Sony says it has no plans for revamped XMB, Netflix service
By Donald Melanson 
posted December 9th 2008 6:42PM
posted December 9th 2008 6:42PM
No real surprises here but, in a recent interview with GamePro, Sony's John Kohler said that the company doesn't have any plans to pull a Microsoft and redesign its XMB interface, nor does have any intention to offer Netflix service on the PS3 in the foreseeable future. More specifically, while Kohler says that Sony is willing to make changes "if consumers pound on our door loudly enough," it's not likely to make any "grand-scale changes" to the XMB "because it's something that's been so well-received." As for Netflix, Kohler expectedly shifted the focus to Sony's own download service, saying simply that "our efforts will continue to be there, because our customers want to own the content." Not surprisingly, Kohler didn't exactly invite any door-pounding on that matter, though there's certainly nothing stopping anyone that feels so inclined.
[Via PS3 Fanboy]
[Via PS3 Fanboy]
I love how people constantly keep touting all of the benefits of the PS3, even if it is only barely tangibly related to the article. I'm glad that you can post a nice spread sheet of dollar totals, but I am not really seeing a connection to whether sony should (or shouldn't) revamp their XMB or add Netflix.
Anyway, on the actual topic, Sony won't add Netflix because MS has an exclusive contract, at least for the near future. They can spin it or whatever, but in reality there isn't a question of whether sony will add it or not- They legally can't. As for their specific spin, they need to revisit their own offering before touting it as worth focusing on. I don't own shit that I buy from the PSN. I can't even download it again if my hard drive dies (as the owner of 3 dead PS2s I have no faith in the longevity of the PS3. It certainly won't be around as long as my DVDs). I am paying a lot for a highly restricted version. The MS approach of buy once, download as much as you want that is used with their video service is vastly superior, even if it is necessary because of the anemic drive sizes in their console. I think both Sony and MS could take a good long look at Amazon On Demand to see how it is really done right, with streaming rights, portable media rights, and download rights all included in one purchase. Hell, I think they should both just use Amazon On Demand instead of rolling their own stores.
I was reffering to rechargeble batteries, normal(not BF) prices, and you did not state the fact that you have virtually NO storages space other than internal and mem. card. plus, isnt it eaisier just to get your system fully functioning right out of the box instead of having to trample people on BF, pay yearly/monthly for a subscription, and have to constantly replace remote control batteries. The ps3 has wireless(bluetooth) rechargeble controllers covered under a warranty, and a much cleaner, eaiser interface to work with.
No trampling or lining up necessary. I ordered online. Hassle free, deal was available all day.
I personally like the option of removable battery. If you understood the nature of how rechargeable batteries work you will know that in the future you will have to REPLACE your PS3 CONTROLLER rather than just REPLACE the BATTERY like on a Xbox 360 controller. I never knock the PS3 but you have to get over yourself. The PS3 has it's cons like other systems do. Xbox 360 owners don't have the ability to use any HDD "normally" PS3 owners can't switch out the battery in their controllers "normally" ect.
Give Sony the opportunity to do anything grand, and they'll find a way to fuck it up.
Sony hates anybody suggesting a good idea to them regardless of how big of a no-brainer it is and especially if their competitors are doing it. Examples, Memory Sticks when everybody and their mother was already using CF, SD, or MMC; UMD when everyone else was going DVD.
DVD in a PSP? You make me LOL
And MS>SD because it goes up to 64GB right now, w/out any compatibility or limit BS like SD, SDHC
Dear Sony Claus
All I really want for Christmas is Netflix on my PS3. I've been good all year. (Oh, and a Rhapsody client would be great too, for that matter.)
Thanks!
The only reason Fony doesn't want Netflix on their box is because they spent too much money buying out HD-DVD. If Netflix takes off or digital downloading for that matter takes off there will be no reason to buy PS3. I mean Gears of War 2. What do you got Fony?
@ josh I agree, Amazon is a much better alternative. I dislike not 'Owning' movies from PSN, which is why i only rent. if I want a movie I will buy it from a store. However, if you decide to upgrade, or your HD dies, you can call SCE and have them let you DL the movie again, additionally, if you are saying that you are afraid of your console dying, i would STRONGLY suggest you buy a ps3, as the XBOX 360 is one of the most unreliable system to date.
I'm not horribly concerned with my console in general dying. Electronics have a limited lifespan and especially game consoles, as the race to get stuff out the door and then ratchet down prices will always mean that it is a question of when, not it, they die. Seriously, if you look at all of the technology crammed into either a PS3 or a 360 consumers are getting a hell of a deal, even if they forked over for the $600 PS3 at launch, but it does mean the manufacturers will cut every corner they feasibly can so they don't completely lose their shirts. I recognize that. My 360's crappy optical drive is on its last leg and I will need to send it in soon. My PS3 is fine, but not anywhere near as old. I fully expect both to fail, not out of any partisan bitterness, but because i don't see how everything can work for years without issue in game consoles these days.
Please don't construe my original comment as some sort of partisan shot. The first part of my original post was actually addressing what I thought was an unnecessary comparison to the 360 to begin with. This article is about what sony should do relative to themselves, not how they compare elsewhere. Certainly the features of other consoles will play a part, but really it is about sony changing their own game. I was pointing out limitations in Sony's own service that they should address simply to improve customer experience. Me having to call to get access to stuff I bought just because my console eventually died, or I swapped hard drives, or whatever is a load of crap. It is poor customer experience, completely unnecessary, and really outlines that "our efforts will continue to be there, because our customers want to own the content." is living in fairy tale land because while I may *want* to own the content, I don't with the current implementation. If that is the route they want to go they need to make their service compelling, not just in terms of the content that is there (and seriously, why can't we create downloadable content that has the special features and functionality of DVDs/BDs instead of just a video- there is no technical limitation to including alternate audio tracks, or subtitles, or scene selection other than companies insist on straight video file formats that lack this functionality), but in terms of how the customer can use the content that they BUY.
You yourself acknowledge that you only rent from them because the service is not what you want. I agree. But if I am renting, then netflix offers a much more compelling all you can eat option. If sony wants to focus on people owning they need to give us reason not to rent, and if they want us to rent, even if they don't offer netflix, they should offer a decently competitive option.
The way the DRM scheme works today is shameful. It's as if the media companies want you to buy the same content multiple times for different devices. If I am buying a license to watch a movie, make it available on every platform without needing to repurchase it! If I am buying just the disc that the movie is printed on, don't charge so much for it (no disc is worth $35!).
Sigh, until they fix the licensing issue, I'm likely just to buy the Blu-ray verison of a movie and pirate the rest. Digital downloads scare me with the possibility of revoking keys and artificially limiting content playability.
the ability to play netflix on ps3 is one of the key factors that make me decide to buy or not to buy.
and I have waited for a while since I am interested in ps3.
sony wants to sell contents on bluray, and it ignores the convenience of playback through internet.
if this news is proven, I may have to make up my mind to xbox which is cheaper and an easier decision.
I have a Tivo HD, PS3, and a 360. The only reason I ever bother powering on my PS3 is to play a blueray disk. Sony better get their act together, the PS3 has been a colossal failure, which is sad because its the best console from a hardware perspective.
The whole thing with Netflix, is your just paying a subscription to watch anything you want that they have 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It also doesn't matter what you use to stream it. Your not locked into ANY hardware. If your 360 breaks, so what, you can watch on your PC, or maybe one of them Stand Alone Blu-Ray players, or TIVO, your not locked onto anything. The whole DRM no longer matters!!! Your not buying any movie, your not really renting any movie per say.
I keep laughing at the PS3 user fanboys, all they seem to have it RROD and when you add this and that up, it's so much more costly then a PS3. What a joke. RROD is old news. A $199 360 can play any and all Xbox games!! Not everyone needs Wifi, I sure don't and would never use it on a gaming system anyway. AA battery's are cheap, but a Recharge kit if you want one isn't all that much. Oh and the give one that LIVE cost MONEY. No SILVER is free and the only thing you can't do is online gaming and Netflix streaming and a 12+1 LIVE card from newegg.com is under $39 with free shipping which works out to just under $3 a month.
I played GHWT on a PS3 at Best Buy yesterday and it was a joke. The songs would briefly freeze a few times each, the Background didn't look all that good. I play this on my 360 and it looks great and no freezing problems. I expected better then what I got. This was single player game play. I wasn't impressed, so I ruled out PS3 for gaming, that left Blu-Ray movie player. Well without IR, I instead got the Panasonic BD-35 at COSTCO for $199. CNET gave it high reviews. Half the price, IR, and no interesting in any PS3 games.
gyup
As has been said before, you can use the PlayOn media server (approx $30) to stream Netflix WatchNow content to your PS3. It works very nicely, but yes, your PC does have to be turned on. Still, the capability exists and I would think the author of this article could have mentioned that fact.
The recent upgrade of the PS3's Flash support has re-enabled video playback from Hulu, Veoh, Joost, etc. So you can view/stream many movies and TV shows for free even without Netflix.
I treat the Sony video store as a pay-per-view stop-gap. If I'm waiting on a new Netflix BD in the mail and there's nothing on TV, it's simpler to rent a new recently released flick off their service than it is to drive down the street to Blockbuster. The cost is about the same or less and the movie would not be available on Netflix WatchNow anyway.
I figure by the time Netflix places their entire library on WatchNow, Sony will be supporting them on the PS3, but don't expect it in the near future.
Hello, i would like to know if any one has ever LOOKED at neflix streaming, the movie selection is about as good as the sale dvd rack at WallyWorld, i mean please at least you get sony pictures on the ps3 alomost when the come out on BD, and why should i really want to pay monthly for a service i would maybe watch 2 movies a year on an outdated movie slection??
SUX! I've been hoping to get netflix on my PS3 for 2 years now. This is a stupid move on their part. A lot of the stuff on the netflix "Watch Now" is content I don't want to own, I just want to watch it, it's usually just spur of the moment stuff like old voltron episodes, or old tv shows I missed etc. Just stuff that takes up my time on a Saturday morning. Things like that aren't in sony's PS3 catalog. If I wanted to buy it I would go to a big box store and buy it. When I purchase a product I want something physical to own. And what ever happened to the possibility of the PS3 being a DVR, probably a FAIL also. Sony needs to work on allowing the PS3 to be the power house it can be.
Anyone know of another option to playon that is usable for a mac? Can the Mac even stream to the ps3? I can't get it to work together.
If I can't get it to work, it looks like I'll just spend a 99 on a Roku player.
I don't understand why anyone WOULDN'T get the Roku player. If you have a decent ISP, then it's a great device, and costs a lot less than a game console when it comes time to replace it.
It also uses a LOT less electricity, isn't noisy like an Xbox (it's completely silent, actually) and doesn't require a subscription to Xbox Live Gold on top of your Netflix subscription.
It's only $99 and it's worth every penny. I love mine.
Blah blah blah so much fanboyism, all I got to say is Pixel Junk Monsters is alot of fun! :)
I just want to be able to throw any Divx video into the PS3 and play it without a hiccup.
Sony needs to make their menu system sexy, like something apple would make.
no need to add netflix to the PS3...
if there is someone out there that really wants it then i'm sure by now they could have figured out to download PlayOn and stream from the computer to the ps3.
it works great.