Nostalgic: Remember the Toot-a-Loop Radio

So many people dug the Panapet and remembered having one (my sister STILL has hers), that I couldn't resist blogging about The Toot-a-Loop Radio or Panasonic R-72.  It's a novelty radio made by Panasonic in the early 1970s.  My husband had one and still wishes he kept it...it twists and the dials are on the inside of where it breaks apart.

This radio was designed to be wrapped around the wrist (provided your wrist wasn't too large). It also came with stickers for customizing the unit. Reception was the AM broadcast band only - no FM. Radio was shaped something like a donut with the hole off center. If twisted, the smaller half would pivot and the larger half would separate, forming an "S" shape. One side of the radio had a grill behind which sat the speaker. There was also a jack for a mono earplug. The tuner was located inside one of the "splits" so the radio had to be twisted into the "S" position in order to be tuned, but the volume control was on the outer diameter of the radio and could be adjusted regardless of whether the radio was twisted open or closed. The Tune-a-Loop came in several colors including white, red, blue, and yellow. It was also produced in two rare colors orange and lime which were sold in Australia and New Zealand. Australian and New Zealand models had the badging National Panasonic and were advertised as a "Sing-O-Ring" radio. Also known by collectors as a bangle or wrist radio.

via Panasonic Toot-a-Loop Radio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.