Sony Sports CFS-902 - Gizmo
By the mid-1980s, Sony had a problem. The Walkman was everywhere - but runners were complaining that all that jogging made their tapes sound wobbly, and a splash of sweat could kill the electronics. The solution arrived in 1983 with the Sports Walkman WM-F5: impact-resistant plastic, rubber seals around every opening, and a colour scheme borrowed from underwater diving equipment. That unmistakable banana yellow became the uniform of the fitness generation.
The CFS-902 brought the same philosophy to the boombox. Where its grey and silver siblings were designed for bedrooms and living rooms, this was built for beaches, poolsides, and backyard barbecues. The sealed buttons, gasketed cassette door, and splash-resistant construction meant sand and spray wouldn't end the party. The yellow casing wasn't just a design statement - it was a promise of durability.
The Sony Sports line arrived at the perfect moment. The aerobics boom was transforming how people exercised, and suddenly everyone wanted a soundtrack for their outdoor lives. Julia Roberts would later make the yellow Sports Walkman famous in Pretty Woman, but by then millions of units had already found their way to beaches around the world. The CFS-902 was the boombox for people who wanted to share that music with everyone else on the sand.
From the Gizmo collection - a series of prints adapted from Simon Tyler's forthcoming book Gizmo: Retro-Tech We Loved and Lost, published by Laurence King in May 2026.
Produced as an open-edition print on 250gsm archival matte paper, with crisp detail and rich colour faithful to the original illustration.
Gizmo Series
Gizmo gathers illustrations adapted from and inspired by founder Simon Tyler's book Gizmo: The retro-tech we loved and lost, which will be published by Laurence King in May 2026.
Printing & Materials
Our Gizmo series is produced in collaboration with specialist fine-art printing partners using museum-grade 250 gsm archival giclée paper.
Each print is made to order with exceptional precision and colour accuracy, using pigment-based inks for long-term stability and rich tonal depth.
Prints are carefully rolled in acid-free tissue and shipped in rigid cardboard tubes to ensure they arrive in perfect condition, ready for framing.
All materials and processes are chosen for their longevity, texture, and fidelity to the original artwork, reflecting our commitment to quality and craft.