… well, at least regarding the headphone’s design. The Headphone (1), as they are called, are both bold and beautiful to look at. Reminiscent of cassette-tapes from the 80s, the Headphone (1) feature a striking, transparent design that is unmistakable Nothing. But… what makes something Nothing?

 

Nothing is a British consumer electronics brand based in London. It was founded in 2020 by Carl Pei, the co-founder of the well-known smartphone manufacturer OnePlus. Nothing’s philosophy is to develop products that combine simplicity, transparency, and distinctive design at an affordable price. And so far in their young company history, it’s widely acknowledged they have been successful with their approach. In a field often called out for its lacking user-feedback integration, Nothing sets out to provide user-first experiences. Whether that be through smartphones, smart-watches or headphones – they stick close to their community’s wishes and listen to feedback.

Amidst the rapid, ever-changing tech-industry, Nothing manages to stay true to its core principles. With the Headphone (1), they challenge their iconic design-language in innovative ways while adhering to their heritage’s inspiration, Teenage Engineering. Handled by some as the design-first tech-company of the 21st century, their timeless, industrial inspired design calls back to the 1980s. Beautiful, functional and intuitive. – Just like Nothing’s products. Teenage Engineering isn’t the only brand that influenced the design of Headphone (1) though. Global Design Director at Nothing, Adam Bates, worked many years as Head of Design at Dyson. The company mainly known for their vacuums gained a lot of recognition for their beautiful and durable industrial design. Adam Bates made it his mission to continue developing appealing, functional products when he joined Nothing in 2022. And appealing and functional products he developed!

Back to the Headphone (1): Of course, design isn’t everything, but even when focusing solely on the features and specs, the company’s first entry into the over-ear headphone market doesn’t disappoint in the slightest. They feature an ambitious sound profile, developed in cooperation with British speaker manufacturer KEF. Even though the quality is by no means perfect, it fits the expectations coming from a 300€ pair of over-ear noise-canceling headphones. And the added bonus of an integrated equalizer in the dedicated app makes for a flawless adjustment of the sound, whenever needed. As a cherry on top, the Headphone (1) feature a broad pallet of quality-of-life features, like intuitive button-controls on the outside, a transparency mode and support for spatial audio.

Considering the style-factor of the headphones, Nothing managed to create a package, worthy of competing with the best of the best in the high-end over-ear headphone market. But really, the main selling point of the Headphone (1) is their design…– We are excited to see what is next for Nothing‘s headphones. The industry needs more innovative companies, that challenge the given and question the status quo. When happening in terms of product-design, even better!

 

A florist’s shop, one’s eyes unable to rest between colorful blossoms and petals. And in the far back, mounted on a lushly decorated wall: Smartphones, packed with the newest hardware, software and… AI. A phone event at an unusual place. And what’s got any of that to do with flowers?

 

You see, this year ‘round Motorola didn’t just want to release their usual spec-bumped phones; a few new colors, maybe one or two new AI features, better chip and so on. They’ve got a brand-new strategy for appealing to their customers – with smart, elegant everyday accessories. That means bold colors, elegant materials and an overall lifestyle-fitted user experience. And it’s true, especially the Razr 60 Ultra – their flagship flip-phone – looks and feels incredible. Four distinctive finishes – velvet, leather, wood and plush. Paired with the futuristic feeling screen on the back of the device (or the front, depending on if the phones is open or closed) – surrounding the rear-cameras like an island – it really is an unusually sensational experience.

 

Other than that, the Razr offers a magnitude of quirky little features. So many in fact, that its appeal quickly shifts away from the grand marketing catchphrases to its more fun-inducing attributes: Its unique camera-features and the way they are integrated into the clamshell style of the device. It was notably fun to play around with the camera’s “Camcorder”-feature. When folded at an 90-degree angle, the smartphone can be held like an old camcorder by the likes of Panasonic or Sony. The whole experience felt quite intuitive, gifting the product a nostalgic quality.

 

Another type of device that caught my attention were the Moto Buds Loop. These stylish little wireless headphones are meant to be worn as a fashion accessoire, being described by Motorola as “design for your ears”. Bold words. The Loop feature an unusual design by, as the name already suggests, looping around one’s ear, not following the typical in-ear design of most companies. However, what truly sets these apart from other headphones in this category, are the Swarovski-crystals that are glued to the Loop’s rim. Sparkling in bright champagne, they fit the shift in the company’s mindset perfectly. And well, they do look incredibly chic cuffing ‘round someone’s ear, bringing some much-needed fresh air into a product category, whose design philosophy hasn’t really changed since the original AirPods’ release back in 2016.

 

The final characteristic of the lineup that is worth talking about when it comes to the newly acquired spirit of Motorola is a small quirk of the popular Edge-series of smartphones. Some users might not even notice it, yet subconsciously the Edge 60 Pro knows about the seductive qualities of odors. Immediately upon opening the box, a subtle scent dispenses into the air, filling the room with a blooming aura. What previously was only known from certain post stamps has entered the world of smartphones, how fun! The usefulness of this feature might be debatable, but that’s not the point.

 

Motorola’s 2025 lineup of products shows a clear evolution in the company’s identity. Over are the days of abiding to industry norms, at least in some relevant aspects. The “buy our product and you will instantly be transformed into a fashion icon”-approach works surprisingly well considering all the thought that went into designing these products to be experienced with all senses. Not only used as a tool. Of course, the Razr, Edge and Loop are way more than just their pretty looks and feels. The latest AI-features, bright screens and good performance all come together to form an easy-to-recommend package, especially if you value the little quirks of life… and appreciate a well thought out user experience.