Sony is 60, and trying hard to stay relevant (and profitable). But, is the company set in its ways or actually changing? Check out the Associated Press's example of previous Sony branding run amuck:

Three years ago, Sony Corp. launched the Qualia line of luxury gadgets that included a tiny $3,300 digital camera and a $13,000 audio console that automatically centered a compact disc regardless of how carelessly it was tossed into the player.

Problem was, Sony engineers seemed more enamored with the extravagantly priced technology than consumers were, and the products meant to highlight Sony's fine-tuned prowess received little interest beyond the initial gee-whiz.

The gadgets were a sign of a growing gap between Sony creations and consumer sensibilities at the company that brought the world the Walkman portable music player.

Is the PlayStation 3 a hold-over from Sony's Qualia years? Howard Stringer joined the company a year ago, taking the helm as CEO. Drastic cuts followed, including the shuttering of the Qualia line and putting the Aibo to sleep. The PlayStation 3 is a huge gamble for the company, and one that it expects to pay off in spades. But, you gotta wonder, would Sony Computer Entertainment been given such free reign with spending if cost-cutting Stringer had come on earlier? Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Yahoo]