the transistor became cheaper in the 1960s and was much smaller, worked on lower voltages, and used less power. in addition, unlike vacuum tubes, they were much less likely to be damaged by being dropped and had extremely long life. eventually, they were also much cheaper than glass vacuum tubes. at this time, most radios, television sets, and amplifiers began using transistors instead. high powered electronics such as broadcasting transmitters were transistorized more slowly. television receivers continued using the cathode ray tube until the mid-2000s.