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Sony Takes on iPhone's Growing Mobile Gaming Popularity in New Ad

DS? Its days are numbered.

When a multi-purpose/multi-role device is deemed a worthy (and threatening) challenger to a dedicated device, the writing's on the wall.

The iOS/iPhone/iPod Touch/App Store platform isn't a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none paradigm. This isn't 10 years ago. Apple's entire ecosystem does nearly everything for everyone, and it does it remarkably well.

Dedicated-role mobile tech has had its day. This is 2010. Its days are numbered.
 
*LTD* said:
DS? Its days are numbered.

When a multi-purpose/multi-role device is deemed a worthy (and threatening) challenger to a dedicated device, the writing's on the wall.

The iOS/iPhone/iPod Touch/App Store platform isn't a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none paradigm. This isn't 10 years ago. Apple's entire ecosystem does nearly everything for everyone, and it does it remarkably well.

Dedicated-role mobile tech has had its day. This is 2010. Its days are numbered.
Click to expand...

DS is cool and i have one, but after i bought iPod touch 2G there is no way i will take two devices with me or DS instead of iPod. iPod is much more capable device. DS is very good for kids if you don't want to spend 200 on an iPod they will most likely break in short period of time or die hard DS fans and people that like some specifi games.
 
I have a few comments in no particular order:

1)I really don't see the iPhone or Touch as a competitor to a gaming-only device like the PSP for a few reasons: a)the games for the Apple devices seem pretty lame compared to the stuff that's been on the PSP for awhile. b)the Apple devices are not gaming-only...they are all-in-1...like those $199 stereo systems you could buy in the 80s and 90s that's 1 box with an AM/FM tuner, cd player, dual cassette, and turntable. Sure, it's got a lot of stuff that works, but no single piece is for the serious listener. c)the PSP and other devices have actual physical knobs and controls. Touch screen is nice but it's not the same...no matter how much you try to convince me.

2)The PSP, to me, seems old...I think it came out in 2004 and there may have been some updates over the years but I think maybe it's time Sony comes out with another update.

3)Speaking of updates, gaming consoles don't come out with OS and other updates every 11 months like Apple's iPhone/iPod line that is constantly changing. Sure, change is nice...but for game developers that's not nice...they don't whip up a game in 90 days (or less) like the apps you see (gaming and non) on the iTunes store. Console games likely take a year or longer...and changing APIs, CPUs, and other tech specs often is not good as the game developers can't just constantly re-tweak their games.

4)I'm not sure where Apple is going with this...I haven't seen any advertisements (tv) regarding games on the Touch for over a year now. What is the iPod Touch supposed to be? Again, the all-in-1 thing is cool but as a solid gaming device I don't buy in...TV is littered with PSP and other gaming console ads.

-Eric
 
*LTD* said:
DS? Its days are numbered.

When a multi-purpose/multi-role device is deemed a worthy (and threatening) challenger to a dedicated device, the writing's on the wall.

The iOS/iPhone/iPod Touch/App Store platform isn't a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none paradigm. This isn't 10 years ago. Apple's entire ecosystem does nearly everything for everyone, and it does it remarkably well.

Dedicated-role mobile tech has had its day. This is 2010. Its days are numbered.
Click to expand...

Yes the DS days are numbered. It's 6 years old now, yet its still the best selling console month in, month out. Though I imagine with it being in 136 million homes that support will continue for a long time. Later this year they're releasing the successor to the DS with a 3D display (no need for glasses) and a powerful graphics chip. And so far the impressions from first hand users have been outstanding.
 
Ruahrc said:
P.S. iPod killed the walkman? Get real. The walkman was dead long, long before the iPod was even a dream in SJ's sleep. Long before. And besides, the walkman still does something that no iPod can do out of the box- receive FM radio. The discman is likely what killed the walkman, and it can be argued that mp3 players (not the iPod) are what killed the discman. The iPod came after all this happened and has been very successful since.
Click to expand...

Current-gen Nano has FM radio.

/argument
 
I'm so tired of the White guy always being the dumb one in advertising. Political correctness has gone way off the deep end and reverse racism is rampant.

Oh and is there just Blacks and Whites in the US? Apparently Hispanics, Orientals, Native Americans (God forbid) don't exist.
 
Personally, I think they both suck. But i'm more inclined to buy a game out the App Store only because I already own an iP4 and wouldn't even consider paying for a solely gaming handheld device. So by default Apple gets the edge but they're no way far superior like some are making them out to be.
 
That commercial is a joke. Notice how the kid with the iPhone used one device to show the game and answer the call. The other kid pulled out his flip phone to make the call. Not that I should talk, I have a crappy old flip phone and an ipod touch. Hopefully that will change when the iPhone comes to that V company that I won't mention because everyone is sick of hearing about it.
 
balconycollapse said:
No kidding. When I see a grown man playing a PSP or DS in public it looks rather sad. There is still a stigma video games that an iPhone negates with its multitude of non-gaming features.
Click to expand...

I've got a family, a house, a car, a job I actually like, and am quite happy. I don't see anything sad about me playing a DS in public, and I really don't care if someone who doesn't know me thinks I look "rather sad."
 
griz said:
That commercial is a joke. Notice how the kid with the iPhone used one device to show the game and answer the call. The other kid pulled out his flip phone to make the call. Not that I should talk, I have a crappy old flip phone and an ipod touch. Hopefully that will change when the iPhone comes to that V company that I won't mention because everyone is sick of hearing about it.
Click to expand...

That was my reaction too. Basically Sony has shown us in this ad that the guy with the "mystery gaming phone" only needed to carry the one device, while the kid with the PSP also needed to carry a phone with him as a separate device.

Thanks Sony, but I'll take the all-in-one device...
 
Dagless said:
Yes the DS days are numbered. It's 6 years old now, yet its still the best selling console month in, month out. Though I imagine with it being in 136 million homes that support will continue for a long time. Later this year they're releasing the successor to the DS with a 3D display (no need for glasses) and a powerful graphics chip. And so far the impressions from first hand users have been outstanding.
Click to expand...

People are also forgetting two important aspects of gaming:
1. Some games work better with physical controls.
2. Some touch-based games need finer precision than a finger. Try playing Meteos with your finger. It's impossible. It works perfectly with a stylus.

There's a gaming market for DSs and for iPod Touches. There is some overlap, but there is also games that are distinctly suitable for each platform.
 
hayesk said:
People are also forgetting two important aspects of gaming:
1. Some games work better with physical controls.
2. Some touch-based games need finer precision than a finger. Try playing Meteos with your finger. It's impossible. It works perfectly with a stylus.

There's a gaming market for DSs and for iPod Touches. There is some overlap, but there is also games that are distinctly suitable for each platform.
Click to expand...

Absolutely.
Heck theres even crossover titles with the PSP (Fieldrunners and FF Tactics). Yet each device has its better genres. DS has FPS and the more precise touchscreen games, iPhone/iPod has casual short titles, PSP has a portable console experience and a massive RPG library.
 
*LTD* said:
DS? Its days are numbered.

When a multi-purpose/multi-role device is deemed a worthy (and threatening) challenger to a dedicated device, the writing's on the wall.

The iOS/iPhone/iPod Touch/App Store platform isn't a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none paradigm. This isn't 10 years ago. Apple's entire ecosystem does nearly everything for everyone, and it does it remarkably well.

Dedicated-role mobile tech has had its day. This is 2010. Its days are numbered.
Click to expand...

It will be once they figure out how to port an actual console experience to the iPhone. So far all the iPhone has been good for is tower defense games and stuff like Angry Birds or Something Dash. The iPhone top game chart is basically the same $2 minigame over and over. The FPS's are clones with simulated physical controls where your fingers cover half the screen, most of the RPG's are ugly 16 bit 2D throwbacks, sports games still don't compare to their console or mobile gaming counterparts, etc

As for the DS, the 3DS comes out in less than a year and I bet it will do quite well.
 
It's true that dedicated portable gaming devices like the PSP and DS are on the road to irrelevance.

That said, iOS needs a bigger catalog of deeper games with real substance. Until we see true equivalents to games like Animal Crossing, Scribblenauts, Nintendogs, and of course the Mario dynasty on the iOS platform, my kids will continue to play the DS (and I'll continue to buy the *sob* $30 games...).

For now we just have weak, watered-down knockoffs (Astro Ranch, all the lame virtual pet games that don't hold a candle to Nintendogs, etc.). And that's too bad.
 
reminds me of...

Reminds me of the old sega genesis/mega drive ads in the early 1990's. Simply bashing the competition and try to appeal to the "older brother market".

Makes a good point, but could do a better job of driving it home. Rather than saying "9.99 sucka", they should emphasize the console quality gaming in a portable. The PSP provides a truly immersive gaming experience, almost too much so for a portable system. Knocks the NDS out of the water in terms of hardware, and it has buttons. I find iPhone gaming very uncomfortable, especially a platformer like Megaman II.

Also the kid's character is so over the top it's borderline racism. I know "characters" like this is normal in American advertising & media, but no Canadian ad firm would produce this.
 
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