- 2 days ago
Step back in time as we explore the visually captivating features of nostalgic tech that still charm us today. From colorful matching computer setups and the satisfying VCR tape loading to chunky keyboards and the warm glow of CRT monitors, we celebrate the unique aesthetics of vintage gadgets that modern devices just can’t replicate. Ready to relive the glory of transparent tech and retro button designs? Join us for a trip down memory lane!
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00:00standard built-in DVD player and of course the tinted windows
00:06welcome to Ms. Mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the most
00:11visually charming aspects of old tech that aren't around today
00:15spring is amazing I mean Dick Van Dyke is practically life-sized
00:30the majority of vintage PCs came in a slightly beige shade of white a trend
00:35we're glad isn't around anymore on the other hand there was a brief phase
00:39where you could get colorful matching desktop setups one of the most famous is
00:44the Hot Wheels PC which exploded in popularity in the early 2020s the Hot
00:49Wheels computer is easy to set up internet ready and makes using the
00:53computer easier and more fun for your child in our opinion the peak of this
00:57trend was the iMac G3 line from 1998 after years of boring beige setups the
01:04vibrance of the G3 was a game-changer leading it to quickly become a staple of
01:08the late 90s and noughties
01:19number nine the VCR tape loading mechanism may we suggest a Panasonic you
01:26see you can program one straight out of the box without spending hours studying
01:30an instruction manual in our current era if you want to watch a movie you can
01:34simply load it up on your preferred streaming service long before Netflix
01:38people instead had to go out and buy bulky VHS cassettes then slide them into a
01:44VCR player
01:45yes I mean give me Holly Hunter's silent emotional struggles any day
01:52so what are you renting?
01:56sorority house massacre 2
01:57they're way less convenient than modern streaming services but at the same time
02:01it was so much more satisfying nothing can beat the satisfaction of hearing the
02:06tape slot in then playing about with the VCR's weighty buttons while we miss it no
02:11one's in a rush to bring back VHS on account of its inconvenient size and low
02:16picture quality
02:22barney that was my VCR
02:25number eight putting in a cartridge
02:34another oddly satisfying form of physical media is cartridges
02:39before discs cartridges were the standard from roughly the 70s to the 90s
02:44they started to face out around the release of the playstation which used optical discs
02:49avoid the snakes skip across the river past the alligators and jump into home base
02:55and star wars the empire strikes back
02:59discs held more space but cartridges were way more robust as you couldn't scratch them
03:04plus they had superior load times vintage cartridges can sell for a fortune especially
03:10one still in the box with with with things like this it's it's high risk high reward i know of
03:16firm
03:16offers that have been turned down at three hundred thousand dollars goes up from there there's no ceiling
03:21really now some current generation consoles don't even let you use discs forcing you to download all your games
03:28not all though nintendo brought cartridges back for the switch which are way more portable than discs
03:34number seven wood paneling on vintage electronics
03:38the result is stereo superstores factory back two million dollar clearance save 47 on this complete Kenwood system
03:45a plethora of modern technology is paneled with wood but this isn't a new trend
03:50it's reflective of an older style that began in the 60s then peaked during the 70s
03:55this led to tons of electronics covered in wood including things such as instruments consoles radios and even microwaves
04:03manufacturers of electric blankets records and radiograms
04:08it was done so it matched the household furniture with all the largest brands cashing in on the wooden aesthetic
04:13like the atari 2600 from 1977
04:17now the idea of a mainstream games console being made out of wood sounds wild
04:22but a few decades ago it was the opposite
04:25first of all here's a sawtooth way that's coming out of an oscillator going into a mixer
04:29coming up into a what's called a filter which is going to remove parts of the sound
04:34either the top or the bottom part
04:35number six vinyl records and turntable ritual
04:40it's interesting it's just it's it's a new media for for some of the younger kids
04:44if we can get this up make good records and be profitable
04:48i feel like i could do anything then
04:51this entry is something people became so nostalgic for that it came back during the late 2000s and hasn't died
04:57down since
04:57in the 70s the dominant music format was vinyl by a significant margin
05:02more convenient tech was later invented
05:04and then people decided to stop using heavy plastic discs to store music
05:09fortunately for vinyl enjoyers there was just something too unique about it to leave it in the past
05:14antique format is coming back both in spite of and because of the digital music revolution
05:21the delightful ritual of slotting your vinyl into the player sliding the needle into place
05:26then hearing that crisp pop as it begins playing is unparalleled
05:30this led them to outsell cds in america in 2022
05:34the first time that had happened since 1987
05:37i think it's great i do think it's nice that people are really taking the time to appreciate music
05:44but decades later vinyl is back in a big way
05:48number five retro button and dial designs
05:51eventually seeing people using cellular phones may seem as commonplace as someone checking time on an electronic watch
05:57figuring on an electronic calculator or programming on an electronic computer
06:02the majority of modern smartphones will only have a handful of buttons
06:06usually just for power and volume then nothing else
06:10during the 2010s companies decided the fewer the buttons the better
06:14now people have started to miss the satisfaction of physical buttons and dials
06:19i do miss pop of buttons
06:22everything's so swipey these days
06:24while touchscreens feel more futuristic
06:26buttons are far more reliable and require way less messing around in menus
06:31companies have begun listening to people's calls
06:34with the iphone 16 introducing a camera control button
06:37plus volkswagen has filled a 2026 polo with tons of big buttons
06:42resulting in hours of entertainment for button enthusiasts
06:46a click away with iphone 16's new camera control
06:50that cayenne introduced earlier
06:51just click and hold the camera control
06:54and point your iphone
06:55with just a click
06:57boom
06:58number four
06:59slide phones
07:00open or close
07:01when mobile phones were a brand new invention
07:04companies would get way more creative with their designs
07:07long before the iphone set the standard for mobile designs
07:10you could get phones that folded and even ones that slid
07:19flip phones have become mainstream again
07:22as proven by samsung's new folding and flipping range
07:25sliding phones have increased in popularity
07:27but aren't mainstream
07:29they're primarily used by people tired of smartphones
07:32who prefer their simplicity
07:33some retro obsessed individuals want to be even more old-fashioned
07:37ditching mobiles completely and reverting to classic rotary dial telephones
07:42we doubt they'll ever be mainstream again though
07:44but they're still satisfying gadgets
07:47becoming male reaches you as soon as it's sent
07:49a full QWERTY keyboard lets you right back with ease
07:53number three chunky keyboards
07:55the first ever keyboards invented in the 1800s were mechanical
08:00which is what gave typewriters their satisfying clicks
08:12they remained the dominant technology until the 80s
08:15when membrane keyboards came along allowing for far smaller and quieter keys
08:20variations of these are most common now
08:23but in the 2000s people grew nostalgic for mechanical keys
08:27they were revived primarily by gamers
08:29who preferred their durability and improved responsiveness
08:33people have grown so fond of vintage chunky keyboards
08:36that there's now a sizable market for modern mechanical keyboards with a retro design
08:41natural hand and wrist position
08:43and when you need a break from typing
08:46you can rest your hands easily on the built-in palm rest
08:49convenient shortcut keys help you work more efficiently
08:52they're also way more customizable than older ones
08:55and their popularity is unlikely to fade anytime soon
08:59access main program grid
09:13number two the glow of crt monitors
09:16before thin led tvs were common crts were the go-to
09:21people rushed to rid themselves of their crts when flat panel displays hit the market
09:26but now many of us regret the decision
09:28uh now eventually you do plan to have dinosaurs
09:31on your on your dinosaur tour right
09:35hello
09:37hello
09:39yes
09:39i really hate that man
09:42in the 2020s they've been making a surprising comeback
09:45a primary reason is that they have no pixels
09:48creating images modern displays struggle to replicate
09:51it was sent to the local news bureau there and sent to us via satellite just a few minutes ago
09:56all initial opinions are this is genuine
09:59what you're about to see may disturb you
10:02this results in them having a warm glow
10:04alongside black scan lines
10:06which were annoying back in the day
10:08but now provide nothing but nostalgia
10:10this means many of them cost a fortune to buy now
10:13but alternatively
10:14you can get gadgets that replicate the effect on modern tvs
10:18plus they're way smaller than most excessively large crts
10:22finally workers apply electrical connections to the electron gun
10:27to bring the cathode ray tube to life
10:35if you love games be sure to check out watchmojo's new game terrible influence
10:40just launched for purchase at terrible influence.com
10:43terrible influence is a satirical board game about the dark side of fame
10:47from the writer of the most popular girls in school and us
10:50watch mojo
10:50boom
10:51i can make an apology video
10:53oh you so would
10:54click on the link in the description to check out the game
10:56and be the first to play terrible influence
11:01number one transparent tech
11:08a staple of the y2k aesthetic is easily transparent plastic gadgets
11:13in the 90s and 2000s
11:15tons of products had a see-through plastic exterior
11:18usually colored
11:19to many of us
11:20it was mind-blowing being able to see inside of our devices
11:24virtually all the major companies cashed in on the aesthetic
11:27you could get the n64 in a variety of see-through colors
11:30and even the ps2 had a clear variant
11:33in the end
11:34people decided it made things look tacky
11:36causing it to fade into obscurity
11:38that was until the 2020s
11:40when it came back slightly
11:42like a lot of y2k trends
11:44two front-running names were ice and crystal
11:47and after about four weeks of debate
11:49i'm told they settled on crystal
11:51because it was the name that meant more
11:52in all of the european markets
11:54that the original xbox was launched in at the time
11:57is there anything about old-fashioned devices you miss
12:00and did we mention it on our list today
12:02let us know in the comments
12:03let us know in the comments
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12:04let us know in the comments
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12:06let us know in the comments
12:06let us know in the comments
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