PlayStation 3 Add-on HDD Will Run Linux

Sony’s Ken Kutaragi reveals the Playstation 3 hard drive will use alternate OS, hints that it will ship separately and will come in more than one model. In an interview with Impress PC Watch. Kutaragi disclosed that he plans to install the Linux operating system on the PS3’s hard disc drive so it will be recognized as a computer, rather than a mere console:

Impress PC Watch: The PlayStation 3 has some extremely high specifications, but it doesn’t come with an HDD. Why?

Ken Kutaragi: We’re not going to equip [the PS3 with] an HDD by default, because no matter how much [capacity] we put in it, it won’t be enough. The next step is definitely network drives. With the Cell server, they can be accessed from anywhere, via network. Whether it’s your own house [or] your friend’s house, you can access the [network hard drive] anywhere. That’s the kind of world we’re imagining. But there are still some issues if the machine doesn’t come with an HDD. So this time, we’ve added a 2.5-inch HDD bay so that users can equip HDDs, such as 80GB and 120GB, even though that’s still not enough [capacity]. Although a network drive would allow for terabytes of storage, there’s still the necessity to run an operating system offline. A hard drive for running an OS will be required for [the PS3] to be recognized as a computer.

More at GameSpot.