Sony planning to go against iTunes, Live in 2008


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Let the bell ring and the pretty lady walk by the arena holding up the sign telling us that Round 1 is about to begin -- gloves are off, et cetera. Sony's laid out its plans for 2008 and from the looks and sounds of it, they're planning to up the ante of the PlayStation Network to rival such services as Apple's iTunes and Microsoft's XBox Live service -- all for free. Sony CEO, Sir Howard Stringer, said the PS3 is planned to connect to a multitude of devices, including mobile phones and other "unspecified" electronics.

The mobile phone deal is part of a three year plan, coupled with the persistent rumors of a PSPhone, making the date of April 1, 2008 a little something to look forward to. Stringer outlined Sony's next fiscal year a little like this: "PlayStation Network next year puts us in the direct line of fire with Apple and Microsoft," referring of course to iTunes and Live. He didn't say what was planned exactly, but draw your own conclusions from his quote about a dinner he had: "we had a dinner where the heads of Sony Electronics, [sony] Pictures, Sony BMG, and Sony PlayStation were all at the same dinner table intermingled and actually communicating." Who knows. It could be any number of exciting things, what with all the different areas Sony covers in the electronics world.

Source: http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2007/12/12/sony-p...s-live-in-2008/

Can't wait to see what they have planned! :)

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^I believe the surfing (network) is free, not the tracks.

Yeah actually, I just read the original (gamespot) article and they didn't say anything about it being free. So it looks like the PS3Fanboys took that article and kind of ran with it...

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Good but upstaging Itunes impossible.

Why is Sony coming off arrogant again?

arrogant? how?

I would like to know the same thing. How is Soy announcing to launch a iTunes type service arrogant:blink:k:

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I'll probably end up using it. Can't take iTunes music and put on a PSP, obiouslly this will. If I had a iPod instead of a PSP I'd probably use iTunes it's that simple.

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It IS arrgant to go against iTunes. But how is that a bad thing? It's a better business plan than "We won't even bother".

Said it before, will say it again. Arrogance isn't always a negative thing!

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It IS arrgant to go against iTunes. But how is that a bad thing? It's a better business plan than "We won't even bother".

Said it before, will say it again. Arrogance isn't always a negative thing!

No it's not.

It would be arrogant if Sony came out and said we're going up against iTunes and "we'll be better!" - Or some variation of that.

They gave no idication of what they WANT to try and achieve or what they're even going to do, just that they'll be working on something that rivals/competes with/is similar to other ideas out there.

People use the term "arrogance" too freely around here at times - Basically trying to state any sort of competition is somehow a show of arrogance... :/

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if they really want to have a chance against iTunes and Xbox Live the first thing they need to do is get rid of that poor web page they call "Playstation Store", that's what ruins the concept for them. Make a full feature application integrated into the XMB and they may have a better chance. :)

Ohh, don't say Home will be the killer app cuz Home is intended for something else, I just don't want to walk around like an idiot looking for movies and music. :p

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if they really want to have a chance against iTunes and Xbox Live the first thing they need to do is get rid of that poor web page they call "Playststion Store", that's what ruins the concept for them. Make a full feature application integrated into the XMB and they may have a better chance. :)

Ohh, don't say Home will be the killer app cuz Home is intended for something else, I just don't want to walk around like an idiot looking for movies and music. :p

One thing I do agree with.

The store needs a re-vamp, and soon.

It does the job, and I can use it easily enough, but it could be soo much better.

I don't particularly like the "stores" on either PSN or Live, however Live is currently better than PSN IMO - Mainly down to the seemless integration within the blades.

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Two levels of sign in on the PS3 is just stupid. Whoevers idea that was needs to be kicked out the door imo. The great thing about the Dashboard (and somewhat the Wii menu) is the intergration of it all. I don't need to sign in any further once my console is turned on, and I can move between all the different sections very fast. Plus on the 360, once the download has finished for example, I have the option to run it straight away, or navigate to the media blade etc.

Sony trying to pull it off with a web interface just isn't going to do the job, and it's going to be slower unless they can somehow embed it into the XMB.

Good to see them finally make a push with the online store though, my god does it need it. I'd like to see movies more than music though, and not just Sony published titles either.

PSPhone on 1st April, as well as Home?

Righttt :p Someone sure loves making these crazy rumours up and using that date :laugh:

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Well we have two good Sony sectors (Sony Entertainment, Sony Pictures) and two poor Sony sectors (Sony Playstation, Sony BMG) together at dinner - I honestly wonder what's going to come of it. Although I can't say I'd put a hope in anything Sony BMG+Playstation would come up with to counter iTunes. It will be interesting, to say the least.

-Spenser

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Well we have two good Sony sectors (Sony Entertainment, Sony Pictures) and two poor Sony sectors (Sony Playstation, Sony BMG) together at dinner - I honestly wonder what's going to come of it. Although I can't say I'd put a hope in anything Sony BMG+Playstation would come up with to counter iTunes. It will be interesting, to say the least.

-Spenser

as long as they don't call that thing "The Walkman Store" :p

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Yeah actually, I just read the original (gamespot) article and they didn't say anything about it being free. So it looks like the PS3Fanboys took that article and kind of ran with it...

Free as in no subscription scheme like Live

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Two levels of sign in on the PS3 is just stupid. Whoevers idea that was needs to be kicked out the door imo. The great thing about the Dashboard (and somewhat the Wii menu) is the intergration of it all. I don't need to sign in any further once my console is turned on, and I can move between all the different sections very fast. Plus on the 360, once the download has finished for example, I have the option to run it straight away, or navigate to the media blade etc.

snip

You obviously havent turned on your PS3 since...well, forever :/

Umm, where exactly do you sign in multiple places on the PS3? :s

Only things that you cant run straight away are demos which I agree, are stupid that you have to install them - theyre just as big as their X360 marketplace counterparts, why do they need to be installed!? :s

Menus work alot faster on the PS3 - especially since the fall update ****** up the blades(not the ones coming out the sides :p)

And you have the option to stream media from PSN or run it straight away, or navigate to the specific media....bar

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what if..

you buy a game, and it comes with ~5 songs/or a movie download (of one's choice). Or maybe it entitles you to the game's soundtrack. They could include it on the disc, but its nice to always be able to download them wherever you sign on. perhaps? maybe even some simple discounts would encourage users to use the service. Perhaps the idea of using the service through one's living room might appeal to more people, rather than having to go to a computer.

hope it goes well

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You obviously havent turned on your PS3 since...well, forever :/

Umm, where exactly do you sign in multiple places on the PS3? :s

Only things that you cant run straight away are demos which I agree, are stupid that you have to install them - theyre just as big as their X360 marketplace counterparts, why do they need to be installed!? :s

Menus work alot faster on the PS3 - especially since the fall update ****** up the blades(not the ones coming out the sides :p)

And you have the option to stream media from PSN or run it straight away, or navigate to the specific media....bar

Sign in, wasn't the best choice of words on my part. My mistake. You do have to launch the Playstation store though once you've booted the console up. Whereas the 360, it's all systems go once you've turned it on. I've never download PSN content for a game, but is there a way to access it from within the game menu? Or must you launch the Store, download, install, and launch the game?

The XMB is fast if you are just browsing content on the console itself. As soon as you connect to the PSN though, it slows right down. And I've not had any problems with the 360 Dashboard since the Fall Update, although I've seen others are getting loading screens. I'm sure they'll speed it up.

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Well, we saw what happened when they tried to put PS3 against 360 and Wii. Now they are trying to take on an even tougher market?

It's not impossible to beat iTunes. When you think about it, iTunes is really nothing special.

But Sony has lost enough money already, they are not in a good position to take on iTunes.

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