Playstation 2 Workstation

xtra there's been a lot of talk about the power of the Playstation 2. Now it seems that Sony believes that the graphical power of the PSX2 is so great, that they are going to use it as the heart of "Creative Workstations", developing a line of computers for people working with graphical content, mainly. The day of covergence draws one step closer.

Comments

The Beast Rides Again.

[SoupIsGood Food]

Back when SGI was making systems everyone wanted, their microprocessor engineers had developed two next generation chip designs for the MiPS family. Code named "The Beast", the first design was to be every inch as fast as a top of the line Cray vector processor, at microprocessor prices.

The second design would be a complete revamp of the MiPS architecture, and was code-named "Alien. It's proposed specs made the Beast look like a 286 with asthma.

Then SGI bought Cray, who whined that their sales would plummet if their pricey, high-margin system looked like a chump next to commodity electronics. Then Beluzzo stepped into the scene, and abandoned MIPS altogether, spinning off the company and washing his hands of RISC. End of story.

Until...

Sony needed something special for the PSX-2. MIPS just happened to have this Beast and alien crap that SGI didn't want anymore, so...MiPS figured if they could make a workstation as powerful as a supercomputer, they could make a game console as powerful as a workstation.

Sony has just awakened to the raw possibilities afforded by the MiPS platform, and Sony -never- misses an opportunity. They're big, they're fast, they're hungry, they're linux-friendly, and that sound you hear is the sound of SGI running for it's life.

The beast is back.

On another note, Atari and Amiga failed because they were run by total incompetents who couldn't balance their own checkbook, never mind run a multinational technology giant. The Amiga 1200 and Atari Falcon were the best selling models in either company's history, with more orders than they could ever hope to fill. Runaway Growth + Moronic Management = Death.

SoupIsGood Food

Sony and Movie Theaters

[bill fogarty]

Sony didn't capture such a huge share of the home electronics market by not working hard. I find the last paragraph about movie theaters very intriguing indeed. I think they are right about that - movies theaters eventually will go to digital projectors, and Sony (if it continues the course) will have a lock on that market.
Sony already sells a huge chunk of music and movies that are made. I'd say this ties very well to their overall strategy.

Creative Uses for your old Playstation

[meersan]

Creative Uses for your old Playstation

If they were computers, you could reformat and install Linux when you got your next upgrade. So what do you do with your old Playstation, after you've gone out and plunked down the $$$ for a new game system?

• Place the Playstation in your front hallway as a decorative doorjamb.
  
• Nestle the Playstation on any shelf as a useful bookend. Grab one from a friend for a coordinating pair.
  
• The Playstation's shape and size make it an appealing paperweight.
  
• Loop a high torsion line and a cement brick to the Playstation for an inexpensive anchor.
  
• Inflate your geek creds! The Playstation's distinctive cover makes a technologically-oriented conversation piece and desk toy.
  
• Tuck your Playstation into a closet or attic; its almost-magical dust collecting properties mean your clothes will stay fresh and new for weeks.
  
• True collectors will position the Playstation on on a coffee table as memorabilia.
  
• Garage-sale item -- be sure to price yours competitively ($20/b.o).
  
• Trouble reaching upper shelves? Vertically-challenged readers will keep their Playstation in the kitchen as a footstool.
  
• Craft-oriented readers will remove the inner circuitry and use the Playstation's plastic case as a storage box.