unilad homepage
  • News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Sony launches new Walkman 40 years after original release but it costs an eye-watering amount

Home> Technology

Updated 15:59 13 Jan 2023 GMTPublished 16:00 13 Jan 2023 GMT

Sony launches new Walkman 40 years after original release but it costs an eye-watering amount

Nostalgia = activated

Daisy Phillipson

Daisy Phillipson

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

The 90s nostalgia train has arrived at its new destination, with Sony now launching a Walkman for modern times more than 40 years after its original release.

However, unlike the Walkmans of yesteryear, its latest model will set you back a fair bit of cash.

Sony's new NW-A306 is rolling out in Europe this month, but it looks a little different to the cassette tape and CD Walkmans of the past.

First up, there'll definitely be no skips.

Advert

Remember the pain of having to hold your CD player steady with expert precision if you wanted to listen to music on a long car journey?

Well, the new model eradicates the issue as it's fully digital.

Introducing Sony's latest Walkman: the NW-A306.
Sony

The NW-A306 is WiFi and Bluetooth compatible, allowing you to download and stream music from apps like YouTube and Spotify.

What's more, it has an exceptional battery life of up to 36 hours, meaning you can save your phone's energy for other uses throughout the day.

But keeping the nostalgia trend in mind, users can relive their youths by downloading a cassette tape interface and screensaver. Pretty nifty, eh?

Though, the downside for some will most likely be the price. The new Walkman model has a suggested retail cost of £350 ($430), which is a fair chunk of money when you consider the fact that your phone will likely already act as a music player.

But it could be worse, and might just be worth the price tag for many music lovers out there.

In a press release on the product launch, Sony said: "The player is designed for listeners to hear music the way the artist intended with high-quality sound and a sleek design.

"The NW-A306 is designed for discerning users looking for high quality sound and style.

"This stylish and compact music player lets users download and stream more of the music they love.

"The NW-A306 series is dedicated to delivering exceptional music experiences right from the user’s pocket thanks to full Wi-Fi compatibility."

It added that the Walkman weighs just 113 grams and comes with a 3'6" touch screen and tactile physical music controls.

The new model arrives 44 years after Sony's launch of the first ever Walkman – the portable cassette player, TPS-L2 – which dropped in Japan on July 1, 1979.

The new Walkman looks a little different to its predecessors.
Aflo Co. Ltd./Alamy Stock Photo

Its arrival marked a new era for music. Prior to this, the only way to listen to tunes was through a stereo or audio system fitted in properties or vehicles.

Sony co-founders, the late Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, created the concept of a portable stereo as a means of enjoying personal music entertainment on the go.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Featured Image Credit: The Retro Future/YouTube/Sony

Topics: Technology, Music, Sony, World News

Daisy Phillipson
Daisy Phillipson

Daisy graduated from Kingston University with a degree in Magazine Journalism, writing a thesis on the move from print to digital publishing. Continuing this theme, she has written for a range of online publications including Digital Spy and Little White Lies, with a particular passion for TV and film. Contact her on [email protected]

X

@DaisyWebb77

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • OpenAI reveals eye-watering amount it costs when people say 'please' and 'thank you' to ChatGPT
  • How Apple could avoid huge tariffs on iPhones after expert warns of prices surging to an eye-watering amount
  • Footage of ‘world’s first’ flying car leaves everyone saying the same thing as eye-watering price revealed
  • World's biggest mega project will cost an eye-watering $137,000,000,000

Choose your content:

a day ago
2 days ago
6 days ago
  • Shawn Ryan Show via YouTube
    a day ago

    'Stranded' NASA astronaut recalls moment he thought he was going to die in space

    Barry Wilmore was stuck in space for a period of nine months before returning to Earth

    Technology
  • Ignatiev/Getty Images
    a day ago

    Why NASA can't track every meterorite as agency misses huge blast over Ohio

    It's pretty unsettling stuff...

    Technology
  • Getty Stock Photo
    2 days ago

    OpenAI warned against creating X-rated 'adult mode' as it could create a ‘sexy suicide coach’

    In January, Chief Executive Sam Altman said the company was considering enabling erotic conversation into ChatGPT

    Technology
  • Getty Stock Images
    6 days ago

    Reason why you're receiving so many scam calls and how you can spot them

    The FTC has detailed some of the red flags to be aware of

    Technology