Farrar wrote:
> I recently looked up Avery Fisher, in reference to Avery Fisher Hall in
> New York City's Lincoln Center. Some website said that Fisher "invented
> the transistor radio." Has anyone else heard this?

His company Fisher Radio invented the transistorized amplifier, which was
the basis for what came hence.

Coincidently, the other night our local TV station broadcast a documentary done
by the station's tech reporter and a cameraman on Jack Mullin, who was
responsible
for commercial development of audio tape recording. In WWII Mullin was
in the Signal
Corps and in 1945 ended up with 2 captured German Magnetophone hi-fi recorders
and 50 reels of tape. He made many modifications after returning to
the Bay Area,
and in 1947 demonstrated his results. That led to a meeting with Bing
Crosby, and
to Crosby investing in Ampex to build him a number of recorders.
Crosby had tired
of doing daily live radio in the studio - this way he could make a
week's worth of
shows in a day - and make them at home instead of a studio. I hope they show it
again so I can record it.

 - michael