Remember the pocket archaeology of untangling your headphones every single time you pulled them out? That split second of dread when you'd fish them from your bag only to discover they'd somehow tied themselves into impossible knots? Designer Aleš Boem remembers. But instead of trying to solve that universal frustration, he's immortalized it. His project, Tangled Headphones for print, takes that chaotic mess of wires we all spent years battling and transforms it into something worth looking at.
The ring-like portable speaker has a lanyard that lets users hook it onto a backpack or simply carry it around the wrist. Another option is to wear it around the neck, turning the device into a personal stereo system that surrounds the user with sound while remaining lightweight and portable.
Nothing launched its Headphone (a) alongside its Phone 4a series on March 5th, with compatibility with the Phone 4a Series via ChatGPT to hear Nothing News or Essential Space, its information hub app. Nothing nailed the audio quality in its previous headphones, as I've written while testing its open-ear Nothing Open and the Nothing Ear (a). It's no different here, with neutral and clear sound fit for all-day listening.
Our favorite wireless earbuds for most people, the Nothing Ear (a), are marked down to just $79 in all three colors - black, white, and yellow - a healthy discount from the already affordable $109 price point. They have an excellent, open audio profile, top tier touch controls, and impressive noise canceling for such a small pair of earbuds. Beyond the excellent price point, the Nothing Ear (a) offer a surprisingly complete package.
The Headphone (a) has the same controls as the Nothing Headphone (1) which launched last year - the Roller, Paddle, and Button "provide a precise and effortless way to adjust volume, navigate media, and switch ANC modes without the friction often associated with touch interfaces", Nothing says in its official press release.
They do sound good in open mode. When they're not covering your ear canals, the Aerofit 2 Pro rank among the best open earbuds in their price class, with an airy sound signature that naturally focuses on the upper registers. While no open earbuds I've tried accentuate bass as well as regular buds, the Aerofit 2 Pro have more resonance down low than most, accompanied by splashes of keen instrumental detail and clear stereo separation.