http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 5:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
Except fight our battles overseas. ]]>Nov 25th 2009 11:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/]]>Nov 25th 2009 1:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
everything (n): All actions possible by machines or living organisms with the exception of PlayStation 2 software. ]]>Nov 25th 2009 4:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 5:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
They went the wrong way. 360s are they way to go when having some fun.

Not to mention our own U.S. Air Force just admitted that Japanese technology is better than good ol' American technology. ]]>Nov 25th 2009 11:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
360 = Xbox = Microsoft = American company = manufactured in China and other countries excluding Japan

If Japanese tech is superior, that would explain why they went with a Sony machine, no?]]>Nov 25th 2009 3:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
Both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 use IBM developed processor technology.]]>Nov 25th 2009 4:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
Yeah, I just said that, you idiot. Sony designed it in Japan, prototyped it, before it was mass produced. So was the 360, in America.

Idiot.]]>Nov 25th 2009 10:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
Soldiers indicates they work for the army. Airmen is the correct term for anyone serving in the US Air Force, even janitors are called Airmen.]]>Nov 26th 2009 4:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 5:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 7:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
The solicitation specifically is for the 160GB version (that was generally bundled with Uncharted). So yes, they are buying up the remaining 'fat' PS3s.]]>Nov 25th 2009 7:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/01/air-force-now-using-super-secure-version-of-windows-xp/ and I am sure they have some deal with sony and technical help on using another OS.

]]>Nov 25th 2009 10:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
I Doubt it, It's been a long time since XP ran on the PowerPC CPU. Most likely they are using a PPC linux distro.]]>Nov 25th 2009 11:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 11:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
The specified model is CECHP01 which is the older non-slim PS3.


UPC Number 711719803805

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=bac60f8808fa1e221597573901a7cd6b&tab=core&_cview=1&cck=1&au=&ck=]]>Nov 26th 2009 4:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 5:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 7:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
"Totally" is an adverb.]]>Nov 25th 2009 8:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
They'll have Snake On a Plane.]]>Nov 25th 2009 5:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 5:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/adjective]]>Nov 25th 2009 2:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 3:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 5:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 6:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
PS3 is way cheaper than buying IBMs... it's mass-produced and Sony has been selling PS3 at loss for since its launch. Make sense that our government entity is at least trying to cut down the cost while maximizing utility. What's wrong with that?]]>Nov 25th 2009 3:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/If the USAF is locked in with CELLs, that must be a fun meeting : "uuhm sir, they don't make those anymore ...."]]>Nov 25th 2009 6:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/"yes sir!"]]>Nov 25th 2009 6:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
It was the successor to the Powercell x8i that got scrapped, not the Cell in general.]]>Nov 25th 2009 6:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
On the shady side, however, you definitely had your share of folks who left by 2:30 every day and sometimes used a good portion of the day to raid the beer fridge and shoot the breeze.

The PS3 purchase for pleasure's sake wouldn't surprise me much.]]>Nov 25th 2009 6:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 6:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 6:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 6:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/"I am! Circle, Triangle, Square, Square..."]]>Nov 25th 2009 10:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 6:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 7:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
And do what with them exactly? It's not like you can just drop it into any old motherboard. The thing about the PS3 is that it is relatively inexpensive, readily available (at least for a little while longer since they are buying the 160GB version), and has a fixed design (i.e. the core hardware is functionally identical from revision to revision) so that replacements units or additional units can just be plugged in or swapped out.

The IBM supercomputers using their Cell variant are orders of magnitude more expensive and are not necessarily upgradeable as easily as a PS3 cluster.]]>Nov 25th 2009 7:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 8:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
Processors =/= blade servers.

But anyways, I suspect that part of the reason why they are doing this is to evaluate the performance of a larger scale cluster of PS3s. Seeing as not many people or organizations (or governments) can obtain IBM Cell blade servers but everyone with enough money and access to the internet can get PS3s, this may be a good way of figuring out how a similar setup could be used by an ambitious entity for an off-the-shelf supercomputer.

Or, as others have suggested, the USAF is intending to use them for a simulated war on the Playstation Network.]]>Nov 25th 2009 9:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
While is way more expensive to buy a ps3 instead to buy coltan, but it is more easy to ask for 2.200 ps3 instead of buy directly this material.

]]>Nov 25th 2009 7:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/go watch Rambo for christ sake
]]>Nov 25th 2009 7:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 8:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
It's kinda in Sony's best interest to pretend PS3s cost $800 to make and are a huge loss leader. Makes you feel like you're getting an awesome deal and adds to the mystique. but I'd be shocked if they haven't drastically, drastically reduced costs. I assume this was the entire point of the new PS3... to make a console that is profitable to sell. These AF PS3s are the old fat bodies, though. But there were many reports that that was not a loss leader anymore. It's really hard to say for sure, but this is Sony. Making electronic hardware is all they do, and they are very good at doing it for profit. ]]>Nov 25th 2009 11:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
Agreed. I doubt any losses on that size purchase would add up to much in the grand scheme.]]>Nov 25th 2009 12:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
Also, isn't there a PR boon to the PS3 being used for real supercomputing by one of the world's most advanced and technologically uncompromising organizations?

Let's say Sony loses $115 per console. That's $250,000... a very cheap ad campaign for Sony. But I again sincerely doubt the PS3 is really still a loss leader. Blu ray players, in particular, just aren't that expensive to make anymore. Things have scaled way out.]]>Nov 25th 2009 2:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 8:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 8:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/
Riot Shields: Check
Body Armor: Check
MP5: Optional]]>Nov 25th 2009 7:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/us-air-force-orders-up-2-200-more-ps3s-says-they-help-it-think/Nov 25th 2009 8:27AM