This is a Sony Talking Card player from 1977. Simply put, it is an early electronic educational toy, and quite unlike anything I've ever seen.

It has a regular Cassette tape head and a pinch roller assembly. The media are basically paper cards with a strip of audio tape on them, not unlike a credit card.

I found it with a pile of junk that was given to me. With it came several cases of paper cards.

Inside each case is a couple dozen of cards with illustrations and tape on one side.

On the other side is some text, in this case, nursery rhymes. Each card can only hold a few seconds of audio.

The child will pick up a card, stare at the random symbols and picture on it, and then slot it into the player, which activates a switch. The card is automatically pulled across the head by the pinch roller. This creates a fuzzy sound not quite unlike English. At this point the card slides all the way to the end, leaving the child entirely stunned.

To help the child with his new found knowledge of random words is a book that provides the equivalent Chinese translation. I have no idea how educational saying "This is a pen" several times is.

This was surely a rather expensive toy back in 77, and is perhaps one reason why it is kept well in good condition by the original owner. Either that or the child got so bored they barely used it. Like many Sony products from the era, it is made to very high quality- the machine itself is rather heavy, and is rather loud for its purpose.

Much later on, Sony will introduce the My First Sony range of electronics for kids.

thats so retro....does it speak japanese or english

Incredible! 1977....

You've got to hand to Sony for dreaming this one up

Nice!!

It speaks english- presumably for asian children. Notice how the word America comes up- aspirational, yes?

That is amazing!, more like a bank card with music on it

hello KerYew welcome to the site ...

have you looked on Yahoo.jp auctions ? they have lots of quirky things for sale on that site,it is definately worth a look :-)

i just had a look,cant find any,this was the closest i could find..

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co...jp/auction/g85764270

Any chance you would sell this to me??? My grandpa brought this toy back from Japan when I was a little girl and have great memories with it. Now I'm a mother of 4 and would love to share it with my kids!