@joeseph - How many eBooks are you going to buy if they do?

@PoisonWolf - They have over $5BN (USD) in the bank and the ability to raise debt (corporate bonds). That gives them a lot of runway (maybe too much) to get things back on track.

@Angus Hedger

The guy in the video said this reference design is for PCs that use laptop technology. Power efficiency is important either way, but this doesn't seem to be a portable device.

@ RyanTV:

...and camcorders demean DPs and point-and-shoots demean pro photographers.

Dude, there will always be more people who are un-trained and less talented than professionals. If you're threatened by this little toy (or even the perception that it promotes) you're missing the point. People like to participate. They don't have to be great or even good. If some accountant wants to drop $300 on this little device and pretend he's a DJ on the weekend -- more power to him. If that's threatening your paycheck you need some new clients.

BTW, your quote -- "that's all the innovation I need." One of the funniest lines I've heard all week.

Before any knuckleheads post -- no, that is not an actual satellite image of the test site.

Before all you iPod/iTunes fan boys start with the haterade, remember competition is good. Even if this partnership or the Zune marketplace fails miserably there's some good that will come out of having multiple players in the space. Plus, contrary to popular opinion on many sites the #2 or #3 player in an industry can still build a profitable business.

@ Deluxe, huh? The KRZR is new. Yeah, it's part of the RAZR family, but I don't see how this is bad for Sprint customers -- they get more choice. By the looks at some of those Sanyo phones Sprint has for sale, an old-fashion RAZR seems like a pretty good option for the non-smart phone toting folks.

ND, when do you show up to the party? Media you buy from iTunes contains DRM (Apple's FairPlay). The stuff you rip from WMP or iTunes contains no-DRM. Without the DRM (Janus, Fairplay, or Helix) files are just naked codecs (AAC, MP3, MP4, WMA) that you can do with as you please.

Wal-mart is totally and completely out of line for this, but don't be naive because you have the good sense not to shop in those dreadful stores. According to NPD, Wal-mart accounts for 37% of all DVDs sold in the US.

Wal-mart = 37%
Best Buy = 13%
Blockbuster = 6%
Costco, Target & Circuit City combine for 13%

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FNP/is_16_43/ai_n6161035

JT hit it on the head -- it's in the right direction. Most folks with money in their pocket today are still attached to tapes. But there will be a growing market segment that wants HD-based cameras. To some extent it's probably just a different customer. I'm one of them. Tapes suck and in my usage with the Canon I have today I almost never need to use another tape before I get back to my hotel room. Sorry folks, a younger customer is around the corner with money in their pocket. By the time Sony gets this form factor right the customers will be waiting. In the meantime, I'm buying one of these as soon as they come out.