Talkboy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Talkboy was a portable variable speed cassette player and recorder manufactured by Tiger Electronics (now owned by Hasbro) in the early 1990s. Much like other Tiger Electronics devices of the era, this device was primarily marketed to children and teens. The Talkboy was originally conceived as a prop for the 1992 movie Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and was soon made into a retail version which capitalised on the success of the film. Sales were largely driven by this movie tie-in.
The device itself consisted of a handheld cassette recorder with an integrated grip handle for easy carrying, and an extendable microphone. The function controls were much like any other portable cassette recorder of the day, complete with play, stop, fast forward, rewind, pause, and record buttons. Additionally, and most distinctively, a switch which toggled between normal and slow speed settings for playback and recording was also included. This feature gave the user the ability to manipulate the speed, and in turn, pitch, of the recorded sound.
Several versions of the device were also created, including a pink-colored Talkgirl, a Talkboy pen, Deluxe Talkboy, and Talkboy, Jr., a pocket-sized version of the recorder.
