This sounds like an interesting idea: http://www.mcvuk.com/newsitem.php?id=1188 I'm not sure if this is just a UK thing or if Sony might try this everywhere (guessing the former). Personally, I'm not a fan of people who buy these systems just to sell them online for a insane markup (especially when they get like 7 of them). That will still happen, but maybe not as badly as in the past. On the other hand, if stores experience shortages, it would be problem if someone who paid the deposit did not receive a PS3 (especially if new ones wouldn't be shipped for a while).
i plan on buying 2-3 if i can even get my hands on them... and selling them. no one can stop me. kill me for the age old concept of supply and demand
how is this going to stop people from selling them on ebay? by keeping them from buying an extra unit?
frankly, im sick and tired of sony trying to control everything. Its funny because this is a huge capitalistic corporation, but they act like border-line fascists Oh we're going to use this exclusive memory stick format, blu-ray, ect...talk about lame-o
I'm guessing it will deter people from reserving PS3s at multiple stores (or even multiple PS3s at the same store). If you want your name on the list, you'll have to pay up front as opposed to paying little to nothing.
how is that going to deter anything? people who are buying these 600 consoles are the ones that can afford to. it's not like the deposits are non-refundable or don't count towards to purchase price...
I just think that maybe some people will think a little harder on this if they have to put up $500-$1000 in August (or whenever preorders start...although I think they may have started already in the UK). I don't know how people think when they do this. Maybe having to come up with hundreds of dollars ASAP to reserve a PS3 is harder than coming up with hundreds of dollars to buy a PS3 on November 17th. Before, you could just reserve as many as possible and then cancel the ones you couldn't afford or just not show up on launch day. Just seems like a little extra inconvenience to people who planned on eBaying these. Again, I doubt it will stop it, but it might slow down things a bit. There was another solution which would be better suited for this, although would probably garner even more hate. IIRC, there was a rumor that Sony would be in charge of preorders. In order to preorder a PS3, you'd have set up an account with them. With this process, you'd only end up with one unless you had multiple names or something (although maybe IDs would be necessary...or an address+phone number). Again, I personally wouldn't have too much of a problem with it since I'd only want one for myself, but I can see how people might not like that one at all. The PS3 does seem to go in a different direction than their previous consoles/hardware (or consoles from other companies). The HDD seems to be a normal 2.5" SATA HDD (possibly able to be replaced with any HDD that fits the specification). The console uses Bluetooth for its wireless tech. Things can be connected via USB, which I guess would include USB memory sticks which might serve as the "memory card" for the $500 PS3 (the $600 PS3 or a $500 PS3 with an adapter might also be able to use MS Pro Duo, CF cards, and SD cards as memory cards). Blu-ray is as much a proprietary format for Sony as DVD (to a degree) and CD.
I wasn't meaning the PS3 specifically, I just meant proprietary hardware in general. One of the reasons I never bought Sony products like digital cameras is because of the lame ass Sony mem stick.
If they did do this it would only mean that fewer of them would end up on eBay while the demand would still be there. The end result would be that the ones that did sell on eBay would cost more than the normally would. The only way to really stop it is to release enough to meet the initial demand. I guess that's too logical though.
Yeah, I didn't think you did. I just felt like quoting you so that I could make the point that the PS3 isn't quite like some of Sony's other devices (like the cameras you mentioned). I probably should have just said "Regarding proprietary formats, the PS3....".
pretty funny how all these japanese companies pillaged the american auto industry, steel industry, electronics industry (especially TV sets) and end up trying to protect their property with all this proprietary bull&hit...
Dude, this is so lame, since by the law of supply and demand, create more supply then if you're upset demand is so high. And maybe i'm weird, but most corporations would love it if their products and getting bought so fast they don't care if they get resold. Sony's probably pissy cause Samsung is creeping up on them in the electronics department. Is there's any difference between their LCDs?
funny thing is a lot of sony's lcds are samsung's. dells lcd's are samsungs as well. wasn't there a rumor that samsung and or sony or nintendo were supposed to make a console together, but for whatever reason that didnt' happen? anyways sony still makes some amazing products, but their not alone anymore...
That really is not going to stop the ebay reselling much, if at all. What MIGHT cut it down some is the fact that the systems will already cost enough (~ $500) that it'll be tough to mark them up much and still find buyers. In fact, with the price so much higher than for previous systems (that's not a complaint, just an observation), retail demand might not be overwhelming enough to produce the subsequent ebay demand. Evan
It just means that people that can afford the $150 multiple times will reap the profits...the rich get Richer...GW would love this !! DD
If I'm not mistaken, it was actually the head of SCEI, Ken Kutaragi himself that created the partnership between Sony and Samsung in the LCD market. That ended up helping out Sony out a lot when you consider the success the Bravia line of LCDs has had (IIRC, they are a product of this partnership). I don't recall the Samsung rumors off the top of my head. I think DaDakota asked about what Samsung the company was like during the whole Gizmondo situation, which might have promoted the idea of a Samsung partnership. But that's about it. On a related-note, I think it was interesting to note that Sony and Sega almost worked together to make consoles, but the top Sega execs turned down the offer. Actually it is 150 British pounds, which is like $277. But since they're paying more anyway (possibly with the 60GB being the only SKU), it might be more like $150 here. Of course, this hasn't even been worked out in the UK, let alone the US, so who knows what the deposit price will be. Are you talking about when preorders start up? It depends on what region of the world you're talking about. I think some places in Europe and maybe in Canada have offered them for a while. I believe most retailers in the US are waiting until later (like next month or September) to start offering preorders. That way, they can try to avoid the mess that happened last year with the 360.
