What does everyone think about the Sony situation?

[TSE]

So what does everyone think about the Sony situation that is occurring with a new restructuring plan?

I might be in the minority here, but I am actually a huge fan of Sony products. Although I own an XBOX and MacBook Pro, it's not because I dislike the PS3 or Vaios (I was actually really close to buying a Vaio Z2), it's just that those products didn't feel my needs quite as well.

It kind of makes me sad that the once massive premium electronics company is going through tough times and getting smaller, but at the same time I think it might make the company's products better and make it run like a startup again.

The thing I like most about Sony is it's design teams and how they have "niche" products like the handheld PCs and stuff. The Sony Vaio Z is untouchable too and is in a world of its own.

Do you think Sony will get back on track or fall even more as Apple becomes the dominant brand?

 

[Goftrey]

I'm also a fan on Sony products, in honesty, without Apple, my house would be filled with Sony products. And it is a shame they're going downhill at the moment. But I don't think this is the end of Sony at all. Even if they step back & start making their way back up the ladder from ground zero, I'm sure the dudes at Sony HQ will continue to bring out intuitive products for a long time into the future.

 

[Macist]

Perhaps the 'anything and everything' model of electronics is dead.

What does a cheap and nasty radio alarm clock have to do with a broadcast video camera?

Apple have show that you can sell Mercedes-priced products to a mass audience. Sony now look 'middle market' and the middle market seems stagnant. People either want quality or the cheapest no-name tat they can get their hands on and feel they've got a steal.

Sony should probably not bother with the low-end stuff they sell. Keep PS, Vaio, Bravia, spin off the broadcast/pro stuff and not bother with much else.

Even Apple is too broadly spread now. They should probably set up a semi-autonomous 'professional' wing to cater to the needs of professional and business users that couldn't care less about the iPod. Filemaker puts out great stuff serving its users pretty well because it doesn't suffer from the reality distortion field of the parent company.

 

[senseless]

I never liked my Sony Blu-Ray player. It takes forever to boot up and often forgets where I left off playing a disc.

 

[maflynn]

Well, it seemed Sony is a victim of its own hubris. They thought People would be willing to buy a PS3 and pay a premium, even though the Wii and XBox were cheaper - consumers weren't. Eventually they lowered the price but perhaps its a little to late to really increase its marketshare.

TVs are also over priced and did not offer anything much over Samsung or other makers.

Their cameras are nice, but they're having problems getting them into the hands of consumers and they have not yet produced more lenses for said cameras.

In short they've been acting arrogant, without much innovation and allowed the competition to leap frog them.

 

[charlieegan3]

i don't mind sony, i don't like PS3 though or bluray.

Their Tv's are nice.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Hopefuly they will come back stronger than ever. The more good electronic companies there are the more they have to push the boundaries to stay on top. Apple are the big player at the moment but back in the day the Sony Walkman was the iPod of its (and yes mine!) generation.

 

[smoledman]

Sony got into being a media conglomerate and forgot that they were an electronics company. The moment they did that, their decline began. I remember owning a Sony Trinitron flat-panel TV, it was good. Sony DVD players too.