New Zealand web wire The Press had a chance to quiz Sony Computer Entertainment New Zealand's sales and marketing manager, Warwick Light, over next-gen plans for the next-gen PlayStation 3 console. One of the more interesting tidbits, however briefly it was described, was the confirmation that a digital TV tuner was in the works for the PS3.

This will allow the PS3 to tap into HDTV programming in the territory, and more importantly opens up the possibility for PVR (personal video recording) functionality. It remains to be seen where else the tuner will be made available, but programmable TV recording features are expected for the PS3 to debut early 2008. All this in addition to touting the merits of Blu-ray for the PS3 as well as its potential as a hub for digital entertainment, of course.

"We're also hoping next year – about the same time that Freeview launches its terrestrial broadcasting service (expected to be in March) – to release a digital tuner for the PS3, turning it into a programmable TV recorder."

"The challenge for the next few months is to inform New Zealand consumers about how much the PlayStation 3 has to offer. Most people are aware that it plays games; others know about it being a Blu-ray player, but we have a real job ahead to educate consumers about things like being able to surf the net on a big-screen TV," Light says.

"A lot of people think that the PS3 is just a games machine. It's not a games machine. Well (laughs), it is, but it isn't (laughs again). It's a future-proofed super computer."

Meanwhile for the impatient, there's always hacks available.