[TimSchirmer]

Does anyone here know anything about this pcdp? I heard someone mention it briefly on headwize...and I can't seem to find any more info. Is this some sort of fantasy pipe-dream...or did prototypes of this ever exist?

 

[Vertigo-1]

It actually was just a prototype that was never made. Sony had a whole website dedicated to extremely exotic and cool things they designed and even prototyped, but never hit the assembly lines with. The Tea Ceremony player was made to be a portable I believe, but given how it had a lid that came completely off the top without any hinges of any sort, and that it looked like a rather large and heavy player, it could not have possibly suceeded as a mass market portable.

 

[krayzie]

That was part of a bunch of design concepts made during 1989 to revitalize the Sony Design Center's overall atmosphere... Here's the link to them among other things:

http://www.sony.co.jp/en/Fun/SonyDesign/mainfla.html

 

[Magicthyse]

"Not only facing to the factory also to be human"

Gotta love that... Whatever it is...

 

[leon]

The Spirit Project (which this CD player come under) is an design exercise in trying to convey craftsmanship. In the text, Sony mentioned that they were feeling pressure from el cheapo imported products, and wanted to find a way to "add value" to their stuff.

Same ideology as the car makers' luxury division, I guess? They got the same excuse as several Japanese makes of the time

The Sony Design site was made for this "internet expo" thing the Japanese govt came up with, and includes an awful lot of Sony's better designs. Highly recommended if you're not afraid of navigating around it; If you read Japanese, it explains the idea behind the design proposals (at least what they choose to make public), and Sony's entire design process.

 

[TimSchirmer]

man...sony has really been holding out on us...