Re:Signup for the paid beta testing! (Score 1)

No version of the PS3 currently in production provides backwards compatibility with the PS2 (They all, however, can play PSOne games) but it's only been that way since August. You may still be able to find some new old stock that can play PS2 games, but it should be easy to find one on Ebay or Craiglist. From what I've seen, those sellers that know their PS2-compatible PS3s are one of a dying breed are indeed asking for a bit of a premium over an equivalent non-PS2-compatible model.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3#Retail_configurations