Panasonic DMP-35K vs PS3 ?

[Electric_Haggis]

I've been looking to upgrade my first-gen Samsung blu player for quite a while.

I've always assumed its successor would be a Playstation 3, as it's the fastest, most flexible, most advanced Blu player on the market.
But as the point-of-purchase nears, I'm noticing that standalone players have finally come of age.

The only serious challenger is the new Panasonic DMP-35K (or DMP-BD35 as it's called in some regions).


Here's what I've surmised so far. Please feel free to disagree or chime in...



PS3 ADVANTAGES:

* FLEXIBLE... Also a games machine, a web-browser and a media server.
* Fastest load times
* Very fast response time using the remote.
* Maybe less compatibility issues: There are frequent firmware updates for the PS3.
* Enormous user base (and growing).
* Won't be superceded any time soon.
* The optional Blu-ray remote is bluetooth: so you don't need to aim for the player when operating (handy in my case).
* Auto-resume after you hit stop.
* Forced 24p possible.
* No front-panel display to illuminate a darkened room.
* Upscaling: Compared to an HQV-equipped player like the Toshiba XE1, it's damn close. I'd be surprised if the DMP-35 is actually any better.
* Playback quality? See below
* Region-free? See below


DMP-BD35 ADVANTAGES:

* Slimmer
* Quieter
* Cooler
* FAR less power consumption... only 20 Watts !
* Cheaper by around AU$300
* Audio can be bitstreamed over HDMI for decoding by the receiver.
* Remote control is excellent, with large primary buttons - probably better in the dark.
* Front display is sometimes handy (Hopefully it can be dimmed down or switched off when not wanted).
* SD card slot (especially handy if you have an AVC HD camera like the Canon HF11 )
* Infra-red means no problem with universal remotes
* Maybe comes DVD region-free out of the box (?)
* Playback quality? See below
* Region-free? See below



DEAL-MAKERs or BREAKERS:

* Some reviews have suggested superior quality pictures and sound on the Panasonic. Some users have retorted that the PS3 is still superior.
I find all this a little implausable, as the 1080p signal and audio tracks are simply being read, decoded and output... What more need be done?

* A huge deal-maker would be region-free blu-ray playback. It looks like the PS3 is definitely un-hackable. If there was a way of making the DMP-35K, that would really swing it.


As I say, please feel free to chime in or disagree.
Thanks in advance...