US Air Force is a huge PS3 fanboy, buys 2,200 systems

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1:40 PM on 11.23.2009, Dale North

45 comments

US Air Force is a huge PS3 fanboy, buys 2,200 systems photo

#PS3 #Sony

Remember "Blast Processing" from the 16-bit days? It wasn't really a thing. More marketing, really. At the start of this current generation of consoles, I thought Sony's Cell processor was a similar load of marketing crap. It turned out to be a legitimately powerful CPU that groups sought out for functions other than gaming. The latest group is the United States Air Force, who just purchased 2,200 PS3s. Fanboys?

They're making a supercomputer with the systems, grouping these 2,200 systems with the 336 ones they already have in place to make one massive number crunching research machine. Information Week says that they've already conducted plenty of research with similar Cell beasts. Processing radar images, high-res video, and even brain-like computing have been tried. Up next? The smoothest session of multiplayer Uncharted 2 ever.

So, why Cell processors in a PS3? They're cheap and powerful. They tried making a similar supercomputer out of multicore Xeon processors. It turned out to be a more expensive and slower unit.

[via IW, Kotaku]

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45 comments | showing # 1 to 45

Steel Brotha

Wow..... Oh America. Guess they're preparing for the alien invasion by developing weapons from Resistance Fall of Man.

aaronf

I want a Cell desktop.

Shadowiii

Huh, I wouldn't have thought that. Nice to know they made the Xeon FIRST, then apparently trashed it and then made the PS3 one. My tax dollars at work! At least they could now have THE ENTIRE AIR FORCE playing MAG at the same time.

Also, in before Sexualchocolate somehow concludes this means the Xbox sucks.

HEL105

Even the Air Force waited until after the price drop.

Fearzone

I wonder if it is the older or slim PS3s they are using.

MrSadistic

good luck finding any decent games to play on ur gayass3, USAF

Strollymonster

There's a reason that PS3 exports are monitored by the US government; they qualify as "dual-use" technology that could be used in weapon systems.

Dale North

HEL105 - hahahaha

linuxguy

this just in: US air force buys 2200 uncharted 2.
I want a relevant kevin butler ad

BS3 Owner

@ Mr Sadistic
Tom Clancy's : H.A.W.X.

@ Dale
There is no such thing as Uncharted 2 MP, it's a lie!

JulianProxy

This to me says that IBM wouldn't have had to phase out Cell processor development, if they could figure out an economical way to sell Cell-based machines other than the PS3. Actually, if they could have gotten something like that going, they could have sold even better Cell processors lightly networked together instead of PS3s.

shinryu108

EPIC LANs.

linuxguy

These must be the last few fat ps3s out there. Get'em while you can governments/evil organisations

TOEmastro

I remember an article a little bit back when they said that it was the ability to use linux for the crime fighting thing before. So that would mean it was the BIG box o-blu ray

pascuz46

Good for Sony I guess. Its money right?

Ignominus

Good to see the gubment putting over half a million tax dollars back into the American economy....oh wait

timtheterrible

That actually really sucks for Sony if you think about it. If they still lose x amount of dollars every time a PS3 is sold, knowing that the Air Force won't be buying any software, it's pretty safe to say that Sony got screwed on this one.

Ruben Hanssen

@Ignominus: They saved a lot of tax dollars that can be used for other things by going this route...

PhazonYoshi

@aaronf; An i7 has the whole 8 cores thing going, and a low-spec one will outperform a cell. More expensive though.

father33

Imagine if they had bought 360's and our entire missle defense system having a red ring of literal death! Zing!

father33

Imagine if they had bought 360's and our entire missle defense system having a red ring of literal death! Zing!

Emrah

Sony should sell linux enabled slims at a premium price. Prabably one tick above break-even. The cell's power should not be denied to scientific community!

Deny Everything

timetheterrible, with all the news about PS3's being used for it's processing power, it makes me wonder why Sony doesn't develop a cost-efficient model that they can sell for that purpose.

Rinsako

@timtheterrible

Technically it would suck more not to sell the PS3. Even though they would lose money on each unit they would lose even more money on unsold units. Unless Sony has no PS3s in stock, selling off your inventory is always more favorable than retaining it over the fiscal year ignoring any possible deduction from keeping an inventory resorve or amortization of the value of the inventory.

Miguelcar808

@Ignominus

That's not how the economy works.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_Trade#Warren_Buffett_on_trade_deficits

sewerraccoon

most entertaining server rack ever...

Kalakaua

Just had a thought... if those 336 PS3's they already have are the older backwards compatible PS3's. The air force could totally sell it at a high price and then purchase newer slims for lower cost. Heck they might even turn a profit? Especially when you think the value gained from already using them as they have. Only problem is someone I'm sure would forget to erase the hard drives and confidential government secrets would get out that way.

BS3 Owner

@ father33
Oh Snap! No you did not just go there.

Bigmoose85

Thats my government... they know greatness, TREY 4 LIFE!

whateverthismeanstoyou

@HEL105
You win this round of quick, quirky humor.

@Father33
I am getting tired of RROD jokes. I have three 360s and one RROD and the other two works fine. I do have one PS3, but it's not used as much and collecting dust in the media center. And have you heard of YLOD?

rpbowlinggod

Really guys? The USAF got schooled by the Marines so now its mandatory Medal of Honor: Modern Warfare 2 playtime. Or else the ol US armed forces are training for the real "No Russian" level.

brainderailment

@Kalakaua, good observation, but I'm betting they aren't buying slims simply because of their (out of the retail box at least) inability to have linux installed on them. But it's probable that they could have sony give them slims that do allow linux installation.

father33

@whateverthimeanstoyou
a) I am aware that the rrod is not that much of an issue anymore.
b) just joking around pal.
c) why do you have that many 360's?
d) I had no idea what a ylod was until now when I looked it up... which is a good thing.
e)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CJyn9MmePA&sns=em

father33

f) gamers, don't fight! unite!

Quest

MrSadistic said
good luck finding any decent games to play on ur gayass3, USAF

You would prefer XGAY360 a super computer with half cpu down because of RROD and halosuk

whateverthismeanstoyou said:
And have you heard of YLOD?

Once or twice in 3 years ... but i heard about 350 RROD once or twice per week

Kooichi

That's pretty cool xD

AfroWalrus

This just in, the Air Force is hiring midgets.

Reeper

Makes me proud to be a member :)

Reeper

P.s. Header image is not a dude in the USAF.

Ymber Exustio

I guess the PS3 really can cure cancer now.

Holyetheline

My brother designs airplanes that can 100% fly themselves for the Air Force... he makes BANK. I don't know anything else but he did mention that when the PS3 launched they had about 200 in his department for these cell processors.

Baleur

@Holeytheline, no he doesnt.

fundando

It only does...
I wonder what the actual functions is for all these ps3's

Miles Perzewski

Everything is an understatement.

lewness

Now how about them logging onto Home and dancing all at the same time?

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