Sony sells fab to Toshiba for $833M, confirms PlayStation chip joint venture

[jayn_j]

I find the timing on this to be very interesting. You can read whatever you want into it.

Sony sells fab to Toshiba for $833M, confirms PlayStation chip joint venture

A joint venture is planned to focus on the Cell Broadband Engine processor, which is used in the PlayStation system, and the RSX graphics engine.

 

[IcEWoLF]

Good article, enjoyed reading it.

 

[diogen]

Is anybody still interested what payoff Toshiba received to drop HD DVD?

Diogen.

 

[meStevo]

Eh, this has been working itself out for a while now, has been reported since October.

Free Preview - WSJ.com

 

[SatinKzo]

Yep, this is not new news, like Elstevo said, it's been going on for quite some time.

 

[vurbano]

Payoff.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Well, don't hate Sony, hate Toshiba. They are the whore in this instance.

 

[tnsprin]

This was always a joint partnership between IBM, Sony and Toshiba. The news that Sony was selling their interest in the Production plant was widely reported back in October.

 

[Peter Parker]

This was always a joint partnership between IBM, Sony and Toshiba. The news that Sony was selling their interest in the Production plant was widely reported back in October.

But it amkes for sucha good rumor.

 

[JoeSp]

Payoff.

Who's getting the payoff? Toshiba is paying Sony here? Toshiba along with Sony and IBM are the developers of the cell chip and Toshiba has long been interested in using the cell chip in their products. Sony needs to get out of the chip business and concentrate on their main revenue streams of which chip production is not one of them. For Toshiba who it just happens that chip production is one of their main revenue streams this is a good deal for both of them.

Vurbano, it is payolla when you get the money, they call it extortion when you have to pay. Since Toshiba is not getting money but paying out -- how can that be payolla to Toshiba from the BDA or Sony?

 

[jayn_j]

I know the agreement has been in the works for months. However, this announcement comes 2 days after the announcement to drop. I can't help but think that there is a tie, especially since Toshiba is becoming a component manufacturer for a product which was a direct competitor to their HD-DVD business.

Also, it could be considered a payoff if Sony sold their interest for less than book value. I have no idea if that is the case here.

 

[JonUrban]

Timing, as they say, is EVERYTHING!

 

[mike123abc]

We could sign the contract and sell you our chip plant, but we are just too busy right now... We have to consentrate all our efforts on some format war.... Perhaps if the war was over, and we won, we could find the time to finally sign...

 

[diogen]

We could sign the contract and sell you our chip plant, but we are just too busy right now... We have to consentrate all our efforts on some format war....
Perhaps if the war was over, and we won, we could find the time to finally sign...

Diogen.

 

[ramimac]

We could sign the contract and sell you our chip plant, but we are just too busy right now... We have to consentrate all our efforts on some format war.... Perhaps if the war was over, and we won, we could find the time to finally sign...

And sell it to you at a discount