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Sony Rep Denies Need For PC, PS3 Better 148

Posted by Zonk from the i'm-koo-koo-for-marketing-talk dept.
Phil Harrison continues down the road of marketing hyperbole, now having gone on record stating 'we do not need the PC'. He has also denied claims of copying Nintendo with the PS3's Dualshake controller. From the Gamasutra article: "In a certain way, I understand why people would say such things, but it is stupid, if you'll forgive me saying so ... We have already worked on it a long time, and Nintendo almost certainly has done likewise with something similar. It is perfectly naturally for two companies to work on identical devices. It's like that with technology." Must be nice to live in fantasy land.
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Sony Rep Denies Need For PC, PS3 Better More

Sony Rep Denies Need For PC, PS3 Better

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  • Poor Deluded Phil (Score:5, Funny)

    by eldavojohn ( 898314 ) * <eldavojohn@noSpAM.gmail.com> on Thursday June 01, 2006 @11:16AM (#15445186) Journal
    Phil Harrison went on to say that ordinary gods and goddesses would cower at the site of the first PS3 and that the plain jane religions that exist the world today will be unneeded once we have the PS3 to worship.

    Sony has been playing around with the idea of allowing consumers one PS3 in exchange for that consumer's first born son (or the trimmed down version for first born daughter). Analysts stated that this strategy would be met with disgust in most parts of the world but may play well in third world countries and those suffering from over population.

    When asked why he would no longer need a PC, Harrison merely gestured to the screen displaying the new console and said, "Look at it! Just .. just ... look at it! No, wait stop, you are not worthy to cast your eyes upon it. Avert them! Everyone, stop looking at it, you're ruining its glory just by concieving it in your feeble puny mind!"

    Sony has set up large preemptive trauma centers for players who will seek medical attention after attempting to "play" the PS3. Harrison explained that only players with "mad skillz" will be able to touch the PS3 and not walk away with their entire reality altered. Harrison also alluded to the idea that much of life after the PS3's release will be dedicated to playing the PS3 and trying to conceive of what life before the PS3 might have been like. Phil was skeptical any of their consumers would own any other consoles aside from the PS3 and stated that doctors were investigating ways to wean heroin addicts from the drug by giving them a PS3 as a substitute.

    Some of the developers of the PS3 were admitted to mental institutions for possible instability. Many were sobbing and laughing at the same time screaming anything from "It is done!" to "It is ... the alpha & the omega!"

    Reporters noted that Phil looked quite thin and ill but when asked about his health, he became extremely defensive saying, "Why do you ask about the physical things? If you had god in your living room, would you pause your conversation with him to eat?!" he cried, "Why do you vex me with puzzles non-PS3 based?" He had shaved his head [gamasutra.com] for reasons unknown. He then jumped off the stage and ran to his celebrity van outside--presumably to play an in-development version of the PS3.

    So, is Sony going to do all their development on PS3s from now on if they don't need PCs?
    • Actually, you know whats really really annoying about reporters? (And this goes for mainstream as well as game journo's) - Its the fact that none of them are willing to ask an uncomfortable question, you make light of it in your post but in reality none of them would say something like that, or, more appropriatly, none of them would ask a question like this:

      " You claim that the PS3 will replace the computer, my question is, have you replaced your PC with a PS3?"

      a decent follow up to the predictable an
      • "my question is: Why do you feel the need to lie rather than to just admit what everybody else knows? that you copied nintendo.."

        A question like that, if posed in a courtroom, would draw a objection from opposing counsel before the witness could even inhale in preparation of answering.

        Being that the goal of testimony in a courtroom is to uncover Truth, I propose that journalists should strive to keep their questions similar to those that an attorney would ask of a witness. Leave the leading questions, the
        • A few things:

          1) In a deposition, you'd have objections raised, but they'd probably be told "answer him anyway, even if he's being rude."
          2) In a courtroom, you'd probably be called to sidebar.
          3) What makes you think the goal of testimony in a courtroom is to uncover truth? Many times, the goal of testimony is to judge the credibility of a witness, to view the emotional impact, or just to let someone "tell their story." There are process values that have little to do with "truth" -- if all the courts
    • or the trimmed down version for first born daughter

      OUCH! Trimming down a daughter sounds painfull!

      I am now ready to become one with my PS3. Or is that 3 with... nevermind.
  • For this to replace all the functions of a PC, it would BE a PC. I fail to see how it could be called a console if it had a keyboard, mouse and stored my tax records.

    • Re:Yes but... (Score:3, Insightful)

      by joe 155 ( 937621 )
      it's not a pc until it runs linux.
      • ...it's not really linux unless Sony disallow it on their consoles.
      • the ps3 runs linux natively, so basically youre backing up the statement?

        • the ps3 runs linux natively

          True, the PlayStation 3 console is said to run a Linux operating system, but if it doesn't include a linker, and third party linkers don't work due to inability to add Sony's digital signature, then it's just as "Linux based" as a TiVo DVR.

          • when has the lack of direct linux support held the homebrew community back from developing a version of linux that runs on it?

            the fact that they claim linux runs natively on it could be a ruse i admit, but who cares? the people that will mind the most will /still/ have no problems getting linux on the box within the first 5-6 months. besides, a half promise is better than to see linux be ignored completely.

            -tepples, havent argued with you in a while... where have you been? i almost thought you'd stopped fol

            • when has the lack of direct linux support held the homebrew community back from developing a version of linux that runs on it?

              If it costs more to mod a console to run Linux or NetBSD than it does to buy a comparable PC that can boot a well-known Linux or *BSD distribution, then running Linux on that console isn't cost effective. With the new version 1.6 Xbox consoles and the removal of vulnerable copies of MechAssault from the retail chain, Microsoft appears to have succeeded in plugging a lot of the ho

              • yes, but where can you find a comparable pc with a cell chip inside? and for under $600?

                im sure the linux community is itching to see what the cell can do. so far the ps3 seems pretty pc-like as is. keyboard and mouse support, usb peripherals, bluetooth, connects to a monitor, etc etc etc...

                wait a sec... was the 1.6 xbox comment a swipe at the xbox 360? LMAO!!!!

                • but where can you find a comparable pc with a cell chip inside? and for under $600?

                  Until the PS3 retail unit is demonstrated to be unlocked out of the box, or until it is unlocked using a mod chip, the appropriate price comparison is not the PS3 retail unit but the PS3 development kit plus the cost of drafting a business plan to gain access to the PS3 development kit.

                  was the 1.6 xbox comment a swipe at the xbox 360?

                  No, it was a swipe at the original Xbox. But now that you bring up the Xbox 360, th

      • I sure hope PS3 Linux doesn't take someone more than a month or two because I've never bought a console but the prospect of linux on a cell would be the biggest motivating factor I've had yet.
    • Just jerk your controller in morse code to type. As for tax records, didn't you see Tax Smashers 3 at E3?
    • Learn computing by typing program listings from magazines on a Sinclair ZX81 and later Sinclair Spectrum. Home computers like Atari ST, Amiga, BBC Micro and others all can be connected to television. A monitor would have cost an arm and a leg back then. Ok, I use them mainly to play games, but there are many serious sofware written for these machines. Atari ST was very popular as a serious computer in Germany before the ascendency on the Wintel machines. The ST and Amiga was at least as powerful as PCs an

  • The full interview here (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 01, 2006 @11:24AM (#15445286)
    http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,15 18,419072,00.html [spiegel.de]

    And here's one for the ages:

    When we launched Playstation in 1994 we introduced the concept of real-time computer-generated 3-D-graphics for the first time. When Nintendo released the N64 in 1996 and they had real-time CG 3-D-graphics, did you hear us say, "Nintendo, you've stolen our idea?" Of course not. These innovations are things that become possible because of a combination of technology, price and manufacturing capability.

    What you say !! Does Starfox ring a bell? What about Battlezone? Not only are they denying that they obviously based they idea off of Nintendo's, but they're taking credit for 3D graphics... Do these people even listen to themselves?

  • Finally! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Vo0k ( 760020 ) on Thursday June 01, 2006 @11:25AM (#15445299) Journal
    Yeah, finally gonna get rid of that damned noisy PC. As soon as I put my hands on a copy of AutoCAD for PS3.
  • We can do this /. It's a team effort.

  • VAIO? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Flaming Babies ( 904475 ) on Thursday June 01, 2006 @11:28AM (#15445329)
    I'm wondering if Harrison talked to the guys down in Sony's Computer Department before claiming we didn't need PC's anymore.

  • Oh, good! (Score:3, Funny)

    by Jerf ( 17166 ) on Thursday June 01, 2006 @11:29AM (#15445338) Journal
    Oh, good! My PS2-PC has been getting pretty slow browsing the web lately; the Flash really kills it, and of course there's no option to turn it off in the crappy browser it gives me.

    Still, it's a distinct step up from my Family Computer [wikipedia.org].

    And the less said about my Entertainment Computer System [wikipedia.org], the better.

    (Translation: The "our console will also be a computer!" lie is older than quite a few of the people who will read this post, and older than many of the customers Sony is targetting. Believe it when you have the computer hardware and general-purpose, useful software in your hands and running in your living room and doing something useful, and not one second earlier.)
    • Believe it when you have the computer hardware and general-purpose, useful software in your hands and running in your living room and doing something useful, and not one second earlier.

      I prefer to believe it when it happens in someone else's living room first. $700 is way too much to spend on something I don't believe in yet.

  • Lies... (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    We have already worked on it [motion-sensing] a long time ...and urged the Warhawk developers 10 days before E3 to add support for it.

    and Nintendo almost certainly has done likewise with something similar.

    He's talking about how the N64, in 1996, "stole" 3D graphics from the 1992 PSX, ignoring the fact that Starfox (SNES) and (of course) Saturn already had 3D graphics.
    • his point was just that starfox had 3d graphics by the use of specialized chips in the cartridge. the ps1 was the first console dedicated to 3d graphics processing.

      the saturn came out first, but sega admittedly added 3d processing ability to the saturn in response to the ps1's just announced tech specs.
      • Unless Wikipedia deceives me the PS1 came out on December 3rd 1994, two years after Sega had Virtua Racing in the arcades. Any attempts by Sony to claim they invented 3D gaming in the face of evidence like that is laughable.

        Plus the PC had been doing 3D game for quite some time too!
  • Yes, it is a bit of hyperbole, but Cell still looks impressive. It would be very interesting to see some sort of benchmark or comparison with Cell and Intel processors somehow.
    • That seems a bit unneccessary. Kind of like comparing the human brain and an Intel. Now, this is about parallel processing more than speed. The human brain is so powerful because it is composed of trillions of simple (estimated to be comparable to ~200mhz) "processors" in parallel. These are different ways of processing information; they excel in different ways.

      Maybe we need a comparison between the PS3 and a human brain...

      http://www.ps3411.com/show/news/12/0/PS3_1_as_Pow e rful_as_Human_Brain.html [ps3411.com]
      • That article you linked to... thanks for the laugh.

        PS3 1% as powerful as the human brain?!, yeah, and my ass is rated at 4 teraflops.

        That means, that a supercomputer rated at 200 teraflops (based on the PS3's claimed 2 Tflops) is equivalent to the human brain. So, when Blue Gene/L [ibm.com] is complete, it'll be 1.8x as powerful as the human mind. Can you smell it yet?

        At least one thing is for sure, Blue Gene/L (or the PS3) will never be able to run on cheetos and coffee.
        • It's not really a question of raw computational power (if that can even be measured in the human brain). What we lack, for now, is the software to make an artificial mind. Contrary to a lot of bad SF, computers won't become sentient just by throwing more storage and CPU power at them.

          I have no problem believing that Blue Gene/L will be 1.8 times as "powerful" as a human brain. But it still won't pass the Turing Test.

          We'll get there, though.
    • There are some comparisons between the Cell, a Cray X1E MSP 2005, AMD64 Opertron and IA64 with regards to processing grunt, and power consumption. The Cell looks to be very powerful with low power requirements. (See table 1 in the link below) http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~samw/projects/cell/CF0 6.pdf [berkeley.edu] To see a PS3 processsor outperforming a Cray from last year in some of those criteria is quite impressive. Even more impresssive, is that these results are unbaised and have been nowehere near Sony's marketti

  • This may sound silly-- (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Jace of Fuse! ( 72042 ) on Thursday June 01, 2006 @11:38AM (#15445445) Homepage
    This may sound silly but yesterday sometime around lunch-time I was thinking to myself...

    "You know, Sony really has fucked themselves pretty good. First they pulled this whole embarassing PSP trick, now they're trying to sell the average person a $600 game machine."

    Then suddenly I thought of something. With a hard drive, Linux, broadband, keyboard, mouse and HDTV and or a VGA display, the PS3 is a pretty nice little computer.

    Maybe Sony will be attempting to not exclusively compete for space under the television but ALSO on the desk?

    Once upon a time there were people who had their Commodore 64's hooked up to televisions because they couldn't afford monitors or because they really didn't see the need since they only used them to play games anyway.

    If the PS3 finds itself being purchased by people who want a "powerful computer" but don't need the full range of computing accessories (printers, desks, computer chairs, etc) the days of the living room computer may be making a come back.

    I can easily see poeple with a PS3 in their living room, browsing the web, downloading music, playing games, and even possibly chatting/blogging/emailing on a PS3.

    On the other hand, the PS3 might just do piss poorly and make Sony rethink their strategy for the PS4.
  • Didn't Sony say that the PS2 would replace the PC? Which was far from truth too...

    Typical Sony, trying to overhype. It makes you wonder who falls for this...
  • When they can have a Sony controled 'content' delivery device?
  • I swear, Sony is just doing one thing after another. Even my friends who are hard-core anime/final fantasy/playstation/anything japanese fans have taken a step back after looking at Sony in recent months and said "I think I'm going to get a Revolution instead". Microsoft really had a strong point when they said "for the price of a PS3, you'll be able to get a 360 and a Revolution". Saying "Its basically a PC" is a thing that Microsoft specifically wanted to avoid with their XBox/360, simply because they kn
  • I didn't see anything about this mentioned, but does this mean they plan to accept usb keyboards and mouses as valid input devices? That would actually be a good idea, enabling traditionally PC gaming experiences to be brought to the console without awkward interface issues. Too bad all the other issues with the company and console have pretty much turned me off to the PS3 right now, and considering I already have a PC that's also kind of moot.f
    • I'm guessing USB keyboards and mice will be supported while running Linux, but not for controlling actual PS3 games. Or maybe the decision will be left to the developer. Who knows?
    • problem with that is that the console must be shipped with the keyboard & mouse otherwise developers will not take advantage of it. Hence why nintendo is shipping with their motion sensitive controller. Since it's in the hands of gamers and developers know this, they'll take advantage of it.
    • As there were PS2 games that used, at least as an option, keyboard and/or mouse, I would expect this capacity won't be removed from the PS3.
  • Nintendo wouldn't let Phil anywhere near the blueprints!

    More seriously, it's entirely possible that instead of being motivated by copycatism, Sony changed to the DualShake controller due to their bleak prospects in the suit filed against them concerning their DualShock patent infringement.
  • I for one am happy that this console cum PC is coming out, as I'm due for an upgrade from my current PC [cnn.com]
  • .. Bears shit in the woods..
  • If that were the truth, the industry wouldn't have backlashed like it did.

    The truth is that, when Sony saw what Nintendo was doing, the completely redesigned their controller, and DROPPED a feature, to put in accelerometers. Further, the company that you had demo the "new" technology for you didn't find out about the motion sensing features until a week before the biggest event in videogame history.

    There is simply no way that Sony has been working on this for any extended period of time. Having to

  • Misinterpretation - he was talking about online (Score:3, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 01, 2006 @12:12PM (#15445857)
    He didn't say that we don't need PCs and that PS3 will replace your PS3! He was saying that Sony did not need the PC to be in their online strategy ala Microsoft's 'Live Anywhere'. Look at the full question and answer:

    "SPIEGEL ONLINE: Speaking of online, Microsoft has just announced "Live Anywhere", an integrated Windows-Xbox-Mobile environment. Is that something you're worried about because you don't have the same access to the PC market as Microsoft does?

    Harrison: No, it doesn't concern me and I don't think it concerns the consumer either. Once you adopt a game system as your primary entertainment device, that's what you want. We think that Playstation 3 is the place where our users will be doing their gaming, their movie watching, their Web browsing and a lot of other computer entertainment functions. That will satisfy them. Playstation 3 is a computer. We don't need the PC."

    Taken from: http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,15 18,419072,00.html [spiegel.de]

    Note the last part of the interviewer's question, and the last part of Harrison's answer, and it starts to make sense. Quite typical that a Sony exec's comments have been taken out of context and misreported, in my opinion - it's happening a lot lately.
    • Out of context? That's not out of context. "Playstation 3 is a computer. We don't need the PC", it means the same when theyre talking about all of their "entertainment functions." The PS3 is as much a PC as any console, i.e. it is not. Remember their claims that the PS2 would replace PC's? It's the same deal, stupid hyperbole in an attempt to draw in nongamers.
    • That doesn't really seem to change the meaning to me. He very explicitly says the PS3 will satisfy consumer need for a computer.

      • That doesn't really seem to change the meaning to me. He very explicitly says the PS3 will satisfy consumer need for a computer.

        I don't think that's accurate. He was saying the PS3 will be the primary entertainment platform, including for online entertainment, for most of its users (he specific refers to entertainment functions) and that, therefore, Sony doesn't need to have a presence in the PC universe to compete with Microsoft's "Live Anywhere" to make the PS3 competitive with the Xbox 360 in overall exp

    • "We think that Playstation 3 is the place where our users will be doing their gaming, their movie watching, their Web browsing and a lot of other computer entertainment functions. That will satisfy them. Playstation 3 is a computer. We don't need the PC."

      Emphasis Mine. Did it never come to him that people do more than entertainment on computers?

  • It's official. Phil Harrison has become the American version of Tomonobu Itagaki.
    • Except for the fact that Tomonobu Itagaki makes good games and knows what he's talking about.

      ...I don't think Harrison looks as good in sunglass and a leather jacket [kikizo.com] either.
      • knows what he's talking about.

        On Biohazard / Resident Evil 4:

        Why does the guy have to stop and stand there every time he wants to shoot his pistol? I just don't get it. Now, if they made it so that he could shoot much more accurately when stopped, that would be one thing. They must not have ever fired a real gun. It's not true to reality. (...) You know, in reality no one stops to shoot. It makes no sense to me that you'd stop. You shoot while you're in motion. Of course when you stop you can be more

        • Itagaki is a nutjob. I love the way his company sues people for creating nude patches for DOA Vollyeball when the entire point of his game is to ogle scantily clad girls. The trailer for DOAX 360 even models each breast independently so they can swing in different directions based on the girl's momentum. That's just asking for a nude patch!

  • What the hell?? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by gstoddart ( 321705 ) on Thursday June 01, 2006 @12:43PM (#15446182) Homepage
    Given Sony's propensity to lock everything down, and the fact that the PS3 doesn't actually exist yet, how the heck could I realistically replace a PC with a PS3?

    They got a web-browser or any other software I might want? It's a Sony product, so I doubt I could rip CDs with it. Can I get iTunes for it? What about my tax software, has that been ported? Inkscape? Google Earth?

    That man needs to be significantly whacked with a clue-stick. Because the PS3 doesn't do what a PC does. Not by a long shot. Or did he mean just for gaming?

    Why on Earth would anyone claim that a locked down, non-upgradeable, lacking-an-operating-system or software system is superior to a PC?

    Flippin' wierd if you ask me!
    • "They got a web-browser or any other software I might want?"

      The main OS has a web browser actually.

      "Why on Earth would anyone claim that a locked down, non-upgradeable, lacking-an-operating-system or software system is superior to a PC?"

      Well it does come with Linux on the HDD ;) They want to encourage development for Cell.

      But I agree with Anonymous earlier about this being a case of crossed wires. I think he was talking about where the PC fits into their online strategy i.e. it doesn't.

      • Re:What the hell?? (Score:2, Interesting)

        by tepples ( 727027 )

        The main OS has a web browser actually.

        In which one can probably run AjaxTax, taking care of gstoddart's tax software complaint.

        Well it does come with Linux on the HDD ;)

        But can it run executable programs that have not been signed by Sony?

  • Wow (Score:3, Funny)

    by I Like Pudding ( 323363 ) on Thursday June 01, 2006 @01:00PM (#15446347)
    I'm glad to see that the former Iraqi information minister has found work.
  • Seriously, even though I think the guy is gunning for a job working for the President, you have to admit that if you bought a PS3 you wouldn't have to worry about buying games that required DirectX 11 support.

    By definition, all games would automatically work, since they have to be PS3 compatible.

    Additionally, you know you'd get browser support, as most websites can't ignore hundreds of millions of consumers, if they did choose to use the PS3 instead of a PC.

    Now, that said, I still think you'd be better off
  • I guess the guy needs to make comments like that in order to justify the price of the PS3. If he sincerely believes what he's saying he's deluded at best and mentally challenged at worst. Current high end PCs already outperform anything this next generation of consoles has to offer. Within a couple of years PCs will be on a whole other level. I cant even imagine what the capabilities of PCs will be at the end of the PS3's supposed 8-year lifespan.

    Consoles really have turned into stripped down PCs. It's gett
  • So Sony is teling us thgat they will make the PS3 able to spend all day downloading porn?

    there is a lot of people who do that all day long.. so if they would replace their computer with a PS3, this would be a great selling point!
    LOL
  • That thinking is exactly what will make me buy a PS3. I've wanted an all in one set top box for a while (HTPC can work, but it just isn't as sleek). XBox works, but there are many limits on how easily it can be used as a computer. But I will not buy that it will be a realistic PC replacement until I see proof.... If they have to cut some corners to get it pushed out the door in time, this would seem like the first place they would to me. And it seems overly-anbitious to the point where it could easily
  • Yeah. Macs are way better :)

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