Long before there was digital music, iPods, and iTunes, the Sony Walkman was the coolest gadget on the planet if you wanted to bring your music with you. It was a handheld device that allowed you to take your cassette tapes and later CDs with you wherever you went. Now, Sony is looking to release a brand-new 40th anniversary edition of the classic with a new, modern interface.
Sony announced in Berlin during their annual technology conference that they want to put into the market two new digital music devices. The first is called the NW-A100TPS and the second, a much less expensive model, is called the NW-A105. They are both designed after the original Walkman and will cost around $489 U.S.
The bad news about this release is there are no current plans to release the new Sony Walkman in the U.S. Perhaps Europe is going to be their testing ground first. Apple recently announced plans to ditch iTunes and create a newer, updated version for their music, so maybe Sony felt it was time to jump into the market and compete.
“You can enjoy the best of both worlds with the heritage design of Walkman whilst having cutting edge technology at your fingertips,” Sony said in a press release. “You can also enjoy a cassette tape user interface that takes inspiration from classic Walkman models.”
Specs of the New Walkman
The new Walkman devices are set to run on Android systems and will have 26 hours of battery life, so you can literally listen all day without charge your device. They will also have 16GB of total storage (which can be upgraded) and a touchscreen panel. The more expensive model will have the Sony 40th Anniversary logo and come in packaging that is very near what the original Walkman came in.
You can also get your new Walkman in a variety of colors, like orange, red, blue, green, and black. It will even allow you to both download new music and stream your favorite music from Pandora, Spotify, and other online digital music channels. This decision also comes as older companies are looking to release updated versions of their classic items.
For example, Nokia recently revealed they plan on bringing back their famous flip phone, but it will be updated to fit today’s consumer base. Companies have been experimenting on how to create smart phones that fold in your pocket and are less of a burden to hold onto.
