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Counterintuitive Design Choices in Gaming: PS3’s USB Ports
A Weekly Look at Utter Fail
by Coop
There have been many times this generation where we’ve gone to do something, be it charging a controller, installing software, or simply playing a game, and been met by horrid and counterintuitive design. These moments are incredibly frustrating not because the product isn't working, but because it is working precisely as intended. At one point, someone thought that these ideas were completely acceptable, sensible, and downright good choices to make. Looking back, this obviously isn’t a new phenomenon, and people have been making terrible choices for a while now, dating back to the earliest days of gaming.
Counterintuitive Design Choices in Gaming: PS3’s USB Ports
This generation, in a noble effort to move forward from past technology, Sony took several steps to create a more advanced feel for the PlayStation 3. It utilizes Bluetooth technology, shedding the need for any cords, and has most products using internal, rechargeable batteries that charge through a USB connection.
Luckily, the PlayStation 3 has a number of USB ports to use. Unluckily, as Sony cuts costs on the system they have been removing said ports, and what was four on the original models is now down to two.
Not only is this clearly not enough to support the system’s power hungry peripherals, but the system cannot charge anything through USB while in standby mode. Sony has decided not to bundle the Mini-B cables with most hardware that needs it in order to be charged, which seems assinine for a product that shouldn’t cost more than a dollar to make, and the cables they do bundle seem to be as short as possible, making “playing while charging” an incredibly difficult task. Of all of the aspects of the PlayStation 3, its USB ports and their poor functionality that seems to be the most shortsighted of the bunch.
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Comments
I thank everyone for warning me about this BS before I bought my PS3.
Might I add, that unlike the Xbox 360's, the Playstation controllers do not have removable battery packs. So when you are stuck with a dead sixaxis, you can't pop in fresh batteries or battery packs in an emergency situation.
These design flaws have been the most disappointing, which is good, I guess, considering some of the more serious issues surrounding the 360. But still....
i have never had my controller go completely dead.. its not hard to charge your controller while playing and the cords happen to be EVERYWHERE so its not hard to find one to use to charge the controllers.
I will take USB charging anyday over having to buy batteries or battery packs..
Yeah. I don't mind the two ports. The controllers really don't take long to charge, either. But for Christ's sake, why is the cable bundled with the system 2 feet long?
Also, clean that dust!
Yeah, while it is annoying that you can't charge your PS3 controllers while the system is off, and the cords are super short, it's not really much better than having to buy extra battery packs for the 360 controller. Each method has its own issues, I guess.
Coop, your PS3 is filthy, seriously. Do something about that.
That's the office PS3...