On this day in history on July 1st 1979, the first Sony Walkman went on sale. This breakthrough technology came about when Sony’s chairman and music lover, Masaru Ibuka, decided the current portable stereo was too heavy to carry while traveling. He put in a request to develop a lighter device meant for playback and recording. While many objected to the idea and wondered if it was marketable, Ibuka responded, ”Don’t you think a stereo cassette player that you can listen to while walking around is a good idea?” This proved to be one of the greatest understatements in history.
