What is Digg?175 Comments
- mgainor, on 10/12/2007, -38/+121The format was ***** stupid and its failure doesn't require analysis. Stupid people bought expensive discs for a platform that didn't make sense for as long as they could be tricked into doing so, and nothing more should have been expected. If you want to play games, get a DS. If you want to play movies, get a portable DVD player. If you want to play music, get an iPod. Nobody wants something that does a mediocre job of all three, except for the people who have to justify their PSP purchase.
- BloodJunkie, on 10/12/2007, -9/+85UMD was an answer to a question no one was asking -- a cardinal sin in product development.
- rasterbator, on 10/12/2007, -8/+62Is it me or is everything Sony touches turning to ***** these days?
- pabster, on 10/12/2007, -8/+61Chalk up UMD right alongside BetaMax and MiniDisc.
Proprietary Sony ***** that the market rejected.
I'm predicting Blu-Ray to suffer the same fate, albeit perhaps not on as large of a scale. - theblackgecko, on 10/12/2007, -18/+67Most people only want to carry one portable device around, and want that device to do as much as possible. I don't want to carry around a portable DVD player, iPod, and DS, but simply carry around one device.
- n00854180t, on 10/12/2007, -2/+30Crippled, expensive proprietary media formats tend not to do very well. Especially when the format in question is more expensive than alternatives that give better quality and more features (read: DVD).
- Phyltre, on 10/12/2007, -4/+24Yes, one device that does as much as possible is a good idea...
...but only when it does those things as well as the individual components would. In this respect, the PSP's UMD capabilities failed. - TheToon, on 10/12/2007, -1/+21while i understand the need to push everything into one package for portability, it never made any sense to me that Sony would try to market movies on UMD. There is no video-out on the PSP, so you buy one, buy a few movies, and all you can do is watch them on your tiny screen.
The correct course of action would have been to forget about selling movies all together. Focus on selling memorysticks, and have software that rips dvds to PSP format.
That would have made sense - the_snitch, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16just another failed format to add to Sony's list of proprietary technologies:
. Betamax
. MiniDisc, HiMD, NetMD
. Memory Stick/Pro/Duo
. Micro MV
. UMD
As well as many obscure codecs
. ATRAC-3 (music)
. BBeB (eBooks)
and many more..
Now whos going to tell me that Blu-ray will be a winner? - robbh66, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15"I'm predicting Blu-Ray to suffer the same fate, albeit perhaps not on as large of a scale."
The stakes dont get any higher than the one sony is betting on blu-ray. There is no "in-between" with the format wars. - TubaFrog, on 10/12/2007, -6/+18At my school everybody collects Nascar/Wrestling Pogs!
- knightblade2oo4, on 10/12/2007, -5/+16What a ***** retard. This ***** thought UMD was a 360 format.
Microsoft is dumb... but not that dumb. - teamparadox, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12One of Sony's problems these days is they are more focused on launching a new media standard (UMD/Blu-Ray) then they are on making a quality console.
- ErrandboyOfDoom, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11"There is no "in-between" with the format wars."
Except with DVD-R and DVD+R, with neither getting pushed completely out of the market, and consumers not really knowing or caring about the difference. - jaschwan, on 10/12/2007, -6/+16in school you have alot of free time but in real life people have better things to do
- Phyltre, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13Huh? 360 people? What does that have to do with handhelds?
- pabster, on 10/12/2007, -8/+17Didn't you realize how 'useless' it was when you purchased a PSP?
Sony was banking on their fanboys being ***** idiots and willing to re-purchase movies on a proprietary format for the same cost as a DVD version of the film. I guess even Sony fanboys have SOME common sense. - robbh66, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10"Except with DVD-R and DVD R, with neither getting pushed completely out of the market, and consumers not really knowing or caring about the difference."
DVD-/ R is not a valid comparison.
They are similar technologies that use the same laser and basic technology, and thus, can be incorporated into a single drive. AFAIK, its just the method the data is written onto the different media types that is different.
BluRay and HDVD are completely different and would require two sets of hardware in the same drive. Even if they are eventually able to put it all into a single machine, it will still be prohibitively expensive. - Chompy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9". I forgot how I ever used to pass the time before I got my PSP (granted it's a 1.5 with a 2GB memstick ;) "
Myself, I pass time like this with a non-proprietary, free, 2000 year old invention. It's called a book. - iluvatar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9It makes sense to us the consumer, sure. But it's not nearly as profitable.
- deadbaby, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10I don't think Sony ever really planned for UMD to be big. Here's my proof: Sony never even made an effort to integrate UMD into other products. They just used UMD movies as a clever distraction so people wouldn't notice the simple fact that PSP games suck. A year after the launch there's finally a few good games and suddenly UMD disappears quietly into the sunset. It was a gimmick to move units. Typical Sony behavior. You know, like adding a tilt sensor to your controller to make people think you can compete with the Wii.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Same processor? Hmmm, let me see. A tri-core 3Ghz processor, compared to a P-III 700 (or close).
Yup, they're the same alright.
Now shut the ***** up! - mrbro, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Easy: more expensive than normal DVDs. They did the same ***** with pre-recorded MiniDiscs. They cost more than the same stuff on standard media (that can also be copied to blank MDs). They have to be very dumb to keep repeating the same mistake over and over.
- CharlesDarwin, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10At my school, everyone plays hacky-sack.... sigh...
- drwhitley, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7The reason I think it died is because you couldn't make your own discs. If people could have somehow burned to UMD, it may have caught on a little more, with the side effect of people actually purchasing movies (that is, if they lowered the price from the ridiculous $20/disc).
The format was doomed from day one... I must say that even as a PSP owner, I really can't stand sony and their insistance on proprietary formats. Betamax, UMD, MiniDisc, MemoryStick, Blue Ray... it just never ends. When will they learn that, especially in this day and age, that the formula doesn't work? - ByteGuerilla, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Dradien, incorrect.
The PSX was sold at a loss when it came out.
The PS2 and the Xbox were sold at a loss when they came out.
The PSP is still selling at a loss.
The 360 is being sold at a loss.
Yet both Sony and Microsoft both make heaps of money back through licensing, games sales, and peripherals. - Kwisatz, on 10/12/2007, -10/+17Good riddance to bad rubbish.
- millixaw, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6DVD is not a Sony format. They belonged to the DVD consortium that developed it. Initially, Sony wanted to make something called SACD which would have been their proprietary DVD-like disc, but they ultimately pulled out of that one since the open DVD took off. They thought they could pull that ***** again with Blu-Ray.
- redpillpopper, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7The demise of the UMD was due to the lack of hardcore porn.
- tavisjohn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Gee, those are the 3 real reasons I got my 17" widescreen laptop! (I told the wife that I wanted it for working on websites outside the house, so I could have a change of pace. But really I want to sit at McDonalds and watch SpaceBalls on DVD, or play Doom 3 while I eat. LOL)
- Lososaurus, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8At my school and work, everyone plays a DS(No joke).
- teamparadox, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I realize Sony tries to inovate but they are and almost always have been misguided, they often ignore what is best for the consumer and instead focus on their wallets. They are never willing to make trade offs even when they would make the product better.
They need to do whats best for the consumer, if we get what we want...then we will pad their wallets for them. - striker1211, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5" Sony even provides *free* tools to do this, and has since day 1."
Free? What are you using? Their media manager is like 29.99. - Jonny5alive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8UMD was only ment to be for the PSP, just like the Gameboy cartridges.
Do you hear anyone saying that nintendo cartridges are a flop because you can't buy movies on them or use them in other systems? - serpentor, on 10/12/2007, -4/+9Definitely not an isolated case, they're all over NYC. Stores sell out fast, and I've seen lots of fellow commuters using their PSPs on the trains. I forgot how I ever used to pass the time before I got my PSP (granted it's a 1.5 with a 2GB memstick ;) I have yet to see a single person playing DS in public..
- robbh66, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I said it a year ago and I'll say it again- the ONLY chance UMD had was for sony to give the movies away with their DVD purchase. UMD is great for travel,yes, but why should you have to buy your favorite movies twice?
- Lososaurus, on 10/12/2007, -8/+12@rasterbater: these days?
- AwRy108, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Price and location was defintely a factor--if they would've been sold for $9.99 at places like gas stations, airports, train stations, etc., then they would've captured the right market: travelers who want a quick, cheap entertainment fix.
- robbh66, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4One thing I've learned is to not criticize other's grammar/punctuation/spelling unless yours is impeccable.
- shit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4UMD stands for Universal Media -- Disc, not Universal -- Media Disc. Meaning that it's a disc that can encompass all types of media, and not that it's a Media Disc that can be used in other hardware for other purposes.
In short, it's a lame name that uses an ambiguous word. - loki1983, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4pretty sure minidisk didn't fail in japan.
- EvilOtto13, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6No, but Nintendo didn't market movies available on Nintendo cartridges. Nintendo cartridges were for one thing: NES games. Sony tried to convince people that UMD movies were a good idea, and failed miserably. Good riddance.
- voodooatl, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4The UMD was a bad idea for a handheld game because it is very very slow and eats power. Not a great addition to a system that wants to show off its "fast" processor and graphics powered by chips that also eat power at a alarming rate.
I also think Sony was using the format to make additional money from the game and movie companies beyond the lic. fees. This increases the price. As far as I know Nintendo is not the only source for blank carts for publishers. This does lead to a few cheap feeling carts however. - Yutuke, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7Yeah... Betamax failed alright but according to wikipedia, Video-8 was a scaled down version of Betamax. VHS-C died....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betamax
Oh yeah, and MiniDisc failed too because at the time, people were too afraid of "digital compression." Now everyone is so used to compression that they don't even notice it's there. It was a format ahead of it's time. Did better than those DAT machines. And what other choices did you have to make digital-transfer copies of your music?
Give them a break. They are a company that is trying to innovate. Not everyone of their innovations fail. - iFanboy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I hear tons of compaints about the PSP. I have one, and I use it casually. I don't play it all the time, but there are enough games to keep me entertained when I'm on the go. But also, with just a little expertise, it makes a great media player. I save TV shows to the mem stick (cost of storage is the biggest problem with the PSP to me), and love to use it like that. But I'm not a hardcore gamer, and I don't use it every day, but for my purposes, I really like it.
UMD movies were too expensive. If they were half the price of DVDs, they'd have done better. They wouldn't have been blockbuster sellers, but they might not have utterly failed. - Gardenhead, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Rayonic, the example of when tabbed browsing goes WRONG.
- bnoj13, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3No, I'm a Nintendo fanboy, and I hate sony because they've been making some REALLY stupid business decisions lately (such as their "innovative" controller with "six degrees of freedom", high console price, and betting all of their money on Blu-ray).
..I just trust my money more with Nintendo then Sony. - u3b3rg33k, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I agree completely. Wasn't UMD supposed to stand for Universal Media Disc? (key word universal)
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