Sony's picture brightens

"IN Spider-Man 3, the new $200m (£100m) movie from Sony Pictures, the hero Peter Parker is consumed with pride about his past achievements, and makes errors of judgment that leave him fighting deadly rivals for his survival. Can he rediscover his true character, his essential goodness, to emerge victorious?

It's a story that should resonate with Sir Howard Stringer, the Welsh-born chief executive of Sony Corporation, who has spent nearly two years battling to turn round the ailing Japanese electronics giant.

For decades one of the world's most trusted brands, Sony ran into problems when it failed to react to the technological changes that transformed the markets where it had scored two of its biggest successes - Trinitron televisions and Walkman music players.

As consumers switched to flat-screen LCD TVs and the iPod, Sony was plunged into loss - an analogue company in a digital world.

The crisis provoked Sony, a corporate icon in Japan, to seek a saviour in Stringer - doubly shocking since he was neither Japanese nor an electronics engineer. Stringer, 65, is a former journalist who spent much of his career in American TV, before joining Sony to shake up its US operations in 1997.

Stringer set to work in 2005 by laying off 10,000 staff, closing 11 factories and launching his Sony United initiative to break down the "silo walls" between the group's notoriously independent divisions."

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[BubblesDAVERAGE]

The entertainment beast...who is not gonna see spiderman 3? You would have to be like a superfanboy

[ben hates you]

story in the second one felt kind of dumb to me i like the comics better

[techie]

ooops I didnt see it was the wrong type...if so then report it as wrong type, not as spam. I didnt look sorry, it's not my aritlce :)

[Hooded Vendetta]

Then it should be in Tech not Xbox 360 and PS3, its not news worthy for for those categories.

[Hooded Vendetta]

Just seen its in the Wii bit aswell, Comeone dude. Think straight. It maybe competition even still its not "News" worthy at all.

[OldSchoolGamer]

Did you bother to read the article? The PS3 is analyzed as part of the complete financial picture for Sony. Additionally, it goes into the PS3 specifically.

"Sony’s ambition for Playstation 3 — and the reason it is so expensive — is to establish the console as a home-entertainment hub. For quite apart from its games capability, Playstation 3 incorporates a HD-DVD player, another crucial new battleground in consumer electronics which pits Sony’s Blu-ray technology against Toshiba’s HD-DVD.

This is why each Playstation 3 is being sold with a DVD from Sony Pictures — Casino Royale in Britain. Sony wants consumers to understand that Playstation 3 is more than a games console.

It appears to be getting its message across. Kiyoshi Nishitani, senior vice-president of the group’s television and video-business unit, said early research in America suggested that 90% of Playstation 3 owners had used their machine to play a Blu-ray disk, and about three-quarters of them planned to buy or rent further movies in the format in future.

“We believe that eventually — very soon — Blu-ray will win,” said Ihara.

Stringer said the hugely successful launch of Playstation 3 in Britain, where it racked up £100m of sales in two days, had “rescued the perception wars”. Having launched with more game titles available, “we’ve lived up to expectations in Europe in a way that we perhaps did not in Japan”.

Stringer said games publishers had still to take advantage of the huge “bandwidth”, or technical capability, of Playstation 3. This meant there was lots of untapped potential.

Hirai, the new head of SCE, said: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint. The real test of a console’s longevity is only seen when we look back three years from now, or five years from now or ten years from now, [when you can see] what’s the installed base, what support you’ve got from publishers, what support you’ve got from consumers.

“I’d be saying the same thing if we were top in the market or second or third.”

Nevertheless, it’s hard to believe that Sony will persist with its current pricing. The Playstation 3 is twice as expensive as its closest rival, the Xbox 360. Chubachi said the company was reviewing pricing strategy. "

Is that not enough ps3 for you children. Read the article before making yourself look stupid.

[techie]

Calm it there..I think he was referring to the fact that it had the wrong types.

[OldSchoolGamer]

like you no one bothered to read it... how can you mark it as spam?

[Bathyj]

Anyway....
This is why I dont get why so many people hate Sony these days. They been such a great company for so long and givien us so many products that became part of our lives and that we now just take for granted.

Back when I bought my 1st big (68cm) TV, all the other brand were poor quality and it showed. Sony were the only ones that gave quality and reliablity at the time. Sure you had to pay for it. But it gave me about 13 years of trouble free pleasure. In fact I've never had one Sony product that wasn't top notch quality, even though I know I'm lucky to still have all my Playstation cos not everyone was.

Anyway its just seems that after 20 or more years of delivering they set the bar really high for PS3 and so many people turned on them for it. Nothing has changed in my eyes. They still make quality products and you still have to pay for them to enjoy it. My love of Sony hasn't stopped me from enjoying all the other consoles and it great that M$ joined the market cos I dont think Nintendo would have lasted just by themselves either, and only having one would not have been good.

Its good things are looking up and I look forward to the future. If anything needs to change maybe it how the internet is fast becoming just a place to b*tch.

[Funky Town_TX]

I don't hate Sony but I have lots of problems with them.

1. They should admit that movies were the main reason they used Blu-ray in the PS3.

2. They should thank customers for helping the Playstation brand become successful.

3. It's not just about Sony. Developers are a big reason they are were they are.

4. Drop the arrogance. Humility is a good thing.

5. They should not expect me to kiss their a$$$. I will game with them or without them. "next gen starts when we say so". WTF.

The same goes for M$. Be humble.

[Bill Gates]

sorry brother but that has to be just about one of the dumbest posts i've read in a while.

First of "they should admit that movies were the main reason they used Blu-ray in the PS3"....huh!!
One's personal reasons for buying a PS3 has nothing to do with Sony. The PS3 is capable of DOING many things. It's up to the consumer to decide what he/she will use it for.

Also "They should thank customers for helping the Playstation brand become successful."...hahaha
Come on man, what, you want them to come to your house and bake you cookies too? Sony LISTENED to the gamers, and Sony delivered a kick-a5S system that is capable of many things.

You say "Developers are a big reason they are were they are"...haha again, Sony is a BIG part of the success of DVD, and what, you think developers didn't make any money from the games that Sony's systems have allowed to be played in their consoles??....dumb-a5S!!!

Again.. "Drop the arrogance. Humility is a good thing"...same could be said about you moron.

Finally, please think before you open your dirty hole,..please.

[Funky Town_TX]

When the price drop systems will fly of the shelf. You sound offended. Maybe you are on Sony's payroll. Don't take it personal. It's just my opinion. Sony fangirls sure are fanatics.

You act as if DVD would have failed without Sony. Blu-ray would have failed without PS3. It is known by Sony and the Blu-ray supporters. I never had a PS2 but I have purchased about 5 DVD players. I know about 50 people with DVD players that don't have PS2's. DVD was competing against VHS. It was a natural progression. Next time you go to the store and see PS3's sitting on the shelf it's not because Blu-ray is no good. It will not be because PS3's is no good. It will be because the PS3 is too pricey for a gaming console. Most people will see it as that first. I could care less if M$ sales more consoles than Sony, but I think you do. Like I always say I will game with or without Sony. It's up to Sony to make me game with them. I'm not a cult follower. It will be funny when I get a PS3 for $400 and have better games than what you have for a $600 system. Wait for price drop and better adult games. Thanks for reading, and no need to go to name calling.

Viva La Killzone PS3 (E3-05 version)

[Bathyj]

Any good points he might have had get ignored because, who wants to listen to a rude prick?

The thing I hate about the Sony fanboys is I get lumped into the same barrel because I like Sony. I hope you and others realise there's a differenc between a fan and a fanboy. If you must tar me, use a different brush.

You're entitled to your opinions, but I got to say Dude, dont worry so much about those things you mentioned in your first reply. Sure Sony might be arrogant. Their also very confident. Its a fine line sometimes. The Aussie cricket team has been accussed of arrogance from time to time, simply because they've dominated world cricket for roughly 15 years. Its not like they go around rubbing everyones faces in it, they just have an aura about them, that suggests they are on a different level to other teams. I'm not saying that is true of Sony but they have dominated the console business since joining as a complete Noob so you'd expect a certain amount of confidence or even c0ckiness.

Dont read to much into the PR talk either. Whenever these execs talk like the Next Gen starts, remark, its just advertising. Take it with a grain of salt. 95% of ads are full of crap. They talk up their stuff, and downplay their rivals stuff. Is Sony unique in doing this? No, every company, team, politition in the world does it. I'm surprised by all the Xboxers who act so offended and betrayed by Sonys "lies" yet I dont think they believed for a second a word they said to start with.

Finally, I think Sony knows the great role the Devs and the fans play. Every thing I've read about devs say Sony always treats them well without trying to take control and the biggest thank they can give me as a fan is to keep putting out quality product. If we dont hear the actual words "thank you" enough, thats just the way of the world. My boss only wants to talk to me when I screw up, not when I'm doing a good job.
Peace.

PS. Dude, you never had a PS2? You missed out on some good games.

[Maddens Raiders]

...Now just keep it up and quit shooting yourselves in the a$$ with moronic decision making at the micro-level which seems to mushroom into a macro-sized heart attack for the co., your investors and fans. Stay on target....Stay on target....

Cheers