On this day in 1954, Texas Instruments announced plans for the Regency TR-1, the first transistor radio to be commercially sold and at a rather hefty price of $50. Texas Instruments of Dallas, and Industrial Development Engineering Associates (I.D.E.A.) of Indianapolis, Indiana, were behind the unveiling of the TR-1. The look and size of the radio were well received, but the reviews of its performance were less glowing. Still, it was a major technology breakthrough that would help propel transistors into the mainstream with competitors getting on board quickly. The mass-market success of the smaller and cheaper Sony TR-63, released in 1957, led to the transistor radio becoming the most popular electronic communication device of the 1960s and 1970s.
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