Hirai talks PS3 web browsing, movie downloading

PlayStation 3 may allow users to browse the web and download movies directly over the Internet, but online is only one part of the firm's overall strategy according to Sony Computer Entertainment America boss Kaz Hirai.

Speaking to US magazine EGM, Hirai said that the advent of HDTV displays makes web browsing on a console device practical, and said that "there's really no reason why we or some other software publisher can't come out with a web browser."

He also revealed that it will be possible to plug a standard USB keyboard or other USB peripherals into the USB ports on the front of the PlayStation 3, and said that the decision on whether to ship a web browser would be based on consumer demand for the feature.

Regarding the downloading of media from the Internet, a feature which was originally discussed for the PlayStation 2 and has now been touted for its successor, Hirai commented that while the technology to download movies was available for PS2, the infrastructure was not.

"When we talked about PS2 back in '99, I believe, it was obviously the technology we had," he said. "The other half is obviously the infrastructure - unfortunately, we don't control it. And I think that the broadband networks, the adoption of broadband and hopefully, you know, faster broadband, is something that consumers are going to adopt very quickly."

"Once we have the infrastructure and we have the technology, then you're good to go," he continued. "You've got to have both sides of the equation."

However, Hirai was careful to note that while PS3 will have a strong focus on online functionality, it's only one element of the company's approach with the console - and he criticised Microsoft's heavy reliance on Xbox Live to differentiate their offering, saying that "they seem to really put their eggs in the online basket."

"I think especially with this generation of hardware - not PS3, but PS2 - I've said from day one that online is not the be-all end-all," he explained. "It's a great experience. It's a very important thing that we embark on... But we also don't want to lost sign of the fact that it's all about great content."

"Talking about online is great," he concluded, "like I said, I'm not belittling it. But there are other important aspects that one cannot forget to ensure success to move on and transition to the next generation."