The Playstation 3 Cell BE is perhaps a solution in search of a problem.
One "fun" recreational computing task which I expect it will excel is generation of fractal images such as the Mandelbrot set. Its poor double-precision performance limits its zoom features, though maybe it can redeem itself with very good arbitrary precision deep zooms.
I have in mind particularly generating images of the 3D Mandelbrot set "Mandelbulb" for which it may be very fast. High precision is not required for 3D, as we humans are still fascinated with low magnifications.
Another application mentioned already on this blog is solving the Laplacian.
Looking at its bit-twidding instructions on the SPU, I see no reason why a chess program, or other game program (UCT Go 囲碁) would not run well on it. This may be the basis of a contest IBM might run to popularize programming for Cell.
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