Sony Computer Entertainment has just announced that their highly anticipated 40 gigabyte Hard Disk Drive (dubbed the HDD) and Network Adapter will launch in early November (that's funny, Nintendo announced their Gamecube was coming out November 5th. Hmm...) with the Network Adapter being priced at $39.95 with universal support for V90 analog modems and 10/100 Base-TX Ehternet all in one, something that has never been seen before. The HDD price will be announced later this evening.

The HDD will fit into the Expansion Bay as originally speculated. The Network Adapter will snap onto the back of the PS2 and will plug into the aft portion of the HDD. Sony also announced that a high-resolution Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) flat-screen monitor will be sold along side the HDD and NA in early November.

Sony also announced that many games with network compatibility will be ready for November. Compatible games will fall under two types of catagories: completely online (Final Fantasy XI), and "off/online" (think Phantasy Star Online).

Sony has even announced that they will have working demo versions of the AOL interface on PS2, the compatible Netscape interface on PS2, PS2 Flash and Realplayer demonstrations, as well as a few new games, including Tribes, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3, and Twisted Metal Online.