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Technology Stocks : Rambus (RMBS) - Eagle or Penguin -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bilow who wrote (48943)	8/4/2000 3:18:04 AM
From: Don Green	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 93625

Retailers worry demand for new PlayStation2 will exceed supply BY MIKE ANTONUCCI Mercury News Even if you were early to reserve the most ballyhooed product for the holiday season -- the PlayStation2 video-game console -- you may not be assured of receiving it on time. Sony's North American release date for the sleekly designed machine is Oct. 26. Today, the company is expected to announce a later release date for the European market, partly to relieve pressure on meeting its initial U.S. shipment goal of nearly 1 million consoles. But demand already has been so strong that one national retail chain, which insisted on not being identified, is concerned that it won't receive enough consoles to supply all the customers who made deposits for Oct. 26 pickups. Much of the excitement about the PlayStation2 stems from its technological advances, including a DVD movie player and computer-generated game imagery that's distinguished by its artistry and realism. Sony Corp. conceded on May 10, when the release date and the machine's $300 suggested retail price was announced, that demand was likely to far outstrip supply. But anxiety over the situation has been increasing, particularly among retailers who still are waiting for information about how many consoles they will be allocated by Sony. Many people in the video-game industry are predicting the kind of frenzy that will lead to Internet auctions for prices well above $300, not to mention long lines and potential shoving matches at any location selling the machines on a first-come, first-served basis. Sony spokeswoman Molly Smith said Thursday that ``a million units isn't too shabby'' as an initial supply and that the company's hope was to make further shipments before Christmas. But the only estimates Sony has made is for a total of 3 million in shipments through March of next year. Various retail chains are saying little or nothing about their expectations or plans. Toys R Us Inc. said through a public relations company that consoles will be available for walk-up purchase in its stores on Oct. 26. The company's online site (www.toysrus.com) is taking pre-orders, but no one was available to comment Thursday on delivery timetables. A spokeswoman for Wal-Mart said through e-mail that no decision had been made on taking reservations online or in stores, and that the chain was unsure how many consoles it would have available. Electronics Boutique continues to take pre-orders online (ebworld.com), but tells customers that ``if you placed your order after July 24, may the Force be with you. As you are well aware, demand for Sony's next-generation console seems to have outstripped supply for the foreseeable future.'' Customers who ordered on or before July 9 are expected to get their consoles at launch -- ``shed tears of joy or embrace a loved one,'' says the advisory -- and those who ordered between July 10 and July 24 are dependent on subsequent shipments whose frequency and size ``remains a mystery.'' One Sony rival, Nintendo, has moved the release date of one of its biggest N64 console games, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, to Oct. 26 in anticipation of siphoning money that video-game devotees would have spent on PlayStation2 had the supply been greater. Although the 1-million Oct. 26 PlayStation2 shipment figure is for all North American markets, retail and video-game executives said the overwhelming percentage of consoles would be aimed at U.S. consumers. One of the companies still taking online orders, KB Toys (kbkids.com), has hiked the price to $330. Although most retailers have not exceeded Sony's suggested retail price, they say the consoles cost them $290 apiece. Sony said its policy was not to comment. KB's site advises customers that ``Due to dramatically increased demand, it may take extra time to process and ship your order.'' Among the game publishers who have focused on the PlayStation2 release is industry giant Electronic Arts in Redwood City. ``Personally, I think that demand would still outstrip supply, no matter how many consoles Sony releases on October 26,'' said EA president John Riccitiello. ``We know from the launch in Japan that people are very excited about PlayStation2 and that they're going to be overwhelmed by the graphics and game play. No matter how many PlayStation2 units Sony has at launch, there's going to be a lot of consumers wishing there were more.'' Contact Mike Antonucci at mantonucci@sjmercury.com

To: Bilow who wrote (48943)	8/4/2000 4:33:54 AM
From: NightOwl	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 93625

Hummmm... I am not sure I understand what you are saying here Carl. I see the part about Fancy Dan interfaces not being needed in embedded memories. That assumption on my part is what gave rise to my M&P question. But your response also seems to suggest that memory core IP is equally doomed by the progress of embedded logic/memory products. At least I assume that would be a precondition for DRAM to go down the same rat hole that SRAM is currently clogging. (I agree the hand writing is on the SRAM wall, but the PC industry is a slow reader:8) Maybe embedded is something more than I am grasping. I have always assumed that "system on a chip" is similar to a PCB, in so far as the "system" still has discrete subsystems which are manufactured independently and brought together in some Venusian hell of toxic gases and massive temperature inversions. But the picture I am getting from your reply is one of logic, memory and any other, subsystem being manufactured in a relatively seamless production process. ...That one is difficult for me to see as a commodity product in my investing lifetime. I will grant you. In the distant reaches of the galaxy no doubt INTC has erected a secret workshop where they are busily crafting some kind of optometric memory media to put the wammy on this precious RAM that we have all come to know and love. But surely the planet will receive another visitation from a mega bandwidth Big Rock before there is either a will or a way for them to stick that one down our throats! :8) 0\|0