BBC Pidgin of Thursday, 11 March 2021

Source: BBC

Audio cassette tape inventor Lou Ottens die at age 94

Di Dutch engineer invention transform di way pipo listen to music during di 20th century.

Lou Ottens, di engineer from Netherlands wey pipo sabi as father of audio cassette tape, don die at di age of 94.

About 100 billion cassette tapes na im pipo don buy around di world since di time e enter market for 1960s.

Ottens invention of di audio cassette transform di way pipo listen to music because before then, na ontop big vinyl records pipo dey take buy dia music.

Di engineer die for im hometown of Duizel last weekend, im family bin tok on Tuesday.

Ottens become di head of Philips' product development department for 1960, wia im and im team develop di cassette tape.

In 1963, dem showcase am for di Berlin Radio electronics fair and small time after, e turn to worldwide success.

Ottens also dey involve in di development of compact disc, wey don sell pass 200 billion copies worldwide.

Im retire for 1986. When dem ask am about im career, e say im biggest regret na say Sony - instead of Philips - na im create di cassette tape player, di Walkman.

Although compact discs (CD) replace begin replace cassette during di 80s, di small rectangle tin don dey do ‘come back’ in recent years.

For example, ogbonge musician like Lady Gaga even release her album ontop tape.

But in Africa, some go say no time dey wen cassette leave dem, because many pipo especially for rural areas still dey use cassette till today.

Not to mention say vehicles still boku ontop African roads wey still get audio cassette players inside.