Sony CEO Outlines Vision For Networked World

Sony Corporation President and CEO Noboyuki Idei outlined his vision for a networked world during Tuesdayís Comdex keynote address. He described a world driven by an emerging broadband environment that will be experienced through digital electronic devices that create, capture and manipulate content. ""Sony will be a driving force in this new broadband era,"" Mr. Idei said. ""We have the dynamic digital content the network demands and the key hardware platforms or gateways to manage it.""In his comments, he pinpointed three such platforms - digital TVs, set-top boxes and other devices linked within home networks; mobile computing and imaging devices; and the PlayStation 2 videogame entertainment system. Joining Idei on stage were luminaries from the entertainment and business worlds, including Sun Microsystemsí Co-Founder and Chief Scientist Bill Joy, Academy award-winning filmmaker George Lucas, Emmy award-winning guitar virtuoso Steve Vai, Sony Corporation of America CEO Howard Stringer, and Sony Computer Entertainment of America President Kaz Hirai. Also sharing the stage were the AIBO four-legged entertainment robot and the animated star of Sony Picturesí upcoming movie, ""Stuart Little.""In the first scene, a park, Idei, Stringer and Vai demonstrated how the Internet and tiny mobile recording devices can capture and transfer digital music content. A gumstick-sized medium called Memory StickÆ, for example, will store music for play on Sonyís SDMI-compliant Memory Stick WalkmanÆ. They also pointed to the new Sony VAIO Music ClipÆ, another copy-protected, SDMI-compliant device that uses embedded memory and is about the size of a magic market. Both the Music Clip and Memory Stick hold up to two hours of music. Idei then showed a Audio on Silicon, a prototype of another embedded memory device that is about the size of a postage stamp.Mr. Idei left the park setting and entered an Internet cafÈ scene, where he and Fortune Magazine Editor-at-Large Brent Schlender discussed the challenges Sony faces in playing a dominant role in a network era.Synergy Between Content And Devices""Today, the world is moving toward a broadband and networked environment,"" Idei said. Digital content is what will drive people to the network, and new digital hardware will enable consumers to manipulate it for their personal enjoyment.""Idei then discussed the concept of ""personal broadcasting"" and demonstrated the power of a computer in a personal AV device with the new Sony MD DiscamÆ. Similarly, moving to the final stage setting, a home environment, he illustrated the power of an AV device in a PC with the new Vaio PictureBookÆ. Sunís Joy entered into a discussion with him on the growing variety of devices that go beyond the personal computer to help consumers meet their communications and lifestyle needs.Joy described his familyís frustrations in using a PC. He echoed Mr. Ideiís vision of a home environment in which digital content ñ audio and video files ñ are accessed through a variety of devices throughout the home.The 1-1-1 Project, PlayStation 2 And George LucasSonyís concept for such an environment, said Idei, may be realized through its 1-1-1 project, in which the company plans by 2001 to develop a system with one remote control for all home devices, connected through one cable ñ the i.LINKÆ digital interface.It may also be realized through the much anticipated PlayStation 2, which will serve not only as an entertainment platform, but potentially as an in-home portal for broadband networks and a platform for digital content creation.Following the introduction of Hirai and a demonstration of PlayStation 2, Idei welcomed Lucas, who spoke about the creative possibilities made possible through digital techniques. ""There was no Jabba the Hutt in the first ""Star Wars,"" because the technology was not available for me to produce what was in my imagination,"" Lucas said. ""Digital technology frees the imagination, so that artists can turn what they imagine into reality - or at least the reality of movies.""Lucas announced that he would use a new 24-frame progressive (24p), high-definition camera developed by Sony for PanavisionÆ to shoot a completely digital ""Star Wars, Episode II."" He said that, in addition to supporting creativity, digital technology would dramatically reduce the cost of movie making as well as distribution, eliminating the need for film duplication and shipping.New Alliances AnnouncedIn closing, Idei referenced some of the new alliances announced within the past few days as part of Sonyís digital strategy, including: Alliances with Sun involving home networks. Agreements with Microsoft, IBM, InterTrust Technologies, Liquid Audio, Reciprocal, RealNetworks and Preview Systems to make the companiesí respective electronic music distribution technologies interoperable. An alliance with Palm Computing for next generation personal network devices. Several licensing agreements with companies adopting the Memory Stick platform.""Sony has been called a media company and a hardware company,"" Mr. Idei concluded. ""What we are really becoming is a broadband entertainment and electronics company dedicated to bringing greater joy, prosperity and connection between all peoples of the world.""