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The New York Times > Business > World Business > Digital Domain: How the iPod Ran Circles Around the Walkman

Sony's music division and hardware division fought and lost the war to iPod ... it'll be nearly impossible for Sony to catch up with Apple. When was the last time you heard someone excited about NW-E50x or the NW-40x? (these are Sony's answer to the iPod shuffle).

The New York Times > Business > World Business > Digital Domain: How the iPod Ran Circles Around the Walkman: "How the iPod Ran Circles Around the Walkman
By RANDALL STROSS

Published: March 13, 2005

SYNERGY AND OTHER LIES' would be a good first reading assignment for Sir Howard Stringer, Sony's new chief executive, to be followed by 'The Synergy Myth.' Then Sir Howard should recognize that the Sony he inherits is constitutionally incapable of making one (electronics) plus one (entertainment) equal three.

Both books were written by Harold Geneen, the number cruncher who directed International Telephone and Telegraph during its heyday in the 1960's. He engineered 350 mergers and acquisitions, which brought such names as Hartford, Avis, Sheraton and Madison Square Garden under one roof. Mr. Geneen, however, harbored no illusions that ITT's individual components could be coordinated in mutually beneficial ways. Each had to make its numbers wholly on its own."

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