• by Jonathan Blum , November 29, 2007

Not all of 2008 will be rosy. Just take Sony. This once vaunted gadget-maker, which brought us everything from the transistor radio to the Walkman, is facing an almost unfathomable inability to get out of its own way. Not only is its TV brand in a race to the bottom, as makers old and new like Samsung and Vizio siphon customers, but its line of VAIO computers is losing traction domestically. Also, Sony cannot seem to roll out new technology reliably anymore. Both its Blu-ray high-resolution disc format and PlayStation 3 franchises are in deep trouble: Blu-ray is locked in an utterly pointless battle with competitor HD-DVD. And the PlayStation 3 is still without a killer title: Where is the Halo 3 for the PS3? And even stupider, the company continues to develop the PlayStation 2, effectively cannibalizing the PS3 market. Honestly, what was almost unimaginable just three years ago may in fact happen in 2008. Sony could become just another brand discounting its way to market share in the crumby aisle in Wal-Mart. Amazing.