Sony Interview (Please Translate)

[scooby_dooby]

And the whole "I just want a game console" thing is exactly what consumers have not been saying in previous generations, tbh.

The sales of PS1 and PS2 seem to say otherwise.

 

[bRoNx]

**removed - Against The Rules...sorry**

Go straight to MasaC's post, he explains it best!

 

[MasaC]

Guys, it's really simple.

A Workstation is computer you work with. A Playstation is a computer you play with.

A Workstation is normally used in the office at your work. A Playstation is normally used in the living room at your home.

The Playstation 3 is finally realising Ken Kutaragi's original vision as an entertainment computer.

 

[Nesh]

ruh roh..


and so it begins.

Not sure if Sony is going to be able to market this to people as a "computer" though.

that's a pretty big stretch.
Blu Ray player?, gaming machine?, PC?

All 3? not sure if people are ready for that.

A computer doesnt necessarilly equal PC

 

[Sis]

Guys, it's really simple.

A Workstation is computer you work with. A Playstation is a computer you play with.

A Workstation is normally used in the office at your work. A Playstation is normally used in the living room at your home.

The Playstation 3 is finally realising Ken Kutaragi's original vision as an entertainment computer.

This has the smell of "Build it and they will come" attitude.

Here's what we know about the PS3:

1) It has proven gaming credentials.
2) It has an unproven media format for movie playback.
3) It has an unproven web browsing capability (unproven in the market sense)
4) It has some multimedia capabilities, such as music and photo sharing/viewing, that seems to be proven in the Media Center space and likely will carry over
5) It has an unproven online network.

I find it extremely curious that the one thing they have that's proven over and over again, in gaming, they downplay at every turn. Perhaps this is due to them counting that as a "gimmie."

 

[Nesh]

This has the smell of "Build it and they will come" attitude.

Here's what we know about the PS3:

1) It has proven gaming credentials.
2) It has an unproven media format for movie playback.
3) It has an unproven web browsing capability (unproven in the market sense)
4) It has some multimedia capabilities, such as music and photo sharing/viewing, that seems to be proven in the Media Center space and likely will carry over
5) It has an unproven online network.

I find it extremely curious that the one thing they have that's proven over and over again, in gaming, they downplay at every turn. Perhaps this is due to them counting that as a "gimmie."

Where did they downlplay gaming? I havent noticed

 

[bRoNx]

This has the smell of "Build it and they will come" attitude.

Here's what we know about the PS3:

1) It has proven gaming credentials.
2) It has an unproven media format for movie playback.
3) It has an unproven web browsing capability (unproven in the market sense)
4) It has some multimedia capabilities, such as music and photo sharing/viewing, that seems to be proven in the Media Center space and likely will carry over
5) It has an unproven online network.

I find it extremely curious that the one thing they have that's proven over and over again, in gaming, they downplay at every turn. Perhaps this is due to them counting that as a "gimmie."

Downplay?

I don't know. It sure doesn't look that way to me. It looks more like they're actively trying to improve that gaming experience by building on it, and adding additional services that gamers may/may not enjoy.

The point I take away from all this, is that it's there IF you want it. If you just want PS3 for games, cool. If you want a bit more than that, they're looking at providing you a box that can do it all, and hopefully draw you away from your PC (in regards to web surfing and other things not already disclosed) and onto their machine. It's not gonna work for everyone, but it's their way of say "You don't need to turn off the PS3 to browse the net or check your email, you can do it all here".

I don't blame them trying to push this idea through, I mean, they're up against Live! That is not an easy feat!

 

[Sis]

Downplay?

I don't know. It sure doesn't look that way to me. It looks more like they're actively trying to improve that gaming experience by building on it, and adding additional services that gamers may/may not enjoy.

The point I take away from all this, is that it's there IF you want it. If you just want PS3 for games, cool. If you want a bit more than that, they're looking at providing you a box that can do it all, and hopefully draw you away from your PC (in regards to web surfing and other things not already disclosed) and onto their machine. It's not gonna work for everyone, but it's their way of say "You don't need to turn off the PS3 to browse the net or check your email, you can do it all here".

I don't blame them trying to push this idea through, I mean, they're up against Live! That is not an easy feat!

I don't blame them either, and I believe their goal is the best one. I just disagree with certain aspects of their execution, the first being their reliance on Blu-ray and secondarily being their seeming intent to distance the Playstation brand from its gaming heritage.

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

y

hey, you might be right.

I have my browser on at my computer which happens to be 2 feet from my HDTV and my X360. In fact I'm often actually browsing the internet (on my PC) while I'm waiting for an online match to start. so really I need both.

Well, I agree.. and I do the same thing. It was great having my girlfriend's laptop around when I was watching the NFL draft on my HDTV that is hooked up to my main PC, so I could chat while watching the draft.

But MS already tried this with WebTV. It failed for two reasons.. first, they eventually came to the conclusion that the PC environment is a different experience than the TV/Gaming environment (which may or may not be true and may or may not simply be evolutionary and we haven't got there yet), and second, the picture in picture problem that arises with trying to use your TV as a TV at the same time as you use it as a PC monitor.

Their WebTV failure, IMO, is why MS went into the console business in the first place. Not because they believe a console will take over the living room (because they already tried and failed with that approach), but because it can act as a useful hub.. to stream data from media center PCs when wanted. They decided it wasn't going to replace the PC (which was their first fear), but it could certainly improve the experience by adding additional functionality.

 

[Sis]

But MS already tried this with WebTV. It failed for two reasons.. first, they eventually came to the conclusion that the PC environment is a different experience than the TV/Gaming environment (which may or may not be true and may or may not simply be evolutionary and we haven't got there yet), and second, the picture in picture problem that arises with trying to use your TV as a TV at the same time as you use it as a PC monitor.

This is exactly why you can't just stuff into the console an OS and a web browser designed for desktop use and expect it to be compelling to the average consumer.

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

Guys, it's really simple.

A Workstation is computer you work with. A Playstation is a computer you play with.

A Workstation is normally used in the office at your work. A Playstation is normally used in the living room at your home.

The Playstation 3 is finally realising Ken Kutaragi's original vision as an entertainment computer.

You're correct in your first sentence... It is very simple.

You're correct in your interpretation of the reason why Sony chose the Playstation name for the PS1. The dominance of their brand forced them to carry it over to the PS2 and have also forced them to carry it over for the PS3.

Where you are incorrect, is your final conclusion that you state as fact.

When the PS2 was released it was supposed distance itself from the PS1 because it was supposed to achieve KK's vision as an entertainment computer. It failed, for reasons other than their need to refer to the product as a "play station".

Whether or not the PS3 achieves his vision is as unsure right now as it was prior to the PS2 launch.

The reality is that the PS3 is so tremendously expensive compared to it's competitors, that it must be more than a gaming console in order to justify it's price. That's the reason why Sony is pushing it as a 'computer entertainment device', that's why they keep saying 'it's a cheap computer! Not an expensive console!'.

They are trying to express the value of the system's possibilities, while their competitors are pointing out the price tag for options that may or may not be realized and may or may not be used.

 

[MasaC]

Their WebTV failure, IMO, is why MS went into the console business in the first place.

Well, it's all about having the right product at the right time. If it was the right product at the wrong time or the other way around regarding the WebTV - I leave to others to answer.

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

Well, it's all about having the right product at the right time. If it was the right product at the wrong time or the other way around regarding the WebTV - I leave to others to answer.

Well, of course it is.

But if the consumer market wasn't ready for WebTV over the past couple of years.. it's unlikely to be ready now.

Anyway, that is certainly MS's assumption. I don't think MS is concerned at all about Sony's attempt to bring the PC market to living room. They were worried about that previously, which is the sole reason why they developed WebTV, and lost so much money doing so, and after their attempt and all the millions they invested, they decided that PC/console convergence was where they needed to go and totally disregarded the idea that the console would actually come to replace the PC.

Essentially, Sony is trying to make the PS3 a device that MS was worried about 10 years ago, that MS already manufactured and tested on the market, and that failed.

I'm sure MS is worried about the power potential of the PS3 and the potential of the BR, but I'm fairly confident that MS is fairly confident that any attempts by Sony to make the PS3 a living room replacement for the computer room PC will fail miserably... because they already tried. And they already tried as hard as they could. They gave away WebTV units with subscriptions to internet access.. and still nobody wanted it.

Very few people want to surf the web, write email, use a spreadsheet, write a letter, on the TV in their living room.

Even if you give them the device to do so for free! That was what MS learned from their WebTV experiment.

Sony is now trying to charge a premium for an included feature in a device that MS couldn't give away for free?

No.. the whole 'its a computer!' thing isn't going to work out very well for Sony.

 

[patsu]

Fundamentally, the statement "a PS3 is a computer" has several layers of possible meanings:
* Business Model & Economics: Using suppliers and business dynamics of PC industry (e.g., open source development, multiple PS3 configurations, ...)
* Marketing: Change the value and perception of game console by getting it to do things traditionally done with PC (e.g., all the _rumored_ home media functions)
* Technical: Adopt PC-like technologies in PS3 internals (e.g., Using hard disk for virtual memory as a wild example).
All the 3 aspects above are not discrete/digital. They have varying degree of "Computer-ness". I have no idea what exactly Sony has in mind for the Playstation platform but the key lies in the packaging.

What will be clear to the consumers are the "vertical" applications. If PS3 start to do things more than just games, but not necessarily Desktop software like OpenOffice, it can make a difference.

IMHO, WebTV is just a web browser application/terminal. It failed because it's value proposition is weak (few people web browse in the living room). PS3 may have a web browser too, but the latter can just be a delivery platform. What's more interesting would be the vertical services Sony and partners provide over the web browser or TCP/IP.

For example, if PS3 is an always-on, dynamic-DNS-aware station/computer that serve out my personal webspace (family photos/videos), provides easy access from living room (nearby kitchen) to free recipes; quick searches for local plumbers, gardeners, movies, events; manage TV programs; answering phone/video calls, ... via an effective voice recognition interface; then my wife may use it.

But if PS3 is a 100% Linux Desktop, OpenOffice, Mozilla kind of computer that requires me to set up my web server and environment carefully, then it would be less useful for my wife and many other people.

For now, PS3 is really "just" a game console with a potential for alternate applications via the Linux OS. Personally, I'm open to more ideas from imaginative developers to come up with useful living room apps. I'll just wait and see. Someday, someone will get there.

 

[one]

They were worried about that previously, which is the sole reason why they developed WebTV, and lost so much money doing so, and after their attempt and all the millions they invested, they decided that PC/console convergence was where they needed to go and totally disregarded the idea that the console would actually come to replace the PC.

Really? According to those who read the Xbox 360 Uncloaked book MS executives were initially interested in the possibility of putting a full version of Windows on the new Xbox.

What's more interesting would be the vertical services Sony and partners provide over the web browser or TCP/IP.

The web browser is the best advertisement platform. When you open a certain web site with the PS3 web browser, all ad banners will be replaced with Sony and partners' ads.

 

[patsu]

Argh ! No ! It's called malware

In-game advertising would be more interesting. Web advertising requires huge volume.

 

[rabidrabbit]

Why wouldn't people want to surf the web in the livingroom?
Why should they only want to surf in the bedroom (apart for the obvious reason, which starts with a P and rhymes with "horn")?

One reason why web surfing in family living room will probably not replace the PC as the primary surfing machine, is that if the PS3 is connected to the main family TV, long surfing sessions on it will occupy the livingroom display.
However, if you only want to surf now and then, for shorter periods, the PS3 has it's place in the livingroom as the web surfing macine.
Why previous attempts at surfing the web on a telly have failed? Because of the low resolution and abysmal remote control interfaces, lousy browsers and the fact that not many bothered wiring their phoneline or LAN to the livingroom if there already wasn't a line available there.
High resolution living room displays, WiFi, kb and mouse support and the fact that homes today are better equipped for multi-room internet acces are factors why webbrowsing on your HD TV is much more appealing today than it was when MS tried to do it with WebTV.
It mostly won't be like on your bedroom PC, where you'll watch por... surf the web more "intensively", but the use is different, and varies between TV, gameplay, movies, websurfing, VOIP...

And there's nothing stopping you to put your PS3 to your bedroom to replace the PC, if most of what you do is play games and surf the web

 

[sonyps35]

Why wouldn't people want to surf the web in the livingroom?
Why should they only want to surf in the bedroom (apart for the obvious reason, which starts with a P and rhymes with "horn")?

One reason why web surfing in family living room will probably not replace the PC as the primary surfing machine, is that if the PS3 is connected to the main family TV, long surfing sessions on it will occupy the livingroom display.
However, if you only want to surf now and then, for shorter periods, the PS3 has it's place in the livingroom as the web surfing macine.
Why previous attempts at surfing the web on a telly have failed? Because of the low resolution and abysmal remote control interfaces, lousy browsers and the fact that not many bothered wiring their phoneline or LAN to the livingroom if there already wasn't a line available there.
High resolution living room displays, WiFi, kb and mouse support and the fact that homes today are better equipped for multi-room internet acces are factors why webbrowsing on your HD TV is much more appealing today than it was when MS tried to do it with WebTV.
It mostly won't be like on your bedroom PC, where you'll watch por... surf the web more "intensively", but the use is different, and varies between TV, gameplay, movies, websurfing, VOIP...

And there's nothing stopping you to put your PS3 to your bedroom to replace the PC, if most of what you do is play games and surf the web

There's a long historty of failed attempted browsing on the TV..from webtv to the Dreamcast.

There's two main issues if you ask me, lack of a keyboard (and if not that, lack of a desk to place said keyboard) and low screen res.

It's true the second huge issue is tackled with hi-def TV, although a significant portion of people still wont have it right away.

The second issue is a lot tougher and is just one of those fairly intractable problems. Maybe they could do a nice wireless lap keyboard ala the phantom keyboard, but those cost $50 and will never be widely adopted as accesories.

But I can see some limited websurfing being done on TV and will be much nicer in 720P. Microsoft will probably do a webbrowser after Sony does.

 

[_phil_]

There's a long historty of failed attempted browsing on the TV..from webtv to the Dreamcast.

There's two main issues if you ask me, lack of a keyboard (and if not that, lack of a desk to place said keyboard) and low screen res.

It's true the second huge issue is tackled with hi-def TV, although a significant portion of people still wont have it right away.

The second issue is a lot tougher and is just one of those fairly intractable problems. Maybe they could do a nice wireless lap keyboard ala the phantom keyboard, but those cost $50 and will never be widely adopted as accesories.

But I can see some limited websurfing being done on TV and will be much nicer in 720P. Microsoft will probably do a webbrowser after Sony does.

you can hook any keyboard and mouse you want.

 

[_xxx_]

But anyway, I guess that Harrison just slams the idea of Live Anywhere, he didn't say that PS3 would replace PC.

Well that's how I get it. He said literally, "the PS3 is a computer. We don't need the PC". The translation in the second post is good.