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Sony's Upcoming Branded Internet Access Service
Details have emerged about Sony's upcoming plans for a branded Internet access service, which will also feature a partnership with Listen.com to bring Sony Music Club online through the ISP.
Sony Music Club has about fifty tracks available for download now through the Sony website, on a pay-per-download system. The new deal will bring much more music content online then just those fifty singles.
Sony, ever aware of the shifting digital marketplace, has a lot on the line with this new online branded Internet access service.
As the already famous PlayStation II finally comes to the US market this fall, this branded ISP is looking to be most likely something Sony will be utilizing to push "Sony Content" (and others content who sign on as partners) for delivery through the console.
Imagine turning on your PSX2 and then having a high-speed connection to purchase your favorite tunes within a few minutes all easily through the console? This is something, which may actually turn buying music online into something more enjoyable and almost fun.
Sony has great plans envisioned for the PlayStation II (PSX2), and broadband delivery of licensed content is a big part of that. While this ISP is not going to be setting up broadband connections yet, it is the first step in the process of getting there for Sony.
Sony stated there would be a great number more partnerships in conjunction with this new branded Internet access service, which certainly is true. More and more business will realize Sony's plan and want to certainly get involved with the movement of bringing household entertainment, the internet, and console gaming together through the PSX2.
Sony also has announced the launching of a test version SonyStyle.com next week, which will offers online customer service and info on Sony products.
How long will it take Sony to establish a high-speed version of this branded Internet access service? Then how long will it be before they start to put these partnerships together to push all the delivery online to the consoles?
User Comments
(These do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of this site)
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pohsib
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Date: July 21, 2000 @ 12:23 AM
I HATE Sony
I have iansir write previews on Sony players i hate them so much. They are never content to play the market and use formats that are there.
VHS was established, they tried to push beta
CD is established, they push MD
Mp3 is established they push Atrac
CF cards are established, they push Memory Stick
I hate that!!
and they ALWAYS fail!
beta died, MD is a bust, Atrac is lame, and Memory Sticks are not selling.
I hate that they try to corner a market by thwarting the existing market.
And just so all you pro-innovation people don't jump on me, I admit MD, Beta and Memory Sticks might be better, but they suck because ONLY Sony can produce products for them. They try to creat like a mini-monopoly and stifle competition.
I don't want to download from Sony's ISP using Sony's playstation, and Sony's proprietary format, on Sony's player. Arg! They tick me off so much. I am on a permanent Sony boycott.
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-X-
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Date: July 21, 2000 @ 12:59 AM
Bitter at Sony perhaps? :)
We still love you pohsib.. |
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jark
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Date: July 21, 2000 @ 1:15 AM
I hate to say it but you are, in fact, QUITE wrong. While Beta DID flop, MD has far from flopped. While US consumers might not have caught on the MD's, Asian and European markets see thriving sales of this format.
Sony was NEVER about making an MP3 -vs- ATRAC challenge. All they have done is chosen to use their better quality compression over a lossy compression method on their portable digital audio players. It really should not matter what format the file ends up in ON THE DEVICE but rather what formats one can EASILY get placed on the device. If they want to use ATRAC, and there is plenty of storage space, then so be it. The thing is that there was never any thinking in Sony's plans that they wanted to crush MP3 by introducing ATRAC - which is the compression method that is used on MD players.
Again, their Memory Stick is not set to be an challenge to the other similiar type media available. All Sony wants to do is make all of their devices "interconnectable" by using the Memory Stick technology. That is not necessarily a bad idea. What is wrong with it?
You are too biased against Sony and therefore are not able to see the full picture.
--[ jark ]-- |
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pohsib
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Date: July 21, 2000 @ 8:56 AM
I am totally biased! but you arew rong about atrac. Atrac3 is NOT the atrac in minidisc players. It shares some of the basic coding techniques, but deviates much in sound quality and of course bitrate. For one thing, ATRAC1 is 292kbps ALWAYS, Atrac3 is 132, (i think) 108, and 66kbps. Atrac3 will net sound quality basically similar to wma (in my opinion) at equal bitrates.
Atrac3 is just Sony's lame attempt at SDMI. Great market strategy.....force people to use undesireable copy protection, and proprietary software, plus a pain in the ass conversion process....PLUS we get the privelege of paying a boatload of money for it too. Also converting a mp3 to atrac3 will net degradation in quality.
So there! |
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pressf8
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Date: July 21, 2000 @ 11:38 AM
Sony is also the only company that sells Digital 8mm video cameras, while JVC et al are now on DV.
Its not uncommon for companies to come up with systems within their product lines to link them together (JVC--who made VHS--has stuff like A/V Link in all their products).
I think the strategy behind Sony's unique system is that every sony device can interface with most every other device--so if you already have a Sony digital camera with a memory stick you may be more motivated to buy a Sony VAIO notebook that has a memory stick reader built in. If you've got the VAIO with firewire built in, why not buy one of their Digital8 cameras that uses the same format. Also, since you got the VAIO, why not buy their memory stick based MP3 player? My Sony VCR's remote will control my camcorder--and vice versa... See how that all fits together?
They build new systems to better fit their needs--memory sticks are more versatile than flash (and take up less room on the side of a notebook), 8mm tapes are common, etc.
Try not to be too hard on them :) Although, on the music end I haven't been too impressed with them...
Brian
http://www.screwmetallica.org/ |
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