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WSJ: Sony Making New Handheld Game Device/E-Book Reader/Netbook Computer Thingy
- Thread starter Nirolak
- Start date
yurinka
Member
I think it was confirmed some time ago they were going to use their Playstation brand in both tablet/slate/pad and smartphone markets.Nirolak said:
Sony also stated they want more colaborations between their brands and to make their divisions to work closer.
Both PSP and Sony Ericsson has a worldwide installed base far bigger than the iPhone. Even SonyEricsson sales are shrinking and iPhone are growing, SE still sells more:Cygnus X-1 said:
http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/23/smartphone-iphone-sales-2009-gartner/
Sony had tons of mobile phones before the iPhone was announced. One of them even has the 4 Playstation face buttons.
And Sony announced -before 3DS was unveiled- they were going to focus almost all their entire corporation in 3D (not only gaming: photo cameras, video cameras, projectors, mobile phones, tvs, movies, blue-ray players etc). So the rare thing would be to don't see a 3D Sony gaming portable device in the future (even maybe PSP2 is too soon).
ratcliffja
Member
Aeris130 said:
Crap, stole my response.
Graphics Horse said:
I forgot about that trademark.
The classifications it falls under does fit with the kind of device rumoured, and notably it's a SCE mark.
If this device is a SCE device, then I'd retract what I said in my last post - I'd have much less doubt that this device might substitute for a PSP2, in name. I think they'd 'third pillar' it, not rule out ever making a PSP2 but really backburner-ing it in favour of this.
When you think about PSP and what they tried to do with it and what did and didn't work, that kind of route does have a logic to it. The PSP presented itself as a multimedia, multifunctional device, but calling it a portable Playstation was a blessing and a curse. It was too strongly associated as a gaming machine, and given the portable landscape that's out there, with something as personally identifying as a portable device, there are a lot of people who might be interested in the extra-gaming functionality but who wouldn't buy a Playstation. A 'bridging brand' thus might make sense if it can retain the interest and attention of Playstation fans while remaining sufficiently neutral so as to not deter non-gamers.
Thinking about it more, that scenario seems more plausible to me, of a new device and brand under SCE. 'Playstation' might be too limiting for the broader goals they had with PSP and probably still have.
They cant go after the 3DS, because they cant and dont want to beat glassless 3D. The last statement of Sony, where they ask Nintendo to not bash 3D, show that they are not going after a glassless 3D PSP and a PSP with glasses would be stupid as hell. So the only options are to create a PSP2 without 3D and more power (what will take the same path as the psp) or something completely different. So a pad could be a better option ...
Sold! But SOny has to broaden to the rest of the world the content available in the PSN Store though... A device like this needs to have video, comic books, books, music, games, apps, readily available and easy enough to make an impulse buy in a distance of a click. And of course, flexible and aggressive pricing is a must. Color me interested.
Beer Monkey
Member
Vinci said:
Yeah. I used to have minidisc players, now I have iPod. I have a Sony Reader, am starting to drool over Kindle. Sony has a tendency to often get stuck in the niche. For me to get new Sony tech at this point requires some kind of industry-wide adoptance, some kind of broader standards. Going with Android and Kindle tech would help sway me.
Dedication Through Light
Member
Uhm, what is Wall Street Journal reporting?! Lol they reported on this many months ago
March 5/6 2010 search for PSP-pad, etc
Today
Doesnt seem like they updated anything at all (spare 3G). just sayin
EDIT: WOW, talk about a coincidence.
March 5/6 2010 search for PSP-pad, etc
Today
Doesnt seem like they updated anything at all (spare 3G). just sayin
EDIT: WOW, talk about a coincidence.
I wonder if they could make it run Android as the main OS and still prevent piracy (and hobbyists making games that are "too good") by locking out 1/2 or 3/4 of the GPU unless in "commercial game mode". It should still easily keep up with other tablets and such a feature could even improve battery life.
Dedication Through Light said:
Isn't like the WSJ full of old people? They must've forgotten. Step your game up, and play some Echochrono WSJ suits.
randomkid said:
Dude, you need to step your game up. It's "Marcus PSP", and that's the url that redirects to his Youtube page where he rags on iPhone games, and houses his commercials. Like that one with that guy and that other guy who was like "SNAAAAAKKKEEE", and that other kid who was like "Bro stole my PSP", and Marcus was like "Steal his girlfriend". Step your game up.
The Modnation Racers ad is actually pretty funny, I must admit.
makingmusic476
Member
What if they're working on three devices:
Edit:
The main thing I'm looking for in their next handheld is 3G support allowing for constant PSN access. I hope they do still create a more traditional PSP2 or a PSP2 + Phone. You'd think they'd have to at least support the Network and any PSP games you've purchased that way.
- PSP2 - limited functionality for people that mainly want a gaming device, like the iPod Touch and music
- PSPhone - like the iPhone
- PSPad - like the iPad
Edit:
The main thing I'm looking for in their next handheld is 3G support allowing for constant PSN access. I hope they do still create a more traditional PSP2 or a PSP2 + Phone. You'd think they'd have to at least support the Network and any PSP games you've purchased that way.
CadetMahoney
Member
Seraphis Cain said:
More pignant than ever. :lol
H_Prestige
Banned
This won't have anything to do with playstation.
Beer Monkey
Member
makingmusic476 said:
I can't see a tablet with a dpad, analog nub, face buttons, and shoulder buttons.
If they are trying to go after the Kindle/iPad crowd, this would cause it to look like a confusing toy. If they are going after the traditional handheld gamer crowd, this thing is going to be too expensive.
Vinterbird
Member
jrricky said:
Nothing.
iPhone and 3DS/DS has the market locked down. Sony would just be stepping into a field where they have lost before entering. There's no way Sony could make a magical device that suddenly outdoes the other two and gathers more mindshare in a short amount of time. The ship has sailed, and if Sony releases a new handheld it would be a big money sucking hole.
axiomnightmare
Neo Member
Sony has poor brand name recognition right now. It will be hard for them to take on Nintendo or Apple.
Beer Monkey
Member
lawblob said:
You don't have a Sony Dash on your nightstand?
Beer Monkey said:
It's perfect for those mornings when you don't want to get out of bed, but kind-of want to look at the Internet for a few minutes by glancing at your nightstand, but without requiring the commitment and energy it takes to reach my hand over to pick up my iPhone, or god forbid, walk into the living room to pick up my laptop.
IMO, the smart move for Sony would be to use Android as the UI, and have it separately boot a game OS for official 'PSP2' games. Much like the original PS3 with OtherOS, only in this case it will come loaded and be part of the standard UI. Sony and Google are pretty tight.
Since the GameOS would be on dedicated HW, this unit could have official 'PSP2-only' games, but could also run Android games if so inclined.
If they were to do this and throw in a 3Qi screen or maybe 3D (lol), could be a very interesting and compelling device.
Since the GameOS would be on dedicated HW, this unit could have official 'PSP2-only' games, but could also run Android games if so inclined.
If they were to do this and throw in a 3Qi screen or maybe 3D (lol), could be a very interesting and compelling device.
jrricky said:
I'm no fan of the PSP, but what 'lost marketshare' is there to win back exactly? It was their first go at this, there wasn't a prior generation of device that they lost marketshare relative to.
The question for a future device is whether they could hold or grow marketshare, not whether they could win back marketshare.
I think also there's a bit too much dismissal of competition or the credibility of competition in these markets. PSP won a fair number of users. It wasn't the worst kind of start to make. It can't have been so terrible if even Nintendo is now seeking to eat into their slice of the pie. Regardless, I think we need to know a lot more about any device and their strategy to even begin to reasonably forecast the future for it and what would define success or failure criteria.
jrricky said:
I don't know, what can they do after selling 50million units of their first attempt at the handheld market? What can a new product that perhaps improves on every aspect of the first? That perhaps includes features that were lacking the first time around? That may have even greater support than the first?
I don't know. I'll get back to you on that one.
Ninja Moomin
Banned
:lolRapping Granny said:
riiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
HomerSimpson-Man
Member
Vinterbird said:
Huh? There first entry in the handheld gaming market got them over 50 million units sold. In fact the hardware made them money, it was one of the things alongside the PS2, that wasn't bleeding money in the gaming division when the PS3 was released.
Vicetrailia
Member
mello said:Without the glasses? I can see this being a problem since they're trying to sell 3D TVs that require them. They wouldn't want to confuse there consumers now would they?
A portable device that require glasses would be a pretty uncomfortable experience too.
I'd actually expect Sony to do both as they mess with pretty much every kinda electronic device.
I don't think that there would be any confusion at all.
Interfectum
Member
:lol @ all the people who think this thing will be powered by android. Wishful thinking much?
Dedication Through Light
Member
charlequin
Banned
gofreak said:
Dismissal on this topic is likely related to the degree to which Sony has consistently failed utterly to challenge Apple in any of their growth markets or the degree to which they've let the once at least somewhat vigorous PSP market dwindle (and their launch position for a successor along with it) moreso than any general belief that these markets cannot be competed in period.
Interfectum said:
The idea of anything that's actually positioned as a "PSP2" (i.e. a closed gaming system) using Android is fantasy, but the idea of anything positioned to compete in the slate, portable media player, or phone markets using Android is a pretty self-evidently good idea. Given that this is a nearly content-free rumor, whether it falls into the former or latter category is hard to discern. :lol