News
Sony to launch ‘Walkman of the future’ to rival iPod
By Dennis Lloyd
Publisher, iLoungeGoogle+
Published: Tuesday, November 4, 2003
News Categories: iPod
“Officials of the world’s largest consumer electronics maker also said Sony would launch a rival to Apple Computer’s iPod digital music player next year for as little as $60.
‘PSP will be the Walkman of the future,’ Ken Kutaragi, Sony’s executive deputy president and head of its gaming business, said in comparing a PSP prototype to Sony’s highly successful earlier generation of music players.
PSP is designed to rival Nintendo’s Game Boy handheld game player, mobile phone maker Nokia’s N-Gage wireless gaming device, and Apple’s iPod and iTunes music download service.”
Editor’s note: ZDNet Japan has published specifications of the upcoming PSP player, Apple-x.net has published a story and specs and 1up.com has an image of the first PSP concept model.
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1
woah!
Posted by jmc in noitacol on November 4, 2003 at 8:45 PM (PST)
2
$60 = flash based = no rival to iPod
Carry 100 songs and play some dodgy game or carry up to 10,000?
Posted by Chris Matchett on November 4, 2003 at 9:55 PM (PST)
3
All this means is F*CK YOU to further updates for ALL iPods not just the 1G and 2G versions.
Look what happend to 1G and 2G when the 3G came out, they left it for dead, now with a new flagship product what do you think is going to happen ?
I really hope I’m wrong, but I’m just going by history.
Posted by Judda on November 4, 2003 at 10:18 PM (PST)
4
Lol. What the heck is Sony thinking. They are like taking on 3 of the BIGGEST companies who are best at what they are at once, and BEAT all of them? On something that costs 60 bucks? Tsk. Cheers to the PSP i say
Posted by hahaa on November 4, 2003 at 11:18 PM (PST)
5
This doesn’t really seem like an iPod competitor, more of a flash player/pda/smart phone competitor. From what I can tell it uses 1.8 GB removeable “universal media disc” which I guess is going to be their new MiniDisc. While that makes for a small device, by the time this thing is out Apple will probably be shipping 60 or 80 GB iPods. There’s no comparing 1.8 GB to 60 GB. It’s a different animal.
Posted by ric on November 4, 2003 at 11:29 PM (PST)
6
1.8 GB? Graphics before music in the specs? From a company with Sony’s record on DRM?
“Taking on iPod?” It’s a joke.
It doesn’t even take on some of the more versatile player/recorder memory stick type MP3 devices.
Posted by Jacko on November 4, 2003 at 11:52 PM (PST)
7
I don’t think that the PSP is seriously regarded as an iPod beater even within Sony; Kutaragi only said it would be the walkman of the future, and only an unnamed ‘another Sony official’ mentioned Apple and the iPod. I think it’s talking it up the same way that iTunes for Windows is “The Best Windows App Ever!”
It’s going to be a very powerful handheld console, mainly, like a supercharged Gameboy, but because it uses this new disc format (which I agree as being a replacement for the MiniDisc) it can play MP3 & (DivX compressed?) video streams as well as games.
I’ll be getting one, no doubt, but I won’t be throwing my iPod away in a hurry either!
Posted by Wobbler on November 5, 2003 at 12:36 AM (PST)
8
damn if this thing is really gonna cost only $ 60,- than i will get one forsure! maybe it’s not the same is an ipod but it will make people think 3 or 4 times before they’ll buy an ipod if this is really gonna be this cheap…. watching movies, playing games and listening to movies on only one device and for a great price… it’s unbelievable.
but than again, i will have to see it with my own eyes before i believe it’s really that cheap.
Posted by Duncan on November 5, 2003 at 3:04 AM (PST)
9
Also, based on Sony’s history, you’ll have to convert all your song to their Atrac format. At least the Ipod endorses MP3 which is the de facto standard.
Posted by hhvuong on November 5, 2003 at 3:34 AM (PST)
10
again go to [url=http://www.theregister.co.uk]http://www.theregister.co.uk[/url] for the ral story on this
Posted by Chris Matchett on November 5, 2003 at 6:17 AM (PST)
11
I am happy someone (even if it is sony) is trying to take on the iPod. Maybe apple will come out with another iPod and lower the 10gb to $99.
And apple has never dropped support for the 1G and 2G iPods. They still work with iTunes and they have been updated to play aac files haven’t they? Try looking for updates from anyother mp3 player company!
Posted by Mikey on November 5, 2003 at 6:24 AM (PST)
12
jack of all trades, master of none. you can’t mess with the master! (ipod).....now i wish i still had mine…. whenever i think of a tune, my memory associates it with my stolen ipod…. oy! to be or not to be?
Posted by dre_dogg on November 5, 2003 at 6:48 AM (PST)
13
Walkman of the future? I already have one. It’s called an iPod, thank you very much.
Posted by sony-schmony on November 5, 2003 at 8:10 AM (PST)
14
$60 = flash based = no rival to iPod
I disagree… everyone and their mom could afford the sony more so then the Ipod…
I am interested in seeing where this goes..
Posted by bababooey on November 5, 2003 at 1:03 PM (PST)
15
wow just a waste of money
So stupid sony give it up u cant beat ipod and there music
Posted by chaz32621 on May 22, 2006 at 4:54 PM (PST)
16
wow! all this! , Sony is the man with all features like : GAMES,MOVIES,GPS,MUSIC,CELLPHONE,EMULATOR,CAMERA and so on….... Maybe some day they will evolve again at the futur , cant wait for the next.
And…theres Ipod ....complicited.
Posted by jhon the man on June 11, 2008 at 12:39 PM (PST)