I remember "Mad Man Muntz" advertising 4 and 8 tracks. Don't know if he was the inventor though. jerry
Hmmmm, Not sure who invented the radio or 8 track... But I do know who invented Planned Obsolescence... and demanded that His engineers build a death date into everything... Prior to planned obsolescence we had goods that were truly built around the term "build a better mousetrap" in which consumer goods lasted longer and longer while the materials improved.. Those were the days.... The days when a pair of work gloves would last a month and a car transmission would last indefinatly (unlike todays trannies which require replacing at 65,000 miles for $4500+.) In 1927, Alfred P. Sloan had his engineers design every part of their product to break in your hands and make you think it was your own fault.. Pretty sneaky of them, they've still got everyone fooled - as well as the rest of the world followed along with, and adopted The CEO of gm's ideals thru the 1930's as every corporation and every consumer good was designed to fall apart in your hands and break prematurly in order that the market could forever grow and companies could keep their hands forever in your wallet. .. Nobody (in business) really cares anymore about "building a name on quality" other than to give it lip service at pep rallies for underlings and in PR releases. http://www.laramie.willshireltd.com/DynamicObsolescence.html gm=death date.
Not bad, but the answer for both is Bill Lear. For those of you who have never heard of Bill Lear you need to check this out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Lear . Ever here of Lear Jet airplanes. This guy was a genius and pioneer in many ways. He held over 150 patients and was one of the richest people in America during his day. Not bad for a guy with an 8th grade education, huh?
Muntz invented the 4 track as well as he was the first to put a wire recorder in an automobile. A very interesting man and an integral part of history.. http://www.americansportscars.com/muntz.html