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Toshiba isn't the only one dropping the price of their players by $100. According to TVPredictions.com, Sony's second gen Blu-ray player will cost only $499... $100 less than originally announced.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/sonysurprise060107.htm

Sony has said publicly that it will launch a second generation Blu-ray this summer for $599.

However, TVPredictions.com has learned that at least one electronics chain in the Washington, D.C. area has been notified that the player (Model: BDP-S300) will be priced at $499.

The chain's representative spoke to TVPredictions.com in confidence. However, he said Sony plans to ship the new Blu-ray player late this month and it will cost $499.

These guys are usually on the ball so I tend to believe this news.

Still it won't be good enough to compete with the option of buying a PS3 for use as a Blu-ray player (and other functions).

Wesociety wrote:Still it won't be good enough to compete with the option of buying a PS3 for use as a Blu-ray player (and other functions).

I'll bet Sony is counting on that... Still, I won't buy anything with Sony standing out on the front of the product... Sony in my eyes is like another four letter word that starts with "S"... and their products have never been a "hit" with me.

SithTracy wrote:

Wesociety wrote:Still it won't be good enough to compete with the option of buying a PS3 for use as a Blu-ray player (and other functions).

I'll bet Sony is counting on that... Still, I won't buy anything with Sony standing out on the front of the product... Sony in my eyes is like another four letter word that starts with "S"... and their products have never been a "hit" with me.

Maybe not their products, but you gotta love their technology.

And this player is a good thing. It puts a little pressure on Samsung to join the game in terms of player affordability (and Samsung should be able to kick some serious ass when it comes to player cost). It's also a nice alternative to purists who don't want to use a game system as their stand alone player.

I'm still buying a PS3 though

SithTracy wrote:

Wesociety wrote:Still it won't be good enough to compete with the option of buying a PS3 for use as a Blu-ray player (and other functions).

I'll bet Sony is counting on that... Still, I won't buy anything with Sony standing out on the front of the product... Sony in my eyes is like another four letter word that starts with "S"... and their products have never been a "hit" with me.

Can I quote you for truth?

Different divisions of the same company sometimes don't talk to eachother or work together in harmony.

In this case it's the Sony gaming division (PS3) vs the Sony home entertainment product division (BDP-S300 Blu-ray player).

I doubt the home entertainment division would launch a product "betting" it will fail. Blu-ray standalone players will eventually be cheaper than the PS3, so the company has to develop the product line and continue to release models for the good of the long term standalone Blu-ray player division growth. That being said, they're not stupid and they won't expect the player to sell very well when the PS3 provides much more for the same price (possibly even cheaper if a PS3 price cut happens).

Sony has reiterated time and again that the PS3 won't see a pricecut this year...that's simply not fiscally possible, especially now with a good chance that the PS3 sales drop below 80,000 for May.

vinnie97 wrote:Sony has reiterated time and again that the PS3 won't see a pricecut this year...that's simply not fiscally possible, especially now with a good chance that the PS3 sales drop below 80,000 for May.

Guess they lied.

OoAnd1 wrote:

vinnie97 wrote:Sony has reiterated time and again that the PS3 won't see a pricecut this year...that's simply not fiscally possible, especially now with a good chance that the PS3 sales drop below 80,000 for May.

Guess they lied.

Well, it's more of a clearence sale price, since the 60GB model is discontinued

But there most likely will be a price drop on the 80GB model closer to Christmas.

dolphinius_rex wrote:Well, it's more of a clearence sale price, since the 60GB model is discontinued

You are speculating? I haven't seen an official statement saying that the 60GB model would be discontinued. I don't doubt that it would be discontinued eventually, but I just didn't think it was official...

Wesociety wrote:

dolphinius_rex wrote:Well, it's more of a clearence sale price, since the 60GB model is discontinued

You are speculating? I haven't seen an official statement saying that the 60GB model would be discontinued. I don't doubt that it would be discontinued eventually, but I just didn't think it was official...

I'm not sure if it's official official or not, as far as I know a few people figured it out, and called Sony on it, and someone denied it, and then someone admitted it. Expectations for how long the 60GB stock will last range from anywhere between the end of this month to close to Christmas. Realistically, it will probably last until mid-late September.... unless demand keeps up at the pace it has been since the price drop.

So get your PS3s now while they're cheap... like I did

OoAnd1 wrote:

vinnie97 wrote:Sony has reiterated time and again that the PS3 won't see a pricecut this year...that's simply not fiscally possible, especially now with a good chance that the PS3 sales drop below 80,000 for May.

Guess they lied.

And fooled you again apparently. Welcome to the clearance.

It's blissful to watch the PS3 sink ship.

vinnie97 wrote:

OoAnd1 wrote:

vinnie97 wrote:Sony has reiterated time and again that the PS3 won't see a pricecut this year...that's simply not fiscally possible, especially now with a good chance that the PS3 sales drop below 80,000 for May.

Guess they lied.

And fooled you again apparently. Welcome to the clearance.

It's blissful to watch the PS3 sink ship.

And then the 80GB will go on sale for $499, and then they'll drop it to $399 next year when they announce the 120GB version which will sell for $499.

Sony is very predictable

Looks like it's official now.
http://news.com.com/Sony+to+phase+out+c ... 97058.html

vinnie97 wrote:

OoAnd1 wrote:

vinnie97 wrote:Sony has reiterated time and again that the PS3 won't see a pricecut this year...that's simply not fiscally possible, especially now with a good chance that the PS3 sales drop below 80,000 for May.

Guess they lied.

And fooled you again apparently. Welcome to the clearance.

It's blissful to watch the PS3 sink ship.

Clearance...price drop....whatever. The fact is....anyone can buy a 60GB PS3 today for $500. Yet, they always said it wouldn't happen during the first 12 months. Plans changed....

Did they decide to make a 80GB PS3 and then therefore decided to discontinue the 60GB PS3 or did they decide to lower the price of the 60GB PS3 and then therefore made a 80GB PS3 to take the $600 dollar price range back. Who knows....but to the consumer it doesn't matter.

OoAnd1 wrote:Did they decide to make a 80GB PS3 and then therefore decided to discontinue the 60GB PS3 or did they decide to lower the price of the 60GB PS3 and then therefore made a 80GB PS3 to take the $600 dollar price range back. Who knows....but to the consumer it doesn't matter.

Well, they released the 80GB model in Korea a while ago already. Plus I think the main reason for this is the lack of available 60GB HDDs anyways. So I'm guessing the 80GB version came about first, and they decided on the price drop/clearence sale later. But of course, it's really hard to be sure!

OoAnd1 wrote:

vinnie97 wrote:

OoAnd1 wrote:

vinnie97 wrote:Sony has reiterated time and again that the PS3 won't see a pricecut this year...that's simply not fiscally possible, especially now with a good chance that the PS3 sales drop below 80,000 for May.

Guess they lied.

And fooled you again apparently. Welcome to the clearance.

It's blissful to watch the PS3 sink ship.

Clearance...price drop....whatever. The fact is....anyone can buy a 60GB PS3 today for $500. Yet, they always said it wouldn't happen during the first 12 months. Plans changed....

Did they decide to make a 80GB PS3 and then therefore decided to discontinue the 60GB PS3 or did they decide to lower the price of the 60GB PS3 and then therefore made a 80GB PS3 to take the $600 dollar price range back. Who knows....but to the consumer it doesn't matter.

It will be when they try to pick up one of their precious PS3s only to discover the price is back up to $600 (yes, with an 80GB hard drive and perhaps a floptastic in-game...no worries since the 60GB backstock is substantial enough that it will probably take the rest of the year to sell off) but that magic $500 is again out the window. Finally, $500 isn't the magic number to reel in the average consumer (even for Sony, thank fuq). The fact that they had to create a CLEARANCE to create any demand whatsoever for the PS3 is telling in and of itself. In related news, the PS3's North American sales were again eclipsed in June by the Gameboy Advance.

vinnie97 wrote:It will be when they try to pick up one of their precious PS3s only to discover the price is back up to $600 (yes, with an 80GB hard drive and perhaps a floptastic in-game...no worries since the 60GB backstock is substantial enough that it will probably take the rest of the year to sell off) but that magic $500 is again out the window. Finally, $500 isn't the magic number to reel in the average consumer (even for Sony, thank fuq). The fact that they had to create a CLEARANCE to create any demand whatsoever for the PS3 is telling in and of itself. In related news, the PS3's North American sales were again eclipsed in June by the Gameboy Advance.

I'm just curious about what your next rant will be when they've lowered the 80GB system down to $499, and launched a 120GB model?