$400 40GB PlayStation 3 on Tap?

Rumors of a 40GB version of the PlayStation 3 priced at a "mere" $400 (hey, that's cheap compared to the $500 launch price for the now-discontinued 20GB PS3 and the current, $600 80GB model) have been swirling for weeks, and now they're reaching a fever pitch with word of leaked retail documents that show the console hitting the streets this month.

Opposable Thumbs first broke the story early last month of a possible 40GB, $400 PS3 bundled with a Blu-ray disc of "Spider-Man 3," and now Engadget has a copy of a purported Best Buy document detailing plans for the new console to be "in stock" by October 28. Of course, there's still no word from Sony, so we should take this news with a grain of salt until we hear something official. That said, a new—and cheaper—version of the PS3 could give Sony's faltering console a much-needed shot in the arm, especially in light of the Wii's continuing momentum and spiking Xbox 360 sales in the wake of the record-breaking Halo 3.

Related:
Sony's $399 PS3 confirmed by Best Buy? [Engadget]
A mountain of evidence for the existence of the fabled $400 PS3 [Opposable Thumbs]