Do you have a particular dislike towards Sony Memory Sticks?

As an electronics salesperson, I found the MS and M2 formats to be silly when they came out, but I think Sony has learned that their formats are dying as instead of releasing Sony cameras and Sony Ericsson cellphones that only use proprietary formats, now most support SD. Sony has slowly stopped sending us their MS and M2 cards, so I'm willing to bet they've nearly suffered defeat... Now then, if the Playstation Vita only accepts proprietary cards, I will cry a little.

I applaud companies for trying to stay competitive, which usually leads to a battle of prices, therefore being better for us consumers, but when they fail to stay competitive, I think they need to be quicker on their feet to admit defeat. That's right, that last bit rhymed.

EDIT: Just on a side note to help explain why consumers tend to dislike products like the proprietary Sony memory cards, it's because they can't necessarily use them with all devices. For example, a lot of folks buy a camera with an SD memory card because their MP3 player can use that card, their cellphone can use that card and maybe their netbook or whatever device that offers expandable memory-- SD and microSD has become such a universal form of flash memory that most folks who look for value in the electronic purchases can't justify spending that extra $20-$100 (depending on size) to add storage to just one device.

It's annoying because pretty much everything uses SD or microSD cards minus Sony products.  I personally have a ton of SD cards lying around because they come with stuff like cameras, and usually when I get any sort of device I can just grab a spare SD and pop it in.  However, Sony products that use their memory sticks always require you to buy an extra card, and on top of that you sometimes need an adapter to connect them to a computer.

It used to be much worse because memory sticks were super expensive as well, but I guess recently it hasn't been so bad.  Some other companies have begun making memory sticks as well and you can get some pretty decent quality ones for reasonable prices.

I hate anything proprietary that forces me to adopt a standard used only by the company that makes it.  The only point of such things is to control your options and take your money.  It's antithetical to competition, progress and development.  I like my choices and I like versatility.  Being able to take my microSD and use it in any device is invaluable.  I guess I don't even see the benefit to Memory stick.  Does one exist?

I'm glad Sony is giving up on it.  I guess they have to as I think i read a few years ago they are losing money just to support the standard and put it in their devices along other standards.  It's not a question of hardware format, but of poor business practice and taking me for a ride.  I don't like feeling like I'm being taken for a ride by a company I give my money to. Just my personal feeling and interpretation. 

Don't worry, I detest Apple far more.  They are a much larger offender than Sony w/ their onboard storage and semi-annual upgrade cycle.  Microsoft is also guilty w/ Window Phone 7 making your external card slaved to your phone and locking it to the device.  Ridiculous.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3602 

My general retorque would be "and what would be your opinion on proprietary jacks?".

Thing with Apple is that a 16GB iPad + 16GB card would have less profit than a 32GB iPad. I wrote an article here, was locked, so I don't wanna talk about it (I can still throw you the link, though, if you want).

No need for the link, I think we are on the same page.  My feelings on anything proprietary remain consistent.  It's a loss of personal choice and control to the economic benefit of a single company.  Bad, bad, bad.....

YMMV, pft...

Edit - Some might like the new BMWs.  If the battery dies it has to be towed into the dealership so they can install their special proprietary battery.  You wouldn't want to change your own battery would you?  Of course not.

People want to be able to use their cards everywhere. When you can take a card out of a camera, reformat it, put songs on it then play it on your car HI/FI,things are getting really great. Oh, you ran out of memory in the field with your camera so you go and pull 2 gig out of your car stereo, reformat it again and put photos on it in a pinch.

For this to work with memory sticks you would have to own a sony camera, a sony car stereo, a sony computer, or have electronics where they put in a reader. I actually love some Sony headphones and their laptops are great, but they somehow lost a format war. The sticks now have limited usage, are very expensive. People who have purchased Sony gear with a card slot only for Sony Memory Sticks now have a product that will be hard to get/pricey replacement cards for and they will not be able to take advantage of the new cheeper big storage cards that are always coming out. The only great thing good was the Sony cards had quality and lasted. 

The rest of the world has standardized on SD.  They're faster, can be used in most of my devices, all of my laptops have built-in readers for SD, and they're approximately 1/3 the cost per gigabyte (less if you buy bargain brands).  They're better in basically every way, and Sony's addition to its dying standard is just silly.

"Minidisc" need I say more

Not sure how this is related: Minidisc was supported by dozens of manufacturers for the better part of two decades till 2006 came around and even die-hard fans dropped the format for MP3 players. 

I love SD cards, but find them dangerous as they are tiny. My camera uses CF, but everything else uses SD or micro SD. 

As for Apple's semi-annual upgrade cycle, that is par for the course. Every electronics company and grocery company in the world updates semi-annually, at a minimum. Some companies update way more often than that. Yes, Apple use the 30-pin, but what company that we have regular contact with as a community are 100% proprietary free? Not a one.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nagasaki_Kid 

"Minidisc" need I say more

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo 

 

As for Apple's semi-annual upgrade cycle, that is par for the course. Every electronics company and grocery company in the world updates semi-annually, at a minimum. Some companies update way more often than that. Yes, Apple use the 30-pin, but what company that we have regular contact with as a community are 100% proprietary free? Not a one.

I'm not sure what your grocery store is doing over there but my produce is basically the same year round.  I haven't seen my Bananas upgraded in awhile.  Are you talking about redecorating to increase foot traffic and sales?  Hardly the same thing.  Many electronics companies don't update the same models semi annually, c'mon.  I can think of quite a few electronics that are in dire need of an upgrade actually.  The main reason for upgrading iPods is capacity and that's a predetermined factor dictated by Apple themselves.  If people want to play that game then so be it.  Wrt to end users, most products are non-proprietary!  You seem to be talking about proprietary software or production techniques?  Hardly the same thing as standards of use like SDcards, USB connectors, TRS-plugs, 1/4-1/8, power plugs, HO/LO jacks, etc.  Those are all pretty standard.  So yes from the user standpoint most products ARE proprietary free.  

The problem is when a company makes the deliberate decision to break w/ standards in an attempt to control or increase profit and marketshare.     

The grocery company I am referring to is Samsung. 

And, if Apple bring new stuff out, that means nothing. They can bring out, and you can choose whether to buy or not. Most iPods I see on the street are at least 2 years old, many from 2005-2006 in my area. iPhones, on the other hand, are mostly iPhone 4, as people upgrade phones here in Japan at every iteration, Apple or not. 

Blaming Apple's annual introduction of new items is silly. They introduce one model per year: iPod touch 4G is the newest of the iPod touch series which was released in 2007. If they released faster, I can imagine many users that would be happier, but they don't.

They have done memory upgrades on their portable electronics line, but only a few times.

I don't see the problem: they are an electronics company. That is what they do. They don't force you to upgrade. That is your bill.

With software, there are very few companies that protect freedom, but that is a different perspective. Releaseing 'open' sources isn't the same thing as establishing an open standard. Industry standards are also proprietary by the industry, but they have the support of lots of companies.

In terms of Apple's connectors and hardware, I still have a hard time finding out what is proprietary about what they use. All the stuff you mentioned is non-proprietary on Apple and non-Apple devices. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anaxilus 

I'm not sure what your grocery store is doing over there but my produce is basically the same year round.  I haven't seen my Bananas upgraded in awhile.  Are you talking about redecorating to increase foot traffic and sales?  Hardly the same thing.  Many electronics companies don't update the same models semi annually, c'mon.  I can think of quite a few electronics that are in dire need of an upgrade actually.  The main reason for upgrading iPods is capacity and that's a predetermined factor dictated by Apple themselves.  If people want to play that game then so be it.  Wrt to end users, most products are non-proprietary!  You seem to be talking about proprietary software or production techniques?  Hardly the same thing as standards of use like SDcards, USB connectors, TRS-plugs, 1/4-1/8, power plugs, HO/LO jacks, etc.  Those are all pretty standard.  So yes from the user standpoint most products ARE proprietary free.  

 

The problem is when a company makes the deliberate decision to break w/ standards in an attempt to control or increase profit and marketshare.     

 

I think you misunderstood my argument.  I was referring to Sonys' proprietary hardware and their business practices and philosophy.  I mentioned Apple as another company whose business philosophy I don't care for.  There is no good reason to lock you into onboard storage except to force your upgrade path.  They can afford to use Retina displays but can't add a memory slot?  Whatever.  No excuse but to pilfer your wallet.  

Yes we both agree on Samsung so no need to go there.  I have a lot of manufacturers I dont like I could compile in a long list.  I have to say staying away from those and supporting their competitors has served me well so far.