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Why Sony can't bring back its classic Walkman models

obsoletesony.substack.com

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Re: Why Sony can't bring back its classic Walkman models

#201

Post by kjs3 »

runamuck wrote: post #186
trencedamp wrote: post #13

This is a really interesting read. But it doesn't answer one question I have, which is why can't Sony or Apple or anyone else bring back decent MP3 players? None of this technology is lost, and there are plenty of small-time two bit no name players out there still making them, often in a much smaller, much slicker form factor than than the original digital Walkman or iPod. If I want to buy a new MP3 player, I have to…

I have an Astel & Kern SE-100. Amazing build and sound.

The GP specifically said they weren't looking for some overpriced 'enthusiast' nonsense. Did you really spent $1700 for that thing? Did you get the gold plated, oxygen free cables and noise canceling dot stickers at the same time or did you save up for them.

Re: Why Sony can't bring back its classic Walkman models

#202

Post by arkensaw »

roskoe wrote: post #114
trencedamp wrote: post #13

This is a really interesting read. But it doesn't answer one question I have, which is why can't Sony or Apple or anyone else bring back decent MP3 players? None of this technology is lost, and there are plenty of small-time two bit no name players out there still making them, often in a much smaller, much slicker form factor than than the original digital Walkman or iPod. If I want to buy a new MP3 player, I have to…

The basic Sony Walkman is 74.99 $ https://electronics.sony.com/audio/walkman-digital-recorders...

the only thing they sell for anything close to that price is a pair of earphones for $99.

https://electronics.sony.com/audio/walkman-digital-recorders...

The cheapest walkman model is $399.99

Re: Why Sony can't bring back its classic Walkman models

#204

Post by smcg »

plorg wrote: post #63

Article is just a (wordy) recapitulation of this tweet from a former Walkman engineer: https://x.com/akiraa_tanaka/status/2080114490830680500 But fair play to OP, you'd have to bounce it through at least Google Translate to make it legible to the predominant English-speaking HM crowd: https://x-com.translate.goog/akiraa_tanaka/status/2080114490... Still would have been good for the Substack author to link to the twee…

I don't have a twitter account and do not want to go there. Anything good brought over to another format is value added.

Re: Why Sony can't bring back its classic Walkman models

#205

Post by smcg »

rbanffy wrote: post #92
tonyhart7 wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, that is the primary reason people just want it but not enough people to buy the thing same happen with physical games

> same happen with physical games And now it’s faster to get them online than to go to the store, even if the game doesn’t have to download itself again for updates.

the stores also have terrible physical stock. getting a game you want by blindly walking into a store is a gamble now.

Re: Why Sony can't bring back its classic Walkman models

#206

Post by saltcured »

ndiddy wrote: post #182
nine_k wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IOW, it was also technically hard for Sony to launch the original Walkman, but they overcame the difficulties, because they expected a huge market success (which followed). Now the product would be niche, and what had been originally built for its production became unavailable. The effort to stand up it all over again would not pay off.

The first Walkman from the late 70s was just an existing Sony portable cassette recorder (the TCM-100B), but with the mono head replaced with a stereo head and the recording functionality removed. Once that first unit proved there was a market, they were able to continually re-invest the money into miniaturization and new features so by the mid-90s Walkmans (Walkmen?) were high-quality cassette players that were bare…

It was also nearly magical how long my final Walkman could run with a single AA cell.

Re: Why Sony can't bring back its classic Walkman models

#207

Post by vr46 »

hn_submit wrote: post #203

There's no need for CD, cassette or MiniDisc. These days you can store ALL your music in CD-quality audio on a single solid-state memory card. People clamoring for cassette and CD are a tiny minority. Most listen on their PC or smartphone.

[flagged]

Re: Why Sony can't bring back its classic Walkman models

#208

Post by SirHackalot »

plorg wrote: post #63

Article is just a (wordy) recapitulation of this tweet from a former Walkman engineer: https://x.com/akiraa_tanaka/status/2080114490830680500 But fair play to OP, you'd have to bounce it through at least Google Translate to make it legible to the predominant English-speaking HM crowd: https://x-com.translate.goog/akiraa_tanaka/status/2080114490... Still would have been good for the Substack author to link to the twee…

I don’t see why anyone should be obligated to direct traffic to Twitter. Let the author post on his own blog or digital garden. I don’t want to go on Twitter. Echoing the same as others, it’s good to bring any content from Twitter into the open web.

Re: Why Sony can't bring back its classic Walkman models

#209

Post by SirHackalot »

tonyhart7 wrote: post #83
plorg wrote: post #63

Article is just a (wordy) recapitulation of this tweet from a former Walkman engineer: https://x.com/akiraa_tanaka/status/2080114490830680500 But fair play to OP, you'd have to bounce it through at least Google Translate to make it legible to the predominant English-speaking HM crowd: https://x-com.translate.goog/akiraa_tanaka/status/2080114490... Still would have been good for the Substack author to link to the twee…

Yes, that is the primary reason people just want it but not enough people to buy the thing same happen with physical games

Does that mean capitalism is not an efficient system to meet the needs of well-informed consumers? Why am I being lumped in with an 8 year old who asks their parents to buy them an online game? There should be a market for physical media and devices with physical buttons if people exist who want them. These companies won’t work on anything that doesn’t bring them a gazillion dollars, so billion/million dollar ventures never get off the ground.

Re: Why Sony can't bring back its classic Walkman models

#210

Post by rbanffy »

rustcleaner wrote: post #105
rbanffy wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> same happen with physical games And now it’s faster to get them online than to go to the store, even if the game doesn’t have to download itself again for updates.

... and you end up being the donkey they can pin the tail onto, when they feel like bilking you again.

Companies like this are why strong customer protection laws need to exist, and be full of teeth.
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