Sony Walkman

Description:

Why is it called a Walkman? It is because it is a small portable personal stereo with headphones for use while moving around. It was originally meant for youngsters who feel they need music all the time.

First produced in 1979 it was a portable cassette player with a radio and a pair of lightweight headphones. The Sony Walkman was an innovation to all music lovers and those who listened to the radio. It was the first portable music device in history and changed listening habits by allowing people to listen to music of their choice on the move.

Amazingly, the Walkman wasn’t much bigger than the cassette tape itself! The audio cassette tape used in a Walkman, or for that matter in any tape recorder, is coated with magnetic particles.

The Walkman cost about $150 and over 200 million models were sold. The original Walkman was created from aluminium, and the later models were made from plastic.

In the 1990’s the Walkman was past its heyday and with the introduction of the iPod in 2001 the Walkman became obsolete. Also MP3 players replaced the Walkman/Discman class of portable music.