PS3 wireless firmware updates, not to mention internet browsing for Hulu and also install tversity on it and you can stream everything to you computer wirelessly. So you can listen to all your music from your computer over you home theatre set up.
Hey, they have some ps3 coupons on fatwallet.com all the time. One just expired at dell, and it was like 320 bucks for a new ps3 80gb. I plan on waiting for the price drop in April myself.
Definately stay away from Sharp, we bought one just after xmas and it wouldn't play movies that had been released in November, they just put out an update on it the other day though. Hopefully that works.
For updates, on ours we just put the update on a usb flash drive and plug that into the back of the player.
I got the samsung from the link above...the price has gone down a $100 since xmas. I have no complaints w/ the player, and the upconversion is pretty good (really have nothing to compare it to). I actually have it hooked up to my home network...along with my 360 and multiple PCs...so updates are no problem. I thought about getting a PS3, but already have a Wii and 360...
Best buy has buy a ps3, get a $50.00 gift cert, and then if you apply for a sony card and you purchase a ps3 with it you get $100.00 credited to your sony card account. That would be less than 300$. Plus that is no interest for a year... Sounds like a good deal to me?