Data Discman

The Data Discman (Japanese: データ ディスクマン, Hepburn: Dēta Disikuman) is an electronic book player developed and marketed by Sony Corporation, first introduced to Western markets in late 1991 or early 1992.^[1] The device targeted U.S. college students and international travelers but achieved limited commercial success outside Japan. In Japan, it was positioned as part of Sony’s broader "Discman" brand, originally used for portable CD players such as the D-50 released in 1984.^[2]

The DD-8 Data Discman

The DD-8 Data Discman with packaging

German Duden dictionary for the Data Discman, 1992

The DD-10EX on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1995

Design and features

The Data Discman was designed for quick access to reference material stored on pre-recorded optical discs. Search terms could be entered via a small QWERTY-style keyboard, with selection performed using dedicated "Yes" and "No" buttons.^{[citation needed]}

Most models featured:

• A low-resolution grayscale LCD display (256×200 pixels in early models; later versions up to 320×240 pixels, with some models in color)
• An integrated CD drive (Mini CD or full-size CD, depending on the model)
• A low-power onboard computer

Early versions could not play audio CDs, with content limited to pre-recorded encyclopedias, dictionaries, and novels, often created using the Sony Electronic Book Authoring System (SEBAS).^[3]

Models

DD-1EX

The earliest model, the DD-1EX, lacked audio playback capabilities and is now part of the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.^[4]

DD-10EX

Released in 1992 or 1993, the DD-10EX added the ability to play audio files. In the United Kingdom, it shipped with two discs:

• Thomson Electronic Directory (April 1992)
• Pocket Interpreter – a five-language travel conversation book

A DD-10EX was featured in the The Book and Beyond: Electronic Publishing and the Art of the Book exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum from April to October 1995. The event also showcased the Library of the Future CD-ROM, designed specifically for the Data Discman and published in 1993.^[5]

DD-8

The DD-8 featured a slimmer, rectangular form factor resembling later e-book readers like the Amazon Kindle, departing from the clamshell style used by the DD-1EX and DD-10EX.

Legacy

While the Data Discman was technologically advanced for its time, high production costs, bulky form factor, and the limited availability of compatible media restricted its global adoption. It remains a notable example of early portable electronic reading technology.

See also

• Sony Multimedia CD-ROM Player – a contemporary portable CD-ROM-based reader by Sony, incompatible with Data Discman media