Archive for the ‘Flashback Fridays’ Category

discmans

Flashback Friday: The Sony Discman (1984)

By: | Posted: 12/30/2011

1984: Ghostbusters made its ways onto the big screen, Los Angeles hosted athletes from around the globe and the first ever flight in space by a human untethered using jet back packs happened. What better way to rock out to all these 80’s milestones than by pulling out a Sony Walkman® CD player. Introduced in 1984 and very shortly after the concept of CD players were introduced, the D-50 was world’s first portable CD player. The CD player was compact for its time equaling the size of approximately four CD cases with a weight of around 590g. Offered for less than 50,000 yen, this device sparked the adoption of the CD.

This initial version was not associated with what we now think of as “Discman” though it was the father of such gadgets. Now between then and later versions, much was improved. Housed in a larger battery case, it included a location to attach a shoulder strap so you can “jog” with this rather hefty (today) pack. Basic features on this new CD player were moving along to tracks and a small window which displayed the track number.

Earlier this week, a vintage Sony gadget quietly made its way onto the Sony Store website. For those looking for a nostalgic New Year’s Eve party gift or if you still know someone with loads of CDs they refuse to rip I mean digitize, then check this out.  So as you open up your brand new mp3 players and use your new electronic gift cards to download tunes or perhaps pull up your TV for some internet radio as you entertain those New Year’s guests. Just remember as the clock strikes midnight on Sunday and we hit 2012, a mere 28 years prior, a CD disc player was the gadget of the season. But it’s not New Year’s Eve yet. Why start to reflect now? Because it’s a Flashback Friday that’s why.

 

 

 

View Comments (4)

walkman

Flashback Friday: Video of the History of the Walkman

By: | Posted: 12/24/2010

It’s 1979, then the 1980’s, 90’s and into the twenty-first century. As we march closer towards another year, it was only appropriate to take a Flashback Friday to pay tribute to the Sony Cassette Walkman which was retired earlier this year. You may have seen my blogger pal, Sukhjit’s post about it. Well the team at SGNL couldn’t start their 2011 season without a look back. And they also clear up a little misunderstanding on what exactly retired…

So as we throw on our fancy new outfits, down that holiday eggnog, and put on those holiday tunes – let’s look back at a cassette player that helped start it all. Don’t fret, it’s a new year ahead and that means more endless possibilities. Why? Because it’s not just any Friday, it’s Flashback Friday too.

Happy Holidays & drive safe everyone.

Tags: ,

View Comments (2)

Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday: 1950, G-type Tape Recorder

By: | Posted: 12/10/2010

1950. Credit cards were introduced to US shoppers, milk was delivered to doorsteps, and shoe laces were getting tied for the great space race. To record all this squeaky clean fun was the G-type recorder.

A company named Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation (predecessor to the Sony brand) launched what was deemed the “first tape recorder” in Japan. Now at the time, vinyl records were extremely common but the idea of making a recording for you was just as foreign in 1950 was about as wide spread rock and roll.

The device had a tape speed of 19cm per second and had a small-hub reel which accepted reel tapes in diameters up to 10 inches. The recording medium was quite a bit different than what we’d picture reel tape to be. It was  long-fiber craft paper ordered from a mill. Dissolved magnetic powder was then painted on it. Recording controls were on the front and carrying handles on both sides to make it easier to carry. This gadget weighted over 70 pounds.

The first set of customers of course was government agencies where recordings might be well “useful” including the Supreme Court. It was this first wave of adoption that earned the recorder the name “Type G”. I wonder if any landmark Supreme Court cases were documented with a Sony device?

You could imagine the challenge Sony faced when launching a product with an entirely new concept. How do you explain this to people?

Enter Sony founder Akio Morita who penned “Magnetic Tape Recording – - What’s a tape corder?”


Morita said “”When you open a personal photograph album, you experience an enjoyable visual record of memories in the form of countless photographs. Similarly, by using a tape corder, you leave an audio record of your daily life and work in the form of audio recordings that you can listen to…Just as photographs are now an inseparable part of our daily lives, audio ‘recordings’ will likewise become essential as well.” Now looking back, he had foresight as reel led to cassettes which led to discs and now digital media.

So as we capture our moments on our phones, MP4 cameras and DSLRs, we’ve sure come a long way. From “corder” to “YouTube”. I guess the million dollar question is what’s next? You can ponder that over that today as it’s not just a Friday, it’s a Flashback Friday.

Source: Sony.Net

Tags:

View Comments (0)

TPSL2

Flashback Friday: TPS-L2 Walkman (1979)

By: | Posted: 8/06/2010

1979: Jupiter’s rings were proudly displayed in images, trekkies finally got to see their world come to the big screen and the very first walkman, the TPS-L2 stepped out makings its mark on history.

Prior to the TPS-L2, audiophiles had the limited option of enjoying music through either a stereo system or in the car. In order to develop the walkman, Sony® engineers needed to remove the record function and a speaker from a traditional cassette tape recorder and replace that with stereo circuits and a headphone terminal.

At the same time, the Headphones team was working away on new light weight headphones. At the time, standard headphones often weighted 300 to 400g. The newly developed ones were less than 50g. In the upper echelon of brilliance (likely near the of paring peanut butter and jelly), Sony decided to combine the Walkman® personal cassette player with the headphones. As quick trivia fact, the first Walkman device technically launched as two models paired. The TPS-L2 with headphone model MDR-3L2.

It celebrated its debut in July 1979 for about $200.  Truthfully, many were skeptical if this portable audio thing would take off. The original idea for the name was “Sony Disco Jogger” because of the popular of jogging and disco. It sold initially as the “Soundabout” in the United States, The “Stowaway” in the U.K. and “Freestyle” in Sweden. Today that name would be popular because of its pure disco awesomeness.

Since then over 385 million Walkman devices have been sold and has been listed by PC World as one of the 50 greatest gadgets of the past 50 years. While you can no longer pop in one of your disco teen movie cassette soundtracks (which are never old), you can play digital music files, video files and even sport a Metal Gear Solid look. It’s definitely not your parent’s walkman anymore.

Now you might be asking, “The Walkman celebrated 30 last year – why cover it now?”. I’ll tell you why. People hit these large decade milestones: 30, 40, 50, 60. But then what? They make it through the year only to celebrate the “1” with no party, no hoopla. Nine more years have to go by before another grand celebration.  It’s that one or two people that actually remember to call in between. So Walkman. I say happy 31st Walkman.  It’s a good year. I promise.

So as you dust off your roller skates and prepare for a warm weather weekend, remember those vintage gadgets that paved the way. Say a little “Happy 31 my friend”. Why? Because everyone should be showered on their 31st, 41st and so on – that and well… it’s a Flashback Friday.

Tags: , ,

View Comments (7)

SonyCorp

Flashback Friday: (1960) Sony America

By: | Posted: 5/28/2010

1960: America got a new 50-star flag and Sony Corporation of America became official.

As the popularity of transistor radios grew, a new market opportunity in the US arose. Based in New York on 514 Broadway, the idea was to further the Sony brand in the US with a sales network, offering all levels of operations from sales to customer service. The first “project” for Sony America truly tested their operational prowess. A contract had concluded with an agent so in the middle of an east coast winter, Sony America’s job was to collect over 30,000 transistor radios from the agent’s warehouse.

The operation took literally all day and all night beginning in the morning and ending at 4am the following morning. Men in overalls manually loaded the transistor radios onto the trucks. And who was part of that group? None other than Sony’s founder Akio Morita. The job was accomplished and several trucks were filled to the brim with transistor radios.

A mere two years later, the first Sony showroom was opened on Fifth Avenue in new York featuring the latest and greatest 1960’s gadgets. Outside its doors proudly displayed both the Japanese and American flags. Almost a half century later, Sony employs tens of thousands in the US and has gadgets carried in hundreds of stores across the nation.

So as we quickly shut down our computers, set our “out of office” emails and hastily pack up for the long weekend where we will scoop up more gizmos during all the many Memorial Day sales, I say wow. Sony America is 50 years old and this isn’t just a Friday. It’s a Flashback Friday.

And to all the troops we say thank you, we’re thinking of you and stay safe!!

Source: Sony.net

View Comments (0)