1. Backwards Compatibility
Believe it or not, all PS3s have backwards compatibility. Not necessarily to the entire range of PS2 titles but you can immediately play any PS1 games on the system (within your region). Also Singstar discs made for the PS2 will work on your PS3 which will make everyone's inner 14 year old girl happy. If you were one of the lucky ones that got to snag a PS3 around launch you will most likely have a model in which can play PS2 games. These models are hard to find now a days, even on eBay, but serve a purpose. With a full backwards compatible PS3 you're fully equipped with a machine that can play some of the decades greatest games like Final Fantasy X, Ico and Space Channel 5. Some of these titles will never see the light of day as a downloadable or remake so it's a feature well worth a look into.

2. Region Free
I still talk to gamers today that don't realise that the PS3 is region free for PS3 games. A lot of people who are afraid of buying games when they're overseas have no idea that the games will actually work back home. A bold and courageous move by Sony to allow this, as it is the first home based console in the latest decade that allows region free gaming. This means no potential reason for modding and allows us all the luxury of purchasing games that were released quicker in another country or cheaper against our high dollar value. I've talked about importing in an article in the past and I wouldn't it past anyone to grab a bargain off the net where you can. With the fact that piracy is pretty much non existent on the PS3 you can assure yourself that any game you purchase on eBay will be legitimate and able to work on your machine.

3. Bravia Link
I stumbled across this feature whilst reading up on the PS3 Slim. All you PS3 George Foreman Grill owners like myself won't have access to this but all the Slim owners do. The Bravia link allows you to use your Sony Bravia television's remote to control the XMB on the PS3 and vice versa. This could help eliminate one remote from your coffee table or just make menus more accessible to what ever controller is closest to your lazy ass. You'll need a HDMI cable to make sure this feature works.

4. Video Chat
I can't live without this feature only because it is my lifeline to the family back home. Think Skype but in your living room with a better camera resolution. I'm sure some people out there might use this feature for more adult reasons but it's great for anyone who may be in a long distance relationship or simply just to chat. There are voice modifiers within video chat and you can easily hook it up as long as you've got a compatible camera. I've used this feature to chat to other AG peeps too so don't be afraid to catch a live show of me if I'm online at $2 p/15mins.

5. Parental Control
You would think the parental concern out there right now about introducing an R18+ rating could be laid to rest if the public were better educated about Parental Control features. If I had a child and bought them a PS3 I'd certainly be locking the system so that it could only play games rated for their age. Not only doesn't the parental lockout work for games but you can individually set the age limit for DVDs, Blu-ray Movies, internet browsing and even the content viewed on the Playstation Network and Store. Give your child a monthly allowance of how much they can spend on the PSN store and even limit the chatting they do online. I'd gladly choose a PS3 in a child's bedroom over a PC as the limits to viewing content are much more robust. The only fall back for common folks are trying to configure these parental controls. Read the manual mums and dads.

6. Vid Zone
I boot this thing up every Saturday morning when cleaning up the house. Nothing beats your own version of Video Hits or Rage in which you control all the content. I've gone ahead and created a playlist of all my favourite video music clips and usually fire it up when I want to bop to the beat. Sure the user face and search function can be improved but for a pop lovin' guy like me most of the songs I want are in some featured list somewhere. Best of all guys this feature is cheap as chips, free in fact! It's hard to fault a free service, one that you can use to host parties or play in the background while you cook up a storm in the kitchen.

7. ABC iView
Now the reason why this feature is underused is twofold. Firstly it's been out for just over a month. Secondly I don't think I ever heard a shred of this information, no marketing, no advertising and no press release. ABC's iView service allows you to watch many of the ABC programs streaming off the internet. Spanning channels ABC1, 2 and 3 you can catch that episode of Good Game that you missed as well as that episode of Degrassi High (I just made up that last one up because that was the only thing I use to watch on ABC). (note: ABC's iView service is quota free for iiNet users!)

8. Faceplate interchangability
I'm not sure why Sony hasn't cashed out on this feature yet. You can hardly find any proper plates off eBay. No this is not your awful skins that you can attach to your PS3 but actual faceplates that can replace your PS3's default black plate. If you've ever tinkered around with your PS3 you would realise that the face plate is removable and replaceable. Now if only there were other official plates to replace it with, something like a limited edition God of War III plate, Final Fantasy XIII art work or maybe just a simple chrome finish to give it that sparkle in your entertainment shelf. Yes it is possible but you'll have to dig deep into the interwebs to find anything tasteful. (note: replacing your faceplate probably will void your warranty, which is probably why Sony don't promote it.)

9). Photo Gallery and Printer
You probably just think that the photo gallery on the PS3 is a slideshow player. You're pretty much right except if you've booted it up lately you can display photos in a mode called 'Photo Album' in which your images playback in such a way that is artistic. In motion the slideshow places photos onto the screen as if they were being laid on the floor with negatives nearby. It's rather artsy but I like it and think it can work well in a party situation. You can print photos directly from the PS3 as long as you've set up a printer either through the USB or with a network printer. Just bear in mind a network printer has to be one that is connected via an ethernet or wireless connection, not just your average bubblejet that is connected to your PC. You can even print screenshots off the internet browser if you're keen. Nifty and a nice option to have available.

10. Remote Play
If I had to vote for one feature the PS3 has that is severely underused it would be the Remote Play function. Anyone that has a PS3 and a PSP should be already using this feature. Remote Play allows you to patch into your PS3 remotely with your PSP as long as you're within range of the PS3 or an internet connection. So say if you're away for the holidays but you want to be able to download the latest PSN games, demos or updates you can do so through your PSP. You don't even need to have your PS3 turned on, just leave it on standby and it will magically wake up when in Remote Play. I personally find this feature useful when Mrs Jae want to watch TV whilst I want to watch something on my PS3. We'll both sit on the couch one watching TV whilst the other has the headphones on with the PSP. Battery life isn't too much of a concern, as long as you're starting with a fully charged system and you don't intend to watch a 3 hour James Cameron movie. It's also very handy if you have Play TV, there's nothing like watching digital HD TV on your PSP in the bedroom whilst you slowly doze off to lalaland. So if you have these two machines you owe it to yourself to configure your Remote Play function.

Well there you have it kids, some facts you may or may not have known about your PS3. There were two items I found that weren't really features, more so just useful facts. If you find that you've had your PS3 connected to a Hi-res TV through HDMI and you transport your PS3 to a mate's place you may have realised that he only has video component inputs on his TV. No fear you can simply turn on the PS3, keep hold down the power button till you hear the second beep and the PS3 will reboot with the lowest resolution settings. This will save you from an afternoon of disappointment or having to backtrack to change your settings manually. The other fact is that it may be useful to store a copy of your PS3's MAC address somewhere for safekeeping. If your PS3 were to one day be stolen you can report your MAC address to the Feds and they could catch the crim that stole it. Follow the menu under settings, system settings and system information to locate your MAC address.