Read up on my post.

http://www.gamespot.com/forums/topic/29295621/slim-ps3-and-super-slim

A really underrated splitscreen co-op game is Resistance 1. It had splitscreen campaign mode which was really fun even though they always refer to the main character in the cutscenes as being the lone wolf while the second player is standing right there. Oh, and the second player character is black too. My brother and I joked he was the forgotten black guy who saved the world with Hale. Hahahaha

The plastic cover does feel tacky, but isnt as bad as I was expecting. I'm not sure what your planning to drop on it, but unless you punch it with some pretty good force I'm sure it will be able to withstand some beating. Keeping it closed is another story. The slightest slide to open it without pushing the actual open button causes it to slide open exposing the disc. I don't really like that too much, but when its in use or not in use, no one really touches my system so I don't have much to worry about. The thing I think would be the biggest concern towards the door is the latch that holds it closed gets weaker and then it will never close, but that will only happen after probably thousands of opens and closes on the thing. Only time will tell.

As for the heat, I really only set up the new one for like an hour and then went to a friends to watch some football. I'm sure they wouldnt release a product that will overheat at such a rate it will catch fire or anything. Compared to my 60GB, this thing was running as quiet as a mouse when installing the latest firmware and some demo's. I popped in a disc and the cd drive was louder than when it was just running on its own, but it was still much quieter than my 60gb ever was. But to comment on the heat, I'd have to play it for 2 hours and then I can comment. Hopefully tonight I'll have some time to actually start playing something.

I had it running for about an hour straight or so. I didn't feel any extreme heat coming off the system, but all I was doing was installing my purchases from the PS store and setting up stuff. All for nothing though since I had to reformat the HDD and bring it back. I'm actually leaving right now to return it...

Just to update the whole situation. I went out today and bought a super slim. The size of it is unbeleivable compared to my launch and the drive bay is tacky, but isn't as bad as I was expecting.

I plugged everything in, started it up and thought I heard a bit of an odd click every so often on the system. I went on setting it up keeping an ear out and didnt hear it very much as time went on. I then shut it down to go eat some dinner, came back about 45 minutes later, turned it on and heard the worst noise I've ever heard before. Sounded like the fan was griding against something. I picked it up, moved it around, gave it a gentle shake and no change. So back in the box to exchange it tomorrow at Futureshop...

Not a good start Sony :/

When it sits and stays flashing yellow, its the YLOD. When it settles at flashing red its the RLOD or whatever you may want to call it.

YLOD = heating issue. Like most people know, your fan is constricted and your system is overheating from the thermal paste drying out.

RLOD = hardware issue. Something went wrong with your system. Like I said before, it could be the fan, motherboard, blu-ray drive, power supply, etc.

Two very distinct and different problems everyone just seems to lump together as the same problem... They are very different. I've had both happen to my system. But they both require someone that knows what they are doing to assess and fix if you want to go that route.

This is different. YLOD is not the same problem as Red blinking light. Red blinking light is a hardware failure. Same thing happened to my launch 60gb and it turned out it was the motherboard that was fried so my system was a goner. But it could be any number of problems. Give it a day or so to rest and try again. Just hit the eject button to turn it on and hope it spits the game out. It could be any number of problems though. The power source, the motherboard like me, the fan died. Really anything that has a moving part could have gone. It sucks, but but it happens. As for your saved files, they are gone unless you get your system fixed by a shop or something outside of Sony. Because no matter the problem, if Sony gets their hands on the system they clear the HDD.