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Portables (Games) PlayStation (Games)

Sony to PSP Owners: Just Adapt 142

Cymoro writes "In an article Gamespot posted recently Ken Kutaragi, Sony Computer Entertainment president, was quoted in a japanese business magazine about the PSP square button defect as saying "There may be people that complain about its usability, but that's something which users and game software developers will have to adapt to." Apparently, flaws are a feature."
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Sony to PSP Owners: Just Adapt

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  • Good quote... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by keiferb ( 267153 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @01:39PM (#11494747) Homepage
    "I believe we made the most beautiful thing in the world. Nobody would criticize a renowned architect's blueprint that the position of a gate is wrong. It's the same as that."

    Yeah... but what if the gate didn't work? Besides, isn't saying something is 'wrong' a criticism?
    • by dmauro ( 742353 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @01:53PM (#11494920)
      When in L'Acadamie, I pointed out a small flaw in Michelangelo's David. The unimpressed guy next to me said "meh, what did you a expect, a mass produced consumer device made by Sony?"
    • Re:Good quote... (Score:5, Informative)

      by ZephyrXero ( 750822 ) <zephyrxero AT yahoo DOT com> on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:03PM (#11495034) Homepage Journal
      This sounds like classic Sony to me. Do note, I say this as a fact and not an opinion... Look at the original PS1 design with the ventilation on the BOTTOM of the console...or the way 1 in 10 or the first edition of the PS2 accidentally bumpped the laser's lens and DVD/CD against each other, ruining both game and system..... They'll change it, it'll just take a few months. To call the PSP's design "perfect" is a fairly wrong use of that word too.
    • Re:Good quote... (Score:3, Insightful)

      by tibike77 ( 611880 )
      Well, if the building would get mass-produced, and in 0.6% cases (see article) the gate would stick open or close... and in some other cases would squeak and be a bit harder to open/close... then I'd say that overall, we have a small problem.

      Now, if you chose to not use that gate anymore (maybe use it more carefully, less often, etc) OR if you chose to bash the head of the architect with a 2x4 instead - now those are completely different choices.

      Analogies apart... for god's sake, it's a BUTTON. If you KNO
      • Re:Good quote... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by Black Pete ( 222858 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:30PM (#11495354)
        Analogies apart... for god's sake, it's a BUTTON.

        Exactly. How else do you propose to play the game?

        If you KNOW the switch is not directly in the middle, just damn push the outer part of it, where you know the button's pressure sensor (switch) is !

        Which is quite easy to keep in mind while playing those fast 'n' furious button-mashing action games, no doubt.

        Or, if you're so unhappy, take it apart, move the "hole" in which the button is a few milimeters and be happy about it (and have a funny-looking handheld, but, hey, that's the trade).

        OK... that's taking the fanboy thing a bit too far... Sony should've been the one who did that (after all, the top guy himself agrees it is a design flaw), so it certainly shouldn't have to be up to me to fix their flaw.

        What's next? "The UMD drive isn't an issue, just duct tape it shut between game sessions, and don't whine about the sticky residue"? Or: "Just get a freaking hamster if you really care about batteries that much!"

        • Re:Good quote... (Score:1, Insightful)

          by Anonymous Coward
          "it certainly shouldn't have to be up to me to fix their flaw."

          I suppose there may be money to be had doing so. There were folks who charge a large sum "porting" the Sharp Zaurus for American use. There's also a massive influx of Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, Anti-MS products out there in order to fix THEIR flaw. (oooh, had to get an MS-Bash in there somewhere)

          Think about it -- someone with a clear flaw stands atop their ivory tower proclaiming perfection. You can accept their conclusion, refuse to purcha
          • I like how he admits it has a flaw, and then goes on to say he has the perfect product. Am I the only one who sees a contradiction here? Yeah, I want to buy a handheld this guy designed.
          • The problem is that the flaws are a hardware issue.

            If all of a company's laptops had 'e' keys that only worked 60% of the time, and shot CD's out of their drives if the wrong key combination was hit, they'd be in deep shit. If Logitech shipped mice with only partially functional buttons, they'd get in deep shit. I don't see how the PSP should be any different.
          • Think about it -- someone with a clear flaw stands atop their ivory tower proclaiming perfection. You can accept their conclusion, refuse to purchase the product, or purchase it and fix it yourself.

            Or take them to court for selling a product that doesn't work as advertised or satisfactorily. If I had brought a PSP and it had this problem I would take it back and any reputable store would take it back without a problem especially if it is a known problem.

      • Well, if the building would get mass-produced, and in 0.6% cases (see article) the gate would stick open or close... and in some other cases would squeak and be a bit harder to open/close... then I'd say that overall, we have a small problem.


        While buildings aren't mass produced in the classic sense (although their construction is a good known process, which is a science in itself), doors ARE.

        And doors do fail sometimes, one in a hundred, thousands, etc.

        Analogies apart... for god's sake, it's a BUTTON.
    • Re:Good quote... (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Black Pete ( 222858 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:15PM (#11495166)
      I passed this quote around the office, and one guy mentioned that it reminded him of the Falling Waters [paconserve.org] building, which is apparently the most gorgeous building in the world but has so many issues [ariadne.org] that pretty much nobody wants it.

    • "I believe we made the most beautiful thing in the world. Nobody would criticize a renowned architect's blueprint that the position of a gate is wrong. It's the same as that."

      That is of course, unless said architect had the gate's locks installed on the outside.

  • Quote... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by mooniejohnson ( 319145 ) <mooniejohnson+slashdot@NoSpaM.gmail.com> on Thursday January 27, 2005 @01:41PM (#11494768)
    From the article: "I believe we made the most beautiful thing in the world. Nobody would criticize a renowned architect's blueprint that the position of a gate is wrong. It's the same as that."

    If the gate refused to open sometimes, killed a couple people, or was in an area where someone couldn't enter the gate, they sure would. And they'd have the gate fixed. Why shouldn't they fix a gaming handheld, for crying out loud?

  • RIP PSP (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Mmm coffee ( 679570 )
    Reasons the PSP died:

    1) Shorter battery life to the DS
    2) Load times on a portable don't work
    3) Crappy design...
    4) ...And a company behind it that tells the users to put up with the crappy design.
    • by AtariAmarok ( 451306 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @01:50PM (#11494887)
      Mmmm coffee confirms...

      I know BSD rhymes with PSP, but who died (heh) and appointed you Netcraft?

    • Off in the distance, I hear a PSP crying out:

      "I'm not dead yet!"

      You can't take the PSP for dead like that (not yet released in the US) - it's against regulations!
      • It hasn't been released in the US, but the parts for it(if not the final assembly of some of the units) are already made. Changing designs and manufacturing processes is not cheap and it's not exactly speedy either.
  • by kingsmedley ( 796795 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @01:44PM (#11494811)
    I rarely find myself defending Sony in any matter. But this time, at least Mr. Kutaragi is willing to admit the PSP has a problem, and can offer a logical explanation for the engineering compromises that led to this design.

    Now I'm looking forward to his explanation about the UMD launching mechanism "feature".
    • He's not admitting the system has a problem the way I see it. He's basically saying the system is fine, but there's a problem with the users.
    • by Black Pete ( 222858 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @01:51PM (#11494892)
      I'll sacrifice my mod points because I just had to respond to this...

      It's one thing to admit that there's a problem. It's another thing to refuse to fix the problem.

    • " But this time, at least Mr. Kutaragi is willing to admit the PSP has a problem, and can offer a logical explanation for the engineering compromises that led to this design...." ... then call it the most beautiful thing in the world and imply that eccentricity in a design is okay.
    • Quote from the article:
      "There was a clear purpose to it, and it wasn't a mistake."

      That's not how most people admit to a mistake, at least not where I live. Sounds more like he's being a pompus ass.
    • by coaxial ( 28297 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @04:29PM (#11496786) Homepage
      But this time, at least Mr. Kutaragi is willing to admit the PSP has a problem, and can offer a logical explanation for the engineering compromises that led to this design.

      He is offering an explanation, but it is not admission of a problem at all, because in his mind, there is no problem. The article directly quotes him as saying, "The button's location is on purpose. It's according to specifications. This is something that we've created, and this is our specification. There was a clear purpose to it, and it wasn't a mistake."

      Even his explanation is weak, since it's not so much of a limitation of the technology, but one of stubborness on his part. ("I didn't want the PSP's LCD screen to become any smaller than this, nor did I want its machine body to become any larger.") He had to choose between something slightly larger (we're probably talking about probably less than centimeter here) that works, or something the exact size he wanted that doesn't. He chose the later.

      I will not buy a PSP because I'm not going to shell out that much money for a knowingly defective product.
      • I will not buy a PSP because I'm not going to shell out that much money for a knowingly defective product.

        <parrot>
        My thoughs exactly
        </parrot>
      • It seems they could have tweaked the design a little by rotating the buttons by about 20 degrees (and called the bizarre angle "ergonomics"). We're looking at about a half button width. much less than a centimetre.

        But this is corporate butt covering. You can not claim there's a design flaw. That would be a public admission, and they might have to refund anyone who wanted a refund. So they have to claim that it was inteded to work that way, no matter how implausible the claim.
    • I would describe it more as a typical Kutaragi ego-spew: "I am a super-genius, how dare you question the shoddy products resulting from my complete disregard for anything except hype! Quality? I spit on quality!"

      BTW, I've heard from people at Sony that everybody there hates Kutaragi too, but they just can't resist the money he makes them...
    • English translation of Japanese press release:
      "F*ck you. F*ck you all. Any other questions?"
  • by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 27, 2005 @01:48PM (#11494861)
    Weaslease to English translation:

    "We screwed up the design, but we can't figure out how to fix it, so live with it, you ungrateful fuckers."
  • adapt this Sony (Score:5, Insightful)

    by fearanddread ( 836731 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @01:52PM (#11494907)
    People not buying Sony's flawed product is something Sony will just have to adapt to.
  • Sony (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Yeah I can see Sony's point. I mean, why would I want a console that had working buttons? Sony is right here. They're always right. I mean come on, the mp3 format didn't catch on at all. They were right about that too.
  • Off to the right? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Dr. Mortimer ( 461903 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @01:54PM (#11494936) Homepage
    If the button mechanism had to be placed further to the right than the button itself, why didn't they just make the PSP more wide by that small amount of distance? It probably wouldn't have increased the width by a noticable amount.

    If it was produced to specifications, then I have some questions for whomever forced those specifications all the way past the play-testing phase.
    • by Cthefuture ( 665326 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:05PM (#11495063)
      I didn't want the PSP's LCD screen to become any smaller than this, nor did I want its machine body to become any larger.

      That's why. It sounds like one of those things that someone just gets "stuck" on. Like a broken record. "I will not compromise on that." To the exclusion of everything else, even usability. Pffft, that's how crappy products get made. We're probably talking about making the PSP 2mm wider or something.

      Sometimes we get so far down inside a project that we can't see what is going on. It's good to sometimes to step back and evaluate your position to make sure you don't have blinders on.
      • And what's interesting about this case is that the people in leadership positions - those whose jobs require them to have a clear (crystal) view of the big picture - did not fix this when they had the chance.
      • This is one of the first things that they teach us as a graphic designer. You design for the consumer, not the client's obscene wishes. That's all fine and dandy that he doesn't want it any bigger, but your target demographic is going to have a shit.

        If the engineers cannot stand up to push a design change due to the iron fist ruling at Sony, they are failing at their job. Being ignorant to outside input is just as troublesome.
    • The development hardware was released in early September. The first fully playable prototypes were introduced to the public at TGS in late september. A little more than 2 months later the PSP was launched.

      I'd be willing to bet that the final launch version was not play-tested any farther than, "It works," "Good." They did not have a whole lot of time to go from fully-functional prototype to launch it seems.

      I think it was over-confidence and pressure to launch alongside the DS.
      • I think it was over-confidence and pressure to launch alongside the DS.

        Funny, I remember thinking when the DS was announced later then the PSP how it was being rushed. Even leading up to the DS's release people were talking about how it was being rushed to compete with Sony, and yet now that we see thing the DS had more production and less problems (no flying cartridges at least).
    • Because the PSP isnt designed as the ultimate game device. It is designed as the ultimate in tecno fassion. So a small loss in function for greater over all visable apeal is worth it. This article [slashdot.org] explains how Japans tech is basicly marketed to the teenage school girls.
  • Some things you do have to just adapt to. And while it does sound unreasonable for the company not to "fix" it it's just as unreasonable to complain about it now that you've got it. You can either take your PSP back to the store in an attempt at a refund, or decide if you want to purchase one or not if you haven't already got one. So yeah.... just adapt.
  • by hal2814 ( 725639 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:01PM (#11495010)
    They're going to get rid of that whole side-talking thing. Oh nevermind, we're talking about a different system.
    • Back when the battery life issue was bouncing around, somebody posted a link to an article (the same one where they basically said battery life was the developers' problem and not theirs) that said they were planning a second iteration of the PSP that would address battery and screen issues. Probably won't be a fully new system like the Ngage QD, just an internal change like they did with the set-top playstations.
  • .6% are flawed (Score:2, Insightful)

    Nikkei Business reported that, to date, .6 percent of the 800,000 shipped units have been returned to Sony for repair.

    So, less than 5000 of the units have been returned for repair. Does anyone have any numbers of how this compares to other consoles, especially the Nintendo DS? I honestly have no idea. I will, however tip my cap to nintendo for promising to fix any dead pixels [eurogamer.net]

    • Re:.6% are flawed (Score:3, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      0.6% of the products were not broken, .6% of the people who bought one were annoyed enough (or had the button stick PERMANENTLY) to complain to Sony asking for a new one.

      You can see for yourself how the buttons line up here:

      http://www.gamesarefun.com/consoles/psp/square.jpg [gamesarefun.com]

      Having talked to people who own the console, when pressing right on the pad you can hear grinding on the side, the square button is less responsive than the other buttons and meets resistance about 2/3rds of the way down with an au
    • Re:.6% are flawed (Score:3, Interesting)

      by _KiTA_ ( 241027 )
      This is because Sony is just refusing to TAKE anything but the most extreme cases. For instance, you have to have more than 7 dead pixels in a 1 cm square area for them to accept it as a problem and allow you to return it. With stupid, self-serving policies like that, I can see why only 0.6% of them have been returned.

      Fact of the matter is, if you read any Japanese gamer BBS, the PSP's defects are *extremely* widespread and rather bad. Analog sticks fall off. The drive launches discs like a ninja star
      • Fact of the matter is, if you read any Japanese gamer BBS, the PSP's defects are *extremely* widespread and rather bad.

        Fact of the matter is, if you read any gamer BBS, you will be exposed to a disproportionate amount of complaining.

        People rarely bother to post about their experiences when they are positive. "Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that my PSP is still working perfectly, just like yesterday."
  • by the_skywise ( 189793 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:05PM (#11495058)
    I'll buy something else. (Oh wait... I already have... It's called the DS)
  • by illuminatedwax ( 537131 ) <stdrange@alUUUum ... inus threevowels> on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:07PM (#11495079) Journal
    Nobody would criticize a renowned architect's blueprint
    I beg [uchicago.edu] to differ. [lemoneyeinc.com]

    --Stephen

  • Mistranslated (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Mitaphane ( 96828 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:08PM (#11495087) Homepage
    "The button's location is [architectured] on purpose," Kutaragi added. "It's according to specifications. This is something that we've created, and this is our specification. There was a clear purpose to it, and it wasn't a mistake."

    I see. I'm sure the translator made a mistake what Kutaragi really said:
    "Production was already done by the time we knew of the design flaw. We are too lazy to go back and do something about it."

    Just like Lucas has ALWAYS knew that Star Wars was going to be a 9 part series and Wachowskis ALWAYS knew The Matrix was going to be a trilogy.
    Brilliant!
    • Production was already done by the time we knew of the design flaw.

      Not sure how they couldn't have noticed it just by looking at a schematic. It's really obvious. No, I believe that Kusaragi is telling the truth regarding his stubborn insistence on having a control flaw instead of making the PSP a bit bigger.

      Rob
  • by Yufice ( 852313 )
    i totally want to go out and buy one now. i mean, my level of intruige sky rocketed when i heard the news that they're selling broken handhelds.
  • Apparently, flaws are a feature.

    That sounds just like Apple and their single-mouse button...

    (Ducks)

  • by MarkGriz ( 520778 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:25PM (#11495293)
    Isn't this the same Ken Kutaragi of Father of PlayStation Admits Sony Mistakes [slashdot.org] fame?

    Looks like the Sony board of directors bitch-slapped him good after giving that interview. Glad to see he's back to his good old self again.
  • Okay, so knowing Sony's past record on consoles (Playstation & PSOne, etc.), and since we're sure that they're aware of their competitor's (Nintendo) past record, within two years there's going to be a PSP SP with the problem "fixed." No question about it.
    • While I will admit that the GBA SP is a vast improvement over the original design, the original GBA didn't have any problems functioning. I paid for an original GBA, and it was a good system. I traded it in for an SP, because I was tired of buying batteries for the "Flood Light," and I figured I would save money in the long run.
  • Weird priorities (Score:4, Insightful)

    by jgoemat ( 565882 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @03:17PM (#11495829)
    Kutaragi acknowledged that the button is less responsive than the others, ... Because there isn't enough room to put the square button's detection switch directly underneath, it's off to the right, making it less responsive--and sometimes causing it to stick.

    I didn't want the PSP's LCD screen to become any smaller than this, nor did I want its machine body to become any larger.

    So how the system looks is more important than how it plays games? The PSP couldn't be 1/8 inch wider to make it work flawlessly? That's just too big? This is crazy. Why would you purposfully design a flaw into your product?
  • Could this be a Japanese thing? It makes me think of Nintendo's comments about online gaming not being important regardless of the evidence. The Japanese will make an problematic or unsuccessful product and put all the blame on the consumer. "We didn't make a mistake but you are very stupid." I think an American company would approach this issue much differently. Not sure I would like that either.
    • My comments were based on a general impression I've gotten from reading interviews with Japanese developers/business folk. I'm not going to dig up links to the exact articles which I'm sure will please you folks to no end. However, I've noticed a definite difference in how the Japanese respond to criticisms regarding their business dealings. I don't claim to be an expert on Japan but I'm not convinced that any of you are either.
  • What gets me and its not the design being flawed or not, or even they are going to fix it or not. The thing that gets me is the response that this is just something the users and the game developers will have to deal with. Though part of that might be the translation of what he said, though with the track record of Sony I don't think it was the translation.
  • hmmmm...

    well i have to see their point of view....on one hand they have to fit alot of hardware into a "portable" space.

    However mis-aligning the square button...that definatly going to annoy alot of gamers...

    Damned if you do, damned if you don't

    However saying to the PS1/2 generation to just "adapt" thats not going to go down well
    • Sure they will.
      PSX/PS1 owners had to adapt to shitty cd-rom units (either weak lasers, bad lenses, or wear on plastic rails) or buy new machines every so often.
      Currently my original PSX still works but only at a 70 DEG. angle will it read media without skipping. I know other whose units dont work unless upside down. Still more had no choice but to replace them.

      PS2/PStwo owners had to put up with shitty CD-ROM unlits that either damaged the lens/media, dragged dust through the laser assembly or lasers got w
  • but it gives the wrong answer when even numbers are input.
    however, this was a design decision to make the calculations 300% faster. I didn't want to make the exe any larger, or the calculations any slower.
    There may be people that complain about its usefulness when it gives wrong answers, but that's something which users will have to adapt to.
  • As a self admitted PSP fanboy, I gotta say...

    MORONS! Sony IS A GROUP OF MORONS!!!

    Whew - glad I got that off. "You have to adapt"???? Pbbbbttt... How about I go buy a functional DS? Not only is it out already, But It seems to work most of the time.

    Wow, who were they trying to win with this response... Ergonomic Functionality Nazis - No Button For You!!!

  • If a "premier" electronics company releasing a flagship product such as the PSP, it should at least get simple button placement right. It is even more ridiculous because the main function of the PSP is to play games, which requires pressing buttons. This is akin to having 1/8 of the display of monitor not working and the company saying "get used to it!". Would Nintendo/Sony/Sega/Atari ever think of relesing a product with 1 out of 4 main buttons severly disabled?
  • This reminds me of when the first Pentium chips rolled out, and that guy found the math problem that I don't think any common consumer would find, but yet people like me got a replacement (with a chip that probably had the same problems). I just wonder if the people returning it fall in the same category.
  • Is it me, or is there a sever issue with Sony Quality Control the last few years? You would think that they would learn what an effective test plan is after the PlayStation 2 mode switch issue.

  • First of all, the Article clearly mentions "Flaw found in sony psp". your article seems to be about sony's petulent reaction to a wide known, huge problem. Tip: IT was not a huge known problem! its a tiny problem people just realized it has! how much time has the PSP been out, and how many times have you heard of this problem?

    A poster already mentioned it, if you read all Japanese responses on problems found in any device, they answer is always the same: "its such a tiny problem, its perfect even with it!
    • First of all, the Article clearly mentions "Flaw found in sony psp". your article seems to be about sony's petulent reaction to a wide known, huge problem. Tip: IT was not a huge known problem! its a tiny problem people just realized it has! how much time has the PSP been out, and how many times have you heard of this problem?

      Quite a bit, since the launch of the PSP, actually. This article from 12-13-04 [gamesarefun.com], just a few days after the release of the PSP in Japan shows a gamut of reported defects, including t

  • And as any EQ player can say "Working as intended".

    Sony/Verant/SOE - no surprise
  • WTF? I don't own a PSP yet, and with SCE's President telling me that if I buy one, I'll have to "adapt" to their failure, I don't think I will *ever* buy one.

    You want me to adapt? Damn right I'll adapt -- I'll adapt the $200 I would've spent on your PSP (plus games) to some other purpose I'll enjoy more, like a new video card or some lapdances... Eat my cock, Mr. Kutaragi, you're not getting my money for a defective piece of shit.

    Rule #1 of business: never, ever tell the customer to deal with your mist
    • "WTF? I don't own a PSP yet, and with SCE's President telling me that if I buy one, I'll have to "adapt" to their failure, I don't think I will *ever* buy one." LOL. You're funny man. Guess what, dont buy one then. Who cares. It's still going to crush the DS and sell a zillion.
  • The PSP is nothing but ripped by Slashdot. They hate it.
    • Oh and I got news for you guys, the DS is already defeated. Although it was obvious it would be from over a year ago. It has now been outsold in Japan for the last three straight weeks (Japan posts weekly sales figures). The last time, Jan. 24-30, by about 30k units, 71k vfor PSP vs 42k for DS. And this despite it is still nearly impossible to find PSP's for sale. The fact that PSP is outselling DS within 4 weeks of it launching in Japan just shows what stunningly awful hardware the DS is.
      • As to the parent issue (faulty hardware), it's part of a slam campaign by Nintendo fanboys. Most of the online media, including slashdot, has participated in it. I wonder how many PSP headlines could be classed as negative towards PSP on slashdot? Pretty much most that I have seen so far. I saw all the same things regarding the Xbox. Same type of stories around it. It succeeded anyway, just like PSP will. I'm sure that frankly, the DS is far less reliable. It has a touch screen for one thing. It also has

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