30 Years Of Trend-Setting Gadgets

Sony Walkman, 1979
Sony Walkman, 1979

It's been 30 years since the Sony Walkman revolutionized the way people listened to music. But it did not invent new technology -- the device was a tape player (not recorder) that ran on batteries and a pair of earphones was attached. Instead, it packaged those components together innovatively and created a market where none had existed.

Within those 30 years, a lot of technology has come, gone and evolved. Here's a look at gadgets that changed our culture, improved our lives or were just plain fun.

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