Some sore heads at PC World Towers this morning after the PlayStation3 launch last night. The graphics did blow me away. And buying a PS3 (for $1200) is the best way to pick up a Blu-Ray player (standalone Blu-Ray players form Panasonic, Sony and other cost around $2500) - especially since critics are rating the PS3 as just as good a movie player as standalone players(PS2 and the original Xbox having a reputation as being a little jaggy).

Sony is very obviously going boots-and-all for Blu-Ray. Every PS3 has a Blu-Ray player, and at the launch last night Sony was also pushing Vaio laptops with Blu-Ray, and Sony Pictures Blu-Ray releases (as a DVD Unlimited member, I was happily surprised to see a small selection of Blu-Ray titles immediately available for rent).

Microsoft, by contrast, has voiced strong support for HD-DVD, but hedged its bets by only supplying an HD-DVD drive for the Xbox 360 as an add-on (albeit for an extremely reasonable $249). Why not product a combo HD-DVD/Blu-Ray add-on drive for the Xbox 360? Microsoft's at its best when supporting open standards, and being hardware agnostic. And it would really hit Sony where it hurts.

While they looked gorgeous, none of the PS3 games on show last night had any breakthrough features. Given that the PS3 lacks a breakthrough interface like the Nintendo Wii's motion sensing controller, it really needs a smash title that can lift it like Grand Turismo helped to make the PS2.

Nevertheless, EA and Activision announced quite a strong slate of PS3 games for NZ release this morning, including a PS3 version of Call of Duty, Tony Hawk's Project 8, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Fight Night Round 3, Need for Speed Carbon, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 and The Godfather The Don's Edition.

How's the battle shaping up so far? Microsoft NZ says the Xbox 360 has sold 35,000 units here during its first year, while Sony says the PS3 has clocked record pre-orders and expects to sell 7000 units during its first month (worldwide, PS2 is still outselling PS3 and consolidating its position as by far and away the world's most popular console - though this partly reflects Sony's blue laser production difficulties).

In terms of online console gaming, Microsoft NZ is developing what could become an unassailable lead. A spokeswoman says a surprisingly high 50% of NZ Xbox 360 buyers have registered for Xbox Live, which has been heavily promoted. Sony, by contrast, didn't mention online gameplay at all last night during its main presentation, and earlier a PR rep said there were no plans for local servers until more interest developed. Build it, guys, and they will come.

Lastly, on a design note: Sony people always used to mock the Xbox for having a curved top, which means you can't stack any components on it if you want to lie it horizontally. PS3 has .... a curved top.