Now this is what I call good (quick) company relationship.
After the not so surprising demise of HD DVD by Toshiba and the drop of 360 external add on player announcement, Sony and Toshiba made up very quickly. (fastest corporate quickie I think)
Toshiba is part of the three companies (IBM+Sony) that helped create the Cell chip on the PS3. Which is very weird to me that they helped in the process and not use it... then they go and backup HD-DVD as well, knowing Sony was going to go with Blu ray exclusive and add it to the PS3. No idea what Toshiba were thinking honestly.. but nevertheless, "
Sony agreed to sell it microchip processing facilities in western Japan for approximately $835M USD. These facilities currently produce Cell processors and RSX graphic chips. Toshiba will enter the joint venture with Sony on April 1, 2008.
The other interesting aspect of the move is that it indicates a clear shift by Toshiba to back the PS3. The PS3, which last month outsold Microsoft's Xbox 360, previously had few ties to the company; while Microsoft's number one ally in hardware manufacturing has always been Toshiba. Toshiba manufacturers several components for the Xbox 360, including the HD DVD add-on, and the Microsoft Zune MP3 players.
Toshiba's flip-flop may have been in the cards for a while. Microsoft showed little remorse as HD DVD took second place to Blu-ray; a move Toshiba must have recognized from its American ally. Now the solidified PS3 venture between Sony and Toshiba indicates that Toshiba now has switched to backing the PS3 almost exclusively, another victory for Sony."
So how about that? Toshiba doesn't think twice about dumping the support it had for the 360 (even dough it will still sell components to xbox) now will go almost exclusive to the PS3, new Blu Ray players and the production of the Cell chip (now that it is smaller, faster, less power consumption & cheaper to produce and going almost exclusive to Sony.
In this story, it feels like Microsoft did absolutely nothing and left HD DVD to die when it was crawling injured on the battlefield and they could have done something to help Toshiba, at least as a good sign of business gesture. Now Toshiba picks up its own ashes, put it in a flower pot and joins Sony semi-exclusively on a pretty good deal. Interesting how the world goes round and around.
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=10826
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They're a third party in the "console war", and the success of both the 360 and PS3 are beneficial for them.
Sorry was at GDC and boxing classes :P
@ Agent
Yea it is not new news, but still, I never really understood why Toshiba helped the process of the Cell and not use it and go against Sony on HD player format. And surprising to me how Microsoft with their money tree could have helped Toshiba with their HDDVD. You know, your business partner thats making your xbox HD player and Zune.. they need help, you suppose to help, I think.
Also, I think Toshiba wanted to be on the hardware side of things and profit from both consoles, but Zunes suck, the Cell is apparently a bastard to code for, and HD-DVD is gone.
At least Toshiba didn't make their own console.
Where the hell did J even go away to? Microsoft has been so lazy in the past two years it makes me wonder what exactly is going on with the 360.