This Day in <br />History: The First <br />Sony Walkman <br />Goes on Sale July 1, 1979 The first version of the <br />walkman was made on <br />personal request of Sony <br />chairman, Masaru Ibuka. The music lover wanted a <br />portable stereo so he could <br />listen to music during flights. Though the prototype <br />created for his <br />request wasn't ideal, <br />Ibuka was hooked. When facing pushback from executives, <br />Ibuka quipped, ”Don’t you think a stereo <br />cassette player that you can listen to <br />while walking around is a good idea?” Targeted for Japanese <br />students at a price of <br />about $150, initial sales <br />were a meager 3,000 units. After an ingenious <br />marketing campaign, sales <br />took off and the Walkman <br />became a global phenomenon.
