Will the real game console please stand up?

The Sony PlayStation 3 video game console

Looks like the PlayStation 3 doesn't live up to its hype, or so it seemed. I remembered an excited buzz surrounding the PS3 about it having a whopping 160GB amount of storage within its salivating silver hull which was supposedly used for storing saved game files and many, many more things. But now, everything changed when Mr Ken Kutaragi slapped us hard by shoving this hard facts to us:

The PS3 would not be included with a hard disk drive.

He was quoted to have said this: "...no matter how much we put in it, it won't be enough". Now there's food for thought. How does one define enough is enough? Anyway, Mr Kutaragi did mentioned that there will be various HDD options for users to ponder upon, either choosing a 2.5-inch drive bay or in the form of network drive; we'll have to wait and see what that last option meant.

And that's not all, for the PS3 is purportedly said to be "able to run other PC operating systems too, such as Windows and Tiger, if the publishers want to do so". I presume that the OSes would need the HDD, but then that makes having a HDD mandatory. And the mother of all questions - is the OS really important (i.e. to run the PS3 or some other similar functions), or it's just another next-to-useless gimmick to attract consumers? Sony's screwing around with us gamers by making the HDD optional but mandatory, I just know it.

Somehow, the thought of using wireless joypads with rechargeable / removable batteries on a next-gen gaming console that requires an optional hard disk drive doesn't sound so exciting now unless Sony can give us a clearer picture of what they actually intend to do with the PS3. Yes, I remember Mr Kutaragi did say that the PS3 is more than just a gaming console, but it'll help heaps if there could be more explanation and information about the capabilities of the PS3 and not just trash-talking about other video game consoles.

What it'll be, Sony? Come away with hands clean or stick another skeleton in your already-crammed closet?