Page "Walkman" Paragraph 20

Every five years since the Walkman personal stereo was born in 1979 until 1999, Sony would celebrate by coming out with an anniversary cassette model on July 1.

Each anniversary model carries a different theme while retaining some characteristics of previous anniversary models: WM-701S ( user friendliness theme with remote control and slim sterling silver plated body: 1989 ), WM-EX1HG ( efficiency theme with long battery life and pop-up eject: 1994 ), WM-WE01 ( wireless theme with cordless remote control and cordless earphones: 1999 ).

However, cassette Walkman innovation would come to an end as during its 25th Anniversary, Sony chose to not introduce another limited run cassette model but instead, brought out the hard disk based NW-HD1 in 2004 to officially augur the death of the compact cassette.

The last play-only cassette Walkman to be introduced ( in North America, at least ) was the WM-FX290, first sold in 2002, which also featured digital tuning, AM, FM, TV and weather band radio, operating on a single AA battery.

In Canada, at least ( where, like all portable radios distributed in that country, the WM-FX290 lacked access to TV and weather bands ) this device appears to have ceased production as of May 2006.

In August 2006, Sony Canada began selling cassette Walkman personal stereos again, but this time they were only offering a basic model, the WM-FX197.