How Sony inadvertently helped a competitor

[Fat.Clown]

In 2003, IBM's Adam Bennett showed Microsoft specs for the still-in-development Cell core. Microsoft was interested and contracted with IBM for their own chip, to be built around the core that IBM was still building with Sony.

All three of the original partners had agreed that IBM would eventually sell the Cell to other clients. But it does not seem to have occurred to Sony that IBM would sell key parts of the Cell before it was complete and to Sony's primary videogame-console competitor. The result was that Sony's R&D money was spent creating a component for Microsoft to use against it.

interesting read
taken from:Playing the Fool - WSJ.com

 

[hikaricloud]

Wow, that's pretty funny. Bill gates probably used his evil hypnotic powers to dupe Sony into a stupor.

 

[aaronkupen]

Stuff like this really isn't that rare when it comes to the technology industry though. A company's technological gain often inadvertently/indirectly helps other companies -- including competition.

I think this is being overblown though, I think the gpu and the more basic programming environment of the CPU is what is helped more.

 

[computer newbie]

that was an intreasting read.

 

[Poizen22]

lol they know its not that great anyway more of a pain then it is usefull other wise there would have been anouncements, i like how sony took all the credit for making it tho this is the first thing i herd about ibm developing it.

 

[aaronkupen]

I always thought it was a very well known fact that IBM was a strong contributor to the cell project. Toshiba was as well, just not as big as IBM.

That just seems like kind of a blatant anti-sony statement as well. Do you see Microsoft running around praising and talking about it's IBM cpu that it uses? Or Nintendo talking about its IBM processor? No, not really. In fact, if anything, Sony has been more vocal about IBM developing the CPU due to all the numerous tech presentations before and during the PS3 launch.

 

[Fat.Clown]

its good marketing, more publicity, more hype, more sales

 

[computer newbie]

its good marketing, more publicity, more hype, more sales

+++ 1 for that motion.