Sony announces the Playstation Eye camera accessory for the Sony PS3.

Sony claims to have made huge advances in USB camera and microphone technology in the Playstation Eye. The Eye will be essential in using Sony's Network gaming and communication services.

Highlights of the new Eye camera are a noise canceling microphone, frame rate of up to 120 frames per second, two position zoom lens for close-up and full body options and the bundled EyeCreate software that lets you edit captured videos. "With the release of PLAYSTATION Eye we will be able to dramatically enhance the consumer's PS3 experience," said Richard Marks, research and development at Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Beyond audio/video chat and the ability to save videos to your PS3 hard drive, PLAYSTATION Eye opens up a whole new world of entertainment options and adds a new dimensions to games across multiple genres."

The Sony Playstation Eye will ship this Summer.
Via this Sony press-release.

Technical Specifications of the Playstation Eye:
4 channel audio input:16 bits/channel, 48kHz, SNR 90db
56 degree or 75 degree Field of View zoom lens
2.1 F-stop, < 1% distortion, fixed focus (25cm to 8 at 75 degree FOV)
640 x 480 at 60 frames/second
320 x 240 at 120 frames/second
USB2 high-speed data transfer
Uncompressed video or optional JPEG compression