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SPHERE
T H E N . . . A N D N O W
Sonic Boom
W
AY BACK
in the mists of time – we are talking the mid-
1970s – the first boomboxes started to appear in the
United States. These heavyweight stereo cassette ra-
dios meant that music was mobile for the first time – in the park, at
the beach or wherever young people were gathered and needed
some sounds. Thirty years on, music has never been more portable
thanks to the digital revolution and the mobile phone.
Then...
Boomboxes were easy to spot on account of their
size, and the people carrying them normally looked capable of
bench-pressing several hundred pounds. More sophisticated
models came on the market but one thing stayed the same – the
volume was always cranked to the max. Louder was cooler.
Now...
Today, coolness comes in somewhat smaller packages
in the shape of chic, lightweight mobile phones. Companies like
3
offer a huge variety of mobile music downloads. You can browse
through a wide range of songs and select music from different
artistes, genres and languages. What’s more, the convenience of
listening to your favourite songs anytime, anywhere is provided
without you having to carry a boombox on your shoulders!
INSET PHOTO: KABO
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