Source: Kotaku found a mention of an 80GB hard drive PlayStation 3 in one of Sony's filings with the Federal Communications Commission.

What we heard: In the past, one of the largest benefits home consoles had over their PC gaming counterparts was a uniform system configuration. Where PC game developers had to take into account a wide array of possible system configurations, console developers knew that each of their potential customers was using essentially the same system.

That changed this generation, because Microsoft launched the Xbox 360 in two different hardware configurations, followed by Sony offering a pair of PS3 packages at launch. Earlier this week, Microsoft announced the impending release of a third version of the Xbox 360, and now it appears Sony might be offering a new PS3 as well.

In a filing with the FCC, Sony requests permission for a change to the PS3's innards. In a letter dated March 2, Sony seeks approval for a few changes to its original approval of the PS3, which was granted September 16, 2006. In addition to tweaks to the system's Bluetooth module, Sony notes that it is adding a new model to the PS3 line, one with an 80GB hard drive (pictured).

There's no doubt that Sony made the filing and prepped and tested an 80GB hard drive for approval from the FCC. However, much like with patent filings and trademark applications, the mere fact that a company seeks approval for a product or a property doesn't necessarily mean it's going to do anything with it.

Even if Sony does decide to go forward with an 80GB model of the PS3 (a relatively tame bump up in storage space from the 60GB model already in stores), its arrival isn't necessarily imminent. Sony submitted its original PS3 test reports to the FCC on September 13 of last year, more than two months before the system's November 17 arrival on shelves. At the time, the unit being tested was designated as a production prototype. The equipment being tested in the 80GB filing from earlier this month doesn't even appear to be that far along in development, because Sony lists its status as an engineering prototype.

At the very least, Sony is toying with the idea of bringing out an 80GB PS3. It doesn't make much sense for the company to introduce a third PS3 model to go alongside the existing two if the only benefit is an extra 20GB of hard drive space, but perhaps Sony has more perks in mind for this version. Or maybe the company plans to take an iPod tack and releasing ever-more-impressive PS3s while maintaining the system's existing price points.

Whatever the case, the company spent weeks testing the equipment and prepared hundreds of pages of resulting reports for the FCC. That sounds like an awful lot of time and money to spend on a lark. It's a safe bet that Sony has plans for an 80GB PS3, but it's not necessarily just around the corner.

The official story: "As mentioned when we made the product announcement for PS3, the system will have different configurations (thus, 60GB HDD with memory card slots and Wi-Fi and 20GB HDD without memory card slots or Wi-Fi both exists). Application to the FCC has been made with various possibilities in mind; however, it does not lead to a new product announcement at this time."--A Sony representative.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus.

A bonus is that these new PS3s will be able to upscale selected PS1 and PS2 titles to 720p/1080i high definition. That is something the original PS3s shipped to the US cannot do!

This week, speculation spiked that the 20GB version of the PlayStation 3 was on its way out. It came after the official Sony Style online store removed the "basic" model of the PlayStation 3 from its Web site. Today, the US online stores of Amazon.com, Best Buy, GameStop, EB Games, and Circuit City were also longer listing the 20GB model, which retails for $499.

[UPDATE] As it turns out, there was a good reason for the 20GB PS3 vanishing--it's being officially phased out. "Initial retail demand in North America was upwards of 90 percent in favor of the 60GB [PS3], so we manufactured and shipped-in accordingly," said Dave Karraker, Sony Computer Entertainment America's senior director of PR. "Due to the overwhelming demand for the 60GB model from both retailers and consumers, we have ceased offering the 20GB model here in North America." The 60GB model retails for $599 in the US.

The 20GB model of the console has a number of differences from the 60GB version aside from the size of the internal hard drive and lower price. These include the lack of Wi-Fi connectivity, multiple flash memory card readers, and chrome trim. "Based on retailer and consumer feedback, we have decided to focus our current efforts on the more popular 60GB model," Karraker told GameSpot.

The discontinuation of the 20GB PS3 in North America also throws doubt over the model's launch in Europe, Australia, and other territories, where currently only the 60GB version is available. The budget version was originally expected to arrive sometime in the "summer," although no hard date was ever set. "We'll continue to monitor demand for the 20GB model, from a consumer and retailer perspective...which will be factored into any future Euro launch plans," a Sony Computer Entertainment Europe spokesperson told GameSpot UK. Both versions of the PS3 will continue to be available in Japan.

Sony announces PS3-related job cuts in US -- forgets to mention when or how many

It's not like we didn't see it coming or anything what with Sony's game division -- home of the PS3 -- recently posting a $1.91 billion loss for the year. But man, our hearts go out to those whose jobs at Sony Computer Entertainment are now on the chopping block. Thing is, Sony, while announcing plans to cut jobs in the US, is only turning the screw deeper by not providing any details. The move comes as Sony struggles to keep up with Nintendo which again snagged top-honors for the 4th consecutive month in the US market: 360,000 Wiis sold to the PS3's 82,000 while Microsoft sold 174,000 Xbox 360s. The gap between the Wii and PS3 sales in Japan is just as bad, if not worse. Fortunately for Sony, their Bravia LCD TVs, VAIO computers, and Handycams are all doing well enough to (mostly) offset the PS3 related losses. We'll have to wait and see if Sony's summer game catalog, bigger disks, and possible price cuts can reverse SCE's fortunes.

PS3 price slashed to $499, at least at Circuit City

The console wars just got a whole lot hotter. No, not in that way. Sony's perennially overpriced PS3 is about to get a welcome pricebreak to the tune of $100, at least according to a scan of an upcoming Circuit City advertisement leaked onto the interwebs. That puts the console at $499, and with the 5 free Blu-ray movies Sony is tossing in with every purchase, there's never been a better time to buy. The promotion runs from July 15th to the 21st, and there's no word if that price drop will stick, if it has Sony's blessing, or if will get expanded to other retailers, but we'll all hope for the best.