Sony's 10 greatest tech flops

Penno · 2010-11-02T21:21:38Z

GGG: We take a look at some Sony products that didn't win consumers' hearts and minds.

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Chaostar5684d ago (Edited 5684d ago )

All of these things just seem like demonstrations in technical prowess, I can see why they didn't catch on, but you have to admit, most are pretty cool.

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Christopher5684d ago

I like the list, but it gets kind of week towards the end.

What I will say is that it's hard to find a company like Sony who goes all balls out with so many attempts to innovate. They fall flat on their face so often, but they get right back up and keep on going.

Gotta love how many failures they've had-or major issues with their success-due to their choice in media format. I was actually surprised to see BD win considering Sony's history with attempting to create proprietary media formats. Still pissed at the lack of a standard SD slot on my PSP, really hate the overpriced and limited file size Sony duo sticks.

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Chaostar5684d ago

Gotta agree with you there, Duo Sticks are way overpriced and incompatible with any product without a Sony label. Luckily Sony make great digital cameras so I can share cards there.

I think BD succeeded because Sony partnered with many companies looking to introduce a HD format to the public. Unlike with Duo Stick or Minidiscs, which were more like single-handed, shameless attempts to gain 100% control over formats.

However even their 'failed' attempts at hardware are still good, quality products... just without a market to buy them.

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MeatPopsicle5684d ago

"I was actually surprised to see BD win considering Sony's history with attempting to create proprietary media formats."

Oh god...

DORMIN5684d ago

ForceCSW5684d ago (Edited 5684d ago )

Any company on the planet has products and ideas that do not work out commercially. Granted a few of these items are "WTF were they thinking!?" worthy.
Also I'd love to see a Microsoft/Apple list, and you could probably write a book on Nintendo's failed add-ons.

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Sayai jin5684d ago

Even though I agree with you. You contradict yourself. You say "Articles like this are pointless" then go on to say
"Also I'd love to see a Microsoft/Apple list, and you could probably write a book on Nintendo's failed add-ons"

game on.

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ALFAxD_CENTAURO5684d ago (Edited 5684d ago )

Geez, that Tech it is from 1999. Sony was developing PS Move or the Motion controller Prototype in that time.

I wonder what tech is now developing Sony to be released in 2020.

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DigitalRaptor5684d ago

Something of great quality and ahead of the curve - you can always count on that.

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Chaostar5684d ago

...

http://www.pamil-visions.ne...

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phatak5684d ago

Oled is not a failure, its the future

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tinybigman5684d ago

and all tech companies have successes and failures period. this is not hard to understand.

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grumpysmurf5684d ago

I dont know what those things in the pic are, but I kinda want one.

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csimpson5684d ago

Man, fair go! Sony products are generally great - it's Microsoft that's the problem! I mean, look at the Zune. What a lump of shit.

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Fishy Fingers5684d ago

Tell me about it, anyway, cant waste all my time on N4G, gotta get some tunes on my minidisc.

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Christopher5684d ago

Zune is far from a poor product. Lots of people love the user interface of the device, they just feel that it came too late to the game to openly compete with the already dominating iPod industry.

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OmarsAccount5684d ago (Edited 5684d ago )

Sorry, but the Zune brand is not a lump of shit. Apple media players may still be more popular, but Zune is easily 2nd place. 2nd place in a crowded market of music players is hardly considered a failure.

The Zune brand managed to get a marketplace for music, movies, videos, podcasts, etc. just like iTunes. Its all available on your TV from an Xbox 360 too. From experience, I think Zunes are amazing media players. Even if it is Microsoft's version of the iPod, I think it was done better [excluding the app store]

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Sayai jin5684d ago

@csimpson - this article has nothing to do with MS.

Anyways, I love my Bravia TV and my PS3, but let me tell you as far as big name digital receivers/speakers, Sony's receivers are at the bottom of the list..Denon, Yamaha, klipsch...beat them hands down. I will not even go into Sony's car audio, head units are ok, but amps, speakers and subs are average at best.

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awiseman5684d ago

An article about sony products failing but it turns into an article about microsoft products....doing guass what? failing of course.

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OtherWhiteMeat5684d ago (Edited 5684d ago )

I "guess" spelling isn't one of your strong points.Think you should change your name......it's full of failure.

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TreMillz5684d ago

Sonys greatest flops....wow.

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T9X695684d ago

Every company has it's flops. If this list was for MS instead of Sony, it would reach 1000 degrees easy.

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n4gno5684d ago

The differences is : sony innovate each years, since many years, microsoft don't (or just a little : they are a software compagny first), so it's logic to see some "fails" in their long success story.

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Ilikegames765684d ago

that MS does little innovation, heck the company was founded on an OS which they didn't invent. They stole Apple's GUI which Apple stole from somebody else. Apple stole the idea of mouse from Fujitsu. So the list goes on.

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GameOn5684d ago (Edited 5684d ago )

There is a MS one. I seen it earlier on the techspy section of the site along with this article.

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5684d ago

4cough5684d ago

Show

blackburn55684d ago

And...... someone says something stupid. Surprised you didn't say Move but PS3 is just as stupid. I am sorry I guess you haven't been reading the 41 million units sold, Move selling out or the ton of exclusives coming out for the Ps3 next year. Dose that sound like a flop to you?

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cyberbangus5684d ago

Why do we see news/crap like this about 4 times a year about ms/sony. we need to know who approves this crap/news

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Motorola5684d ago

WTF there was a microsoft one like this. And it has one xbox reference and it Failed. And this gets approved. WOW

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sashimi5684d ago (Edited 5684d ago )

I'd Buy the PSX if given the chance and OLED is the future like some people above me said.

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B_Rian895684d ago

I think Sony's problem is most of their products are really expensive

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Jrome5684d ago

That's the cost of innovation. Sony doesn't wait until a couple people test the market...Sony attempts to create the market.

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Neko_Mega5684d ago

Theirs a lot of windows products that flop, one of them was in the dreamcast.

I don't see how psx flop, it was only in japan and they are very rare to find, theirs even a off brand of a gamecube (it looks awesome but not willing to pay 500 bucks for it).

But yeah, everyone makes a bad product, this site just needs hits.

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Bzone245684d ago

Dreamcast wasn't a Windows product. :)

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Neko_Mega5684d ago

WRONG!!! The Dreamcast wasn't a Microsoft product but the Windows that ran in the Dreamcast was, theirs a very small number of companys that even use that Windows program.

Heres a link: http://www.pocketpclife.com...

I know my old school systems pretty well, this is another reason why Microsoft went of to make Xbox (Mostly because the Dreamcast die and Sony didn't want Windows in the PS2).

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Bzone245684d ago (Edited 5684d ago )

Dreamcast is a Sega product that runs on Windows CE. Not a Windows product.

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Neko_Mega5683d ago

Are you just dumb or what?

"WRONG!!! The Dreamcast wasn't a Microsoft product but the Windows that ran in the Dreamcast was, theirs a very small number of companys that even use that Windows program. "

Where does it say I said it was a Microsoft? I didn't, I just said it use a Microsoft product.

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yewles15684d ago (Edited 5684d ago )

Windows CE says hi.

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sku7790tz5684d ago

yipeeee! its 2006! happy new year!

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0oAngeluso05684d ago

I was surprised such a negative Sony article would even get passed on a site like this. The way most people here look at it Sony can never do anything wrong. Glad to see so many failures, PSPGO, PS2 HDD should be on that list too.

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Scottyabanks5684d ago

The article wasn't negative, it was well researched, and very unbiased. Did you even read the article, or did you just say you did?

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kasasensei5684d ago

You can had the MiniDisc! :p

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Scottyabanks5684d ago (Edited 5684d ago )

Flops, yes, but it is very good to see a company that is willing to take a risk to introduce new technology to the field and help set future trends for exciting consumer electronics. You gotta think, maybe Apple said well, Sony tried it with the Airboard, lets see if we can have success with a similar product. And viola, they did. But What if Sony never tried, would have Apple even thought of the iPad. And that's exactly why Sony leads the market it technological development and innovation, their ability to take those risks and share their ideas with the world are the reason we have so many great products available. And I personally hope they continue to be aggressive because it's good to know that most of the money we give to Sony for all their products and services are going to R&D so that we have have even better products in the future, unlike one of their more greedier competitors.

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