January 20, 2006 2:16 PM PST
Sony reorganizes struggling Connect service
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The Connect service was Sony's entry into the digital music market that was, and still is, dominated by Apple Computer's iTunes. However, since its launch, Connect has gained little traction with consumers, while Sony's portable audio players have been overshadowed by the explosive success of Apple's iPod.
The download unit, now renamed the Connect Business Division, will be placed officially under Hiroshi Yoshioka, who oversees the portable audio division. In that position, Yoshioka will be "best placed to reallocate resources and promote both the portable audio and content distribution business," a representative said in an e-mail.
Sony has felt Apple's rise in the portable audio business particularly keenly, given that it was its own Walkman line of products that essentially invented the space beginning in 1979.
Analysts have said Sony has been hampered in part by the different goals of different divisions, such as the desire of the content companies to protect their music and movies from piracy, and the electronics division's stake in technologies such as the MiniDisc and the Memory Stick.
Connect has long been expected to move into new types of content, such as video and downloadable games, and to play a more prominent role in the company's Net strategy. A first installment was announced early this month, in the form of a relationship with the new Starz Vongo video-on-demand service, which will be distributed by Sony.
The service will also begin selling downloadable eBooks, for customers of the company's new Portable Reader, Sony said at the recent Consumer Electronics Show.
Sony is still in the midst of a broad companywide reorganization aimed at improving communication across units, and turning around several years of seeing its products lose ground to rivals like the iPod.
See more CNET content tagged:
portable audio,
Sony Corp.,
Apple Computer,
Apple iTunes,
Apple iPod
Sony needs to get off its comfortable chair, and the convenient words of "build it, and they will come." Well, it's obvious that they haven't been coming at all.
Sony "almost" got it right with the PSP. I know people are going to come out saying "it's a game machine first." Whatever. Knowing how Sony want's to take over every single area in entertainment, I doubt it they just put the mp3 playback for the heck of it. The PSP is just the bait to get people to buy their overpriced "memory DuoPro" and their movies on a new format. And, why, oh why, are people buying their movies, again, in the UMD format. Considering that the same movie sold for $15.00 and more, can be found on DVD for $5.00. What's wrong with this scenario here. Oh well ... people can do what they want with their money.
I'd love to get a PSP. But, considering that 2 gigs of memory can easily cost the price of the console itself. NO WAY !!!
Going back to music... Microsoft, and many other giants have been unable to dethrone Apple and its iTunes and iPod products. Sony won't do it either. As long as they stick to their ridiculously proprietary memory, it's not happening.
Sony needs to get off its comfortable chair, and the convenient words of "build it, and they will come." Well, it's obvious that they haven't been coming at all.
Sony "almost" got it right with the PSP. I know people are going to come out saying "it's a game machine first." Whatever. Knowing how Sony want's to take over every single area in entertainment, I doubt it they just put the mp3 playback for the heck of it. The PSP is just the bait to get people to buy their overpriced "memory DuoPro" and their movies on a new format. And, why, oh why, are people buying their movies, again, in the UMD format. Considering that the same movie sold for $15.00 and more, can be found on DVD for $5.00. What's wrong with this scenario here. Oh well ... people can do what they want with their money.
I'd love to get a PSP. But, considering that 2 gigs of memory can easily cost the price of the console itself. NO WAY !!!
Going back to music... Microsoft, and many other giants have been unable to dethrone Apple and its iTunes and iPod products. Sony won't do it either. As long as they stick to their ridiculously proprietary memory, it's not happening.
The Connect music store is very commercialized---there aren't even any(30 second) samples of music to try. Of the very few radio stations promoted, all of them are pay-for-play. There are no podcasts, and no video clips. The Sony program is itself rather tedious to remove, once installed---it leaves a lot of files and registry keys behind. Compared to iTunes, Sony Connect has a long way to catch up. After the Sony-BMG rootkit fiasco, I doubt if Sony Connect will gain the trust of the public anytime soon.
The Connect music store is very commercialized---there aren't even any(30 second) samples of music to try. Of the very few radio stations promoted, all of them are pay-for-play. There are no podcasts, and no video clips. The Sony program is itself rather tedious to remove, once installed---it leaves a lot of files and registry keys behind. Compared to iTunes, Sony Connect has a long way to catch up. After the Sony-BMG rootkit fiasco, I doubt if Sony Connect will gain the trust of the public anytime soon.
The music industry arm, has shown what they have in mind for all in the future! Todate they have chosen, not own up and/or accept any responsibility, and are not adverse in the use of mainstream propaganda, for cover up of the illegal activities,and issue fictitious product recalls, and computers playing audio cd's, will be suffering from this form of cyber terrorism for decades!
Oh well, one can say, sign up for this service and you will undoubtedly lose all fair user rights in the name of DMCA!
The music industry arm, has shown what they have in mind for all in the future! Todate they have chosen, not own up and/or accept any responsibility, and are not adverse in the use of mainstream propaganda, for cover up of the illegal activities,and issue fictitious product recalls, and computers playing audio cd's, will be suffering from this form of cyber terrorism for decades!
Oh well, one can say, sign up for this service and you will undoubtedly lose all fair user rights in the name of DMCA!
Sony lost all trust with me after the Rootkit scandal. Nothing Sony is safe anymore.
BMR777
Sony lost all trust with me after the Rootkit scandal. Nothing Sony is safe anymore.
BMR777
already being called Sony "Disconnect" by most reviewers. IMO
that was a good description of the site and nothing has changed
to change my mind.
When I visited the site a few minutes ago, it greeted me with:
"We appreciate your interest in the Connect music store, but our
store currently only works with Internet Explorer 5.5 and above"
Sorry Sony, but there's no way I'd have IE on my Mac or Linux
computers even IF it was even available. And since your site
doesn't offer music that I can play on my iPod, what good is it to
me, or 80+ % of all legal music downloaders.
I used to love your products. My home entertainment center
originally contained a Sony Tivo, television, receiver, tape deck,
dvd player, and vcr. But your pitiful DRM efforts, along with
other antics you have pulled, have moved your products to
second place.
My first choice is now anyone else.
already being called Sony "Disconnect" by most reviewers. IMO
that was a good description of the site and nothing has changed
to change my mind.
When I visited the site a few minutes ago, it greeted me with:
"We appreciate your interest in the Connect music store, but our
store currently only works with Internet Explorer 5.5 and above"
Sorry Sony, but there's no way I'd have IE on my Mac or Linux
computers even IF it was even available. And since your site
doesn't offer music that I can play on my iPod, what good is it to
me, or 80+ % of all legal music downloaders.
I used to love your products. My home entertainment center
originally contained a Sony Tivo, television, receiver, tape deck,
dvd player, and vcr. But your pitiful DRM efforts, along with
other antics you have pulled, have moved your products to
second place.
My first choice is now anyone else.
.
Boycott Sony and Sony BMG.
.
Boycott Sony and Sony BMG.