We all love new technology, but when the arrival of a new generation of hardware signals the end of another, it can be kind of sad.
Vinyl will always be considered classic, but VHS and audio cassettes have sadly gone the way of the dinosaurs, with MiniDiscs (remember them?), and maybe one day CDs, soon to follow.
While CD quality sound is universally recognised as being superior to MP3 music, and despite MiniDiscs still hanging on in Japan years after the west turned its back on them, highly compressed MP3 is fast becoming the format of choice for millions of people, meaning that more and more of our once-loved possessions are relegated to sitting on the shelf or in a desk drawer somewhere.
So what are we to do with those Backstreet Boys cassettes? What fate awaits forgotten Bon Jovi tapes that rattle around the glove-box of a car whose stereo no longer has a tape deck? Are we destined never again to hear their muffled warbles and grainy beats?
Help is at hand!
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Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
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We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
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Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
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No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Krispy Kreme releases new limited-edition fox doughnuts at only four stores in Japan
KFC Japan’s “The American Burgers” include a pile of guilt
Gundam teams up with 300-year-old daruma maker for wood-carved anime mecha figures[Photos]
Government says 5.7 trillion yen of Japanese media was pirated last year, thinks AI could help
Pizza Hut Japan’s drinkable curry pizza is here – Is it all we dreamed it would be?[Taste test]
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Tokyo’s new extra-expensive ramen restaurant is dividing opinions, so we tried a bowl
Japanese government to allow desecration of flags on kids’ meals
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Own a piece of anime history with U-Treasure’s Astro Boy gold miniature figure
Used chopsticks upgraded from “waste” to “valuable material” by Kawasaki City thanks to ChopValue
2021 Salaryman Poetry Battle showcases some dark but hilarious poems
Japan’s instant ramen snack theme park features an athletic course even adults can enjoy
Bizarre Japanese vending machine sells “Peace and Equality” and “Angels and Demons”