Sony MiniDisc
Product Type: Data Storage
Ah, the 1990s. It was a time when companies decided to try some radical ideas to be the next big thing. Sony was already relatively established in 1992 when it debuted the Minidisc. The product worked like a floppy or compact disc, storing data. In this case, it was meant to store mostly digital audio as a way to replace the cassette tape. Initially, it rolled out being able to hold 60 minutes of audio but would later improve to hold up to 80 minutes. The data compression software it utilized would later be used for Sony’s Hi-MD which held a quality similar to what we later saw on CDs. The Minidisc and its player might have failed to replace tapes but it certainly seemed to have success in places like Japan. On a global scale though, it failed. As of 2012, Sony only sold 22 million of them.