Corn is a bad idea but it pleases the US and European farm lobbies.
"Brazil's ethanol yields nearly eight times as much energy as corn-based options, according to scientific data. Yet heavy import duties on the Brazilian product have limited its entry into the United States and Europe."
Also, hybrid cars could help drive adoption.
"The use of ethanol in Brazil was greatly accelerated in the last three years with the introduction of "flex fuel" engines, designed to run on ethanol, gasoline or any mixture of the two."
Blue lasers used in Ps3 are 405nm but they don't cost so much as the one above. According to financial times, the price dropped to Y3,000 (25USD)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/b0638092-8fc1-11db-9ba3-00 00779e2340.html
They used to cost from $120 to $180 according to this ieee report
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/mar07/4988/2
"the GaN lasers in these units now account for 20 to 30 percent of the product's retail price of about $600"
So there you go, a price fall of $90 to $150 in the cost of the blue laser diode.
It took three years from the launch of the of the first dvd player SD-3000 in Nov 1996 till the 10 million market was reached (probably around end of 1999). Bluray will reach the 10 million mark in less than a year. Do you really think sony had to wait for HD penetration instead of fostering it?
#1997
* 349,000 DVD-Video players shipped in the U.S. (About 200,000 sold into homes.)
* 900 DVD-Video titles available in the U.S. Over 5 million copies shipped; about 2 million sold.
* Over 500,000 DVD-Video players shipped worldwide.
* Around 330,000 DVD-ROM drives shipped worldwide with about 1 million bundled DVD-ROM titles.
* 60 DVD-ROM titles (mostly bundled).
# 1998
* 1,089,000 DVD-Video players shipped in the U.S. (Installed base of 1,438,000.)
* 400 DVD-Video titles in Europe (135 movie and music titles).
* 3,000 DVD-Video titles in the U.S. (2000 movie and music titles).
* 7.2 million DVD-Video discs purchased.
# 1999
* 4,019,000 DVD-Video players shipped in the U.S. (Installed base of 5,457,000.)
* Over 6,300 DVD-Video titles in the U.S.
* About 26 million DVD-ROM drives worldwide.
* About 75 DVD-ROM titles available in the U.S.
# 2000
* 8.5 million DVD-Video players shipped in the U.S. (Installed base of 13,922,000.)
* About 46 million DVD-ROM drives worldwide.
* Over 10,000 DVD-Video titles available in the U.S.
PS3 + Linux as standard = GREAT PC
on
How the PS3 Hit $600
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· Score: 2, Interesting
I just found out that my current 3Ghz PC with 6800 GT CANNOT play h264 at 1080i. All of sudden a PS3 with cell processor, RSX board and linux pre-installed is a steal.
I think HD adoption will speed significantly with the availability of more titles, public broadcast and most of all, more affordabel sets. In Japan 32inch LCD go for less than $800 and 42 inch cost less than $2000. There are no old generation sets for sale in japan and i believe the same will happen in the rest of the world as yields increse a prices go down.
there is a market for the first 6 M units at $500
on
How the PS3 Hit $600
·
· Score: 1
It will obviously be sold out until march when sony closes its fiscal year in Japan. By that time yields will be higher, bluray supporters will be happy with the number of players in the market and sony will be free to lower prices to reach a wider consumer base.
ps. I mentioned the $500 version because Sony didn't even announce the price for the HDMI version in Japan. There is a large number of hdtvs in japan which only have component input and japan was the first country for which the ict requirement was dropped. I beleive most people will choose the no hdmi version also because by 2012 they will want to buy the ps4 anyway.
Slashdot Mirror
"Brazil's ethanol yields nearly eight times as much energy as corn-based options, according to scientific data. Yet heavy import duties on the Brazilian product have limited its entry into the United States and Europe."
Also, hybrid cars could help drive adoption.
"The use of ethanol in Brazil was greatly accelerated in the last three years with the introduction of "flex fuel" engines, designed to run on ethanol, gasoline or any mixture of the two."
http://www.nytimes.com/.../10brazil.html?ex=130232 1600&en=03adc82c67600388&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt
Blue lasers used in Ps3 are 405nm but they don't cost so much as the one above. According to financial times, the price dropped to Y3,000 (25USD) http://www.ft.com/cms/s/b0638092-8fc1-11db-9ba3-00 00779e2340.html
They used to cost from $120 to $180 according to this ieee report
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/mar07/4988/2
"the GaN lasers in these units now account for 20 to 30 percent of the product's retail price of about $600"
So there you go, a price fall of $90 to $150 in the cost of the blue laser diode.
#1997
* 349,000 DVD-Video players shipped in the U.S. (About 200,000 sold into homes.)
* 900 DVD-Video titles available in the U.S. Over 5 million copies shipped; about 2 million sold.
* Over 500,000 DVD-Video players shipped worldwide.
* Around 330,000 DVD-ROM drives shipped worldwide with about 1 million bundled DVD-ROM titles.
* 60 DVD-ROM titles (mostly bundled).
# 1998 * 1,089,000 DVD-Video players shipped in the U.S. (Installed base of 1,438,000.)
* 400 DVD-Video titles in Europe (135 movie and music titles).
* 3,000 DVD-Video titles in the U.S. (2000 movie and music titles).
* 7.2 million DVD-Video discs purchased.
# 1999 * 4,019,000 DVD-Video players shipped in the U.S. (Installed base of 5,457,000.)
* Over 6,300 DVD-Video titles in the U.S.
* About 26 million DVD-ROM drives worldwide.
* About 75 DVD-ROM titles available in the U.S.
# 2000 * 8.5 million DVD-Video players shipped in the U.S. (Installed base of 13,922,000.)
* About 46 million DVD-ROM drives worldwide.
* Over 10,000 DVD-Video titles available in the U.S.
* Belgium: 100 thousand installed base
* France: 1.2 million installed base
* Germany: 1.2 million installed base
* Italy: 360 thousand installed base
* Netherlands: 200 thousand installed base
* Spain: 300 thousand installed base
* Sweden: 120 thousand installed base
* Switzerland: 250 thousand installed base
* UK: 1 million installed base
http://www.allformp3.com/dvd-faqs/19.htm
http://www.amazon.co.jp/Hi-Vision-Revolution-2007- Blu-ray-Disc/dp/B000LPRM0K
I just found out that my current 3Ghz PC with 6800 GT CANNOT play h264 at 1080i. All of sudden a PS3 with cell processor, RSX board and linux pre-installed is a steal.
I think HD adoption will speed significantly with the availability of more titles, public broadcast and most of all, more affordabel sets. In Japan 32inch LCD go for less than $800 and 42 inch cost less than $2000. There are no old generation sets for sale in japan and i believe the same will happen in the rest of the world as yields increse a prices go down.
It will obviously be sold out until march when sony closes its fiscal year in Japan. By that time yields will be higher, bluray supporters will be happy with the number of players in the market and sony will be free to lower prices to reach a wider consumer base. ps. I mentioned the $500 version because Sony didn't even announce the price for the HDMI version in Japan. There is a large number of hdtvs in japan which only have component input and japan was the first country for which the ict requirement was dropped. I beleive most people will choose the no hdmi version also because by 2012 they will want to buy the ps4 anyway.