Hulu's Plus Service will be launching on the PS3 and a myriad of other devices over the next year including the iPad, Xbox 360, iPhone 4 and 3GS, and Blu-ray players and TV's. Hulu's Plus Service will run $9.99 a month and will be available for the PS3 sometime in July.

There is no official release date but Joystiq reports the Hulu Plus guided tour reports the July 2010 date. Hulu currently contains TV shows, videos and movies, and the Plus service will feature full seasons of current ABC, NBC and Fox TV shows in HD. The videos stream at 480 Kbps or more and its recommended that a downstream bandwidth of over 1 Mbps for a smooth playback experience.

There is still more to be known about the service before going out and cancelling your cable subscription. You can sign up for a preview invite here: http://www.hulu.com/plus/invite

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The latest manufactured Playstation 3's will use less energy, therefore running cheaper and run cooler. The new model, codenamed CECH-2100A will use a 40nm graphics chip instead of the 65nm of the older CECH-2000A models. The use of the 40nm chip makes the PS3 cheaper for Sony to manufacture, and PS3 owners might notice their console sucking less power.

A Japanese website, PocketNews, provided a breakdown of power usage on the 2100A vs the 2000A:

(Note: Those still running an original 60GB PS3 use 160W playing a Blu-ray!)

Reducing the size will also make it less likely that units will overheat, which has been a concern and issue in the past. Other changes in the 2100A model include a simplified heatsink and a new, lighter power supply which weighs 412g, 30g less than the previous model.

Since its inception, Sony has never been able to make money on the Playstation 3 consoles themselves. With the redesign of the console with the PS3 Slim, Sony was able to close the gap between cost and price (even with the $100 price drop). By using cheaper technology in the latest 2100A model of the PS3 Slim, Sony may actually make a profit on the console.

Service has been restored to Playstation 3's worldwide. Issues began to arise Sunday as the older generation PS3's (PS3 Slims weren't affected) internal clocks assumed that 2010 was a leap year. Errors were abundant and people worldwide were locked out of online play, and some couldn't play any games.

According to Playstation.blog:

We are aware that the internal clock functionality in the PS3 units other than the slim model, recognized the year 2010 as a leap year. Having the internal clock date change from February 29 to March 1 (both GMT), we have verified that the symptoms are now resolved and that users are able to use their PS3 normally.

If the time displayed on the XMB is still incorrect, users are able to adjust time settings manually or via the internet. If we have new information, we will update you through the PlayStation.Blog or PlayStation.com.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Sony Playstation 3's worldwide have been locked down, rendering them unable to connect to the Playstation Network, making them lose all online capabilities. Reports state that an error code "8001050F" with a message that it cannot load trophies pops up during the load process. Some users report being locked out of games in an offline setting as well.

An update on the PlayStation Blog, Sony wrote, "We're aware that many of you are having difficulty connecting to the PlayStation Network this evening. Those of you with "slim" PS3s (the 120/250 GB models) appear to be unaffected."

"Know that we have narrowed down the issue and have engineers working to restore service even as you read this. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, and genuinely appreciate your patience while we work to resolve this."

Speculation on the internet is that the issue is caused by the Playstation 3's internal clock.

UPDATE:  Sony has advised that PS3 owner's who have yet to turn on their PS3's, to not do it. "In the meantime, if you have a model other than the new slim PS3, we advise that you do not use your PS3 system, as doing so may result in errors in some functionality, such as recording obtained trophies, and not being able to restore certain data."

If you just have to see the horror for youself, you may see one of these things when you turn it on:

• The date of the PS3 system may be re-set to Jan 1, 2000.

• The following message appears on the screen; "An error has occurred. You have been signed out of PlayStation Network (8001050F)".

• When launching a game, the following error message appears on the screen and the trophy data may disappear; "Failed to install trophies. Please exit your game."

• When the user tries to set the time and date of the system via the Internet, the following message appears on the screen; "The current date and time could not be obtained. (8001050F)"

• Users are not able to playback certain rental video downloaded from the PlayStation Store before the expiration date.

Sony announced that the Playstation 3 in Japan would be receiving a new add-on hardware and software called Torne. Torne comes with a small digital TV tuner that plugs into the PS3 via USB and includes software for watching TV, browsing schedules, and creating and managing recorded show files. Recorded files can be saved on the consoles hard drive or an attached USB drive.

This is similar to a PlayTV accessory available in Europe in 2008, but is more refined in that it allows users to record TV while they are playing games or watching Blu-rays.

Torne will be available in Japan in March for 9,980 yen (right around $110 US), but Sony has no plans on bringing it to the US at this time.

The Air Force is about to recruit 2200 more Playstation 3's. That's right, MORE. The United States Air Force purchased 336 of the Sony PS3's in May of 2008 in order to conduct a technology assessment of certain cell processors. The cell processors used in the Playstation 3 were the only ones that matched the program criteria at an acceptable cost. The research is being conducted by the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, N.Y.

The USAF has ordered up 2200 more of the Sony PS3 to cluster together with the original 336 in supercomputer research. The additional research grant awarded back in June was $2 million, on top of the $118,000 initial investment.

According to InformationWeek:

"The Air Force will use the system to "to determine the best fit for implementation of various applications," including commercial and internally developed software specific to the PS3's Cell Broadband Engine processor architecture. The research will help the Air Force decide where Cell Broadband Engine processor-derived hardware and software could be used in military systems.

The Air Force has used the cluster to test a method of processing multiple radar images into higher resolution composite images (known as synthetic aperture radar image formation), high-def video processing, and "neuromorphic computing," or building computers with brain-like properties.

The PlayStation 3's eight-processor Cell powers other supercomputers, including the world's second-fastest, IBM's RoadRunner, at Los Alamos National Laboratory."

The recently announced Playstation Firmware update 3.10 will be availabe today, in time to celebrate the Playstation 3's Third Anniversary. The firmware update will bring Facebook integration, updates to PSN cards, and better photo management. By linking Playstation Networks accounts with Facebook, users will have the option of letting their PS3 update their Facebook news feed with trophy and Playstation Store activity. Additionally, developers will be able to set criteria in their titles to publish additional game information to the feed.

It seems like the Playstation 3 has been around forever. Three years and hundreds of dollars cheaper today, the system is becoming very exciting. The Sony Playstation 3 placed a winning bet on Blu-ray during the format war between that and HD DVD, making it the only current system with HD capabilities. This year lead to the introduction of the next PS3 console, dubbed the PS3 Slim. Paired with a $100 price drop, the lighter, smaller, more powerful the PS3 Slim has really kicked the PS3 brand into gear, topping sales charts in September. The PS3 also recently got Netflix in the form of a streaming Blu-ray disc.

The Playstation 3 is available for $299 (120GB model).

Sony announced a firmware update 3.10 for the Playstation 3 that would include Facebook integration. By linking Playstation Networks accounts with Facebook, users will have the option of letting their PS3 update their Facebook news feed with trophy and Playstation Store activity. Additionally, developers will be able to set criteria in their titles to publish additional game information to the feed.

Besides Facebook integration, the firmware update will include:

• Revamped Photo category on XMB to make it easier to see photos stored on the PS3
• The PSN Friends List has been modified (based on feedback received after update 3.00) and a choice of colors for your PSN ID on the XMB.

It is promised that the firmware update will be "soon".

Sony has confirmed that shots leaked yesterday of Facebook integration are indeed real. Speaking with CVG, Sony stated that "We'll have more info on this very shortly."

Other screenshots showed new colors and options for Playstation Network Gamercards, and also enhanced photobrowsing.

This move should come in competition with Xbox 360's Dashboard update complete with Facebook, Twitter, Last.FM integration. It's expected to release sometime this month.

No further details on the PS3 update are available at this time; we'll have to wait for Sony to make an official announcement.

Sony has announced in a press release October 15th, that following the success of their 120GB PS3 Slim, they will be releasing a 250GB version for $349. The bigger, badder PS3 Slim will be available starting November 3rd. The 120GB PS3 Slim, which became available September 1st goes for $299, and both will be available this holiday season. Sony had previously announced the 250GB version for the UK.

"The PS3 platform is poised for a tremendous holiday season," said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA. "We kicked things off early with the new price point and sleek form factor and have continued the momentum with this week's launch of the universally acclaimed exclusive, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The new 250GB PS3 provides consumers with another compelling hardware option and speaks to the growing consumer appetite for digital content from the PlayStation Network – particularly high-def content that showcases the power of the PS3 system."

Sony also stated in their press release that over 600 million "pieces of context" has sold on the Playstation Network since September 2009. Playstation Network content is also available for purchase via Amazon.com.

EEDAR (Electronic Entertainment Design and Research) analyst Jesse Divnich is putting his money down on the Playstation 3 coming out on top for sales in September. He estimates that 400,000 PS3s were sold, beating out the 375,000 Wii systems sold and 370,000 Xbox 360 consoles.

This could be the first time after three years and $300 worth of price cuts along the way, that the PS3 will be top dog. Sony announced a price cut to existing Playstation 3's and a new PS3 slim version at the end of August. The PS3 Slim launched September 1st and has sold over 1 million units.  This could be a turning point for a system that has lagged behind its 10 year predecessor the Playstation 2, and a company that has lagged behind rivals Microsoft and Nintendo. It has even been suggested that the PS3 may be in short supply this holiday season.

Though EEDAR shows the PS3 as the chart topping console for the month, their top 10 games only features one PS3 title (Batman:Arkham Asylum) and the remainder mostly going to Wii and Xbox 360.

Online retail giant Amazon will now have offer Playstation Network access codes for downloadable content and games for the PS3 and PSP. Available today, Amazon has expanded their Playstation 3 section with PSN content, similar to what they have already done with the Xbox Live Arcade and WiiWare. Users can purchase the content through Amazon and will receive an access code they can use on their PSP or PS3.

"With more than 600 million pieces of content downloaded to date, consumers are turning to PlayStation Network more than ever for digitally distributed entertainment content," said Peter Dille, senior vice president of Marketing and PlayStation Network. "We are excited to team with Amazon.com to expand our reach with Amazon's market leading ability to target current and future PlayStation consumers."

Playstation owners jonesin' for PSN content can purchase it while they're at work or away from their beloved PS3, and it will also allow PSN content to be more easily gifted.

In celebration of the new section Amazon is offering one free PSN game with the purchase of the PS3 Slim.

Sony was hot with announcements at the Tokyo Game Show. It was announced that since its September 1 release, 1 million PS3 Slims have been sold. On the heel of the news it was also announced that the UK would be getting special 250GB Bundles.

There will be three bundles in October for 285 pounds ($464 US). The first, on October 1st, will include the 250GB PS3 Slim console, and a copy of the game Infamous or two platinum games. The second will be available October 16th and will include the same 250GB PS3 Slim console and a copy of Uncharted 2. The third bundle on October 19th will feature the 250GB console, and Blu-ray movies Wolverine and The Dark Knight.

Japan will be getting its own 250GB limited edition Final Fantasy bundle in December which will feature a white FF character console and a copy of Final Fantasy XIII.

Since the PS3 price drop and the release of the PS3 Slim, Sony has been seeing some spectacular gains in sales. So much in fact, its CEO warns that PS3s could be in short supply this holiday season. "We are up about 300 percent over where we were pre-price drop," says CEO Jack Tretton. "We are up significantly versus last year."

The price drop let the PS3 slip ahead of the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 in sales for the first time, but it is uncertain for how long since the Xbox 360 dropped their price days after Sony, and it is highly suspect the the Wii will be getting a price drop in the next couple weeks.

Tretton also stated that he expects the price cuts and popular games lineup for the holiday season to lift the entire video game industry, which has been suffering from the poor economy.

"In a very difficult economy, I couldn't be more optimistic about our fortunes for the rest of the year and for the future," he said.

But he noted that higher demand for the PS3 could leave some retailers out of stock.

"If things continue at this pace, it is conceivable that there will be product shortages," Tretton said.

Sony released an optional update to the recently released 3.0 firmware. After the 3.0 update, players began to complain that games such as Uncharted were freezing, requiring a restart. According to Sony this is an optional update "improves system stability during use of some PlayStation 3 format software". This is meant to fix the freezing issues players have been having as well.

3.01 updaters will also see a button to order Papa John's pizza directly from their PS3. Located on the main browser page next to YouTube, the button will lead to a Playstation specific version of the Papa John's website which has game advertisements. It can be seen here: http://www.papajohns.com/playstation/index.shtm

Sony firmly announced that PS2 backwards compatibility would not be coming back. While early models of the PS3 has capability to play some PS2 games, the feature was later axed. In an interview with Ars Technica, John Koller stated "[Backwards compatibility is] not coming back, so let me put that on the table. But it's all people ever talk about!" Sony hardware marketing director also said, "It's not as big as a purchase intent driver as you may be hearing," he  explained. "We've got such a substantial lineup of titles on the PS3; most people are buying  the PS3 for PS3 games. They've buying it for PS3 games and Blu-ray movies ."

Koller added to his previous statements in a separate interview with Kotaku "most consumers that are purchasing the PS3 cite PS3 games as a primary [reason]...it's well into the 80 or 90 percentile range who are purchasing it for PS3 [games]. We do know that there are next gen consumers wanting to come over the the PS3. Most of those are consumers who have not utilized their PS2 for a little while and they're ready to jump into the PlayStation 3."

PS2 enthusiasts should dust off their old systems or go buy a new one, otherwise those old PS2 games won't see any action.

Sony announced today that the highly rumored PS3 Slim is in fact, real. The PS3 Slim will be available in September with a price tag of $299.The PS3 Slim will be 33% smaller and 36% lighter than the current models. It will also feature an 120gb hard drive and use 34% less power. It will ship with the same 2.76 firmware so an update to 3.0 will be required. As with other models, the PS3 Slim will not be backwards compatible. The console features more rounded curves than its angular predecessor, but will have the same slot-loading disc drive and 2 USB ports. A significant change in the design features actual Power/Eject instead of the touch sensitive ones.

In addition to the announcement of the PS3 Slim, the prices on all existing models of PS3 will be dropping tomorrow also to the tune of $299.

Sony's announcement comes from Gamescom 2009.

K-mart displayed banners on their website announcing that the PS3 "Rumors are Reality". There was, however, no listing for a PS3 Slim model, and none of the PS3 listings reflected any sort of price change.

Analysts and hopefuls predict Sony will make the announcement at this weeks Gamescom 2009 in Europe.

UPDATE (9:30 a.m. CST):  I just went to the Kmart website and have seen this update! PS3 Slim Pre-sell on August 24, 2009. A listed price of $299.99!!

After perusing Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, Gamestop, I haven't found any other listings or advertisements. The hunt continues!

http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&partNumber=018W014436760001P&adCell=W2&catalogId=10104

UPDATE (11:00 a.m. CST): The banners and presale listing have since been removed from the K-Mart website. Another teaser! 

Rumors abound, Engadget has found a listening on Germany's Amazon site for a "Playstation 3 Konsole Slim". There is no release date, price, description, or pretty much anything but it did appear to be a true Amazon listing. The listing seems to be missing as of today.

There is hope!