PlayStation 3 was a design marvel when released in 2006; a bargain supercomputer that was sold for well below cost.

A huge part of the PS3 cost was the investment in new chip factories to produce the Cell BE processor.

A few years ago I pointed out to a then retired intelligence operative that any old recalcitrant, like myself, could buy any number of second hand PS3s and build a PS3 cluster. I would then have in my possession a processing tool more powerful than most countries! Possibly a security nightmare.

It should be noted that the US Military–industrial complex (MIC) now buys thousands of PS3s and itself builds PS3 clusters…

In a firmware update to the ps3 about Mch/April 2010, Sony disabled the console’s “Install Other OS” feature!

This has become an ongoing big Sony Blue, though. The feature had already been removed from the current ps3 slim models but there were millions of older units already sold. Those with the “fat” models who had already installed another OS to their PS3 lost all of that data (if online) from the firmware update.

Sadly this was like SONY “mon amour” suddenly withholding sex for some of its customers.

Since the decision to completely disable the feature, hackers, negative articles and lawsuits are continuing to light up the Sony servers and headlines.

I sometimes wonder if the intelligence community had anything to do with this blue. For my part I think that any tool can be used for good or as a weapon for evil but you would not put a car in the hands of a ten year old. As for “Data Theft” this is just “Future Crime” and all Corporations, Governments and the Law will have to do the best they can.

declaration of interest

The Naif has shares in Sony Corporation (ADR) (Public, NYSE:SNE)