PS3 1.6 update adds Folding@Home

Written by James Delahunty @ 15 Mar 2007 7:51 User comments (15)

PlayStation 3 (PS3) owners will soon be able to join a Stanford-run distributed-computing effort that researches Cancer, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's causes (amongst other things). The Folding@Home project is similar to SETI@Home, except it studies protein folding in hopes to determine causes of various lethal conditions.

It works by using CPU cycles on a computer to complete workloads sent to it from the project's servers. When completed it sends its results back and downloads information for its next task. When you multiply participating CPUs by thousands you reach the power of super computers.

Folding@Home teams are found particularly amongst computer hardware enthusiasts like overclockers. It is for a great cause and its functionality in the PS3 could boost the project significantly. Ken Kutaragi actually announced that Folding@Home would be part of the PS3 at last year's Tokyo Game Show.

"Millions of users have experienced the power of PS3 entertainment. Now they can utilize that exceptional computing power to help fight diseases," Masayuki Chatani, Sony Computer Entertainment's chief technical officer, said in a statement. "In order to study protein folding, researchers need more than just one supercomputer, but the massive processing power of thousands of networked computers. Previously, PCs have been the only option for scientists, but now, they have a new, more powerful tool--[the] PS3."

See: http://folding.stanford.edu/

Source:
GameSpot

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15 user comments

115.3.2007 20:13

rihgt682

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I can't believe it's already 1.6 fw update. THis is why you should never get sony. YOu have to update FW every 2 weeks. This is worst than microsoft vista.

215.3.2007 21:37

azndrake

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O.o,
For me the only reason i turn on my PS3 anymore is because i wanna d/l new updates for my ps3.

315.3.2007 21:39

Andrew691

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How is the fact that they are up to 1.6 bad? how are extra features/fixes being added to the console every week bad? No matter what some people cant be pleased.

EDIT: Vista is 100x worse than this, but cant really be compared as they are two different things.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 15 Mar 2007 @ 9:40

415.3.2007 21:42

azndrake

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Also the ps3 update is not out yet. I just checked my ps3 for the update and i assume it will come out at the launch date for the ps3 at europe.

515.3.2007 23:10

cascadeuk

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It also includes Remote Play, which is a little more exciting. it allows you to be anywhere in the world with your PSP and aslong as your near a hotspot you can access content on your PS3 HDD

Obviously you would have to fly to another part of the world, update 1.6 does not teleport you there, maybe in a future update ;-P

616.3.2007 01:59

Moomoo2

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Props to Sony on this one. Too bad no one has their console...

716.3.2007 03:27

natony

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Quote:
new, more powerful tool--[the] PS3

Ok, so the PS3 is new, I can't argue with that. (It wouldn't be so new if they'd released it when they said they would but that's another story...)
But more powerful than a PC? Gimme a break Sony. No really.

816.3.2007 05:18

spydah

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Yo the funniest thing about this post is all the Sony hater's jump in every little thing they come up with. People (360 fans) seem to forget that M$ has updated the 360 like damn near every day since its been out. I got both and I dont have any beef with any updates if its gonna make it better and just because don't label all their updates as firmware this firmware that dont mean they arent doing the same thing. Again when PS3 is out longer then a year and things dont look to be getting any better I will openly agree with some of the Sony bashing but until that day we need to let them get they stuff together.

916.3.2007 11:22

Pop_Smith

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Well, the 360 has had more updates then the PS3 (for now :p) but, at least this adds something useful to the PS3. ;)

Now watch M$ do the same thing for the 360.

1016.3.2007 22:58

azndrake

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O.o not sure about the xbox thing, from what i heard they were gonna use this on the xbox, but they choose the ps3 because it was much more powerful.

Quote:
The Cell/B.E. processor inside each PS3, which Sony says is roughly 10 times faster than a standard mainstream chip inside a PC, will help researchers perform the simulations much faster, speeding up the research process.

From : http://channel.tomshardware.com/2007/03/...ting/index.html

1117.3.2007 18:22

alphabit

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And some certain people say video games are bad for society.They can read this story and blow that out their arse.

1218.3.2007 03:58

jwyles

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Sorry, but could you point out in that article where it mentions xbox? I only see mentions to PC's...

Quote:
O.o not sure about the xbox thing, from what i heard they were gonna use this on the xbox, but they choose the ps3 because it was much more powerful.

[quote]The Cell/B.E. processor inside each PS3, which Sony says is roughly 10 times faster than a standard mainstream chip inside a PC, will help researchers perform the simulations much faster, speeding up the research process.

From : http://channel.tomshardware.com/2007/03/...ex.html[/quote]

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 18 Mar 2007 @ 3:58

1319.3.2007 07:13

eskoink

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rihgt682 what the *bleep* you mean play station 3 is worst then Microsoft Vista there are two different things. There's a reason for updating your PS3 to add more functions and more details to the system Microsoft Vista
update there program very other day to try to control people. It's just like the Xbox360 it suck ass Microsoft wants to charge you just for could play games online what that why charge people with Sony everything is free

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 21 Apr 2007 @ 3:09

1419.3.2007 09:50

azndrake

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Quote:
Sorry, but could you point out in that article where it mentions xbox? I only see mentions to PC's...

Just check the xbox processor spec and match it with a PC processor spec and you will see the differences are not too significant.

1521.4.2007 10:21

g_5tar

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SPAM removed

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 21 Apr 2007 @ 2:57

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PS3 1.6 update adds Folding@Home

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