Rumored 40GB PS3 Clouds Issue

So there's this rumor going around that Sony is on the verge of announcing yet another variation of PlayStation 3 hardware.  This time it's a PS3 with a 40 GB hard drive and less features than its more full-featured siblings.  Next Generation, take me away!

The report also speculates that the console will retail for $399 and will ship without the USB ports or backwards compatibility included in the more expensive 60GB and 80GB models.

Oh for the love of Clank... Sony, stop cranking out hasty PS3 reconfigurations!  It's almost as if the company is desperately throwing new PS3 models at the wall, eager to find one that sticks.  Unfortunately, such behavior also makes the company look desperate and confuses customers.  "Does the 60GB have hardware or software backwards compatibility?" / "The 80 GB has Wi-Fi, right?" / "What do you mean this USB controller won't work with my 40 GB PS3?" / "Why don't you have any 20 GB consoles in stock?" and so on.

Sony has said time and again that they believe in the PS3 and that it'll go a long way.  Yeah, I think it will given more time and support, but perhaps it's time to pick a single model and focus attention on that.  Once upon a time the great thing about gaming consoles was that they existed as a single configuration so that developers had a consistent hardware model with which to work.  Yanking out and shoving in PS3 capabilities amongst a variety of models isn't good for anymore: customers are confused about which model offers the best value for the money, developers have to design for the lowest common feature set denominator, and Sony itself keeps sinking more money into redesigning something that isn't in need or repair.  Sony, please, have a little patience and support what's already in the marketplace.  The world doesn't need yet another PS3 model.