Retro

Sony first started making Walkman cassette players in 1979. Today I learned that they are going to discontinue them, but only in Japan. (This news arrived at the same time as the news that they were still making them.)

I can't believe it took this long for Sony to realize that Walkmans were out-dated. And they still haven't taken them completely off the market. I can't imagine even baby brother Discman is bringing in the big bucks nowadays. But I suppose a select few might still be in the market for a Discman. But Walkmans? Really, Sony?

I think one of my biggest fears is that I'll lose touch. I'm not ashamed of my VCR (which I use often to record programs), but only because I know it's out-dated. I know that TiVo and DVR are much better technologies. I simply don't want to spend the money on them.

But my fear is that I'll become out-dated and not even know it. I'm an editor of children's curriculum, and I need to be in touch with kids' worlds, interests, and realities. What's the latest trend? What are kids watching? What music do they like? And if I lose touch with that and don't even know it, I'll end up just like Sony, trying to sell a tape player 15 years after people stop using tapes.

Sony first started making Walkmans cassette players in 1979. Today I learned that they are going to discontinue them. (This news arrived at the same time as the news that they were still making them.)

I can't believe it took this long for Sony to realize that Walkmans were out-dated. I can't imagine even baby brother Discman is bringing in the big bucks nowadays. But I suppose a select few might still be in the market for a Discman. But Walkmans? Really, Sony?

I think one of my biggest fears is that I'll lose touch. I'm not ashamed of my VCR (which I use often to record programs), but only because I know it's out-dated. I know that TiVo and DVR are much better technologies. I simply don't want to spend the money on them.

But my fear is that I'll become out-dated and not even know it. I'm an editor of children's curriculum, and I need to be in touch with kids' worlds, interests, and realities. What's the latest trend? What are kids watching? What music do they like? And if I lose touch with that and don't even know it, I'll end up just like Sony, trying to sell a tape player up to 15 years after people stop using tapes.