IGN Playstation 3 Hands-On - Controller is poo?

IGN has a nice two page hands-on preview of the upcoming next-gen Playstation 3 for all to read and enjoy. Overall they enjoyed the time spent with the behemoth, but came away with more questions than answers. Also, they are of the opinion that the new SIXAXIS (as it is now known) feels uncomfortable, among other issues they discuss. They also discuss the PS3's interface dubbed "XMB" here, and other things such as the very shiny exterior of the console and how it looks "sleek and futuristic" and of course the logo. Here is a small portion of the preview, check out the rest by clicking the link to IGN:

True enough, you can go along with Phil Harrison's proclamation that it's already the industry-standard controller amongst umpteen-million gamers around the globe, but, arguably, that doesn't make it the best. Personally, we can't help but feel that the SIXAXIS (as it's now known) has been sadly neglected when viewed alongside the rest of the PS3. Compared to Microsoft's uber-comfortable Xbox 360 pad, the SIXAXIS feels cheap, plasticky, uncomfortable and disconcertingly light - almost as if it's going to fly out of your hands during those more extreme gaming moments.

More worrying still, the newly-designed lower L and R shoulder triggers feel more like they belong on an early controller prototype than the near-final model. Replicating the 360 pad, rather than being simple shoulder-mounted buttons, the triggers are now hinged horizontally along the controller, with pressure forcing them inward along the bottom - like triggers then, really. Trouble is, they're placed almost unnaturally low meaning we found ourselves operating them by jamming our fingers in between the hinges to apply pressure, rather than using the buttons themselves. What's more, the triggers are convex, with no grooves to keep your fingers in place - an issue further compounded by their smooth finish, offering no resistance against your finger tips. Invariably we found our digits slipping off with the triggers snapping back to their default position. Bah. Of course, the PS2's Dual Shock pad wasn't without its faults either but we still learned to live with it. It's just a shame that Sony hasn't used its resources to bring its controller up to next-gen standards along with its cutting-edge hardware.