Nearly 60 years of thinking ahead.

Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka founded the Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corp. in 1946. Twelve years later, they chose a name that combined the Latin word for sound (sonus) with a word that typified American friendliness (Sonny). And over time, innovation crossed new boundaries of power, portability and sheer imagination. From consumer flagships such as the Walkman® portable stereo and Trinitron® television to tiny transistors and Emmy Award recognition — the Sony name is synonymous with firsts.

• Japan's first magnetic tape recorder.
• Japan's first transistor radio.

• World's first transistor TV.
• World's first color home videotape recorder.
• World's first portable videotape recorder.
• Releases first revolutionary Trinitron television.

• First Japanese company to establish charitable giving foundation in the United States, now known as Sony USA Foundation.
• The Trinitron television is the world's first TV to ever receive an Emmy Award.
• Introduces Betamax® video player/recorder, the world's first videocassette recorder using 1/2-inch tape. The Betacam® tape system remains an industry standard in television broadcasting.
• The world's first metal magnetic particle micro cassette enabling three hours of recording and playback.
• CBS Records International is the first major record company headquartered in the United States to take delivery of Sony's new digital audio processor and editing equipment.
• Introduces the Walkman portable stereo.

• Introduces the smallest videocamera on the market, weighing in at just 2.8 lbs.
• Partners with Philips and Polygram to begin introduction of the compact disc (CD) audio system.
• Akio Morita shares the honor with Edward R. Murrow and William S. Paley as charter members to the Video Hall of Fame.
• Introduces the first 3.5" micro floppy disk.
• Unveils Watchman® micro television, the world's smallest, lightest and flattest television.
• Introduces the world's first CD player.
• Establishes the world's first one-piece CD player designed for in-car use.
• The first Walkman enters the Smithsonian Institution.
• The first 8mm camcorder/Hi8™ tape line creates a sensation in camcorders.

• Introduces first rewriteable CD.
• Introduces first Digital Audio Tape (DAT) Walkman portable stereo.
• Receives the first Emmy Award for metal tape technology.
• Develops the MiniDisc™ (MD) player, a revolutionary, recordable and ultra compact optical disk.
• Introduces first S-VHS Hi-Fi VCR+® to offer both VC Timer Programming and Cable Box Control.
• Introduces first Handycam® camcorder with LCD monitor.
• Launches Sony PlayStation® game.
• With Philips, develops DVD.
• World's smallest digital video camcorder with LCD screen.
• World's lightest Discman® portable CD player.
• First digital video cassette recorder available in the United States.
• World's first digital subwoofer for the car.
• Industry's first dual band mode PCS/cellular phone.
• With HP, Philips Electronics NV and Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, announces specifications for DVD+RW drives.
• Releases Mavica® digital still camera, with a floppy disk-based medium.
• DVD Discman® player , the world's smallest and lightest portable player.
• Releases 34" Trinitron® WEGA® television, a pioneering direct-video, high-definition TV.
• CBS broadcasts the first NFL game in HDTV using Sony's high-definition equipment.
• Introduces Memory Stick® storage media.
• Introduces the smallest portable MD recorder player.
• Sony receives two more Emmy Awards. To Charlie Steinberg for lifetime achievement, and for HDCAM® format high-definition VTR.
• Digital8 camcorders allow for digital recording on 8mm or Hi8 tape.
• With Apple, Compaq, Matsushita (Panasonic), Royal Phillips and Toshiba, announces plans for industry-wide adoption of IEEE1394 or FireWire.

• NBC chooses Sony's digital broadband equipment for their control rooms and playback stations.
• Introduces Internet-capable video conferencing system, providing the industry's first wireless document imaging.
• Sony produces first live HDTV telecast.
• "Star Wars: Episode II" feature film shoots with camcorder featuring 24-frame progressive high-definition technology.
• Introduces Fingerprint Identification System for secure Internet transactions.
• Adds first-ever skip protection technology to CD Walkman portable stereo.
• Introduces VAIO Slimtop® Pen Tablet PC, the first ever pen-based desktop computing device.
• Introduces 40" Trinitron WEGA television, the industry's largest CRT; and 50" Grand WEGA television using rear projection LCD technology.
• Introduces first plasma TVs in the United States.
• Introduces MPEG IMX professional camcorder.
• Company's first 20" LCD computer display.
• At time of launch, introduces the world’s thinnest digital still camera.
• Introduces DVDirect™ DVD recorder that produces direct camcorder to DVD output without a PC.
• New 70" QUALIA™ television delivers full 1920x1080 HD resolution.
• World's first HDV™ 1080i camcorder.