Sony and AOL vs Microsoft

jadrien writes "As the war for the common denominator access platform continues, the only two players that scare Microsoft team up. This story on CNET news.com details some of the forthcoming collaborations, including keyboard, monitor, mouse, and mozilla." Yes thats right kids, AOL is coming to your PS/2.

Comments

Sounds like a good idea to me

[miracle69]

Since the PS/2 is a loss-leader in the hardware dept (the money is made on games) - I'm all for giving it basic internet functionality. Give me a wireless keyboard and mouse, an internet enabled PS/2, and a nice 50 inch HDTV, and I'll be cooking with grease!

That's what these companies realize. HDTV has monitor-like resolutions. And hell, why should I spend 2k for a 24 inch LCD (price pulled outta my ass - with left hand) when I can spend the same amount for a nice 50 inch 16:9 HDTV that will show me DVDs *and* be my computer monitor.

Hell, I could watch the National Kickball Tournament[1] on 1/2 of the screen and surf on the second 1/2. I'd be happier than pigs in mud.

[1] When was the last time you used "Kickball" in a sentence?

HI Mom!

Oh, come on -- what did you expect?

[Hnice]

Don't get me wrong -- I'm as creeped out as anyone -- last i checked, there are only like six companies left in the world, and they own all of the information, delivery infrastructure, and platforms, right? AOL and Sony -- esp when you consider that AOL/TW already has its own gigantic content base, and Sony already has one, and, well, that's got to be a sizable percentage of available viewing/listening/playing material under one (loosely-knit) roof.

But I'd like to cut short any 'omigod, it's the corporate newworldorder supermegahyperconglomerate that's evil and will probably outlaw mp3, free speech, and free beer' talk. What, is Sony going to go with my local isp? Are they going to predispose their console to play well with Prodigy? Come on -- this just makes sense. For their box to compete with XBox, they need a standard, simple, widely-accepted, powerful brand as their internet access tool. AOL has like 90 % of the universe, probably including your mom, so condescend all you want, this was a no-brainer.

So, again, don't get me wrong, every time something like this happens, it feels a little dirty, but if you believe that computers and consoles are becoming more and more alike, you believe that AOL must partner with a console manufacturer. XBox is out of the question, cause of MSN, and the gamecube is out, because Nintendo doesn't play well with 3d parties. So Sony it is. This is just another OEM deal, like Dell or Gateway or anything else. It would have been hopelessly naive to suppose that consoles would remain immune to the AOL invasion just because they sit under our tvs -- they've got hard-drives(well, ok, maybe by end of year), they'll have modems (someday), they're fair game.

Don't know which is worse

[Christianfreak]

While I can see this putting a real dent in M$ofts bottom line, Which is worse? AOL evil or M$oft evil? A friend of mine has a sticker that says "When choosing between to evils, I take the one I haven't tried before". I guess that applies in this case :)

"One World, one Web, one Program" - Microsoft promotional ad

Mozilla

[rograndom]

Hey, with Mozilla I think we've finally found a piece of software that can push the PSX2 to it's limits.

*ducks*

--
andy j.

Add IBM to the top of that list...

[Spoing]

jadrien writes "As the war for the common denominator access platform continues, the only two players that scare Microsoft team up.

I'd add IBM to the top of that list. After reading this article from Consulting Times I have a new perspective on the whole Mundie distraction.

In sum: MS doesn't care about 'Linux'. It cares about control and threats to that control.

By distracting the open source, free software, or Linux advocates it zaps strength from IBM's efforts to rally them to make stronger technology that MS doesn't control...and thus slows IBM's own efforts. MS needs some time to keep companies from moving away from Microsoft-based software, and to institute more MS-controled technologies such as .net.

Anything that can impact IBM's efforts to build open source or Linux support will also slow the efforts of HP, Compaq, Dell, and others that understand the business costs of the current Microsoft monopoly.

Re:Consumer electronics suck.

[pcosta]

Wrong. The DVD consortium agreed to let progressive DVD output a Macrovision free signal, simply because Macrovision won't work on a progressive output (besides, there are no consumer devices that can record a progressive signal anyway). The PS2 has a component cable already (I use it to connect to my TV) and will have a VGA cable when the Linux kit is released.

The diabolical trio goes to war!

[Savage-Rabbit]

So Astoroth and Baphomet have finally ganged up on Lucifer !

This will be interesting in deed! Especially the Slashdot comments. The anti evil corporation fanatics will have an interesting time figuring out who is the bad guy in this fight.