Sony Talks About Portable Movie Plans

[James Fee]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/Hollywood+seeks+iTunes+for+film/2100-1025_3-5647682.html?part=rss&tag=5647682&subj=news' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/Hollywood+seeks+iTunes+for+film/2100-1025_3-5647682.html?part=rss&tag=5647682&subj=news</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment is trying to develop and own the next iTunes--but for films. "We want to set business models, pricing models, distribution models like (Apple Computer CEO Steve) Jobs did for music, but for the film industry," Michael Arrieta, senior vice president of Sony Pictures, said at the Digital Hollywood conference here. "I'm trying to create the new 'anti-Napster,'" he added. To that end, Arrieta said, his group plans to digitize Sony Pictures' top 500 films and make them available for the first time in various digital environments within the next year. He said the distribution for films like "Spider-Man 2" will go beyond just Movielink, the video-on-demand joint venture of Sony Pictures and several other major studios, which to date has hosted a limited library of Sony's movies."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/psp_movie.jpg" /><br /><br />Lets be honest, if this was really going to happen and you don't have to use some weird Sony player, I might get excited. In the end I'm sure Sony will screw it up and limit it to their players and in some weird Sony format. Don't you get tired of this? :?

[Felix Torres]

Ah, but the question is: are Sony stockholders get tired of seeing others eat their lunch!
I'm thinking: maybe...

First test is whether they provide a significant portion of their catalog to Movielink. If they don't do at least that much, then its all just posturing, no?

[yada88]

While I hate sony as much as the next guy, you have to analyze your statement (James). You criticize them for doing exactly what made the ipod a huge success - using their own format and their own device. Only difference is movies won't be 99cents, and very few will pick up a psp compared to ipods.

[James Fee]

While I hate sony as much as the next guy, you have to analyze your statement (James). You criticize them for doing exactly what made the ipod a huge success - using their own format and their own device. Only difference is movies won't be 99cents, and very few will pick up a psp compared to ipods.The iPod supports an open format, mp3. I don't follow the analogy.

[treo007]

While I hate sony as much as the next guy, you have to analyze your statement (James). You criticize them for doing exactly what made the ipod a huge success - using their own format and their own device. Only difference is movies won't be 99cents, and very few will pick up a psp compared to ipods.The iPod supports an open format, mp3. I don't follow the analogy.

You don't download new music content from apple in mp3 format though. So yea, I think a PSP movie service could be very much like the 'video iTunes'. A big difference however is the PSP's lack of a hard drive, which means you have a very limited selection of content with you on the device at all times.

That having been said, the integrated WiFi would allow for streaming and/or on the go downloading (if you're near a hot spot)....in that way, it's potentially more interesting than what the iPod's offering.

One last thing: for those that haven't seen it, the PSP's screen is so stunning it begs for watching video. I think Apple's going to rue the day they more or less rolled over and gave the mobile video market away to Sony.

[Felix Torres]

One last thing: for those that haven't seen it, the PSP's screen is so stunning it begs for watching video. I think Apple's going to rue the day they more or less rolled over and gave the mobile video market away to Sony.

not to intrude or anything, but:

1- Sony hardware design is generally decent, barring the occasional braindead stupid mistake (4mb video memory in a y2k device?!). The network walkman digital music player has lots of nice hardware features that just happen to be neutered by the requirement for Atrac. The requirement for memory stick just might do the same to the PSP, nice screen or not.

2- Apple hasn't "given" the mobile video market to anyone--its still in proof of concept phase--and even if Apple were to stay out of the market, it is not theirs to give nor does it fall to Sony as a default; Samsung, Creative, RCA, iRiver and Archos will likely have a few things to say on the subject before the issue is settled.

If even the digital music market is too immature to annoint winners and losers, the same is doubly true for digital video. Only time will tell, but if I had to bet, I would bet the winning product line will have built-in hd and do a great job of playing music and photos, as well as video and games.

[Phoenix]

One last thing: for those that haven't seen it, the PSP's screen is so stunning it begs for watching video. I think Apple's going to rue the day they more or less rolled over and gave the mobile video market away to Sony.

not to intrude or anything, but:

1- Sony hardware design is generally decent, barring the occasional braindead stupid mistake (4mb video memory in a y2k device?!). The network walkman digital music player has lots of nice hardware features that just happen to be neutered by the requirement for Atrac. The requirement for memory stick just might do the same to the PSP, nice screen or not.

2- Apple hasn't "given" the mobile video market to anyone--its still in proof of concept phase--and even if Apple were to stay out of the market, it is not theirs to give nor does it fall to Sony as a default; Samsung, Creative, RCA, iRiver and Archos will likely have a few things to say on the subject before the issue is settled.

If even the digital music market is too immature to annoint winners and losers, the same is doubly true for digital video. Only time will tell, but if I had to bet, I would bet the winning product line will have built-in hd and do a great job of playing music and photos, as well as video and games.

I agree. In terms of your last thoughts regarding the hardware, it seems that the PSP is closer to that form than the Ipod or anything else out there. All it needs is a HDD. If Sony can manage to add one, and if someone can actually manage to develop an excellent online content distribution system for both movies and music (that can work with the PSP) that can rival what Apple has done with iTunes, then the PSP would be the best all around portable entertainment device out there, IMO.

[Felix Torres]

Yeah, on the portable entertainment hardware front, the PSP seems to have an advantage since the gaming infrastructure is hardest to get into place. And Sony has said there *will* be future PSP variations so a model with HD is a matter of time.
But Sony has to get their business plan in line with customer needs and expectations.

Cause they are not operating in a vacuum:
First, there is Gizmondo: http://www.gizmondo.com/
Second, Nokia
And third, MS has let it be known that PMCs *will* do gaming and other stuff.

Also, anybody following PocketPCThoughts knows how good PPC gaming already is, to say noting of the music and video capabilities. A VGA-screen ppc with HD is also just a matter of time and then there will be some serious choices to be made by consumers.

[James Fee]

You don't download new music content from apple in mp3 format though. So yea, I think a PSP movie service could be very much like the 'video iTunes'. A big difference however is the PSP's lack of a hard drive, which means you have a very limited selection of content with you on the device at all times.You said iPod, not iTunes. :roll:

[treo007]

You don't download new music content from apple in mp3 format though. So yea, I think a PSP movie service could be very much like the 'video iTunes'. A big difference however is the PSP's lack of a hard drive, which means you have a very limited selection of content with you on the device at all times.You said iPod, not iTunes. :roll:

The misplaced arrogance implied from the rolling eyes aside, you really don't see the relationship between the two? For many, myself included, it's integration with iTunes is the main reason I got an iPod as opposed to another form of digital music player.

[treo007]

One last thing: for those that haven't seen it, the PSP's screen is so stunning it begs for watching video. I think Apple's going to rue the day they more or less rolled over and gave the mobile video market away to Sony.

not to intrude or anything, but:

1- Sony hardware design is generally decent, barring the occasional braindead stupid mistake (4mb video memory in a y2k device?!). The network walkman digital music player has lots of nice hardware features that just happen to be neutered by the requirement for Atrac. The requirement for memory stick just might do the same to the PSP, nice screen or not.

2- Apple hasn't "given" the mobile video market to anyone--its still in proof of concept phase--and even if Apple were to stay out of the market, it is not theirs to give nor does it fall to Sony as a default; Samsung, Creative, RCA, iRiver and Archos will likely have a few things to say on the subject before the issue is settled.

If even the digital music market is too immature to annoint winners and losers, the same is doubly true for digital video. Only time will tell, but if I had to bet, I would bet the winning product line will have built-in hd and do a great job of playing music and photos, as well as video and games.

No one else (Samsung, Creative, RCA, iRiver, or Archos) has had even close to the success of the iPod/iTunes combination. Many have been clamoring for the video iPod. You don't think Apple could leverage off of the huge iPod/iTunes success to do this? If they don't, then they ARE givIng this opportunity to the likes of Sony.

[James Fee]

The misplaced arrogance implied from the rolling eyes aside, you really don't see the relationship between the two? For many, myself included, it's integration with iTunes is the main reason I got an iPod as opposed to another form of digital music player.The reason I got the iPod was for the iPod, not crappy 128kbps downloads from iTunes. There is a huge difference between a hardware unit that supports an "open" format such as mp3 and a closed music download service.

[treo007]

The misplaced arrogance implied from the rolling eyes aside, you really don't see the relationship between the two? For many, myself included, it's integration with iTunes is the main reason I got an iPod as opposed to another form of digital music player.The reason I got the iPod was for the iPod, not crappy 128kbps downloads from iTunes. There is a huge difference between a hardware unit that supports an "open" format such as mp3 and a closed music download service.

I know there have been over 200 million downloads from iTunes since it launched. Sounds like most digital music buyers don't find them 'crappy'. :roll:

[the_rapture]

Well I've been playing around with PPC since 1999 and the 3 things I always loved to play around with was the entertainment (Video, Music and games) side of things. I always wished for a bigger screen, better video and more space. I think that Sony is on to something big that MS missed with their vision of the PPC and tried to capture with thier PMC (Mobile Video). The price is probably the biggest thing at $499 that was wrong about the PMC. I've been out of the up to date info so I could be wrong. But to do just video the price was to high. Now the PSP is a better price $250 and then you can buy movies for $14 not bad but I want a player for my TV as well. I can for the time being convert my DVDs to MP4 and put them on a memory stick ($59.99 for 512MB whic fits 2 movies). Then I have a MP3 player which is an open format. On top of all of that I get a gaming system that rivals the Game Boy systems. Looking at the PSP you will be able to browse the web so I don't know if anyone has the plans but that might mean Voice over IP as well (I don't know if there's a mic or the ability to add on though). Over all I rate the PSP as a winner or at least a step in the right direction. There's also talk or something that's been posted that a hard drive is ready to be released or will be by the holiday seasons.

[James Fee]

I know there have been over 200 million downloads from iTunes since it launched. Sounds like most digital music buyers don't find them 'crappy'. :roll:What does popularity have to do with quality? You need to get past the Apple marketing and open you ears. Beyond ear buds, 128kbps AAC is a horrible format. The only sane bit rate is 320 kbps VBR mp3. Also 300 million downloads (you were just a little off) is such a small number compared to the overall music market.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

That's just your opinion. I'm perfectly happy with 128kbps MP3.

[James Fee]

That's just your opinion. I'm perfectly happy with 128kbps MP3.Sure isn't that what the internet is all about?

[treo007]

I know there have been over 200 million downloads from iTunes since it launched. Sounds like most digital music buyers don't find them 'crappy'. :roll:What does popularity have to do with quality? You need to get past the Apple marketing and open you ears. Beyond ear buds, 128kbps AAC is a horrible format. The only sane bit rate is 320 kbps VBR mp3. Also 300 million downloads (you were just a little off) is such a small number compared to the overall music market.

I love it....because I care more for convenience than bit rate, I must be a slave to Apple's marketing?? That's pretty good. I never thought about bit rate when downloading from other digital music "services" in the past. I suppose I was taken in by their marketing as well? Thanks for setting me straight. :roll:

And the number of iTunes purchases as a percentage of the DOWNLOAD market is a little more pertinent, don't you think?

Oh, and one last thing: I think you need to review what the statement "OVER 200 million" means.

[Bob_Katayama]

It's been awhile since I have posted but I felt I needed to respond to this thread.

I do not have a problem with Sony going forward with this and creating a Sony only format. The video format or even audio formats in the past by Sony have always been of exceptional quality. To be profitable with any new endeaver you have to innovate. Going with an established standard only reduces the efforts down to a mere we were first level thereby allowing others to jump on board and skim the future profits right away.

Just like iTunes, you need something that makes it yours only thus ensuring a long term profit margin to recoup all the R&amp;D costs. We no longer have 4 - 5 years to develop a product before launch therefore the cost to market is that much more with a shorter develpment curve and a higher product quality at launch.

Eventually we will see other companies releasing other similar services that use standard formats but at least this minimizes Sony's profit loss in the future.

I am looking forward to seeing what SOny brings out.

Bob Katayama MVP Mobile Devices
[email protected]
www.technobrains.com

[Magellan]

It has to be cheap and easy, just like iTunes/iPod (and an ex girlfriend). If you can make a few mouse clicks and spend like $4.99 or less. It will take off. The second question is, do enough people really want to watch movies on a small screen? I do, but I may be in the minority.

[Bob_Katayama]

From my perspective, to be able to watch what we want, when we want will be the most beneficial. As you have stated, price will be important too. The small PDA screen or the even smaller Smartphone screen is not an issue. Cellular providers in Europe are working to provide streaming TV shows on Smartphones.

I would be one of many people that will want to watch something when I want or see something when it appears for the first time on anything. Specially if I am traveling or outdoors with no access to cable TV. :-)

Airlines do not provide you choice of movie unless you pay through the nose. Why pay $500 plus on an airline ticket just to have your own choice of movies? Bring along a Smartphone or PDA and watch what you want.

Songs currently are $1.00 for a 4 - 6 minute song therefore a normal 30 minute TV program without commercials could be $5.00 for 20 minutes.
Maybe $8.99 for a 1 hour program including commercials?

Bob Katayama MVP Mobile Devices
[email protected]
www.technobrains.com