Sony struggling as Walkman turns 30

When the Sony Walkman went on sale 30 years ago, it was shown off by a skateboarder to illustrate how the portable cassette-tape player delivered music on-the-go a totally innovative idea back in 1979.

Today, Sony Corp is struggling to reinvent itself and win back its reputation as a pioneer of razzle-dazzle gadgetry once exemplified in the Walkman, which had its 30th anniversary yesterday.

Remember These? A Sony employee displays the first two models of Sony's Walkman at the company's museum in Tokyo yesterday.

The Japanese electronics and entertainment company lost $1.02 billion in the fiscal year ended March its first annual loss in 14 years.

Sony, which also makes Vaio PCs and Cyber-shot cameras, hasn't had a hit like the Walkman for years, and has taken a battering in the portable music player market from Apple's iPod.

remember these? A Sony employee displays the first two models of Sony's Walkman at the company's museum in Tokyo yesterday.

30,000
Number of Walkmans Sony sold in the first two months after its launch in 1979