Regency TR-1 launch | The first pocket radio made with transistors released | Techday, October 18th
On this TECHDAY in history, on October 18th 1954, the first pocket radio in history to be made using transistors was announced. The Regency TR-1, a pocket radio that weighed just 340 grams, was the product of a collaboration between Texas Instruments and I.D.E.A. (Industrial Development Engineering Associates). The Regency TR-1 radio has achieved many firsts. It was the first pocket radio, the first radio to utilize transistor technology and finally, the first mass-produced transistor device.
The TR-1 was not the first transistor radio developed, but it was the first one, produced and sold in significant numbers. The success of the TR-1 helped to establish the transistor as a viable technology and paved the way for the development of other portable transistorized devices. The Regency TR-1 was also the first transistor radio to be in massproduction, sold for $49.95. The Regency TR-1 was an immediate success, selling over 150,000 units in its first year, and over one million units in total.
The introduction of the TR-1 marked the beginning of the end for vacuum tube technology. It also marked the start of the era of compact portable electronic devices. The success of the TR-1 also helped establish the transistor radio as a popular consumer item.
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Author: PC-GR
The World of Technology
