Stand alone Blu Ray players will be as low as $600!

This comes from Next-Gen.biz and before you read on, my only comment is that if the price of the Blu Ray players has come down then why wont the PS3 come down as well?

SCEA PR boss David Karraker said that the company isn't worried at all about the cannibalization factor. "Yesterday's announcement from Sony [to introduce less-expensive Blu-ray players] broadens options for movie lovers and will help to further expand Blu-ray adoption, so it is a benefit to consumers and the company.

"Our research shows that the number-one purchase driver for the PS3 is the ability to play high-definition, next-generation games," he added. "PS3 has always been about gaming first and foremost."

The new BDP-S300 will cost significantly less than the older $1000 BDP S-1, yet it will have more features, according to the Associated Press.
The price slash puts standalone Blu-ray players in a better position to compete with HD-DVD players. Toshiba currently offers an HD-DVD player for $499, while Microsoft offers an Xbox 360 add-on HD-DVD player for $200.
The price cut is the latest big move in the format war between Toshiba-backed HD-DVD and Sony’s Blu-ray. Currently, the PS3 is the most widely-used Blu-ray player with over 2 million units shipped worldwide.

Sony Electronics president Stan Glasgow said the Blu-ray players will likely be available for under $500 by Christmas this year.