Although Sony has categorically denied that a PlayStation 3 redesign, price drop, or reconfiguration would be in the future, rumors and "leaked details" keep popping up about PlayStation hardware revisions. This week's Sony hardware buzz comes in the form of new photos leaked to the internet by factory workers producing what looks to be a slimmed down variation of the console. The photos, which were first posted on a Japanese gaming blog, GameColumn, show components of a PlayStation 3 console with a much smaller overall clearance. Although the depth of the casing looks about the same, the comparatively shorter height of the device suggests a slim variation, similar to what we saw with PlayStation 2 Slim and the PSP Slim.

In theory, a PlayStation 3 Slim would fall into line with Sony's previous product trends, but this bout of "evidence" is highly suspect. For one, the device appears to feature a textured plastic finish, similar to the PS2, however, Sony's design trend with the PlayStation 3 and PSP product series has been focused on gloss or semi-gloss finishes. Additionally, the typeset on the device and packaging is oddly similar to that of the PS2-era, straying from the new PS3 font despite the fact that it is used in all of the console's branding and promotional materials since launch.

Still, the photos have caused quite a stir around the web. We'll just have to wait and see if Sony makes a move on the PS3 Slim.