ScuzzBlog: Diaries June 2026
Entry 5th June 2026: Post 1: SONY WALKMAN WM-FX290 - The last Walkman.
SONY WALKMAN WM-FX290 - The last Walkman.
I was watching with interest a YouTube video about the Walkman
and I was fascinated with the notion that this was the last SONY
Walkman. So I reached out for my Walkman and started to muck around
with the presets.. which was a big mistake. OO OOH!
The FX290 came in a number of flavors in respect of the presets.
There was the base 33 and then there was the TV and WeatherBand
version and the 40 preset version AM/FM which is mine. I bought
mine on 11th November 2011 from the SONY Centre in Bournemouth
for thirty one quid. Cheap as chips considering I bought a set
of headphone for it that cost 34.99. The unit appears to date
from around 2004. The build feels lightweight and cheap and I
never viewed this as a serious bit of kit.
The reason for purchase was to give me a battery driven radio
for use when I get power outages. The unit only uses the one
battery so is very economical. The player is two faced actually
with cassette one side and radio the other.
Unfortunately I can never remember how to set the radio stations
and like an idiot whilst playing with it as I watched the video
I mucked them all up. Nothing for it but to dig into my big box
with my SONY mobile kit in and pull the manual. I say manual, it
it a large fold out document much like a large map for ELITE.
Anyhoo I kinda took a series of random photographs with just
enough info for me to set the channels and I was back up and
running again. The tape isn't bad and I use mine to listen to
books on tape, like Sherlock Holmes. Kinda entertaining when all
the power goes off round here. I don't mind tape but the search
facilities are pretty much zero and very frustrating.
Anyhoo there you have it the very last Walkman and still working.
I did use to have two original Walkman devices but I lost them
in the loft. I have tried to find them several times and given
up, but then its like an Egyptian tomb up there.
I have never been tempted to collect cassette handhelds. I do have
another that has a lot more functions like the graphic equaliser.
The unit has traveled with me all over Europe and was a great
companion while I sat painting artwork. However, I find them a bit
clumsy and tricky to walk around with. Like I say the search is
crap and you have to carry suitcases of tapes with you. Better
is a MP3 player or I guess today folk use telephones. So unless
you really want to struggle with these things I would choose more
digital modern solutions.
SONY WALKMAN WM-FX290 - The last Walkman.
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