Sony prepping ultra-slim PlayStation 3?

Sony may already have a redesigned PlayStation 3 in the cards for later this year, says tech magazine T3. Based on discussions with an alleged insider on the floor of the Consumer Electronics Show, the publication believes that a much thinner and lighter version of the system is in the works for as early as fall of this year. Most details are uncertain, though the design would take advantage of improved, smaller processor and graphics chipsets to accomplish the feat. The reworked system may ultimately be the widely rumored 120GB PS3 that crosses the 80GB barrier set by the old system, the magazine suggests.

The PlayStation maker has declined comment on "rumors and speculation" but is believed to be exploring the smaller PS3 as a logical extension of its past approach to its consoles, which often go through at least one major size reduction during their active lifetimes. Both the PlayStation 1 and 2 became the PSone and PStwo, while a slimmer PSP replaced the original model last year. T3 has created a mockup of what it expects for the future PS3 but has not said how faithfully it recreates the rumored new model, saying only that the new Sony console should be "sexy" compared to the old version.