Just hitting UK shelves in time for the holidays is a 720p, 22-inch Sony Bravia television with a unique feature -- a full-fledged disc-based PlayStation 2 integrated into the television's stand.
The Sony KDL22PX300 is sized for smaller spaces, and is listed by UK retailer Richer Sounds for £199 (about $315).
Also onboard the unit is Bravia Internet Video, which allows access to select on-demand media. There's no word of plans for a U.S. release of a similar PS2 TV.
A manual for the television [PDF] shows two PS2 memory card slots, two controller ports and two USB ports built into the TV/console's face, plus a USB port behind the monitor. The integrated console also has its own Ethernet port, separate from that of the television monitor. Additionally, the TV itself has four HDMI ports.
A sliding door on top of the base reveals the PS2's disc drive, which can play video DVDs and audio CDs as well as PS2 games.
The new model could serve as a rudimentary hint of the future, as companies examine the role of gaming- and internet-ready television sets in the marketplace.
For example, in May this year, Sony and other companies backed Google TV, a web-for-TV platform that could make web-based gaming friendly for the living room. Sony released Google-ready televisions this fall.
At CES in 2009, Toshiba placed the PlayStation 3's Cell processor in one of its TVs, demonstrating the chip's ability to upscale resolutions in real time.
As Sony is a major manufacturer of televisions and gaming hardware, marrying PlayStation technology with its TV expertise is a natural fit.
As early as 2006, "Father of PlayStation" Ken Kutaragi, former CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, said in an interview, "As a terminal, consider the flatscreen televisions in ordinary households. If you turn all these televisions into computers, the potential broadens greatly."
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Anyway, Sony reminds me of the guy that can make a better burger than McDonalds. But can you market the burger, make it appealing to customers, have attractive packaging, have a true sense of longevity, to one day have a sign that reads "OVER A BILLION SERVED".
But they are going in the right direction with Kevin Butler and those hilarious PS3 commercials. (I love that Gran Turismo 5 one). I just wish they would've came out of the gate with Mr Butler and the slogan "It only does....EVERYTHING".