Does Sony have an identity problem?
There are a lot of articles out there that are talking about Sony, the PSP and PS3, etc. One blogger wrote the following article: Why I’m buying a 360 this November. The general argument is that they might just be on their way to becoming the next Sega… It definitely seems as if they’re having issues balancing their hardware with their software (particularly in music). I think some of their MP3 players are amazingly designed, but why would I want one that only allows me to transfer music via their software? Not allowing UMS is fine, but at least go with MTP dude. And why the hell is the user interface (for file transfers) so damn whack on the PSP??
Some of the points from the article above:
- Sony’s quest to rid the world of the PSP homebrew community has given way to the current PSP identity crisis;
- Sony’s hardware is too expensive for the average consumer;
- On average, Sony’s hardware doesn’t last nearly as long as it should;
He makes some interesting points, and I find that I agree with his general feelings.
Sony is starting to run out of the number of flop hardware projects they can release and maintain customer confidence. Reports are that they are having trouble defining the PSP which is sad because the PSP is a beautifully designed device. For a portable gaming machine I think it’s the best design I’ve seen to date, but it has an identity crisis and is hopelessly lost fighting the DRM game. If Sony had only embraced the homebrew crowd as I wrote here well over a year ago, they’d have much less of an identity problem with this device.
Even on an internal level, it appears as if Sony is struggling with this whole DRM thing. I read in an article that the PSP group wants to allow music streaming from a pc to the PSP; however, in order to do so, the hardware side has to get permission from the music side. Having your hands in various industries is a great plus for a company, but when it actually hinders your competitive edge…time to fix something.
The Nintendo DS was laughed at when it was first released – who in their right mind would want a system not all that powerful and with a stylus? Look at Nintendo now, and look at the number of new people who have joined their gaming faithful. I have a feeling the WII will produce some interesting results as well. The games on the XBOX 360 are visually beautiful, and I’m sure the features of the new PS3 will be fantastic as well, but other than having a more advanced hardware setup, what are they changing (or adding) to gaming for me? Personally, it’s the quality and uniqueness of the gaming experience that matters. There are of course others who feel differently, which is why it’s great to have options.
The author of the article above finishes with this little point (something I’ve been hearing a lot as I look around for a new computer):
We bought a laptop for our son last week. We went with Gateway. I saw a really nice looking laptop beside it and then stopped when I saw the brand. I hesitate whenever the word Sony is on anything these days. It’s a bad taste from their rootkit debacle and the fact that they don’t seem to be the best value or hold good longevity any more.
What happened to the hot, sexy Sony of old? They’re 60 years old this year, have a new CEO…it will be interesting to see where they go from here.