Associated Press (click to enlarge)

Sony's PlayStation 3

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PlayStation 3 to offer online movies

Also, fans of PS3 in Sierra Leone

Sony thought the PlayStation 3 was going to be the big hit among the latest generation of game consoles. With its great graphics and features, Sony hoped it would trounce the Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii.

The PS3 been a success, of course, but the Wii has been the runaway hit. The latest sales numbers from March reinforce that. Last month, Nintendo sold 721,000 Wii consoles, compared to 257,000 PS3s. The PS3 was outsold also by the Xbox 360.

There also have been some stumbles on Sony's part. Twice before, it has launched and then shut down online content services for the PS3 due to disappointing sales.

Well, Sony's apparently ready to try its luck at online content services a third time. According to "sources," the new service could deliver TV shows and movies from the Internet to the PS3 as early as this summer.

Microsoft already has a head start at this, as Xbox 360 owners have access to lots of online video through a similar subscription service.

The L.A. Times story also points out that Sony's corporate culture and its aggressive copyright protection moves haven't helped the company be innovative in the online content arena.

Key quote: "Sony has this blessing and curse of [having] some of the world's smartest intellectual property lawyers, who've never built or marketed a product in their life, who are good at saying, 'no,' " said Richard Doherty, senior analyst at consultancy Envisioneering Group in Seaford, N.Y. "The sun never sets on the Sony lawyers, they're around the world, in Tokyo, London, New York."

Meanwhile, in Sierra Leone ...

I have to admit, I found this PS3-related story much more fascinating. It turns out that video game centers in the African nation can do well if they've got plenty of the consoles for players to use. Gamers will pay quite a bit, and one particular game center owner makes $40 a day from use of his PlayStation.

That's a notable sum, as the average ANNUAL salary in Sierra Leone is only about $240.

The article also mentions there are about 800 PlayStation centers in the nation.

But where there's a video game craze, there's also sure to be scolds wagging their fingers at the younger generation. Some suggest the PlayStation obsesssion threatens the nation's future.

I remember hearing that about video games about 25 years ago, when Pac-Man was the big craze in this country.