In providing this avenue for artistic expression and the dissemination of new ideas, the transistor radio played a significant role in many of the musical and cultural movements of the 1950s and 1960s. For the first time, young people had the freedom to listen to music and world news amongst themselves without the threat of parental disapproval.

The transistor radio wasn’t just a revolutionary piece of technology – it also revolutionized music and youth culture. Many models even had a single plug-in earphone for private listening, not unlike the headphones used with later devices such as the Walkman and the iPod. In addition to lower prices, the first half of the decade also saw the addition of FM capabilities to the previously AM-only transistor radio. These Japanese models brought prices down significantly, and by the 1960s, transistor radios cost around $15 (about $117 today), making them affordable birthday and Christmas presents during the prosperous 1960s.

Sony’s TR-55 and TR-63 were particularly notable, but Sharp and Toshiba also sold transistor radios. Shortly after the TR-1 went out of production, Japanese manufacturers began selling cheaper and smaller transistor radios to the American public. Image source: Stocksy United New Models & Further Improvements Instead of a family affair, teenagers began listening to the radio alone or with groups of friends. It was also highly portable and changed the way that Americans enjoyed radio. In contrast to these older models, the TR-1 was small and much less easy to break. In most cases, families would huddle around a single large wooden radio in their home and listen to programs together. Because these radios used breakable vacuum tubes, they were also very delicate. Previous models were large and mostly stationary. Signaling a Changeĭespite its short life, the TR-1 changed the face of consumer radio forever. Around 150,000 units were sold, but the TR-1 wasn’t produced for very long. However, it was quite expensive – the TR-1 retailed for around $50, which translates to nearly $400 today. It was able to receive AM radio stations and had an impressive 20-hour lifespan due to its 22.5v battery. It was easily portable, measuring just five inches high, and used four transistors. It featured a gold dial and was available in a variety of colors. On October 18, 1954, they released the Regency TR-1 just in time for the Christmas shopping season. Texas Instruments built the transistors and the Regency division of I.D.E.A. (Industrial Development Engineering Associates) and Texas Instruments. The first transistor radio was created as a joint project between I.D.E.A. Receiver: 12.7 cm x 8.7 cm x 3.Image credit: Julia Bujalski The Regency TR-1 United States: Texas, Dallas Physical Description United States: Indiana, Indianapolis location of prior holder Capable of receiving AM stations, the radio cost about $50 (that would be almost $400 today.) Location

The Regency model TR-1 contained four transistors. Work began in earnest in the spring of 1954, and this first Regency transistor radio was in stores for the Christmas season later that year. Planning began in 1951 between Idea and Texas Instruments, supplier of the transistors. In 1953 hearing aids became the first commercial product to use transistors.Ī small, portable radio seemed a good opportunity, and a company called Idea Incorporated designed and produced the Regency. As engineers learned how to use the new invention, plans were made for commercial products that could take advantage of the transistor's small size, energy efficiency, and rugged design. Bell publicly announced the new invention on 30 June 1948.Īt first the US military bought all the transistors Bell Labs could make, and the company agreed to license other manufacturers. The first laboratory demonstration took place on 23 December 1947. Building on war-time research, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, working with group leader William Shockley, developed a device they called a transistor. One goal was to find a replacement for fragile and energy-wasting vacuum tubes.

During World War Two scientists and engineers at Bell Laboratories conducted research on many radar and radio devices.

First pocket transistor radio