Take This Dunce Hat And Go Sit In The Corner, Sony
from the you-never-learn dept
Sony ought to give up on its existing electronics businesses and just start making broken record players. Time and time again, the company's digital products have failed because Sony's made it a bigger priority to close systems and lock down products than to create open ones that are actually useful to customers. Despite the admission in early 2005 from a top Sony exec that DRM was holding the company back, the company doesn't seem to be listening: a marketing manager for the PSP says Sony hasn't yet opened an audio and video download store for the device because it hasn't yet figured out how to implement the DRM. Awesome -- instead of giving customers legitimate avenues with which to purchase digital content in a reasonable and attractive manner, they're spending time figuring out how to make the services and their devices less attractive, less valuable and less useful. So despite any supposed moments of clarity or business turnarounds from Sony, it's just more of the same. What's it going to take to make them realize that locking down content and devices so restrictively isn't good for their business?
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You think with Blue Ray DRM that sales of Blue Ray recorders will be brisk? Many people make there own home movies but not that many. The likes of Sony will have to change people's lifestyle in order to make considerable return on Blue Ray. What the hell am I going to do with a recordable 50 gig disc if the only thing I can do with it is make a home movie?
Locking down content and devices will be a companies downfall. We already seen the Verizon is starting to change it's ways with there phones. Companies don't make no money locking down content and they turn people away.
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Re:
holy fuck what planet are you on??!! O_o
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Rubbish
Ah, the old "Burners-are-only-used-for-piracy" ploy.
So those who use it to make legal backups of their own disks, or burn legally-downloaded DVDs or store system images or file backups don't count..?
I don't think so.
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Can't compete with free?
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No you cant compete with free
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Done before...
Now their kernel is Linux and their chipset is Intel.
Isn't there something Sony can learn from this?
Proprietary is not necessarily better and may even be more of a burden than any benefit of assuming control.
Apple has tried for years to outdo what was already available and successful for many other manufacturers. If something is clearly better, why go a different route? Necessity drives innovation and usually not profit.
The innovative providers of today are making a profit with existing models or very similar to one another. What is it that makes Sony think that DRM is a working model? I would like one successful example.
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Re: Done before...
Back to the topic, while Sony may make good quality A/V equipment, their philosophy on DRM is pathetic. I agree that they need to scale back their business and focus on what they do best. A music store would not be one of those things, especially one with DRM all over the place. And it's obvious that's not what they do best because they can't even figure out how to do it in the first place. I'm all for an iPod killer because I am so sick and tired of hearing about iPods everytime I look at the news, sale ads, etc. But I think the only way to beat it is to come up with a player that rivals the iPod in terms of user interface (which is its best feature) and has no DRM (which is its worst feature).
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Re: Re: Done before...
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Re: Done before...
Apple was able to succeed once Jobs came back because he had the company go back to its roots and its original champions: the artistic people. Try to find a graphics design house without an Apple computer.. it's difficult, and this was from before the Intel transition.
Apple also uses DRM and has it incorporated in QuickTime and iTunes software products (for Windows and Mac OS X), as well as the iPod. However, all three products can just as easily play unprotected MP3 or MPEG files as well. I know a number of people with iPods that use it as an MP3 player who are a bit confused abuot the entire DRM issue.
DRM isn't what makes the iPod worthwhile. It makes a lot of music available for it legitimately (as the RIAA would define "legitimate") through iTunes.
The iPod (and iTunes and QuickTime) also plays unprotected MP3 and MPEG (and other) files, which allows it to play stuff you rip for yourself (from a CD or DVD, for example).
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Re: Done before... I think... Actually I don't kno
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Re: Re: Done before... I think... Actually I don't
OSX is made from UNIX and Linux calls itself a UNIX clone.
The "fact" that osx was bsd and bsd = unix & unix ! linux is irrevelant. Noone cares. Linux calls itself unix and osx is called unix by others. to the general masses that makes osx and linux closely enough related to say they are the same to them. And thats just plain good enough to them.
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Re: Done before...
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Re: Done before...
Now their kernel is Linux and their chipset is Intel.
Apple uses a tweeked BSD as it's kernel. It cannot use Linux as linux is avalible under the GPL and that would mean OSX would have to be GPLed. I have actually heard Darwin as far as kernals go lags behind the Linux kernel or the standard BSD kernel. Apple still smothers everything with propriatary vernder lock-in. Sony's digital restrictions managment is their own form of vender lock-in. Sony has lost a lot of buisness over the years due to this. Sony will continue to fail. The HD-DVD format will probably win unless sony sucessfully sacrifices the PS3 to push blueray. HD-DVD also uses DRM, but Toshiba is less likely to want to lock up everything than sony
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Re: Done before...
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Instead of bringing out new products and formats (Blue-Ray) they should take some time to support the products they already have and make good on all their broken promises.
This is why I no longer buy Sony products in the personal electronics area, they never keep their word and quietly break their promises and let their planned service fall by the wayside.
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I have had it with them
about them putting rootkits on your computer when you play a legit CD.
So far I have been able to avoid them completely. There is nothing they make that someone else does not have a competing product for.
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Sony == arrogance
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Re: Sony == arrogance
Not to mention that it apparently doesn't matter that their precious Grand Theft Auto franchise is no longer a PS exclusive...
To sum everything up...
lol, sony
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Re: Sony == arrogance
The rootkit, however,was the last straw.
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They Just Dont get it
You hit the nail on the head. As a retailer, I no longer will sell Sony products. There has not been a single item that I haven't been able to get from another source. The public has accepted with open arms. "Sony", "You just don't get it"
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Rant about how the Rootkit is evil yadda-yadda-yadda
...
then
...
Here's my 62" Sony TV, I'll be replacing it with a Samsung when I go Hi-Def. Here's my Sony 7.1 Surround system with all Sony speakers... when I upgrade it'll likely be Klipsch. Here's my PS2 and it's 30 games, I'll be buying an Xbox 360 this round. I took these pictures with my, at the time $800 Sony Cybershot, which I will upgrade with a Nikon. I'm in the 18-25 age bracket and have disposable income. I'm sure those other companies will be glad to have my business.
Not even this will work until their bottom-line suffers to the point that they can't invest in R&D ... suicide for a "cutting-edge" consumer electronics comany.
Sell your stock if you own any.
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Wal-Mart could lock their doors and not let anyone in, for fear something might be stolen.
They could do that.... how long would they last? lol
Same logic here.
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short-term problem
It's not complicated: sell what what people want or someone else will.
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Apple good example
I think somebody somewhere in this mess has forgotten that Intellectual Property is not nearly important to a business, as some other things. Say, market share? or public opinion?
I have been boycotting sony for about a year now. I won't buy their crap anymore. The only thing of theirs I really couldn't do without, were a few CDs, particularly, system of a down. I just downloaded a ripped copy, and mailed the band $25 dollars with an anonymous letter explaining the situation. I think that proves my point that my actions are for the principal, not just to avoid spending money. when I feel the money is earned, I will try to see that it is recieved.
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Question: How much does our need drive the market?
Sony can afford to make mistakes, it shouldn't be surprising they want to find out how much control they can have. Apple has survived, and you'll never find one in my home, but I made my mom get one because she never has to call me for any help.
There's a niche for most products, and Sony can afford to find and create new ones, even with ideas we consider lame.
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Sony becomes Shoddy
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Re: Sony becomes Shoddy
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Same old story
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Profit Mongers
I tried to burn a DVD from a hitachi video cam of my daughter's new marching band performance.
It won't play the DVD because of "area restrictions". (It's a region 1 player, and a region 1 burner.)
After researching the error message, I actually downloaded some 'shady' software titles to try and get a working DVD.
6 discs later, both + and -, still no go.
But here's the kicker... my neighbor spent $30 for his no-name player AT THE GROCERY STORE, and it plays the discs just fine.
So let's see... They encouraged me to buy several spindles of blank DVD's, download some hackers tools for DVD copying, copy protection bypassing, and region-changing; all just to watch my daughter play her flute.
Now that I have all of this stuff, somebody explain why I shouldn't just start copying netflix movies!
Thanks, Sony!
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Profit Mongers
I tried to burn a DVD from a hitachi video cam of my daughter's new marching band performance.
It won't play the DVD because of "area restrictions". (It's a region 1 player, and a region 1 burner.)
After researching the error message, I actually downloaded some 'shady' software titles to try and get a working DVD.
6 discs later, both + and -, still no go.
But here's the kicker... my neighbor spent $30 for his no-name player AT THE GROCERY STORE, and it plays the discs just fine.
So let's see... They encouraged me to buy several spindles of blank DVD's, download some hackers tools for DVD copying, copy protection bypassing, and region-changing; all just to watch my daughter play her flute.
Now that I have all of this stuff, somebody explain why I shouldn't just start copying netflix movies!
Thanks, Sony!
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Beautifully put.
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Send Sony a message with your purchase dollars
Recent consumer electronics purchases include an 8MPdigital camera, a portable DVD player, a 60 GB Video iPod, and a 52” HDTV none of which have a Sony logo. I’m voting with my wallet and the vote is not for Sony. By the way, freedom from proprietary, locking technologies like Memory Sticks feels pretty good too!
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I Like that saying.....
If it's locked down, we won't buy it. And this is the word of the buying public.
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I Like that saying.....
If it's locked down, we won't buy it. And this is the word of the buying public.
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Sony just introduced a new phone/gadget/movie/thing
called mylo. it's gona use skype on wifi, play mpg4, music, and lots of other fun things...
I think they are changing things... Maybe all their levels aren't working togeather but this thing looks cool.
btw i have a psp and love it, i wish i could record on umd but i have a couple 2 gig memory sticks i am able to do everything else i want. I'm satisfied with parts of sony. Some of their tv's are nice too. Pricy but nice. Personally i'm saving for one now.
Sony Mylo source:
http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/first-look-sony-mylo
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Re:
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInfo rmation-Start?ProductSKU=COM1%2fW&Dept=audio&CategoryName=pa_PersonalCommunicators
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Re:
No hard drive.
Give the Mylo an 20 gig (hell, even a 10 gig) HDD and I'd buy one today. 1 gig memory sticks just won't cut it for all the movies, music, and pictures I want to take on my next vacation.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, Sony. Pure Stupidity.
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Re: Re:
Not to sell it to you.
if you really need 20 gigs for movies maybe you can take a usb portable hard drive, rig a battery supply and just till your heart's content.
Personally i have just over 2.75 gigs and that's 417 songs and 1.2 days of music. Maybe you don't need as much as you think. Unless youare a dj>>>>
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This is a very old story
That’s the last time I bought into Sony’s lies.
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Last word on OSX
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Sony
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Congratulations...
Seriously though, Sony used to make great hardware; then they got greedy and stated trying to force proprietary formats down our throats in an attempt to lock us in to their products.
I am sure that they make good TVs (look ma - no apostrophe!), but if they could make a proprietary TV, I am sure that they would.
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Own 1 Sony product...
Well - I don't use it very often.
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Re: Own 1 Sony product...
http://www.smashmyxbox.com/hatemail.php
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C'mon now...
Backups my ass, I probably have a dozen or so CDs that are compilations or whatever, but please, we burn to save $$$.
BTW -- more than once I've gone out and bought the original because it was worth it.
Sony has a right to try what they want, and we have a right to say F U Sony, that rootkit was bullshit.
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Re: C'mon now...
No, but almost. Sony does not have a right to put rootkits on their music cds. That is illegal. that is specifically (sp) NOT a right Sony has. Nor does anyone else.
Sony has a right to legally try what they want.
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Simply put...
When they put control over their product as a higher priority than quality then you get a product that is crap. I think they put quality over control with the PSP (except the crap UMD format) but then you have hacks all over the place for it from day 1.
I personally will never buy a PSP (I finally got a DS a week ago and it was only after playing a demo of the New Mario game) and I plan on going with the Wii in the next round of the console wars (partly because I have kids, mostly for the Nintendo only licenses). There is a company that kept their head on straight and maintained a closed format at the same time. They may have come in third in the current round but they stayed in the game. If only the Dreamcast had survived, and its even hard to find downloads for it now.
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rot in hell sony you'll never see a cent from me
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Sony cracks me up...
Beta vs. Vhs
ATRAC3 vs. MP3
gg Sony
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