20 Apr
2005
20 Apr
'05
4:07 p.m.
If things had worked out differently we might be
using
ultraminiature electron tubes. Imagine! An entire flipflop in one
package!
I nthe 1920's, Lowe (in Germany) made a radio receiver which consisted of
a tuend ciruit, headphones, batteries, and a single glass envelope. That
contained 3 triodes and all the R's and C's.
The idea did not catch on. The single glass device was expensive, and if
any part failed you ad to replace the whole thing. Other radios were much
cheaper to repair.
A flip-flop valve would certainly be possible.
-tony