A couple thoughts.
Sony forgot that when your hardware is profitable, you actually want to encourage piracy. If a consumer thinks they are gaining some kind of incredible deal, they will snap up the system. As for the games? Simple. You have the online pass. Simply make them mandatory, in an offline way.
Also, Sony has no way of enticing anyone other than gamers. Vita needs apps that sufficiently displace software in other markets. For example, Sony would do well to develop a really good Japanese language translation software. Standalone translators run in the thousands, so 300$ would be a steal. Similarly, a really good mixing software, to play back music and edit it on the fly. Make the Vita a great music source for those parties you're always going to. Text viewers would be good as well. Bring the tablet reader ability to vita. While not expressly great ideas, these are the kinds of things Sony needs to entice the non-gamer.
Communication. Sony needs to work on a way to get rid of those pesky 3g fees. Sony, figure out a way for us to pay only 50-75$ a year for 3g. Make a deal with at&t or verizon, etc. Give us wifi access point ability. Give us a reason to carry this around with us. Computer doesn't have wi-fi access? No problem, set the Vita down next to it and boom, good to go. Also, some kind of internet phone line is a good first step. Make people extremely aware that they can call people on their vita, or at least use video chat with maybe some kind of fun interaction. Maybe, while playing a game with someone, you can see their face in like a corner or the screen.
Parents on business trip, you can play a game with your kid while on video chat! C'mon Sony, this is within capability.
Expand the battery. Scientists are developing new li-ions let's see some stronger tech. Let's see a proprietary on the road recharger; ie; a li-ion that you take with you and restores energy to the one inside the device while you're on the go. People need to understand that they can depend on having this thing working at all times. Convenience is such a huge factor of consumer spending, it's little debated that most new inventions are simply designed to simplify people's lives.
File management. All photos should be capable of direct upload to a photobucket like server application. Make it super easy to take in game and out game pictures and upload them instantly without the hassle of navigating around online to do it.
To summarize: People need to feel the benefits of the console apart from gaming. Sony needs to make people feel comfortable and useful and reliable carrying this around with them. If it can't hit the mainstream, it needs to be able to target many many niches.
For example, already the Vita seems like the easiest system to review. Writing up a new game review and need pictures? Take them in game at your favorite junctures and upload them easily. No more capture software necessary. Vita needs more things like this. When I got this, my first thought was, "I can write up trophy guides and walkthroughs really easily without any other software simply by taking in game pictures and writing".
Also, @ what someone else said about word of mouth. Yes, word of mouth is going to be the number one seller of this system. Show your friends. Download some games. Sony could help by making Near (which I think should be renamed "Neer" or "Nere" for google search ease) much more of a factor with the system.
Let's look at one last thing. Zynga games. Zynga games are rooted in a couple factors. A design based around small constant rewards, and interaction with friends. Zynga games are almost made to get you to get all your friends playing and sharing with each other. Let's see more effort to make Neer this kind of system where I can send you a free extra power shot in hot shots golf, or a new outfit, or a computer guided shot. In Lumines, let me instantly send someone a "slow down", or in Uncharted, let me randomly roll a boulder onto an enemy in an area you are in. Let's see some more social application.
When I play a game, I want to be surprised at what happens. I want to have drive to push friends into buying them, and I want to have incentive to friend-ing everyone I walk by in Neer.
I want costume stuff sent to me by others and I want to send people presents. Basically, Neer has the potential to make the Vita like Animal Crossing or Farmville.
C'mon Sony, let's see some magic.
Lemme know what you think guys.
