Walkman, at 30, a mystery to teen

[ethiostar]

Walkman, at 30, a mystery to teen

Alejandro Martinez-Cabrera
Wednesday, July 1, 2009

What better way to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Sony's iconic Walkman than to ask a teenager for some feedback on the device?
The BBC couldn't think of one, and neither can I.

I like to imagine that the experience was similar to an archaeologist rediscovering how a recently excavated artifact was employed thousands of years ago. But I'm well aware that it must have been different for 13-year-old Scott Campbell, who co-edits his own news Web site. For one, teenage impatience must have stood in the place where I fantasize scientific curiosity should have been.

"My dad had told me it was the iPod of its day," Campbell wrote. "He had told me it was big, but I hadn't realized he meant that big. It was the size of a small book."

Sure enough, people on the street noticed the antique clinging from his belt with amusement and friends on his school bus were quick to come up with some witty remark.

Campbell went on to criticize the portable cassette player's size, appearance, functionality and the "hissy backtrack and odd warbly noises."
Even when he discovered the cassette had more music on the other side (it took him three days), Campbell was still disappointed it could only hold a small fraction of what an iPod can.

"Did my dad ... really ever think this was a credible piece of technology?"
Ouch.

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Makes me feel so old. :mad:

[VietCowboy]

I never owned a walkman. I'm 23. My first portable music player was a Sony CD player I got for my birthday for like $70+ dollars from Sears.

we did have cassette players in the house though.

[kmp77]

My parents weren't huge music people but I remember having a few 8 tracks and tapes on a little stereo in the living room. So my first memories are right in the middle of records/8 tracks/tapes.....I had a little portable record player and got my first cassette boom box (didnt really boom too much though :laugh2: ) in the early 80s. I didnt ever get a named brand walkmart though but had a portable player in the late 80s. I always missed out or was really late to any of the cool name brand stuff :(

[Bob Sacamano]

My parents weren't huge music people but I remember having a few 8 tracks and tapes on a little stereo in the living room. So my first memories are right in the middle of records/8 tracks/tapes.....I had a little portable record player and got my first cassette boom box (didnt really boom too much though :laugh2: ) in the early 80s. I didnt ever get a named brand walkmart though but had a portable player in the late 80s. I always missed out or was really late to any of the cool name brand stuff :(

same here, I didn't get an iPod until 2 years ago, for awhile before that, I was rocking a Motorola Mp3 player with a max capacity of 30 songs

[Jon88]

I owned a walkman. I don't own an iPod or MP3 player because I've never been that in to music. I used to always play CDs I bought to death, and I never liked the idea of pirating so I just listen to what's on the radio.

[Bob Sacamano]

I owned a walkman. I don't own an iPod or MP3 player because I've never been that in to music. I used to always play CDs I bought to death, and I never liked the idea of pirating so I just listen to what's on the radio.

I can't live without my iPod, I'm a huge, music dude

I listen to it before I go to bed, in the car, throughout the day

btw, we've moved past pirating:)

[Dallas]

I can't live without my iPod, I'm a huge, dude

I listen to it before I go to bed, in the car, throughout the day

btw, we've moved past pirating:)

FTFY... :eek:

[Jon88]

btw, we've moved past pirating:)

That's good to hear, although I do hear of bootleg CDs and DVD's being sold still.

[jcollins28]

I own a walkman it's great!
http://www.sefanatics.com/Kuvat/Phones_s/w580i_jungle_green.jpg

[Yeagermeister]

I own a walkman it's great!
http://www.sefanatics.com/Kuvat/Phones_s/w580i_jungle_green.jpg

:laugh2:

me too

[silverbear]

My parents weren't huge music people but I remember having a few 8 tracks and tapes on a little stereo in the living room. So my first memories are right in the middle of records/8 tracks/tapes.....I had a little portable record player and got my first cassette boom box (didnt really boom too much though :laugh2: ) in the early 80s. I didnt ever get a named brand walkmart though but had a portable player in the late 80s. I always missed out or was really late to any of the cool name brand stuff :(

I've got a box with a couple hundred 8 tracks in my walk-in closet...

I've been through 8 tracks to cassettes to CDs to DVDs, and one of these days I plan on joining the BluRay generation... I have always aspired to be a high tech redneck...

I've also been from black & white TV to color to hi def... from antenna TV to cable to Satellite (C-band) to DirecTV... yup, I'm old...

[poke]

old is when you remember 4-tracks before 8-tracks

[CliffnMesquite]

I can remember getting an after market cassette deck and CB put in my car. (a 72 Chevy Impala) Now that was Hi-Tech!

[silverbear]

I can remember getting an after market cassette deck and CB put in my car. (a 72 Chevy Impala) Now that was Hi-Tech!

I had an 8-track put in my 67 Camaro before I left for college, got it ripped off at a concert... went home on summer break, and had another put in-- under the passenger's seat, facing backward so I could get to it, but nobody could see it...

Didn't affect the sound any... and it gave me a perfect excuse to "brush up" against my date while changing tapes... LOL...

The only CB I ever had was in my 80 Jeep Cherokee, and I almost never used the thing... it was a frivolous waste of my money...

[Yeagermeister]

I had an 8-track put in my 67 Camaro before I left for college, got it ripped off at a concert... went home on summer break, and had another put in-- under the passenger's seat, facing backward so I could get to it, but nobody could see it...

Didn't affect the sound any... and it gave me a perfect excuse to "brush up" against my date while changing tapes... LOL...

The only CB I ever had was in my 80 Jeep Cherokee, and I almost never used the thing... it was a frivolous waste of my money...

I'm sure he didn't mind ;)

[ethiostar]

I'm sure he didn't mind ;)

:muttley:

[Joe Rod]

That kid really puts it into perspective. I remember how cool I thought they were when they first came out, though.

[silverbear]

I'm sure he didn't mind ;)

Missed it by THAT much, Yeag...

And now, we know why you weren't in the running for funniest poster... :D

[Yeagermeister]

Missed it by THAT much, Yeag...

And now, we know why you weren't in the running for funniest poster... :D

Because I was robbed I tell ya :laugh2:

[Aikbach]

When I was five in 1988 my dad gave me a Walkman with orange head phones, I listened to Raffi and Marvin Gaye, had a thing for the California Raisins.:D

[Aikbach]

That kid really puts it into perspective. I remember how cool I thought they were when they first came out, though.What i think the kid also puts into perspective is the impatience of the instant gratification generations we've been raising since Generation X.

I'm Generation Y, this kid is whatever comes after me and we're all unbelievably selfish and entitled.

[windward]

What i think the kid also puts into perspective is the impatience of the instant gratification generations we've been raising since Generation X.

I'm Generation Y, this kid is whatever comes after me and we're all unbelievably selfish and entitled.
I think you paint with too broad a brush.