Transparent tech is what Nothing is known for, just look at the latest Phone (4a). But in a sign that the UK phone maker wants to be known for more than its looks, the freshly announced Nothing Phone (4a) Pro has gone in a completely different direction.
It hasn’t entirely abandoned the brand’s bold industrial aesthetics — the eye-catching rear camera cutout and Mini LED-adorned Glyph Matrix see to that. So, it still shares some design DNA with the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, one of last year’s best phones under $1,000. However, rather than an entirely transparent back casing, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro adopts a metallic unibody, contributing to its slim 7.95mm frame.
As such, the phone pairs with the company’s similarly striking set of headphones. Nothing says the new-look design results in better durability and thermal management, along with an IP65 weather resistance rating. In real terms, dropping the phone in a shallow body of water shouldn’t cause any problems.
Included in the camera array is a larger 50MP Sony LYT700c sensor, which is also said to focus on subjects faster than Nothing’s previous phones. There’s also a 50MP 3.5x telephoto lens that leans on AI to zoom in as far as 140x.
Even moreso than the flagship-positioned Phone (3), the (4a) Pro’s 6.83-inch 144Hz AMOLED screen is considered Nothing’s best. It’s brighter, reaching 5,000 nits with HDR content, and employs Gorilla Glass 7i for durability.
On the inside is the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset, with 256GB of storage and 12GB of LPDDR5X memory. Battery-wise, the capacity is a fairly standard 5,080mAh. There’s no Qi wireless charging, but the phone at least supports 50W wired charging speeds.
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro release date and price
In Australia, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro costs $949, squarely facing it off against the likes of the Google Pixel 10a. Pre-orders are live now, with the phone officially launching on 27 March, slightly later than the rest of the new Nothing range.
Silver and black colour options are available, as well as a subtle shade of pink to match one of the new Headphone (a) colours.
Like the standard (4a) model, the Pro only gets three years of Android software updates, notably less than the seven years some similar-priced handsets get. However, the six years’ worth of security updates is a better deal.
Crafting machines are a fun gateway drug to suddenly wanting to make everything yourself. It gets real expensive, and real time-consuming, real fast, and yet it’s worth it to be able to give people objects that are homemade and thus carry a bit of you with them. It’s more personal, meaningful and interesting.
Cricut is the most popular brand of crafting machines in Australia, and the company recently released its two latest machines, with a focus on making them more accessible to newer crafters. I’ve spent over a week with the Cricut Explore 5 and Joy 2. While I love both of them for different reasons, I think the Explore 5 is going to be the better buy for more people, despite its higher price tag.
The first thing I noticed about the Cricut Explore 5 is how much smaller it is than the previous generation. It’s a whole 30 per cent smaller than the Explore 4, and takes up so much less space than my usual Maker 4. It still retains basically all the features of the previous model, and it now comes with a pack of essential tools.
I was impressed by how much was included in the pack — the materials are a bit miserly, with only small pieces of each of the varieties, so it’s more of a sample pack than a materials bundle. But the tools are what make the difference — everything you need to weed, as well as a card mat, light grip mat, pen and scoring tool.
Setting up the machine in Cricut’s Design Space software was easier than ever. I just turned on the machine next to my laptop with Design Space open, and it synced, just like that.
Cricut Explore 5 specifications and price
Price
$449
Warranty
1 year in addition to your Australian consumer law rights
Cricut Explore 5 machine in Taupe
Premium Fine Point Cutting Tool
Scoring Tool Dual-Sided Marker (0.4 mm & 1.0 mm) in Black
Light Grip Machine Mat, 12 in x 12 in (30.5 cm x 30.5 cm)
Welcome card
USB cable
Power adapter
Free trial subscription to Cricut Access Materials (see website for all materials)
Dimsnsions
50.2 cm x 19.05 cm x 11.9 cm
Weight
4.5kg
Max cut sizes
Max cut size using machine mat (small): 11.5 x 11.5 inches (29.2 cm x 29.2 cm)
Max cut size using machine mat (large): 11.5 x 23.5 inches (29.2 cm x 59.6 cm)
Max cut size using Smart Materials: 12 inches x 12 feet (30.5 cm x 3.6 m)
The biggest differences between the Explore 4 and 5 are just what comes in the box, and the size of the machine. That’ll be great for new crafters, but it means the machine isn’t for people who already have a recent Explore or Maker machine in working order.
Design
There is a lot to love and be a bit suspicious of with this new design.
The smaller size is fantastic, and I’m so glad that the tool storage in the door remains (even if it is a bit less organised). Having the mat now load automatically when you start the cut in Design Space is handy, allowing the machine to lose a button and taking out a step in the making process.
Image: Alice Clarke.
I am just concerned that the machine no longer has a lid. The top of the machine is now open to the air, which looks really nice, and likely reduces the manufacturing cost, but now means it’s going to get full of dust. Pet hair will get into it. That’s going to cause other problems.
Of course, you can choose to cover the machine with something. I’d say a dust cover is now an essential extra step, whether you cover it with a towel or make something custom. The cover used to come built in, and now it’s another thing you have to think about.
Cutting and drawing
Of course, this is kind of the Cricut Explore 5’s whole thing. It’s right there in the name. And, the good news is that the Explore 5 is mostly great at it. I’ve made cards, cut out and written on smart paper sticker cardstock cut-outs for a custom book, and cut infusible ink for a tote bag, and all of them came out looking excellent. Though the cut on the infusible ink was deeper than I would have liked in places.
Images: Alice Clarke.
My attempts at print-and-cut sticker making have been less successful. But, given that my colleagues have had better experiences, I’m going to put that down to the trials of using beta software. The kiss cut keeps going all the way through to the mat on the light setting, and damaging the mat on the regular setting, which is frustrating on a sticker sheet. Hopefully, this no longer occurs outside beta.
Image: Alice Clarke.
The process for cutting and creating is very straightforward. A small project, like a card, is quick to pull together. You can select a template or existing design, or start from scratch in the app (more on that later), load a card into the card mat, put it in the machine, and then you have a really beautiful card. The more time-consuming part is choosing what to put on the card; the actual making is simple.
However, compared to the Explore 4 and the Maker 4, there are some new irritations and extra touch points, which likely won’t be an issue for newcomers who didn’t know it could be better. But people who have been using Explores or Makers for years will find this bothersome.
You can no longer leave a pen in the pen holder while the machine cuts, or it will simply draw offset instead of cutting, ruining your materials. For those who score cardstock, you can no longer put the scoring tool in clamp A (clamp A has been replaced with a pen holder), and you will have to switch between the tools. It won’t make much difference to your workflow if you’re just occasionally making a card, or if you mostly just use a pen or cut (not both at the same time). But making a 30-page book and having to constantly put the pen in and out meant that it was a much more labour-intensive process than it would have been on one of the older machines, or the Maker 4.
Image: Alice Clarke.
The benefit, though, is that the Explore 5 now uses the universal pen holder, which means that (as long as you’re getting the pens with the compatible symbol), you can use the same pens across multiple machine types, which will make things less confusing when shopping. Of course, not as helpful if you have old pens now, but good for the future.
For people who haven’t had a Cricut machine before, the Explore range is the Medium in terms of Cricut’s consumer-grade machines. The Joy is the smallest and most limited, but best for small spaces and for people who just want to make the occasional card, the Joy Xtra is the Joy but more, and then the Maker 4 is the large appliance, able to cut hundreds of types of materials, do fancy things like debossing, and work with wood and metal (with a price tag to match).
The Explore 5 is in the sweet spot for most crafters who have some space and want options. The vast majority of people who want a crafting machine would be more than satisfied with how cleanly and easily the Explore 5 cuts paper, vinyl, temporary tattoos, stickers, and a range of other materials.
Design Space software
Design Space, which is the essential software to use with the machine, has always been a bit finicky. It needs to be connected to the internet to work, and it has a paid subscription that gives users access to more images and fonts to use.
I have had a love-hate relationship with the software for some time. However, this latest update has solved one of my biggest complaints: there are now templates for the most common projects.
Images: Alice Clarke.
Before, you had to kind of guess when making an insert card, cutaway card, or sticker sheet from scratch whether your design would work out in reality. Now you can start with the template and go from there, which cuts down the amount of materials that go to waste due to an incorrect estimation. It also makes the creation process so much faster, so you spend less time trying to make the whole thing work, and more time on the creative fun parts.
Image: Alice Clarke.
Unfortunately, this update has also introduced a bunch of generative AI nonsense, which I hate and believe is antithetical to creativity and artistry. I’m sure this update will have some actual artists rethinking some of their usage of the app. Luckily, the AI nonsense is (mostly) well labelled and can be avoided.
The templates are really good, though.
Who is the Cricut Explore 5 for?
Overall, the Cricut Explore 5 is an excellent and extremely capable cutting machine.
There are a few changes over the Explore 4 that I feel are downgrades, but the offset of that is better compatibility, a smaller footprint, and decent cost savings (over the Explore 4’s launch price), which I think makes up for it. This is the perfect cutting machine for people who are looking to get into crafting and want a machine that does almost everything.
Unless you plan on working with wood, or doing embossing or debossing, then this is the best larger-format Cricut machine you can get for the money.
It’s often said that two main factors determine which phone people buy: battery life and camera quality. With the Nothing Phone (4a), the boffins over in the UK have leant into photography as a main selling point.
As you’d expect from Nothing, its latest phone is quite the looker. A transparent back offers a glimpse into what its internals look like, an aesthetic that’s quickly become the brand’s signature. That shade of blue is rather slick. Also adorning the rear is a newly designed Glyph Bar, a rectangular array of Mini LEDs that lights up for notifications and other actions, including a red light during video recording.
But the main point Nothing stressed about the Phone (4a) was how good its cameras are. Of the three rear cameras — already quite the feat for a sub-$700 phone — the telephoto sensor has received the biggest upgrade. It now punches in 3.5 times optically, and up to seven times to produce quality Nothing refers to as “lossless”.
Both the main and telephoto cameras include both optical and electronic image stabilisation, helping reduce shaking and the resulting blur. Meanwhile, the entire camera array benefits from more software smarts, including more natural separation of subjects and backgrounds in portrait mode.
There’s also a generously sized 6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen to enjoy your photos and videos on, which Nothing says is brighter and sharper than the 3a’s display. Rounding out the package is the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset, up to 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a 5,080mAh battery.
Nothing promises three years of Android updates, which is a little lean compared to some similarly priced competitors. Fortunately, the six years of security updates are more in line with some of the best mid-range phones.
Doubling down on noise cancellation while boosting sound quality, the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds are the ones to beat when it comes to quality audio on the move.
Sony has always been a heavy hitter when it comes to high-quality audio and active noise cancellation, so it’s no surprise that its 2023 Sony WF-1000XM5 true wireless earbuds are still considered some of the best in the business.
Sony only updates the WF-1000MX earbuds range every two or three years, but it’s worth the wait when the new WF-1000XM6 deliver a range of improvements for the same (admittedly high) $499.95 price tag.
It has to be said that the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds don’t look overly fashionable, especially the ‘Platinum Silver’, which could be less generously described as beige.
The bulky, squarish charge case with a matte finish doesn’t help in the fashion stakes. The case lacks the rounded edges of its predecessor, but in return, it’s less likely to slip out of your pocket than the slick but notoriously losable AirPods case.
Of course, beauty is only skin deep when it comes to personal audio. The somewhat chunky design ensures the earbuds hold an eight-hour charge, with another 16-hours in the charge case. Along with a USB-C port, the case also supports Qi wireless charging.
Although chunky, Sony has actually tweaked the earbuds to make them a bit slimmer, while also helping them fit more firmly and comfortably in your ears. Of course, it comes down to the shape of your ears and personal preference, but they should stay in place for all but the most vigorous exercise.
They’re also a bit easier to keep a grip on when getting out of the charge case than some slender earbuds.
The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds are large and in charge. Image: Adam Turner.
Set-up on iOS or Android is very straightforward using the Sony Sound Connect app, which carries over a few useful options from the old Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds.
Sony still supplies a choice of four hybrid, soft-foam silicone ear tips, from XS to L. Along with running an audio test to check the fit in each ear, the app also lets you compare the results from different-sized tips – which is handy if you’re uncertain or perhaps require different sizes for each ear.
As part of the setup, the app also requests GPS location access, so it can anticipate when you’re at home, work, the gym or on the move.
Along with the ability to automatically adjust the AI-powered Ambient Sound settings based on your location, you’ve also got ‘Wear to Play’, which automatically launches into your favourite playlist for that location. Just slip them in your ears and music starts, which is handy at the gym when you just want to get down to business.
Alternatively, the earbuds’ touch controls include Quick Access to launch your preferred music app. You can also use built-in voice control for noise cancellation, volume and playback, plus the earbuds support head gestures.
A choice of four eartip sized, with M fitted by default, makes it easier to get the perfect fit. Image: Adam Turner.
Many key improvements with the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds rely on the new QN3e HD Noise Cancelling processor, accompanied by the V2 processor and improved DAC to support 32-bit audio.
The earbuds’ bulk also allows Sony to squeeze in extra smarts, such as a fourth microphone contributing to a 25 per cent improvement in noise cancellation, as well as enhanced call quality. Call quality also benefits from AI beamforming, bone conduction sensors and improved wind noise reduction.
Cramming even more into the earbuds, their Bluetooth antenna is also larger to allow for a more stable and solid connection with multi-point support. You can switch between prioritising sound quality or the stability of the connection, but it sticks with Bluetooth 5.3 rather than stepping up to Bluetooth 6.
When it comes to audio codecs, you’ve got access to standard SBC, Apple-friendly AAC, LC3 for Low Energy audio and Auracast. Plus, Sony naturally includes its high-resolution LDAC codec for connecting to Bluetooth devices. LDAC is supported by most mid-to-high-end Android handsets (but not iGadgets), but in return, you miss out on Qualcomm’s aptX family.
Be warned, you need to prioritise Bluetooth sound quality over stability in order to take advantage of LDAC. You also need music sources that can make the most of LDAC’s bandwidth, which might require signing up for a hi-res music service like Tidal or Amazon Music HD. While Spotify also offers hi-res music, it doesn’t take advantage of LDAC.
Finally, you’ve also got Sony’s DSEE Extreme processing for upscaling low-quality music files.
When you’re out and about, a single tap on the left earbud lets you switch from noise cancellation to Ambient Sound mode. You can set it to auto or manually adjust the amount of sound it lets through. Plus, there’s an optional voice pass-through, which makes it easier to hear people in noisy environments.
Tap, voice and gesture controls mean you can reach for your smartphone less often. Image: Sony.
Similar to Apple’s Conversation Awareness, Sony’s Speak-to-Chat automatically engages Ambient Sound mode and turns down your music when you start talking, so you can hear the other person. You can change the sensitivity and the length of time before noise cancelling resumes.
Speak-to-Chat might be useful if you regularly need to interact with people, such as in a shared office. Yet it’s perhaps best avoided if, like me, you tend to talk to yourself a lot – a side effect of working from home for 20 years – which means you continually interrupt the music.
Listening mode seems like a strange feature, but it could be useful if you’re trying to get in the zone, such as working from home and looking to replicate the ambient soundscape of working in a busy environment. Sort of the opposite of noise cancellation.
In the pursuit of more immersive listening experiences, the Sony WF-1000XM6 features head tracking, 360 Reality Audio and 360 Spatial Sound, now supporting augmented reality games like Niantic’s Ingress.
While they’re a bit on the chonky side, the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds don’t stick out too far from your ears. Image: Adam Turner.
Quality
To give them a chance to shine, I tested Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds with an Oppo Reno 15 Pro running Android 16, taking advantage of LDAC Bluetooth connectivity and hi-res audio on Tidal. I also threw my iPhone 17 daily driver and Spotify into the mix, which doesn’t support LDAC and falls back on AAC.
Side note, I tried LDAC on the Google Pixel 10a and Pixel 9a, but I encountered what seems to be a known issue where LDAC stutters when you enable the maximum 990 kbps in developer mode.
The WF-1000XM6 earbuds offer a warm and impressively full-bodied sound, while remaining balanced, detailed and clean. Even listening to AAC Spotify on the iPhone, the earbuds revealed tiny nuances in music that you may not have noticed before.
Switching across to hi-res Tidal on the Oppo Android handset really opens things up. Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me is a favourite of audiophiles, and the WF-1000XM6 earbuds make the most of LDAC to handle the extra bandwidth and detail. On Spotify, the same track sounds a bit murky and overblown in comparison, plus it loses some of the richness in the bass lines.
Checking in with the usual suspects, the WF-1000XM6 earbuds also do justice to the nuances, depth and wide soundstage of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and Miles Davis’ “So What”.
Pick up the tempo with Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life, or crank up the bass with Macy Gray’s “Why Didn’t You Call Me”, and every instrument still gets its due respect without distortion. There’s certainly no shortage of low-end, even before you reach for the Sony Sound Connect app’s 10-band graphic equaliser.
Noise cancellation
As for noise cancelling, the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds stand tall – dulling a roaring kitchen exhaust fan to the whisper of rushing air, while still letting through the fine details of the chicken sizzling in the pan.
They also do an excellent job when it comes to less predictable background sounds, such as stripping away a lot of the low end, so ambient music also sounds a lot thinner and softer.
When it comes to Ambient Sound mode, which lets you hear the world around you, the WF-1000XM6 still fall short of Apple’s AirPod Pros.
AirPods Pros offer a choice of Activity Noise Cancellation, which blocks everything out, and Transparency mode, which lets everything through. Plus, there’s Adaptive, which blends ANC and Transparency, automatically adjusting noise control based on your environment.
Sony’s Ambient Sound mode is set to Auto by default, similar to Apple’s Adaptive mode. To get the equivalent of full Transparency mode on the WF-1000XM6 earbuds, you have to disable Auto and manually dial up the ambient sound, which is frustrating.
Unfortunately, Sony’s Auto mode can be a bit hit-and-miss, as can voice pass-through. If you want to use Sony’s Ambient Sound like Apple’s Transparency mode, so you can easily talk to people, it’s best to leave Auto disabled and the ambient sound setting dialled up. This is where the ability to customise Ambient Sound for different locations comes in handy.
Even then, Ambient mode on the WF-1000XM6 sounds like the world around you is being slightly amplified by microphones, including your own voice at times, just as reviewer Alice Clarke also noted when reviewing the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds. Meanwhile, Apple’s Transparent mode is literally that, sounding like you’ve removed the earbuds from your ears.
Who are the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds for?
Android lovers who aren’t deterred by the hefty $499.95 price tag can’t go wrong with the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds. Some of the best Active Noise Cancellation in the business, combined with exceptional sound quality, ensures an absolute premium listening experience.
Unfortunately, Ambient mode still falls short of what you’ll get from Apple’s AirPods Pro, but of course, AirPods aren’t an option for Android fans who want to make the most of LDAC (or aptX HD for that matter). If you’re an Android lover with an ear for the finer things, you’ll be impressed with the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds.
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Sony WF-1000XM6
With impressive noise cancellation and exceptional sound quality, the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds are great for Android audiophiles.
Apple announced a lot of devices this week. Most of them are iterative upgrades on previous models, but there was also a debut device to cap off what has been a busy week for the folks at Cupertino.
In the space of just a few days, we saw an updated iPhone, refreshed MacBooks, upgraded professional displays, a faster iPad, and an entirely new product category. Between the devices, prices range from reasonably affordable to downright eye-wateringly expensive. Apple has the range, it would seem.
To quickly get you up to speed with Apple’s activities, here’s everything the big tech company announced this week.
Along with that same price is double the starting storage, now 256GB, and MagSafe technology. Magnetic wireless charging wasn’t included with the 16e, so it’s a welcome addition that makes the 17e compatible with more accessories, while increasing wireless charging speeds.
If you want the 512GB model, though, it costs an extra $400, which is a pretty big gulf. Elsewhere, the phone is largely the same, beyond faster internals. It looks similar to the 16e and still only has a single rear camera. Apple refers to this as a ‘Fusion Camera’, along with claims of 2x ‘optical-quality’ zoom. But it’s still one camera, albeit one that takes advantage of software and post-processing smarts.
Low-cost MacBook Neo is cheaper than an iPhone
Image: Apple.
Even cheaper than the iPhone 17e is the MacBook Neo, Apple’s brand-new $899 laptop. Running on the A18 Pro chip found in the iPhone 16 Pro range, the 13-inch Neo also keeps costs down by sticking with 8GB of RAM and slower USB-C ports than other MacBooks.
It’s quite flashy compared to the sleek, muted tones of most Apple devices, with Blush and Citrus among the brighter colours. Apple clearly intends to take the fight to Chromebooks and cheaper Windows laptops, claiming the MacBook Neo outperforms similar PCs running on Intel’s Core Ultra 5 chipset.
But for those wanting faster performance from a tablet, without shelling out for an iPad Pro, there are some nice gains to be had. 2026’s iPad Air comes with 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB, which also benefits from faster memory bandwidth.
Improved networking and modem chips also mean better wireless connectivity, including Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support. The latest iPad Air’s cellular modem is also more energy-efficient, so those relying on mobile data should get more battery life than previous tablets.
MacBook Air also gets more storage, but a $100 increase
Image: Apple.
Like the iPhone 17e, the new MacBook Air — now with the M5 chipset — starts with double the onboard storage. 512GB is the default storage option, up from previous models’ 256GB. However, the starting price has also increased, now sitting at $1,799, up from $1,699.
Like many of Apple’s announcements this week, the new MacBook Air is functionally identical to its predecessors. Improvement largely stems from the faster chip and upgraded internals.
With an eye on the current AI boom, Apple claimed the M5 MacBook Air runs local AI models up to four times faster than last year’s M4 model. Like the iPad Air, the MacBook Air also benefits from Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 connectivity, resulting from the included N1 networking chip.
Apple debuts Mini LED, HDR-compatible Studio Display XDR
Image: Apple.
Several years after Apple’s last update to its Studio Display range of 27-inch professional monitors, there are now two distinct models to choose from. One is the standard Studio Display, costing $2,599, which now supports faster Thunderbolt 4 connectivity and a better speaker system, among other tweaks.
But the main addition is the new Studio Display XDR, a $5,499 premium screen that uses brighter Mini LED technology and supports HDR content. Suitability for professional creatives is Apple’s biggest selling point, with the Studio Display XDR covering more colour ranges, including the print and photography-based Adobe RGB, and more than 80 per cent of the Rec. 2020 range used in HDR filmmaking.
M5 Pro and M5 Max chips boost performance further
Image: Apple.
On the internal side of things, Apple announced the M5 Pro and M5 Max, its latest high-end Mac chipsets. As part of the announcement, Apple claimed the chips wield “the world’s fastest” CPU cores, which is quite the statement.
For end users, the main benefits are Thunderbolt 5 support, up to 30 per cent faster CPU performance, and 35 per cent better ray tracing performance from the GPU compared to the corresponding M4 chips.
A lot of those gains are because of Apple’s new “Fusion Architecture”, which connects two dies to one system-on-a-chip. Theoretically, it reduces latency and increases bandwidth across the chip, equating to better computing performance.
MacBook Pro is faster than ever, also pricier than ever
Image: Apple.
The first beneficiaries of Apple’s latest chips are the new MacBook Pro laptops. Unsurprisingly, they’re stated to be faster than ever, improving on the laptop range geared towards power users, like 3D modellers, VFX artists, and data scientists working with large models.
But, in one of the first signs that Apple is feeling the pinch of the global memory shortage, the MacBook Pros are noticeably more expensive than last year’s models. For the M5 Pro model, the starting price is $3,499, which is $200 pricier than the M4 Pro equivalent. It’s an even higher leap for the M5 Max; $5,799 is the starting price, a sizable $800 increase, equal to roughly 16 per cent.
