PlayStation 3 – It only does everything, well that’s what Sony says anyway and while I’m sure it doesn’t make popcorn or wake me up in morning (I hope they add that) it indeed does offer a ton of features. The PlayStation 2 was (and still is) a wonderful console but doesn’t even come close to the PS3 in terms of value for money even at it’s original launch, so a couple of days back I started listing all the things you can do with your PS3 no matter how small they might be and came up with a list of 45 things random things. The list will be posted in two parts so here’s the first one:
1.) PS3 exclusive games
I guess it’s pretty obvious being the main feature of the console and all but you must keep in mind that the PS3 does offer some of the best exclusive titles out there. There’s no denying the brilliance of titles such as Uncharted, InFamous and Killzone 2. Please note that I’m not saying the PS3 has the best exclusives but some you just can’t experience anywhere else.
2.) Play your old PS1 classics
This is one of the most neglected PS3 features in my opinion. The PS3 is pretty capable of playing most disc based PS1 games so there’s no real reasons why you shouldn’t scratch out some of those classics in the attic and enjoy them all over again.
3.) PS2 classics
For the lucky folks with backwards compatible consoles this is pretty much a no-brainer but luckily for us newer PS3 owners there’s still hope. Sony is digging out the old classics as seen with the God of War and Sly Collection and upscaling them to HD glory. It’s pretty safe to assume that the ICO collection isn’t far away either.
4.) Play PSN games
Here’s another pretty obvious one but still an option that adds massive value to your purchase. The PlayStation Store is filled with hundreds of must own titles such as Flower and Fat Princess so there’s no real reason not to check them out… unless you’re broke.
5.) PSP Minis
Don’t forget about these little gems either. There are some seriously awesome mini games to found on the PS Store that can be enjoyed on both the PSP and PS3.
6.) Be a DJ, Rock or Popstar
Why not take a break from the old trusty Dualshock and be a DJ with DJ Hero, a Rockstar with Guitar Hero or maybe even a Popstar with err… Singstar. Or even better why not…
7.) Take part in a game show
Buzz! For PS3 sees players answering trivia questions whilst competing in a fictional game show. It’s perfect for the older folks who aren’t really into video gaming.
8.) 3D Games
Yep, 3D gaming is here and while it’s still really expensive at this getting stage it’s definitely something to look forward too and most likely the next evolution in gaming.
9.) PSN game sharing
This seems to be a regular occurrence on the PS3ZA forum I frequently visit. It’s the simple concept of purchasing games on PSN and sharing them with others so that they can return the favour. There are however restrictions that one should keep in mind but it’s still something you can check out if you’re running low on funds.
10.) Watch DVD’s
The word “duh” comes to mind since almost all electronic equipment these days allow DVD playback but hey, at least the movies are upscaled 
11.) Watch Blu-Ray movies
There’s seriously no introduction required here expect the fact that soon you’ll be enjoying…
12.) 3D Movies
Now you can watch Avatar… in 3D… at home! The best part of 3D movies on the PS3 is obvious fact that there’s no additional charge for it. Good luck on affording that 52″ 3DTV though.
13.) Watch TV
There’s quite a few options available when it comes to watching TV on your PS3 so it might be best to just Google it but still another little bonus the PS3 provides or alternatively you can simply…
14.) Stream movies
Now that the PS3 support Netflix there’s no reason the leave the couch. Streaming is however limited to certain countries so no movies for me here in South Africa 
15.) Online gaming
Online gaming is a pretty obvious feature but don’t forget that it’s totally free on PSN. Take that Xbo… nevermind.
16.) LAN gaming
Why not make your first person shooter sessions more personal by hosting (or joining) a LAN party? Some people however prefer not to transport their consoles so the other alternative would be…
17.) 4 Player splitscreen games
The PS3 allows 4 players to join in on the fun simultaneously although games that support this feature are unfortunately quite limited.
18.) Trophies
Trophies will make you want to smash your controller but in a good of way. Obtaining some of them is pretty easy but if you really want a challenge you should definitely check out Hanna Montana.
19.) Upgrade your hard drive
Well with all the tons of stuff you can store on the PS3, upgrading the hard drive should be a simple process. Luckily for you, it is. The PS3 HDD can easily be replaced by a normal 2.5″ inexpensive notebook drive, no mess, no fuss or you can simply…
20.) Add more space via external media
Simply connect an external hard drive via the USB port and voila, more space. Just double check that the drive is formatted as FAT32 otherwise it won’t detect.
21.) Backup your PS3
Since we’re on the topic of hard drives, why not backup your PS3 in case “touch on wood” something bad happens. The PS3 has a very user friendly integrated backup solution within the settings menu or if you prefer you can rather just…
22.) Backup your game saves
You actually don’t need an external HDD for this since a flash drive will be more than sufficient. Just be warned that some game saves are copy protected and therefore can’t be backed up (which really sucks).
23.) Play region free games
All PS3 games are region free so importing rare titles is always an option to keep in mind. The Blu-ray movies are however region locked though.
Well that’s the end of part one, thanks for reading