History
Sony officially unveiled the PlayStation 3 to the public on May 16, 2005, during the 2005 E3 conference. A functional version of the console was not present at E3 2005 nor the Tokyo Game Show in September 2005, although at both events demonstrations were held on devkits (e.g. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots) and comparable PC hardware, and video footage based on the predicted PlayStation 3 specifications was also shown (e.g. Mobile Suit Gundam).[8] It was not until E3 2006 that games were shown on actual PlayStation 3 systems.[citation needed] At E3 2005, Sony said the PlayStation 3 would have two HDMI and three Ethernet ports. This was later reduced to one of each, presumably to cut costs.[9] The PS3 is capable of HD video output at resolutions of up to 1080p (1920 × 1080 progressive scan). Both models of the PlayStation 3 ship with a built-in 2× Blu-ray Disc drive.[10] In preparation for launch, Sony demonstrated 27 playable PS3 titles during the Tokyo Game Show in September 2006 on final hardware.
White and Silver models have been on display at Sony's conferences in E3 and the Tokyo Game Show, but as of yet no details on their release dates have been announced.
The console was released on November 11, 2006, in Japan; November 17, 2006, in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Hong Kong and Taiwan; March 7, 2007 in Singapore; March 22, 2007 in the Middle East; and on March 23, 2007 in Europe, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand; and April 27, 2007 in India. It is available in two initial configurations, the 20 GB Basic model and the 60 GB Premium model. However, Sony discontinued the 20 GB model in the US and Canada on April 11, 2007, citing a lack of consumer demand. The 20 GB model is still on sale in Japan, but has yet to be released in PAL territories
