The Sony Walkman, the first widely popular portable music device, has officially turned 30. While it's difficult to imagine in this age of tiny electronics, the relatively bulky cassette player was once universally recognized as a cutting edge piece of electronics, fad item and status symbol. Even though it ate tapes, weighed a lot and looked sort of dorky. Before the Walkman, music lovers were forced to carry suitcase-sized boomboxes on their shoulders.
More than just a popular fad of the late 70s and 80s, the Walkman is the spiritual father of today's iPods and Zunes. In fact, Sony maintained its hold on the portable music player market well into the 90s, releasing more refined Walkmans (Walkmen?) as well as the CD-playing DiscMan, minidisc players and network Walkmen as well as other variations on the theme. That is, until the iPod came out and destroyed Sony's line.
Sony has been trying to reinvigorate the Walkman line recently, by introducing MP3 players that feature touchscreen displays, mobile TV, and the ability to surf the Internet and watch YouTube videos.
I caught up with the original Walkman at Shady Acres Home for Abandoned and Outdated Electronics in Los Angeles. "I can't believe I've been around for three decades," Walkman said. "Kids today have their iPonds and Microsoft Windows, but Cool and the Gang just isn't Cool and the Gang unless you're listening to it on a Walkman, know what I mean?"
"Wait, who are you? What do you want? Are you stealing my pills?" Walkman added before chasing me away with a cane.
Comments
Displaying 1–11 of 11
ObSoL33tSNiiPer
i remember having one of these when i was like 5 years old...that was 14 years ago lol, ipod changed everything about music players...
wutmike
that walkman is better than apple xD
blakseed
Man. My Walkman and Criss Cross. Win Win.
ErrorCodeOfDeath
The best part about it........they still work.
*walks off whistling*
lilme3333
I remember boomboxes
haa kriss kross will make ya jump jump
hmmmmmm dressing backwards
blakseed
@lilme3333
LOL. You were a fan too huh?
Stephen Johnson
Criss Cross will make me jump jump, but Daddy Mack will make me jump jump as well.
RRODisBack
I'm da miggity miggity miggity miggity mack daddy.
BloodKnight86
LEMON CURD
codered1212
ah memories
blakseed
Hells yea. lol
Displaying 1–11 of 11
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