PS3 production has started?

[T2k]

http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2006/07/18/afx2888056.html

Taiwan's Asustek Computer to deliver PS3 consoles to Sony from this month
07.18.2006, 08:45 PM

TAIPEI (XFN-ASIA) - Asustek Computer Inc (2357.TW) will deliver PlayStation 3 game consoles to Sony Corp this month as the Japanese firm moves to step up output to meet demand for the Christmas shopping season, the Commercial Times reported, without citing a source.

The first consignment is for 4 mln units, the report said, noting that monthly shipments will start at 200,000 units, rising to 2 mln in October.

Meanwhile the report noted that, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd (2317.TW), will soon begin making the PS3 consoles for Sony as well.

http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20060719PB202.html

Asustek ships PS3, CyberTAN may land PS3-use Wi-Fi module orders
Apple Daily and Commercial Times, July 19; Jessie Shen, DigiTimes.com [Wednesday 19 July 2006]

The Chinese-language Apple Daily and Commercial Times reported today that Asustek Computer started shipments of PlayStation 3 game consoles in small volume since the beginning of July, with the first consignment to total four million units. The worldwide debut of Sony's PS3 is expected to take place on November 11.

In addition, Sony will likely place PS3-use Wi-Fi module orders with Taiwan contract suppliers, with CyberTAN Technology being the most likely beneficiary, according to the Apple Daily.

After the first batch of PS3 shipments from Asustek, Foxconn Electronics (the registered trade name of Hon Hai Precision Industry) will also supply Sony's PS3 game consoles when demand rises, indicated the Apple Daily. The paper cited sources at Taiwan component suppliers as saying that about 200,000 component sets were shipped to Asustek in June and the volume will grow this month. From September to October, the suppliers estimate to ship more than one million sets to the game console manufacturer, the paper added.

Asustek declined to comment on the report.

http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20060719PB202.html

Sony PlayStation 3 Production Has Begun – Reports.
Asustek Computer Ships PlayStation 3 Consoles

Category: Multimedia

by Anton Shilov

[ 07/18/2006 | 11:52 PM ]

Asustek Computer, one of the world’s largest producers of computer components, has reportedly begun to ship Sony PlayStation 3 game consoles to Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The fact that the consoles are being manufactured means that the hardware specs had been finalized and the launch will take place in mid-November.

The Chinese-language Apple Daily and Commercial Times newspaper reported late on Tuesday that Asustek Computer started shipments of PlayStation 3 (PS3) game consoles in small volume in the beginning of July, according to DigiTimes web-site. According to a report, about 200 thousand component sets were shipped to Asus in June, which means that the company is in position to build 200 thousand game consoles. It is also said that in July the Taiwanese builder will receive higher amount of component sets for the PS3, while in September and October the company will get “more than one million [component] sets.

Sony promised to have 2 million PlayStation 3 consoles available during the launch window and ship 4 million PS3s worldwide by the end of 2006. By March 2007 the company plans to supply 6 million game consoles to the market.

Foxconn Electronics is also projected to build the new generation game consoles for Sony. However, the news-paper did not unveil any shipment schedules for the company, claiming that the company will start assembly operations “when demand rises”. Given that the PS3 is not on sale just now, the demand may only rise until after the launch.

The two versions of the PlayStation 3 game consoles – for $499 and $599 – will be launched on 11th of November in Japan and on the 17th of November in Australia, Europe, U.S. and other regions.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20060718235111.html

Whereas it indeed sounds exciting, there are several mysterious questions surronding it...

1. Where are the final specs? There are still no final clock speeds for Cell or the video chip. How is it mfr'ed without announcing it, together with final specs? One possibility is...

2. ...if Sony has lowered or planning to lower the target clocks and don't want to publicize this thing until it becomes certain.
BTW it is a long-rumoured theory: another Sony unit with lowered final specs (kinda like PSP is running at 222MHz instead of its full 333MHz clock), particularly lower-clocked CPU - this would be a real marketing nightmare for SCEI.

3. Another eye-popping thing is the production scale and pace: start with 200k per month in July but 2M units per month by October? that's pretty steep... I'm not saying it's not going to happen but I'm doubtful they will be able to ramp up the production at Asustek so fast...

Of course, maybe the whole story is false - heck, all these news pieces are based on the same lone anonym source.

 

[korsjs]

with so many questions, i would be very hesitant to buy a ps3 at launch.

 

[JoeSp]

Guys, please, if they have gone to production and over 200 have been delivered to Sony already the specs are done. We will know these specs when someone sees a PS3 working and gets the answers to the right questions.

 

[teamerickson]

Guys, please, if they have gone to production and over 200 have been delivered to Sony already the specs are done. We will know these specs when someone sees a PS3 working and gets the answers to the right questions.

Rumor. They haven't been delivered yet?

 

[JamesJ]

"The rumors haven't been confirmed, so take them with a grain of salt. "
This is quoted from right after their write up on the PS3

 

[T2k]

Guys, please, if they have gone to production and over 200 have been delivered to Sony already the specs are done. We will know these specs when someone sees a PS3 working and gets the answers to the right questions.

Priceless.