The PlayStation 3 wireless Bluetooth controller

The one part of the PlayStation 3 that gamers are really going to get to know very well is the controller, and for the PlayStation 3, Sony have made some crucial modifications to this vital bit of kit.

So, what are the changes?  Well, before looking at the changes, let’s look at the similarities.  The PlayStation 3 controller has the same two analog sticks, the same four-button complement on the left and right side and the same four buttons at the top of the controller.

Now for the changes:

• The shape – Sony have improved the design of the controller to allow for more delicate manipulation.  Whether this is true or just a style side-effect remains to be seen.
• Increased sensitivity – the PlayStation 2 controller featured 8-bit sensitivity while the new PlayStation 3 controller will have 10-bit sensitivity.
• The new controller will feature motion-sensing technology that can detect motion in six directions – up, down, left, right, forwards and backwards.
• No force-feedback vibration – Sony believed that this would interfere with the motion sensing technology.
• Wireless technology – The PlayStation controller will make use of Bluetooth 2.0 EDS wireless technology (as opposed to 2.4GHz RF used by the Xbox 360).  The controller will have a range of about 30 feet (10 meters) and a battery life of around 24 hours (compared to about 300 hours for the Xbox 360 controller).  The controller is recharged by connecting it to the PS3 using the USB cord (this can be done mid-game).
• The Bluetooth controller also means that the PlayStation 3 might be able to support other Bluetooth devices (such as headsets, mice and so on).
• The PSP can be used as a controller for the the PS3.

These are an interesting set of improvements tot he game controller and it is good to see that Sony have put a lot of thought to this part of the new console – it will be interesting to see if this translates into greater usability.  My main concern is that the lack of force-feedback might be noticeable to those that have come to enjoy this feedback when using the PS2.