Sony’s game consoles are solidly built and super reliable, sure there’s the occasional issue, but they don’t exactly suffer the RRoD. Even so, things can happen. And if you’re willing to pay for peace of mind, Sony has a new service agreement.

The “PlayStation Protection Plan,” extends the full warranty on your PlayStation 3 or PSP for another year or two. Sony’s plan requires you to mail your system to Sony and wait for the repair or replacement system; GameStop’s warranty allows you to turn in your system and leave with a replacement. Apparently controllers and cables are included with the GameStop protection plan, while Sony only covers the system itself.

Right now, Xbox Live releases content like new downloadable games on Tuesdays while PSN doesn’t offer content until Thursday. But in May, Sony will now move weekly updates to Tuesdays to compete with Microsoft.

Now you’ll be able to get content as soon as your Xbox friends so you can stick your tongue out at them and act all superior. Or if not superior at least equal. Take that Microsoft.

It doesn’t seem like much of a prediction, but Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter foresees a new slim Xbox 360 hardware configuration before 2011 rolls around. More specifically he thinks that the new slim version will feature a 250GB hard drive with Project Natal bundled with it, without any price reduction or increase.

That means you would be getting the bundle for the $299 price point. Unless of course, Sony lowers the price of the PS3. Then it may go down to compete with Sony.

The image above apparently shows a new model of the Xbox 360. For the first time the console combines the CPU and the GPU in a single chip and it’s smaller. Testing has recently been completed in China. It’s not just a new board for the existing hardware, it’s supposedly a total redesign of the console, like the PS3 Slim.

This remains rumor for now, so take it with a grain of salt, but it makes sense with Natal launching later this year. And since the PS3 slimmed down, the XBox 360 would want to shed some pounds as well.

So that PlayStation Network problem that hit late last night is apparently a serious disaster now. Sony is now saying that you shouldn’t use “fat” PS3 models at all, since a clock-related bug might cause some data loss.

Go ahead and use your PS3 slim. It isn’t affected. And that’s why there have been conflicting reports since last night. Sony says it is working to get it fixed in the next 24 hours, but for the moment fat PS3 owners should just go outside and experience real life. Maybe meet a girl, settle down.

If you are a big PS3 fan that has been trying to play games online or just get online period, you may have noticed an error today. All across the world, numerous reports are coming in that the network is having issues often giving an obscure error message.

PS3 games with online functionality are reportedly not working either. Most of the issues are seemingly seen by users of older consoles before the Slim. Some theories claim the issue is a calendar error on older consoles.

Want a new look for your PS3? Anything beats the usual black, but the XCM Cyberchrome PS3 case makes your console look extra sexy. Check out that shiny chrome exterior. Hey, it will match your vintage toaster and let you admire yourself while playing games.

It will cost you $70, but at least your PS3 will stand out from the crowd. Maybe blind you when the light shines into your dark gaming abode, after an all night gaming session.

Some of you are no doubt still using that bulky, loud and power hungry, original PS3. Maybe the Slim didn’t get your attention. Well, Sony is still hoping that you want something in a slim according to FCC documents.

The two documents don’t go into detail about any of the changes, but it looks like these two models are physically similar to the current Slims that are already available. They sport Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi but that’s about all we know.

Ok Goldfinger, so you got the whole pad decked out in gold and you run around the place all day shouting “Mine. Mine. All mine” like Daffy Duck hopped up on speed. Whatever floats your boat. Here’s one thing you don’t have in gold yet. But you can buy it. For a small fortune. Computer-Choppers latest creation is a new PS3 Slim covered in 24k gold.

There will only be 5 of these available worldwide, making them extremely rare as well as extremely shiny. No info on pricing, but if you have to ask…

The idea here is that if you buy a Bravia TV, they’ll throw a PS3 at it for you. Or something. Clever Australian marketing. Take one 46-inch Bravia TV KDL46X LCD and launch a PS3 Slim into it at 50 MPH. It’s sure to go viral. Or so they hope.

It’s a slow motion thing of beauty. Much more graceful than watching a Wiimote assault a TV. Very satisfying. So the moral of the story is to get yourself a PS3 along with that TV, because there are better ways to connect the two.

At last! Already released as a series of bundles in the UK, Sony has announced a November release date for the North American 250GB PlayStation 3 Slim. It goes on sale on November 3rd, just in time to gift to yourself for Christmas.

This unit is the same size and shape as the 120GB PlayStation 3 Slim, it just has slightly over double the hard drive space. interestingly, the system seems to be priced a tad lower than its UK counterparts at $349.99.

Well, we had previously heard that a 250GB version of the PS3 Slim would be showing up and now it looks like those rumors were right. Some pictures of a 250GB PS3 Slim have been spotted at retail.

The 250GB PS3 Slim is listed as “in stock” on Amazon.co.uk, but it’s not arriving until October 6th. But it is for sale at some retail store in Europe apparently right this instant.

Our favorite modder Ben Heck is at it again. The man never stops. I swear, he isn’t human. He just keeps churning out masterpieces. This time, it’s a sleek pin-striped laptop based on the new PS3 Slim that looks retro. Just like his Xbox 360 laptop, this one has a 17-inch Gateway 1775W screen at 1280 x 720 resolution.

Some other features include a storage space for the power cord, Blu-ray drive, and even an Iron Man Arc reactor-inspired fan grill. It could have been even smaller, but he wanted the 17-inch display.

Pretty much everyone has heard by now that the Nintendo Wii is getting a price cut to $199. The cut has been reported as confirmed; but that confirmation was from a third party, not directly from Nintendo.

Nintendo has now gone officially official with the new price cut, which is set to go into effect on Sunday September 27. That is the day that we were expecting the price cut to hit on. I wonder if Nintendo rushed the official announcement out because so many leaks of the new price had been made.

I think most gamers knew that when the PS3 Slim was unveiled at the $299 price point that the other console makers would have to cut prices to compete. Microsoft shortly after matched the $299 price and Nintendo has now gone official with a new $199 price of the Wii.

If you have any doubts that the new price would mean robust sales for the PS3 Slim, let them go now. Sony announced that since the price cut went into effect three weeks ago the PS3 Slim has now sold 1 million units worldwide.