Data Discman
electronic book player
The Data Discman (Japanese: データ ディスクマン, Hepburn: Dēta Disukuman) is an electronic book player developed and marketed by Sony Corporation, first introduced to Western markets in late 1991 or early 1992. 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.
Design and features
The Data Discman was designed for quick access to reference material stored on pre-recorded compact discs in the eponymous Electronic Book (EB) formats, based on the ISO 9660 file system; later upgrades to the standards have since been released, including EB-G, EB-XA, and S-EBXA.
Over 240 titles have been commercially released.
Search terms could be entered via a small QWERTY-style keyboard, with selection performed using dedicated "Yes" and "No" buttons.
Most models featured:
A low-resolution grayscale LCD (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 files but could play audio CDs, with content limited to pre-recorded encyclopedias, dictionaries, and novels, often created using the Sony Electronic Book Authoring System (SEBAS).
Models
DD-1EX
The earliest western model, the DD-1EX, was released in 1991 and only played mini-CD audio (not MP3 data files) in addition to the EBG titles and is now part of the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The DD-1 was the earlier Japanese model in 1990. This model can use a bare Mini CD disc or one in a caddy. The disc is easily removed from the caddy.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Data Discman” is electronic book player. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Data, Discman and electronic, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “electronic book player” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Chronology provides the most reliable spine for this subject; interpretation should follow only after identities and dates are secure. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 26, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q5227158. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1991, 1992, 1984 and 1990.
Later biographies can compress uncertainty and repeat inherited reputations, so apparently settled claims may still require comparison. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Read biographical claims against dates, named institutions and the cited references. Distinguish a subject’s later reputation from evidence produced during their lifetime.
- Establishing names and roles
- Building a first chronology
- Locating cited institutions
Personal papers, civil or court records, institutional files and the scholarship cited by the source.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Data Discman”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Data Discman primary sources, Data Discman archive and Data research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Data Discman”?
- Which claims depend on a single source or contested interpretation?
- Which primary records establish identity, chronology and institutional ties?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Data Discman” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.