string can phone

The Birth of Boomboxes: 1976-1981

Despite common opinion, boomboxes can be traced back to a humble start in the mid-70s, when the idea of a “personal” stereo experience was a bit of a novelty. Panasonic, Sony, Marantz and GE were quick to debut this hybrid stereo–not quite a home stere console, but more than a portable combination radio-cassette. The models were small, heavy and black–sound quality and AM/FM tuning was quite good. The pinnacle in functionality was an array of input and output jacks, so the stereo could be integrated with other audio equipment, like microphones and turntables. Obviously, these systems filled a niche, and when the ’80s arrived, other companies entered the portable stereo arena, while the trendsetters released more models. And so began the “boombox boom.”

iPod’s are so small; they make us sad.

via the gentlemen and ladies at BoingBoing.