Hasta La Gadget!

Sony’s in the midst of yet another realignment this morning. Most notable is the promotion of Kazuo “Kaz” Hirai to Representative Corporate Executive Officer and Executive Deputy President, effective as of April 1st. The change in title also carries new responsibilities for Sony’s Consumer Products & Services Group putting Kaz in charge of all of Sony’s consumer electronics businesses including TV, audio / video, imaging, PC, gaming, and mobile in addition to overseeing Sony’s global sales and marketing, common software platforms, and design operations. The move makes Kaz the number one candidate to replace Howard Stringer, the 69 year old boss from Wales, who is expected to step down in 2013.

Continue reading Sony’s Kaz Hirai consolidates power as likely CEO successor to Howard Stringer

Sony’s Kaz Hirai consolidates power as likely CEO successor to Howard Stringer originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 02:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

In all honesty, you would expect the leader of a team concerned exclusively with producing games for smartphone platforms like iOS and Android to be dismissive of a new dedicated handheld console’s chances, but it’s still jarring to hear such a strident dismissal of the Sony NGP‘s chances. In an interview at GDC this year — yes, the same place where we were treated to some very impressive demos of the NGP’s performance — ngmoco CEO Neil Young has expressed his belief that Sony’s next PSP will be “dead on arrival.” Claiming that the new portable will be incapable of competing with the rich ecosystems and affordable pricing models that smartphones now offer, Young says not even the crazy specs or PS3-like gaming will help the NGP survive. This echoes comments from Satoru Iwata last year saying that Apple, not Sony, is the “enemy of the future” for handheld consoles, though Young does close off on a positive note, saying that he sees brighter prospects for the 3DS thanks to Nintendo’s rich collection of own-brand franchises and reserves of fan loyalty. So that’s it, folks, better start selling those Sony shares while they’re still worth something! Or not, it’s up to you.

[Thanks, Dominick]

CE-Oh no he didn’t!: NGP will be ‘dead on arrival,’ says ngmoco boss originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 03:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PlayStation Universe  |  Industry Gamers  | Email this | Comments

Now that the world has had a few weeks to get used to the new Comcast/NBC collabo (but not that ugly purple logo), CEO Brian Roberts talked to the Wall Street Journal about plans for the future, including his claim that Netflix is actually a good thing for his company. Roberts referred to Netflix as the new version of reruns, and explained his view that it raises the value of NBCUniversal’s content while reiterating statements made earlier about lower-than-expected subscriber losses being tied more to the economy than anything else. Beyond the soft jabs, he discounted the possibility that Comcast might launch its own internet video service for non-cable subscribers, pushing the vision of adding internet video streaming options for existing customers and explaining how they’d “be able to use the devices that are cool and new, that they typically purchased themselves, to now control and interact with the device they also love, which is a brand new high def 3-D TV.” Of course, it doesn’t look like we’re closer to choosing our own UI for browsing content, but with nicely designed apps for tablets, phones and connected TVs maybe the platform for future innovation he references has something for us to look forward to after all — we’d consider new cable boxes that don’t suck to be a good start.

Comcast CEO talks about the merger, ‘cool new devices’ like the iPad and why he doesn’t fear Netflix originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 23:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Hollywood Reporter  |  Wall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

Dan Mead, Lowell McAdam‘s successor at the helm of Verizon Wireless, has told the Wall Street Journal that we’ll “see more coming from Apple on LTE. They understand the value proposition of LTE and I feel very confident that they are going to be a part of it.” No further details were forthcoming from the chief exec, such as timing and the particular shape of Apple’s participation in Verizon’s LTE plans, but at least we now have an indication that Cupertino is actively working toward 4G connectivity. Mead’s comments came as part of an interview discussing the iPhone 4’s launch on his network, which has already seen the device bust through Verizon’s opening sales record. Notably, at the actual launch of that phone, Tim Cook said an LTE version of the iPhone would have required too many compromises, so we suspect those compromises are exactly what Apple’s working on right now.

Verizon CEO claims Apple LTE products are coming, doesn’t specify when originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Phone Scoop  |  Wall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

Take one dose of improper generalization, mix it in with a heaping of condescension, and then add a pinch of good old sexism. What do you get? This quote, coming from Frank Meehan, CEO of the Android handset-making INQ:

“If you go to a nightclub in any city in the world, the pretty girl has an iPhone or a BlackBerry. She doesn’t have an Android phone. She has no emotional attachment to an Android phone. It’s too complicated. It’s a geek device, it’s all wrong.”

Now, before you go emailing him photos of the Android tattoo girl, there is undeniably some smidgen of truth to the man’s words. Android is a geek’s dream ecosystem and it’s not necessarily the most accessible platform in the world, but to completely write it off for the nightclub-going lady demographic doesn’t strike us — or Justin Timberlake, or Chad Ochocinco — as the most astute idea in the world.

[Thanks, AC]

CE-Oh no he didn’t!: INQ chief says Android is too geeky for ‘pretty girls’ originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Crave  |  Mashable  | Email this | Comments