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Nothing’s third device is a pair of pared down earbuds • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 26, 2022Posted in earbuds, Gaming, Hardware, nothing, nothing stickNo Comments

Seems like there’s little room for surprises left in the industry, these days – and not just because of all the leaks. Like Google with its Pixel line, Nothing has moved away from the standard model of revealing a products in one fell swoop. Instead, it’s taken to shaping its own news cycle through slow, official teasers. With its third – and latest – device, the company gave us practically everything but date and price. This morning, founder Carl Pei officially unveiled the product. Like, officially, officially. The arrival of the Nothing Ear (stick) finds the company returning to the groundwork laid last summer by its first product, the Nothing Ear (1). The two immediately clear distinctions here are the new “lipstick-style” case that gives the product its parenthetical and move to a “half in-ear” design, versus its predecessors’ silicone tips. Image Credits: Nothing The (stick) isn’t replacing the (1), mind you. The pitch is instead focused on people who prefer the more traditional design, a la the AirPods vs. AirPods Pro. I’m not among them, but don’t blame you if you are. Everybody’s body’s different. The company says the design was “tested on over 100 people.” Otherwise, the buds (the stems, really) look more or less like the other product. Certainly no complains there. The Ear (1) promised 24/34 hours of battery life, all told, depending on active noise canceling and other usage. The (stick) is rated at 29 hours with the case and the big caveat that active noise canceling isn’t an option here (also like the standard Airpods). Still, if they can duplicate the sound of the (1) with their 12.6mm driver, you can justify the $99 ($149 CAD) price tag pretty easily. Image Credits: Nothing On that note, Pei took to Twitter last week to note that the price of the (1) had coincidentally increased from $99 to $149, owing to “an increase in costs.” Certainly the cost of producing devices at scale has jumped recently, thanks to supply chain shortest and inflation. The founder added that the company has sold “almost” 600,000 pairs of its first product. Sales for the (stick) open November 4 in 40-odd countries, including the U.S., U.K. and Canada. They will also be available at Nothing’s first store in London, naturally.

Ahead of launching its third product, Nothing announces a brick-and-mortar store • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 25, 2022Posted in Carl Pei, Gadgets, Hardware, nothing, storeNo Comments

Nothing today announced the upcoming launch of a brick-and-mortar retail store in London’s Soho district. The store will, of course, carry Nothing. In a less literal sense, one wonders precisely what the store will carry, given that the hardware startup has officially launched two products, with a third being revealed soon. GM Ryan Latham says in a release, “Opening our first store in the UK is a huge milestone for Nothing. Following the successful launch of Ear (1) and Phone (1), it’s the perfect time to shake things up again and offer our community a space where they can engage with each other and our products. To do this in our home market, in the heart of Soho — the home of innovative design — makes perfect sense.” Latham also notes that the shop will be down the road from a Supreme store, which certainly speaks to founder Carl Pei’s vision of creating a company that is as much fashion as it is consumer tech. And speaking from experience stepping into boutiques in New York’s own Soho, I can attest to the fact that the virtually empty luxury storefront is certainly a thing. The company is also, fittingly, playing on the sort of artificial scarcity product launch that has been a driving force in sneaker culture. Specifically, the store will make available 100 numbered Ear (stick)s — still figuring out the proper pluralization there; Ears (stick) or Ear (sticks), perhaps? — the upcoming headphone product Nothing has been teasing out for a few months now. Non-numbered versions of the product will also be available. A sign in the store’s window featuring a blown up Ear (stick) notes that it will open “before Christmas.”