This is a long term strategy and Sony knows it. If it's successful, the 3DS will probably help sell more 3DTVs.

Sony’s move into 3D is a response to the pattern that has existed surrounding Sony’s electronic division for the past decade (or so). Sony is positioned in the electronics market as a premium product, and they actually have done very well at capturing a large portion of market-share in the high-end products; in a large part because they are offering new features/technology. The problem is that they’re losing more and more market-share because by the time consumers care about a technology or feature every company is offering it; and the typical consumer doesn’t see the advantage of buying the expensive Sony product over the cheap off-label product.

To understand what I mean, Sony was pushing DVD players in the mid-to-late 1990s and Apex Digital became one of the leading DVD manufacturers for several years because they offered the first $100 DVD player. Sony was pushing HDTVs starting in the late 1990s, and today the budget lines from major manufacturers (and the no-name TVs) dominate the market in sales. Even Blu-Ray is showing this pattern as the Blu-Ray players that get people’s interest seem to be the players that are on sale for less than $100.

Basically, Sony wants people to care enough about 3DTV to rush out and buy a high-end (Sony) 3DTV today; and they are desperate not to have people take a wait and see approach that they have taken for everything else. To a certain extent the 3DS helps Sony (which is why they don’t want to bash it), but if people decide to try out 3D gaming by buying a $199 handheld or $300 PC monitor rather than buying one of Sony’s TVs it doesn’t really help Sony.

No, this is the internet, and thats how it usually works unfortunately. 

Firstly, this kinda proves that Sony have been researching it for a while.

Secondly, he never said anything bad about the 3DS.

The first sentence is a interpretation of the second sentence. If the technology Nintendo 3DS is imprecise that means Nitendo 3DS is imprecise and thus not of great quality since it is not precise. How is that not talking bad about the 3DS.

Nintendo has been researching it since the fail of the virtual boy. He didn't bad mouthed the 3DS. He's trying hard to criticise it when he hasn't even played it or seen it. The same thing happened when Nintendo intoduced touch screen and dual screens on a handheld.

Bolded: Where, when, how?  Stop grasping at straws.  He didn't say anything negative about the 3DS.  He said he didn't see it, so he couldn't comment.  You're the one trying hard to criticise Sony over nothing.

... So? I never said Nintendo HADN'T been researching it did i?

If he was trying so hard to criticise it he wouldn't have admitted he hadn't seen it yet. Yet, meaning he IS going to check it out and he IS interested in seeing how it works.

Stop being so sensitive. It's annoying.

"However, Hirai was careful not to comment on the 3DS itself - which he said he had not seen."

he says sony's equivalent of the tech is impresice... basically he just admits that sony is only capable of coming out with inferior products.

hey as far as interpretations go, this one is as valid as others :p