlayStation 2. I became interested in it because I love video games and look at the latest information and news happening within the gaming industry. I followed it's development and wanted one so I could play (and be inspired by) the latest videogames as well as play online with my friends as we went our separate ways studying in different places for our post-secondary education.
The PS3 has a sleek, black, elegant design for it's exterior, and a user-friendly interface called the XMB. This follows Ockham's Razor in that they chose a simple design and opted to decrease as many unnecessary elements in the product. In terms of the Aesthetic-Usability Effect, the PS3 is designed to be easy to use and implements a controller with a design identical to the PS2 controller. The reason why? People preferred the old controller design rather than accepting a new design. This choice reflects Performance vs. Preference in that the new controller designed to be optimally effective to a gamer was rejected by gamers in favour of the old design of the PS2 controller.
Video games are not just extremely fun, but are inspiring to me. The union between the story, sound/music, characters, design elements, and the gameplay mechanics in a game become ingrained in your memory when you play a great game. This makes the User Experience very special because you are not just interacting with the PS3, but also with the games you play, videos watched, music listened to, and friends interacted with - making the experience as unique as the people who play. Designed to be highly Accessible, apart from playing games, it plays Blu-ray movies, comes with wireless Internet connectivity in mind, has multimedia capabilities, and offers a free PlayStation Network account, which can be used to access the online store, chat with friends, play online games for free, access Home (a social gaming community), and other, more unexpected things such as Stanford University's Folding@Home project, which lets the PS3 system help research diseases by understanding protein folding and unfolding and how they are related to diseases and cancer. It also is updated once in a while, meaning that new features are implemented to improve the consumer experience with the product. The newest feature I have learned they may add in the future is implementation of stereoscopic 3D in watching videos and gaming.
It fulfills people like me because it eases people's stress and is fun to use. When you turn it on, you enter a zone of tranquility, excitement, and anticipation. You can watch a movie, play games, surf the net, or chat with friends. It also lets you 'become' someone else - a racer, soldier, fighter, monster, or some unsuspecting hero that embarks on an epic quest - it is truly an immersive experience with the right game. This also creates great things to discuss with other gamers. What was your favourite moment? What did you think of the issues and messages raised? What's the best way to beat this boss? How do I... and the list goes on. It creates some pretty memorable moments with friends too (mostly hilarious) from playing offline or online in multiplayer games.
The PS3 has improved greatly from it's predecessor, the PS2. Some notable features are the implementation of the PlayStation Network, wireless controllers (the PS2's wired controllers were prone to break due to damaged wires), media center features, and graphics. There are a few minor things that could be changed or implemented, such as how I cannot delete my received/sent messages all at once or how it is a bit of a hassle to send a message to a friend while playing, but the major things I would like to see on the PS3 are planned to come in the future. I am extremely satisfied with the product in how it provides me an entertaining, fun, and memorable way to communicate with my friends and other gamers.
Information from:
http://www.us.playstation.com/
Image from:
http://gadgeteer.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/sony_ps3.jpg
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