In 1954, the year I was born, a device appeared that changed how young people entertained themselves forever. The very first tiny personal, portable music and entertainment device became one of the hottest, most wanted toys in history. The Regency TR-1 transistor radio gave kids the freedom to carry and enjoy their music everywhere. Before the handheld transistor radio was around, a kid had to hope that his parents would be generous enough to allow him or her to listen to his or her favorite music at home on a larger radio or record player at a volume level that was acceptable to the ears of parents. Few things upset most parents more than Rock and Roll music. The TR-1 allowed kids to take their music outdoors or behind their bedroom door. There was even an optional earphone that allowed kids to hear their music louder without disturbing the grownups. Its no coincidence that 1954 was the year that Elvis and Rock and Roll came to the fore of the entertainment world. The Regency TR-1 was very expensive, however. The little radio could be had for $49.95 and the optional earphone was $7.50. Measured in 2014 dollars, that $49.95 is $438.50! The earphone would be $65.84 in todays dollars. 100,000 units were sold in the first year of production.
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 00:26:30 +0000
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