Techmoan

Techmoan is a consumer technology channel presented by Mat. It celebrates what he calls the best and worst of new and old technology, with a strong focus on audio and video formats from past decades.

Videos often take an unusual gadget, such as a credit-card-sized radio, a self-erasing VHS tape or a late boombox, and explain how it works and why it was made. Mat also reviews modern devices like projectors and e-ink displays. The style is friendly and gently humorous, with plenty of close-ups and testing. Many videos include repairs or modifications, which give a glimpse inside the hardware.

Some highlights include:

A look at a VHS format designed to erase itself after viewing, and how a simple paperclip defeated it.

A tour of the last generation of boomboxes and the technology packed inside them.

An investigation of vintage card radios, including the Casio RD-10, and how they fitted a radio into such a thin case.

The channel has over 1.4 million subscribers.

Techmoan shows how product designers and electronics engineers have solved the same problems in different ways over the years. It is a good reminder that technology is shaped by cost, size and what people actually want to buy. It suits students interested in product design, audio engineering or consumer electronics. Watching how formats such as VHS and cassette rose and fell also shows how standards and markets shape engineering decisions. Nothing here is heavy going, which makes it easy to dip into.