Stakes high for Sony in its war of perception†

Financial Times, July 25, 2007 — A stunning Japanese model holds up the latest version of Sony’s PlayStation Portable, the consumer electronics group’s handheld games player. But she cannot turn it on. Before an expectant audience at a packed film theatre, she fumbles with the device before Kaz Hirai, chief executive of Sony’s games unit, calmly takes over and switches on Casino Royale. But even Mr Hirai cannot get the James Bond movie, which is playing on the PSP, to stream on to Sony’s flat-screen television.