End of the line, Tape Recorder

Sony to cease shipments of the cassette tape recorder in early 2013

Gear up, fans of the tape recorder, because Sony has decided the time has come to let this particular gadget go the way of the Walkman. Shipments of the tape-recorder models TCM-400, TCM-410, and TCM-450 will be discontinued in "early 2013," but fear not, cassette lovers: Sony will continue production of portable boomboxes with CD / tape-deck combos for you to play those high-school mixtapes on!

For some readers, this may come as a shock -- not because the tape-recorders are being discontinued, but because they were still being shipped! The cassette is officially old-school tech, and in the time of Androids and iPads, even a few months of age doesn't hold up well. Kudos to the cassette for stickin' in there for so long.