NEW YORK: Users of PlayStation 3 gaming console will be able to download Sony movies and television shows on the console soon, says its maker Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.
The company's president of Worldwide Studios Phil Harrison said the new facility will enable PS 3 owners to download all kinds of digital content to their console -- "not just games but movies, music, HD, standard definition TV."
Harrison said in a recent press interview the proposed service is very close to launching and with the built-in Blu-ray player and large hard drive, the PS 3 is ready to take full advantage of the service. It could become the main tool in the center of every home's entertainment system, he added.
The new service is intended at Microsoft, whose Xbox 360 is capable of downloading video content using the Xbox Live video service. Observers say PS3 has an advantage with his relatively large hard drive, which will enable users to buy video content outright. Sony had built high-capacity hard drives into the PS3 right from the start, with some models providing up to 60 GB of storage space.
Harrison said Sony made a very conscious decision in putting a hard drive in every machine and the company sees the long term benefits of the hard drive.
The service may also affect Apple's iTunes Music Store. Apple too has been talking of making its iPod the epicenter of digital home entertainment system. Sony has already started a service that enables users to download and view movies on its PlayStation Portable, making it a direct competitor with iPod.
