Ronin317

I'm not saying Ballmer's numbers are right, but you quoted an apple fan site for numbers on a competing, Microsoft product. Would you belive Ford talking about Ford sales numbers, or what Chevy says about Ford's sales numbers?

This is the most useless writeup of a 'story' I've ever seen on engadget. It's all over the place. Doesn't anyone proofread this stuff?

While I think this particular post is a bit premature, it does present some things worth thinking about, exaggerations and all. Sony made a few specific errors, mostly linked to marketing, in my opinion, that has hampered the PS3 thus far. First and foremost, Sony relied far too heavily on reputation. Reputation alone, no matter the longevity or popularity of the PS2, is not going to sell people on shelling out $600 for a console with no games (more on games later). Sony should have known better on that - look at the American auto industry...anyways, both the advertising and PR for the PS3 were patently atrocious. As far as I can see, Sony has done nothing to stem the gaping PR wounds that they receive in both the web and print press. The launch publicity was all they've received that's remotely positive. The commercials for the PS3 with the crying doll or whatever couldn't have been worse - they did NOTHING to help separate the PS3 from other offerings on the market. Instead of playing up the simplicity (relatively speaking) of having a Blu-Ray player and game system in one item, they show a floating baby - good job Sony...time to fire that ad agency. The whole thing has been mismanaged from the start. I don't care how powerful the system is, Sony needs to make this system friendly to people.

Microsoft, for all it's faults, seems to have learned from the past mistakes it makes, while Sony keeps trucking along, mistake after mistake (look at their MP3 lines...), like an ignorant old man. I want sony to Succeed in the worst way, but they are a very very 'sick' company as a whole. You think they'd learn from Sega, and look at the Saturn launch. I see many parallels between the Saturn and the PS3. It was pretty damn powerful, and amazingly expensive (relative to the times). But it was difficult as all hell to program for, and the games trickled out. At that time, Enter Sony with a very easy console to program for, a slick look, and a library of good games. Don't get me wrong, I love my Saturn, still do, but Sega made a mistake with it, and no matter how amazing the Dreamcast was, it spelled their demise as a console maker. Could Sony be heading down the same Path with the PS3?

I just don't get how Sony can't see the forest through the trees here, and realize that they need to change a few things, mostly for image. The hardware is what it is, and I personally can't wait to see what they do with the power, but I'm not 100% sold that we'll see the full potential realized.

I sat the other night and played Twisted Metal 2 for 3 hours...and I wondered aloud where the fun and simplicity had gone from the current gen of games - and the answer is xbox live and nintendo wii. Not Sony. The original playstation was FUN. The PS2 got serious, but still had fun games. The PS3...remains to be seen. The fact that Warhawk is possibly taking a dive is a symptom. And I realize the game development industry has changed greatly, but that doesn't mean that innovation is dead. I love a good, complex, cinematic looking game, but sometimes I just want to fire it up and just mash buttons and have a blast doing it.

Sell that, Sony. Sell that experience. Show that you can have FUN with the PS3...show that it can go right from playing a 4 player crazy laughing fun game and go straight into a gorgeous BRD movie. not reflections of screenshots of games that will never come out on the eyeball of a crying doll. Leave that shit for cologne ads...

Look...really, all Apple does is take existing tech, make a slick interface, throw it in a curvy white case, and charges double for it, and market the hell out of it. And they're successful at it. Apple makes very good interfaces...and they tend to pull things together pretty well, in some cases, better than most other manufacturers. Case and point - the iRiver H320 did everything the 5th gen Video iPod did 2 full years prior...but Apple made a slicker interface, had iTunes, and Marketed the crap out of it, and iRiver doesn't even make HDD players anymore. It's not just about the product, it's about the whole package and the business, and that's where Apple ends up succeeding and creates their image. Image is everything, and they back it up pretty well. But the Apple zombies will tell you differently. And the anti-apple's will always tell you the exact opposite. The truth, as with most of this crap, is right down the middle.

In today's market, stuff is moving so fast with so many players in the game, that things are bound to look similaracross different manufacturers. I mean how many new designs can be truly revolutionary at this point. It's a phone. Unless someone comes out with a usable phone that is a sphere, the good old 'bar' design isn't going anywhere, and innovation on that design is damn near impossible.

At this point, it's not out. It still may not come out, because the FCC has to approve it. As slim a chance as that is, it's the facts. However, there's still 2 months. Maybe the FCC speeds it, maybe Apple speeds manufacturing, but the chances on that are slimmer than the FCC killing it.

Pay up. A product announcement doesn't mean it's on shelves.

Personally, I love Dodve Vehicles...

Agreed with #2 and 3, but I really really enjoy Gans' work, so I enjoyed Silent Hill. Was it the best? No, but it's easily the Best Video Game film ever - and all because of the way Gans directs, shoots, and edits. Just look at Brotherhood of the Wolf - the editing alone puts Hollywood to shame, and that film is 4 years old at this point...

Thank you for that Porky's Reference...I now have to go home and watch that tonight.

They call her Lassie...

These have been available for quite some time...much cheaper and with a car charger too...

http://www.outletdude.com/store/product.php?1&pid=1454

How about the Hitch, iPod-to-iPod direct sharing device you linked yesterday?

http://www.gethitch.com