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PS3 SIX AXIS wins Emmy for Technology and Engineering [Update 1]

by Mike Bantick

Tuesday, 09 January 2007

Tonight at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) the Sony games controller will receive an award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Do Wii agree? [Update: well it turns out the Sony Press machine got it slightly wrong]

The PS3 controller deserves acknowledgment as a well engineered and constructed piece of technology.

Next-Gen is reporting on the iconic hardware now adding an Emmy to its list of accolades. Wirelessly connected and sensing (as is obvious by the name) six degrees of motion, which can be harnessed by clever software developers, providing intuitive control into their on screen worlds.

The associated Sony press release indicates that the award is due to the PS3 controller drawing inspiration from its PS2 predecessor, which, simply due to popularity, has set the benchmark for game controllers the world over.

[Update1: turns out we were correct to be suspicious - the award was handed out to Sony, for a game controller, but not the Six Axis PS3 one. No, the award was for the PS2 original rumble controller - The Sony press statement just made a slight mistake - ooops. Still good publicity hey ? ]

Seems to me that the PS3 SIX AXIS controller has a more obvious partner in the world of wireless game play, the Nintendo Wii-mote which matches the PS3 features, and ups the anti with rumble technology, in built speaker and nun chuck connector.

Why would Sony receive this award at this time? Even Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Corporation Entertainment America acknowledges that it may be a bit early to bestow accolades; "The full potential of this powerful machine has yet to be realized -- what you've seen so far is just a taste of what will be on the table for 2007 and years to come."

Up coming games such as Warhawk may well exploit the SIX AXIS device potential to a greater degree than the current crop of available PS3 titles.

Depending on how well developers continue to support the innovation of the Wii and PS3 hardware will determine the success of the technology, but one thing is true, the idea is a hit with the public as many a Wii sports session at my own home can attest.

This award has been given out too early, but, even as I write this, I realise that it would not be the first award to be given out prematurely, before true potential is reached. Now where did I put that Milli Vanilli CD?
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