Internet browsing on the PS3 can be a pain when using the game controllers or even the BD remote to navigate, especially to type messages. But one of the reasons I wanted the PS3 was to use it as a browser on my main display. Enter the Mediaboard...a full qwerty keyboard with integral mousepad and bluetooth wireless connectivity for the PS3. I just got it yesterday and it's operations seems promising, but for a couple omissons. Setup was simple. You just have the PS3 register the device in a couple of simple steps and it works right away.
There are no connections on the Mediaboard except the wireless Bluetooth, no USB, nothing. I was half expecting/wishing that it would have built in rechargable batteries via USB like the six-axis controllers, but it relies on 2xAA for power. The x, circle, square and triangle button equivalents are clearly marked to get through the usual PS3 menu options, but I haven't found the L1,L2...R3 equivalents yet. There isn't much of an owners manual, just a fold out that refers you to their website for anything beyond the most basic info. I haven't gone to the site yet so there is room for an update of this review.
One real drawback for me using the PS3 is that I haven't found out how to copy and paste. It seems like one of the simplest, most basic internet functions, but I don't know if the PS3 is capable of doing it. Overall, I think that using the PS3 with the Mediaboard will fulfill the majority of my browsing needs and eliminate the need for me to keep the laptop in the living room.
The move to PS3 browsing required a couple other minor changes to customize the system for my use. First, I wired the PS3 internet connection and it is much faster than the wireless. Second, I ran analog audio cable from my Escient to the receiver so that I can use the media server audio and PS3 internet video. For the life of me, I don't understand what Denon's video select button is supposed to do, because I can't use it to change video sources while keeping the audio source. In theory, that should have been the simple solution to watching PS3 while listening to something else, but I've found a workaround for now.
Conclusion, the Mediaboard will give the PS3 functionality approaching other browser solutions, subject to the limits of the PS3 itself.
