Another innovative idea from Toshiba

[gvortex7]

This is pretty laughable. Here is another wonderful and timely idea by out friends at Toshiba:

Toshiba also announced its commitment to enhancing the consumer´s HD DVD player purchase with the introduction of the "HD DVD Concierge," a new 800 number offering dedicated assistance to purchasers of HD DVD players. Consumers can now call 1-888-MY HDDVD (1-888-694-3383) for answers to general questions about HD DVD, for operational assistance or for assistance with various marketing initiatives. Trained service agents will provide the latest information on HD DVD enabling consumers to get the most from their purchase.

Well, I guess it's a service where all those poor HD DVD owners can call in, just to hear Toshiba offer their condolences for making the wrong choice.

[Y3k Bug]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

This is pretty laughable. Here is another wonderful and timely idea by out friends at Toshiba:



Well, I guess it's a service where all those poor HD DVD owners can call in, just to hear Toshiba offer their condolences for making the wrong choice.

How sucky would that job have to be when HD admits defeat?...Yikes!

[frenchglen]

Originally Posted by Y3k Bug

How sucky would that job have to be when HD admits defeat?...Yikes!

ROFL!

They'll probably give you half a dozen players as consolation when they fire you!

[TheRealBob]

Originally Posted by Y3k Bug

How sucky would that job have to be when HD admits defeat?...Yikes!

Reminds me of this:

Years ago (1995 or so) a friend and I both subscribed to Delphi, a proprietary online service (like CompuServe or AOL) known for its great forums. At the time, in most areas the only way to get the Internet was going through a school or government connection, which most people didn't have access to, so you just did without (not that many people knew what they were missing).

So, out of the blue, Delphi partnered with MCI to offer Delphi Internet Services. Finally, a true Internet connection where your computer was actually on the Internet and any socket-based program could make use of it (as opposed to the proprietary online services, where you'd run their program or a dumb terminal program and do everything through that). Web browsing and all the fun stuff we take for granted was here at last.

So as this is going on, little ISPs started popping up all over, including some near us. Then, out of the blue, Delphi decided to pull the plug on Delphi Internet Services and just offer their old proprietary service. Well, that was it for me, so I cancelled and signed up with a local ISP.

My friend did the same, but he couldn't resist asking the service rep why they had done this, basically showing everyone the service they would want then telling them they should go buy it from someone else. The guy said he had no idea. My friend asked if they were getting a lot of cancellations, and the Delphi guy said, "Yep, it's looking pretty grim around here."

I imagine the HD DVD Concierge people are sharing that feeling about now.

[181]

an even faster and more centralized way of spreading FUD.

[Dalese]

I'm sure their "Hotline" will be overflowing with calls of when will (insert any non red movie) will be available on HD-DVD.

I wouldn't want the job of answering those calls.

[BluMonkey]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

This is pretty laughable. Here is another wonderful and timely idea by out friends at Toshiba:



Well, I guess it's a service where all those poor HD DVD owners can call in, just to hear Toshiba offer their condolences for making the wrong choice.

I think the 1st question they will get is ... why have u sold me a dud

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by BluMonkey

I think the 1st question they will get is ... why have u sold me a dud

Hey at least they have a hotline where dissatisfied customers can call in an ***** and complain. I think that's a positive step for them. There is no better way to be persuaded to join the Blu side.

[gvortex7]

Trained service agents will walk you through a step-by-step process on how to receive a voucher for your already obsolete HD DVD player. Good towards a purchase of a superior quality Blu-ray player.

[RUR]

Existing thread here: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...ight=concierge

[Manco]

They should just put it on call forwarding to: 1-800-BUY-A-PS3

[hc666]

Originally Posted by Manco

They should just put it on call forwarding to: 1-800-BUY-A-PS3

Toshiba makes those remember... funny how everyone bashes toshiba yet they make the chipset for the PS3 they all sleep together!

[Manco]

Originally Posted by hc666

Toshiba makes those remember... funny how everyone bashes toshiba yet they make the chipset for the PS3 they all sleep together!

This is true. The "duders" have absolutely no concept how complex and amazing the PS3 is as a machine.

The Cell concept was originally thought up by Sony Computer Entertainment inc. of Japan, for the PlayStation 3. The genesis of the idea was in 1999 when Sony’s Ken Kutaragi [Kutaragi] “Father of the PlayStation” was thinking about a computer which acted like Cells in a biological system. A patent was applied for listing Masakazu Suzuoki and Takeshi Yamazaki as the inventors in 2002 (the first version of this article covered this patent [Patent] ).

The architecture as it exists today was the work of three companies: Sony, Toshiba and IBM. Sony and Toshiba previously co-operated on the PlayStation 2 but this time the plan was more ambitious and went beyond chips for video games consoles. The aim was to build a new general purpose processor for a computer. With that in mind IBM was brought in as their expertise is in computer design.

“ Though sold as a game console, what will in fact enter the home is a Cell-based computer. ” - Ken Kutaragi

IBM also brought it’s chip design expertise and in this case used a very aggressive approach by producing a fully custom design - the chip’s circuitry was designed by hand instead of with automated tools, very few other companies use this approach. IBM also has the industry's leading silicon process which will be used in the manufacturing. Sony and Toshiba bring mass manufacturing capabilities and knowledge.

Each of the three companies produces different products and these have different needs of a CPU. Consumer electronics requires very power efficient systems, reliability and predictability. Computer systems on the other hand (sometimes) have multiple processors, and need to be compatible across different generations. The final Cell design incorporates features to satisfy all these needs.

To turn the ideas into a real product the the companies officially partnered in 2000 and set up a design centre in Austin, Texas in March 2001 with engineers from each of the three companies. Development was done in 10 centres around the globe by some 400 people.

The amount of money subsequently spent on this project is vast, two 65nm chip fabrication facilities are being built at billions each, Sony has paid IBM hundreds of millions to set up a production line in East Fishkill, New York. Then there's a few hundred million on development - all before a single chip rolls of the production lines.

Although it’s been primarily touted as the technology for the PlayStation 3, Cell is designed for much more. Sony and Toshiba, both being major electronics manufacturers buy in all manner of different components. One of the reasons for Cell's development is they want to save costs by building their own components. Next generation consumer technologies such as Blu-ray, HDTV, HD Camcorders and of course the PS3 will all require a very high level of computing power and they are going to need the chips to provide it. Cell will be used for all of these and more, IBM will also be using the chips in servers. The partners can also sell the chips to 3rd party manufacturers [3rd party] .

The Cell architecture is like nothing we have ever seen in commodity microprocessors, it is closer in design to multiprocessor vector supercomputers. The Cell developers have taken this kind of technology and for the first time are bringing it to your home. The aim is produce a low cost system with a massive increase in compute performance over existing systems. Putting such an architecture on a single chip is a huge, complex project, no other manufacturer appears to have even attempted to do anything this ambitious to date.

[unreal1080p]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

This is pretty laughable. Here is another wonderful and timely idea by out friends at Toshiba:

Well, I guess it's a service where all those poor HD DVD owners can call in, just to hear Toshiba offer their condolences for making the wrong choice.

What the Hell is this? A suicide hotline?

[scoobiesnackarff]

I posted it in the other thread but figured I would post here also. So I just called the hotline and was able to speak to John. After telling him that I was interested in purchasing a HD DVD player ( ) I stated my concern that with the announcement of Warner that it would be a bad idea. John "comforted" me by saying Warner will continuing putting HD-DVD's out until May and that they still have many LEADING independent and major studios that are behind Toshiba and HD-DVD, most importantly they have Microsoft. He also stated that for them the war is far from over

Alan

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by scoobiesnackarff

I posted it in the other thread but figured I would post here also. So I just called the hotline and was able to speak to John. After telling him that I was interested in purchasing a HD DVD player ( ) I stated my concern that with the announcement of Warner that it would be a bad idea. John "comforted" me by saying Warner will continuing putting HD-DVD's out until May and that they still have many LEADING independent and major studios that are behind Toshiba and HD-DVD, most importantly they have Microsoft. He also stated that for them the war is far from over

Alan

I'm sure that was a standard speech that he had to read off of a sheet.

[hc666]

haha i figured ppl would call and see what the dealio was

[Paden]

Instructional webinars on how to boil your software?

[blu-backer]

Originally Posted by scoobiesnackarff

I posted it in the other thread but figured I would post here also. So I just called the hotline and was able to speak to John. After telling him that I was interested in purchasing a HD DVD player ( ) I stated my concern that with the announcement of Warner that it would be a bad idea. John "comforted" me by saying Warner will continuing putting HD-DVD's out until May and that they still have many LEADING independent and major studios that are behind Toshiba and HD-DVD, most importantly they have Microsoft. He also stated that for them the war is far from over

Alan

Did he also tell you that the Tooth Fairy was going to come in and give you five free HD-DVDs for every tooth you lose?

[Li'l Nicky]

It would be hilarious if this service included replacing their customers HD-DVD hardware and software with blu-ray.