The transistor was invented in 1947 at Bell Labs in New Jersey. In 1954, Texas Instruments of Dallas teamed up with Regency Electronics (its original name was Industrial Development Engineering Associates, or I.D.E.A.) of Indianapolis to manufacture the first pocket-size transistor radio. Generally, the most collectible transistor radios are those made in Japan from 1956 to 1963 and in America from 1955 to 1960, but by the early '60s, many American companies had opted to have their radios made in Japan.
Besides the Regency TR-1, which came in 10 colors and retailed for $49.95, other collectib...le American brands include Zenith, RCA, G.E., Admiral, Motorola, Magnavox, Philco, Raytheon, Arvin, Sylvania, and Emerson. In Japan, the name for transistor radios was Sony, which stunned the electronics world with its TR-63 in 1957, the world’s first truly pocket-size radio utilizing all miniature components. Other collectible Japanese brands include Toshiba, Hitachi, Sharp, Standard, Sanyo, Matsushita (Panasonic), Mitsubishi, Aiwa, Realtone, Global, and Zephyr.
One desirable feature for vintage transistor radios is reverse-painted plastic, popular between 1958 and 1962. In these radios, all of the artwork is painted on the inside of the radio's clear plastic dial cover. Also desirable are brightly colored cases, including cool 1950s hues like robin’s egg blue, seafoam green, and bright red or yellow. Condition also matters to collectors. Finding a radio with its original box, leather case, earphones, owner’s manual, and warranty card or sales slip will significantly increase its value.
The company built Japan's first tape recorder, six decades ago, then went on to popularise the transistor radio, revolutionise colour television and invent the Walkman. Its bosses are expected to revere monozukuri, the mystical-sounding Japanese term...Read more
BLUE WATER MEMORIES
Port Huron Times Herald, February 3rd
Peter Paulus, 1408 Water St., reported to police that furniture and a transistor radio were taken from a house at 1655 Thomas St. that he was preparing to rent. » HARSENS ISLAND -- US Coast Guard officials say the safety of boaters and fishermen can be...Read more
Struble: Analog Radio Is All Alone
Radio World, February 2nd
Radio's market is being assaulted from many directions and doing nothing will not stop the assault, Struble feels. He also thought that simply installing an AM/FM chip into a smartphone wasn't enough of a response: “A 1970s transistor radio look and...Read more
Summary Of 1979 Islamic Revolution (For Dummies)
Iranian (blog), February 1st
Those were and later proved to be the biggest Lies to be promised to any nation in history of the world & unfortunately the naive & uneducated Iranians inside bought his lies via the new wanna be Iranian intellectuals & newly "transistor radios"...Read more
In Haiti, 'video has not killed the radio star'
msnbc.com (blog), February 1st
Since the introduction of battery-operated transistor receivers in the 1960s, radio has been the main media in Haiti. American missionaries donated the first transistor radios, hoping to convert the masses through the 24-hour evangelical programming on...Read more
Transistor Radio purse from Octopurse
Retro To Go, January 30th
For instance, this neat little Transistor Radio purse from Octopurse ticks all the right boxes. Bright and kitsch transistor radio graphics? Check. Retro kisslock frame purse? Check. Perfect size for all your essentials? Check. What more could possibly...Read more
Woman locked in a dark room for ten years by her father discovered. Kept sane ...
scallywagandvagabond, January 24th
A 20 year old Palestinian woman, Baara Melhem has relayed her story of having been locked up in a dark room by her father for the last ten years, having only survived the experience by listening to a transistor radio her captor gave her, the promise of...Read more
Pakistan to manufacture transistor, radio sets
DAWN.com, January 17th
KARACHI: Pakistan will start manufacturing radio and transistor sets within a year's time. The biggest Japanese electrical goods manufacturing concern, Tokyo Shibaura Electric Company Ltd., is setting up a radio manufacturing factory in Dacca in...Read more