Interesting article, the history section is definitely a North American opinion on the matters, but there's good stuff in there.

I can't accept that Sony developed ME though, Matsushita have ME cassettes in their 1984 Japanese market lineup and quickly gained a reputation for being a bit unreliable. Sony might have been the first to use it as a videotape, but ME technology had existed for several years before this article claims it was 'developed' unless it's an especially uncharitable reading I'm giving it.

Matsushita also sold ME audio cassettes through all brands (National, Panasonic, Technics and JVC) using the Angrom branding.

It's a great read though, so much I've saved that one.

Tape stock is a facinating and complicated topic,