So my vote for "Company that has no F'n clue what it's user base wants"

[Melbosa]

So yeah, over the past couple of months, through articles, news, reviews, and quotes, I've been noticing one of the largest companies in the electronic industry loosing it's grip on consumer reality.  Who do you think I'm talking about?

Sony! I thought at first it was just SOE that was crazy and insane, but with the rootkit stuff from a bit back, and the quotes about PS3 "Gamers will buy what we tell them is good", to just recently when I went to make a simple purchase.  I was in the Sony Store in Kingsway Mall (Edmonton, AB, CA) and asked the salesperson if they had a PS2 A/V cable with S-Video on it (my home theatre system all runs on S-Video).  Cova was with me and pointed out the Composite and Component Video ones they had on the shelves, but no S-Video.  What threw me was when the salesperson said Sony never made one for S-Video? HUH?  As Cova said as we left, so they make a A/V cable for HD tvs when they don't have any content on the console that can be HD, but they don't make one for S-Video which would only make sense.  I just ended up buys a Madcatz one from EB for $10CDN.

So yeah, I'm sure some of you can come up with your own examples, but I think Sony as a corporation is probably the most insane bunch in the biz!

[Mr. Analog]

Talking to a Sony Store clerk is like talking to delicious raspberry jam; POINTLESS

http://www.us.playstation.com/PS2/Accessories/SCPH-10130U

As for the lack of HD content, well, lets see the PS2 has been out for 6 yrs, I think it's safe to say it's done, there are a few games that feature progressive scan but meh, not the same.

[Melbosa]

Talking to a Sony Store clerk is like talking to delicious raspberry jam; POINTLESS

http://www.us.playstation.com/PS2/Accessories/SCPH-10130U

As for the lack of HD content, well, lets see the PS2 has been out for 6 yrs, I think it's safe to say it's done, there are a few games that feature progressive scan but meh, not the same.

LOL oh well, the Madcatz one works.

Yeah just thought it was funny they had a HD Video A/V connector, but no HD content.  Guess it makes sense for the sake of hookups all being the same.

[TheDruid]

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.09/sony.html

Great read on the current state of Sony. Looks like they are betting the farm on the PS3 in a full frontal war with the giant Microsoft.

Basically the article sums it up and says, Sony should pull their heads out of their asses and make products that are fun again and useful to the current generations. Stop trying to create wars in the living room, and making direct attacks on Microsoft.

I for one would love to see Sony go down in a blazing flame. Their constant release of proprietary formats and standards truly show that their ambitions are clearly focused on the bottom line and not
on the consumer. Sony use to be fun, but these days they just want to take over the world.

[Melbosa]

MOD:  Topics very similar, so merged.

[Shayne]

Here's the thing no matter how bad the PS3 is, it will sell a boat load.  You can be sure that they will get their 40M consoles sold and it wont be even that tough to do it.  Ever gamer I talk to is waiting for the PS3 because of its "franchises".  I'm not so sure its a console war anymore though last generation proved that most gamers own 2 or even all 3 of the previous gen.

1up made an interesting remark about the PS3 vs 360 though, Microsoft is running a 4 year cycle, so this is already the end of year 1, does this mean Xbox720 by 2009?  If it does that their is no way Sony can invest the same R&D time and energy into a new PS4 so quickly after falling a year behind on this one.  It probably will happen that consoles will be in different generations throughout the upcoming 10 years.  Wii will most likely have a version 2.0 2 years into its life time (much like the GBA and the DS), and Microsoft has big friends and limitless cash to create the 720 before Sony has even really got started with its PS3.