Latest news with #DeanBlake
Man of Many
2 days ago
- Man of Many
Everything We Know About the ‘iPhone 17 Air'
By Dean Blake - News Published: 22 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 4 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. As we enter the second half the calendar year, it's time to turn our attention to all the fun stuff our friends at Apple have been cooking up for us: and while it's no secret there's an iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max are coming soon, there's something special on the way. For the first time, Apple is bringing it's Air moniker to the iPhone, and is set to deliver a surprisingly thin entrant to the iPhone lineup this September: the iPhone 17 Air. Beyond the name—which finally fits the iPhone into the same naming convention as the iPad and MacBook product lines—we do have quite a bit of unofficial information leaked from journalists and the production line to look at. Obviously, until we have official confirmation from Apple everything in this article should be taken with a grain of salt. But if you're keen to get the scoop on what will likely be the most existing iPhone launch in recent years, read on. A dummy iPhone 17 Air | Image: AppleInsider What will the 'iPhone 17 Air' Look Like? When you imagine what an iPhone Air would look like, you're probably not far off from what Apple has in mind. The key feature of the rumoured phone will be its overall thinness and weight: Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has noted he believes, based on his sources, that the Air will shave around 2mm from the current iPhone 16 Pro, which would put it at around 6mm thick. However, other estimates put it as thin as 5.5mm and as light as 145 grams (for reference, the current iPhone 16 clocks in at 170 grams), but ultimately we won't know the proper measurements until Apple itself shows the phone off this September. We're also not entirely clear on the overall size of the display, though the common ground between each rumour is that the Air will land somewhere around the size of the iPhone 16 Plus (6.7' display)—that is, with a display measuring somewhere between 6.55' and 6.65'. That puts the phone between the 16 Pro (6.3' display) and 16 Pro Max (6.9' display), but quite a bit bigger than the base iPhone 16 (6.1'). The design of the phone isn't necessarily going to radically differ from what we've seen from Apple (or it's competition, actually), though one big difference leakers point at is the fact the iPhone 17 Air will probably only feature a single 48 megapixel fusion camera similar to the one used in 2025's iPhone 16e. This would mean a less cluttered camera bump, but also means videophiles are likely looking at sticking to the Pro and Pro Max models for another year. A full-scale render of the upcoming iPhone 17 Air | Source: Render by @asherdipps What are the likely specs of the 'iPhone 17 Air'? While the iPhone 17 will act as the base model of the new line-up, the 17 Air is actually very likely to share a lot of the technical DNA, with a few caveats here and there to account for the slimmer build. The biggest one, of course, being the battery size. Rumours all point to the new device having a sub-3,000mAh battery—considerably less than even the budget-focused iPhone 16e's 4,005mAh—which will struggle to maintain battery life for an entire day. Hardware and software optimisations could go a long way in mitigating the relatively small battery size, as well as a very likely iPhone 17 Air-compatible battery case, which will give users back some battery charge in exchange for adding bulk to what is supposed to be a thin device. Here's the rumoured tech specs of the iPhone 17 Air: Rumoured iPhone 17 Air Specs Price USD$899 / AUD$1,599 Display – 6.6' OLED Retina Display – 120Hz ProMotion – 1260 x 2736 resolution Operating System iOS 26 Internals – Processor: A19 – RAM: 8GB – 12GB – Storage: ??? Networking – 5G – Wi-Fi 7 – Bluetooth 5.3 – NFC Capable Camera 48-megapixel wide-lens fusion camera 24-megapixel front-facing camera Battery 2,800mAh – 3,000mAh Other Features – Single USB 2.0 Type-C port – Face ID – Action Button – Apple Intelligence – Rumours suggest the phone may be too thin to house a SIM tray Scroll horizontally to view full table When is the 'iPhone 17 Air' Releasing? Given Apple's propensity to launch its phones in September, it's very likely the iPhone 17 Air will launch alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, in mid September. The 16 series were launched on Friday, September 20, meaning the new line-up is likely to land on shelves on Friday, 19 September, or 26 September, 2025.
Man of Many
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Man of Many
Man of Many's Staff Favourites—19 July, 2025
By Dean Blake - News Published: 19 Jul 2025 |Last Updated: 17 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 5 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. The week is over, July is halfway done, and wouldn't you know it—it's time for another round of our Staff Favourites! Each week, we try to show off some things that have brought us some joy in the hopes it'll help you find your own, and this week we're showcasing some delicious Tasmanian whiskey, a pint-sized collectable car, an ape wearing a tie, and some custom Adidas. Hot Wheels 1990 Acura NSX Brick Set | Image: Mattel Hot Wheels 1990 Acura NSX Brick Set John Guanzon – Head of Creative & Production When we posted about the news of Mattel dropping collector-focused brick sets on Man of Many's Instagram, the response was huge, so I took it as my sign to grab a set for myself. I told myself it was for the kids over the school holidays, but let's be real: I'll be the one building it while they watch (and honestly, I'm not mad about it). The build quality is surprisingly impressive. This one features 876 pieces and pays tribute to the iconic '90s ride with incredible attention to detail, from its scissor doors to the classic wedge profile. It's part of Mattel's new Brick Shop range, which also includes the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and 1963 Corvette Grand Sport. All three are loaded with authentic touches and feel way more premium than you'd expect from a brick set. It's definitely got that collector energy, and now I'm tempted to grab the others and complete the set (or quietly drop hints between now and Father's Day wink). Favourite Article this Week: Our First Look at Link and Zelda in 2027's 'Legend of Zelda' Movie Donkey Kong Bonanza | Image: Nintendo Donkey Kong Goes Bananza Dean Blake – Entertainment & Tech Writer Donkey Kong has finally been let out of his cage, and he's literally tearing the scenery apart. In DK's big return to a starring role, he's diving deep into the bowels of the planet in Bananza, the first major single-player system-seller for Nintendo's new Switch 2 console. I got a chance to play a few hours of the game recently, and it was fantastic. DK feels great in the hands (which is no surprise if you've played this studio's prior game, Super Mario Odyssey), and has a number of new abilities in store: he can break the world apart around him, for one, but also climb most surfaces and, when the mood strikes just right, turn into an ostrich. No, I'm not kidding. He can also turn into a zebra and an even bigger ape with bananas in his hair, which is strange but you know, who cares? Doing so gives the big man access to some new abilities, like gliding, sprinting, and bashing things even harder. Oh, and he does it all with a human child on his shoulder. Confused yet? Well, that's just the beginning of where things get whacky with this one, but I don't think I want to spoil much else. Really, if you've already picked up a Switch 2 for Mario Kart you'd be doing yourself a disservice not to check out Bananza—and if you've been on the fence, this is a pretty damn good reason to make the jump to Nintendo's new system. Favourite Article this Week: Does the Nothing Phone (3) Justify its AUD$1,509 Price? Image: Scott Purcell / Man of Many Kicking It with the Three Stripes: Our Night with the adidas Superstar Scott Purcell – Co-Founder This week, Harry and I had the opportunity to head out to the adidas flagship store on Pitt St in Sydney to celebrate the return of a true icon: the adidas Superstar. The new 'Superstar: The Original' campaign is bringing back the legendary sneaker in two classic colourways, alongside the equally iconic Firebird Tracksuit. The global campaign features a star-studded cast including the likes of Missy Elliott, Jennie from BLACKPINK, and is narrated by the one and only Samuel L. Jackson. The event was a super fun getting to customise our own sneakers, and they even offered to embroider the back of our new jackets ahead of the night. In a moment of questionable genius, I opted for 'Man of Many' on mine, which made for some interesting conversations. Others were more clever, with one person getting 'It wasn't me' stitched on the back. While I'm not sure my attempt with a metallic scourer was a complete success as you can see in the photo, I can confirm these shoes are ridiculously comfortable. I've been wearing them all week since and this was my first proper foray into the world of adidas Superstars footwear. I think it's safe to say I'm a convert. Favourite Video this Week: DITL with the Dyson OnTrac Rosevears Tasmanian Three Grain Whiskey | Image: Rosevears Rosevears Tasmanian Three Grain Whiskey Alex Martinez – Media Sales & Brand Partnerships Tasmania's first crack at a bourbon-style whiskey is an ambitious and largely successful effort. Rosevears Batch 1 delivers a bold, grain-forward profile that proudly wears its local ingredients on its sleeve. The nose is rich with sweet corn and toasted cereal, backed by a punch of rye spice and oak. On the palate, it leans into classic bourbon notes – vanilla, caramel, and a touch of char. While it doesn't quite rival the depth of some seasoned Kentucky counterparts, Rosevears impresses with its authenticity and craftsmanship. As a debut, it sets a promising foundation for what's to come from this Tasmanian distillery. One for the curious bourbon enthusiast looking to explore Australian innovation – and why wouldn't you be? Favourite Article this Week: Ninja SLUSHi: The Uber-Cool Drink Maker You Need Right Now
Man of Many
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Man of Many
Feel-Good Friday: 18 July, 2025—Dim Sims, Speedruns, and Hottest 100 Parties
By Dean Blake - News Published: 18 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 3 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. It's the end of the week, and you know what that means: another instalment of Man of Many's Feel-Good Friday! Every week we look to bring some fun ideas for things you can do this weekend, as well as some easy opportunities for you to do some good in the world. This week, we're showing off some cheap meals, and an upcoming celebration of triple j's 2025 Hottest 100, as well as a chance for all the gamers out there to do some more good for cancer research. Without further ado, here's this week's Feel-Good Friday. Dimmies & Tinnies | Image: Supplied Dimmies & Tinnies Pop-Up at The Norfolk with $3 Dim Sims, $7 Tinnies If you're keen for a cheap feed this weekend, head on down to The Norfolk Hotel in Redfern for a delicious treat this Saturday, 19 July: A Dimmies & Tinnies pop-up, offering $3 dim sims, $7 Reschs Pilsners, and good vibes. The dimmies come in two flavours—a spicy pork with red chilli and cabbage, and chicken with sweetcorn and a bit of kombu. Walk-ins are welcome, but you can also book your spot if you don't want to miss out. Dimmes & Tinnies is an odd offering, having been born out of the combination of TV personality Andy Lee, NYC-based hospitality duo Eddy Buckingham and Paul Donnelly, and ceramist Sam Gordon, with the chief goal of making dim sims even more fun. How do they achieve that? Well, add tinnies. While D&Ts will be at The Norfolk Hotel this Saturday, 19th from 12pm, this is actually the first stop on an east-coast tour of Australia. Where'll it be headed next? Keep an eye on the Dimmies & Tinnies Instagram for updates. Taphouse, Darlinghurst | Image: Supplied Taphouse Serving 'Hottest 100' Deliciousness With triple j celebrating 50 years on the air in 2025, this year's Hottest 100 is sure to be a big one: and Darlinghurst's Taphouse is preparing to deliver its own celebration. Next Saturday, 26 July, Taphouse will be playing the beloved music countdown throughout the venue, while offering patrons $14 Aperol Spritzes paired with a succulent Chinese meal. For those of us with a taste for beer, schooners of Mountain Culture's award winning Status Quo will be $10 — with $1 of every beer donated to youth mental health foundation Headspace. The Hottest 100 is a staple in Australia's music culture, so if you're not celebrating the countdown with a backyard barbecue, check out Taphouse. 'Mario Kart World' | Image: Nintendo Australian Speedrun Marathon is Running Now! If you're looking for something to do indoors this weekend, but still want to do some good, consider checking out the Australian Speedrun Marathon—an annual video-game speed-running event which raises money for cancer research live on Twitch. It'll be running until Sunday 20th, so you've got plenty of time to tune in. 'We are absolutely delighted to be working with the AusSpeedruns team, once again, for another Australian Speedrun Marathon,' said Alexandra Lynne, Gaming Campaign and Content Manager at Cure Cancer. 'Last year at ASM2024 the incredible AusSpeedruns community raised more than $30,000, and to date the team have raised more than $100,000 to support life-saving cancer research across a number of different events.' This year the event will feature a bunch of fantastic games to watch, from Pokemon Heart Gold, Mario Kart 64, Donkey Kong Country, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and The Simpsons: Ht & Run. Viewers can head to the AusSpeedruns Twitch channel to watch the event, and/or can donate to the cause via Tiltify.
Man of Many
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Man of Many
Feel-Good Friday: SydneyMusic, Mental Health, and Magic Mushrooms
By Dean Blake - News Published: 11 Jul 2025 |Last Updated: 10 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 4 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Welcome to this week's Feel-Good Friday! Each week, we share a bunch of exciting and interesting stuff in the hopes that you can find something fun to do, or a new deal to get in on. But this week's a bit different. Instead, we're celebrating the revival of a Sydney institution, amplifying the efforts of the good people at Beyond Blue, as well as sharing some fun news about your favourite fungi. No, not shitake. SydneyMusic | Image: SydneyMusic SydneyMusic Saved From Closure The local music scene in Australia needs as much support as it can get, and this week we've seen a miracle. SydneyMusic—self proclaimed 'no-nonsense gig guide' that largely acts as a directory as to what acts are playing in Sydney each week—has been saved from the imminent closure by the legends at RØDE Microphones and Heaps Normal. The site was expected to close in June, but when it announced the closure would be happening it was inundated with one-off and recurring donations from its users. That secured the site another month or so of operations, but the end was still coming. Now, RØDE have pledged to fund a portion of the site's monthly budget for the next two years, and will act as a core sponsor for 'next era of SydneyMusic'. Plus, non-alc beer brand Heaps Normal—known for its support of the Aussie music scene—have also offered a 'significant contribution' to boost the team's resources and help them get the site up and running smoothly. Honestly, we love this. SydneyMusic is exactly the kind of local project Man of Many loves, and to see it given new life is awesome. 'We're so bloody excited by the thoughtfulness and energy we've heard from people wanting to solve the many challenges facing live music in Sydney,' said creator and co-founder Joe Hardy. 'Sydney's most comprehensive gig guide is back and firing on all cylinders.' Beyond Blue's #BeyondTheScreen | Image: Beyond Blue Beyond Blue Taps Gamers For 'Beyond The Sceen' Mental Health organisation Beyond Blue is preparing to launch its annual Beyond The Screen initiative, a national fundraising campaign working with Australia's gaming community to raise vital funds and awareness for mental health services. The campaign encourages participants to take on an individual challenge that somehow reflects their own personal wellness journey. It might be co-op gaming with your friends, finally starting that YouTube channel you've thought about for ages, or even just committing to daily walks. The goal is, of course, to raise money – but you can also win rewards from brands such as Logitech, RØDE (they're everywhere), Bandai Namco, Fujifilm, and more. Plus, every $66 raised gives individuals an entry into the big prize: a custom gaming PC, built by Sidekick PC. If you're interested in donating, or participating, the Beyond The Screen campaign will be running until July 31. Psilocybin | Image: Wikipedia Commons Magic Mushrooms are Even Better For You Then We Thought Speaking of mental health treatments, recent years have seen the humble psilocybin—or magic mushroom—pinpointed as particularly helpful in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety. It turns out, though, that the mushroom may also be good at slowing down the way our cells degrade with age. According to the authors of a new study, human fetal lung cells were given a dose of psilocin (the stuff magic mushrooms metabolise into in our guts) to test if it'd slow down the aging process, and the lung tissue's lifespan increased by as much as 57 per cent. When the experiment was repeated with adult tissue, it saw a 51 per cent extension. This is thought to be because of psilocybin's impact on telomeres, the bits at the end of each of our chromosomes that typically get shorter and shorter with age. Essentially, the presence of psilocin seems to correlate with healthier telomeres, and even it'll make a difference even when the telomeres have already started aging. While there's still a lot for scientists to hash out as far as how safe the treatment is for humans (so far its only been tested on mice), the idea that we might be a one-step closer to slowing down the most harmful effects of aging is a pretty exciting thing.
Man of Many
10-07-2025
- Man of Many
Does the Nothing Phone (3) Justify its AUD$1,509 Price?
By Dean Blake - Review Published: 10 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 11 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. I don't think anyone expected the first 'flagship' phone launched by UK's Nothing to be quite as controversial as it has been, but then again, people have always been hot or cold on the brand's design-led thinking. With the Nothing Phone (3), however, it's less about the look—although that certainly still plays a part in the conversation—and more about what you're getting for the hefty AUD$1,509 price tag. For what it's worth, the phone itself is perfectly fine. If what you're after is a solid daily driver that'll take nice photos, with a nice screen, and a bold design, it'll serve that role admirably. But so will the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, which is almost half the price and seems to only be missing the more gimmicky parts of the Phone (3)'s repertoire. To it's credit, the Phone (3) does have a beautiful 6.67'' screen, and does feel high-end in the hand. It's weighty enough to play the premium part, and the camera system is solid, with four 50MP cameras powering it. The custom-built Nothing OS is a lightweight, minimal variant of Android that doesn't lose any of the major functionality of its base OS, but simply cuts away the bloat and delivers a very solid experience. The phone is snappy, fast, and, honestly, a pleasure to use. But in 2025, and for AUD$1,509, is that really enough? Nothing Phone (3) | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many Comparing the Competition Nothing Phone (3) iPhone 16 Google Pixel 9 Samsung Galaxy S25 Price From AUD$1,509 From AUD$1,399 From AUD$1,349 From AUD$1,399 Display – 6.67' OLED Display – 2800 x 1260 resolution – 120Hz Max Refresh Rate – Corning Gorilla Glass 7i – 6.1' Super Retina OLED Display – 2556 x 1179 resolution – 60Hz Max Refresh Rate – Ceramic Shield Glass – 6.3' Actua OLED Display – 2424 x 1080 resolution – 120Hz Max Refresh Rate – Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 – 6.2' Dynamic LTPO AMOLED Display – 2340 x 1080 resolution – 120Hz Max Refresh Rate – Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Operating System Nothing OS 3.5 Android 15 iOS 18 Android 14 One UI 7 Android 15 Internals – Processor: Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 – RAM: 12GB, 16GB – Storage: 256GB, 512GB – Processor: A18 – RAM: 8GB – Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB – Processor: Tensor G4 – RAM: 12GB – Storage: 128GB, 256GB – Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite – RAM: 12 GB – Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB Networking – 5G – Wi-Fi 7 – Bluetooth 6.0 – NFC Capable – 5G – Wi-Fi 7 – Bluetooth 5.3 – NFC Capable – 5G – Wi-Fi 7 – Bluetooth 5.3 – NFC Capable – 5G – Wi-Fi 7 – Bluetooth 5.4 – NFC Capable Camera Front: 50MP Rear: 50MP (wide), 50MP (ultrawide), 50MP (periscope telephoto) Can record up to 4K@60fps Front: 12MP Rear: 48MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide) Can record up to 4K@60fps Can record slow motion 1080@240fps Front: 10.5MP Rear: 50MP (wide), 48MP (ultrawide) Can record up to 4K@60fps Can record slow motion 1080@240fps Front: 12MP Rear: 50MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide), 10MP (telephoto) Can record up to 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps Can record slow motion 1080p@240fps Battery 5,150mAh 3,500mAh 4,700mAh 4,000mAh Other features – Single USB 2.0 Type-C port – Fingerprint reader – Wireless Charging Compatible – IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) – Essential Space – Single USB 2.0 Type-C port – Face ID – Qi2 Wireless Charging Compatible – IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 mins) – Apple Intelligence – Single USB 3.2 Type-C port – Fingerprint reader – Qi Wireless Charging Compatible – IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) – Google Gemini – Single USB 3.2 Type-C port – Fingerprint reader – Qi2 Wireless Changing Compatible – IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) – Samsung DeX – Galaxy AI Scroll horizontally to view full table Why Trust Us Here at Man of Many, we use a wide variety of technology. We're not fans of any one brand, like to get our hands on the latest-and-greatest tech before we call it the next-best-thing, and we've built up extensive experience in reviewing tech as a publication over the past 10 years. The author of this article, Dean Blake, is Man of Many's technology journalist, and has followed the industry for years. He's reviewed a fair bit of the competition, and was provided the product by Nothing for the purposes of this review. No money exchanged hands, and all opinions expressed are those of the author and haven't been seen by Nothing ahead of time. For more information on our independence, testing and review guidelines, you can read our full editorial policies here. Price to Performance Nothing has often touted itself as a brand doing tech differently, and has focused more on the mid-to-low range of devices in order to ease the barrier of entry. It's been a company that focuses more on delivering new ideas to a loyal customer base, and has done so without breaking their banks in the process. That has changed with the Nothing Phone (3). Yes, Nothing is still definitely doing some things differently (design, mostly), but it has well and truly decided that it is time to enter the specs race with a fully-functional flagship phone, and has priced it accordingly. The only issue is that the insides of this thing aren't really flagship parts, and the phone doesn't quite stand up to competition in its price bracket. The Nothing Phone (2) with it's new brother, the Nothing Phone (3) | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many We're comparing the Phone (3) to the Apple iPhone 16, the Google Pixel 9, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 —all fantastic phones in their own right, and all delivering incredibly solid performance for the higher, flagship cost. With the Phone (3), though, everything is just a bit behind its competition, and yet it starts at a higher price. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor is enough for most people, don't get me wrong—but so are the processors it the iPhone 16e, the Pixel 9a, and the Samsung Galaxy A56, and all of those phones are quite a bit cheaper than the Nothing Phone (3), and if I bashed the iPhone 16e for being overpriced I think it's only fair to do so here as well. Hell, if all you need is a phone that gets the job done, Nothing's own Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro are some the best entry-level and mid-range phones on the market and costs way, way less than the Phone (3), and share the same operating system and much of the software. Nothing Phone (3) | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many The new phone does add a new and so-far exclusive features over the previous phones running Nothing OS, though: Essential Search, a universal search function that can help navigate your phone or tap into AI to answer questions; and Flip to Record, a feature that allows you to start an audio recording from the back of a face down phone. It also has access to Essential Space, Nothing's in-house AI-powered quasi-scrapbooking feature that serves to act as your 'second brain', and has the essential button on the side of the phone to prove it. Now, I tested the new Essential Search, and even logging into the phone with an Australian Google account, and giving the phone permission to track my location which could correctly ping me as being in Sydney, when I asked Essential Search about the weather, it gave me responses generated specifically for the United States: several times, in fact. When I specified that I lived in Sydney, it didn't give me a nice, AI-powered write up about my local weather as it had when it assumed that I had lived in the US, but showed me a widget of my weather app instead. 'Look it up yourself', the phone said. This is exactly the kind of half-baked AI implementation I've come to expect from most tech companies at this point, and it's disappointing to see it come from a brand that constantly talks about how deliberate it's being with the implementation of AI to ensure interactions are 'simpler, smarter, and more human', and which is designed not in Silicon Valley, but in the UK. I wonder if British users are given simpler, smarter, and more human interactions than us Down Under. The polarising design of the Nothing Phone (3) | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many Enter the Matrix Okay, let's get back on track. The first major thing you'll notice about the Phone (3) is the design. That's always been Nothing's goal, and in this case, I'd say the design team there has had mixed success. Yes—it doesn't look like any other phone on the market, but it's also pretty damn ugly. That's a subjective stance, and I'm sure there are people out there that look at this thing and think it's a work of abstract art, but for me the way the cameras, flash, and new glyph matrix are positioned make me feel strangely uneasy. I can see the grid-based design at play, but I still don't particularly like it. As people, we tend to gravitate toward simplistic design a lot of the time—even maximalists are still seeking to create some level of balance between the abundance—but here, it feels like things are off. I think that largely has to do with the placement of the three rear-facing cameras, which are placed in an off-centre triad, and which extend out of the phone in varying heights. I've wanted phones to ditch the camera bump ever since they became a staple in flagship design, but not like this. Nothing Phone (3) | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many Beyond the design, though, let's talk about that glyph matrix. It's about the size of a AUD$2 coin (if that means anything to you), and holds hundreds of micro-LEDs that, with the right software, can do some interesting stuff. Like, allow you to play spin the bottle, or, if you and another friend both have a Nothing Phone (3) you can use it to play rock, paper, scissors. Or you can use it to check your phone's battery while it's face down, or set a timer, or check the time. Or you can set it up to a custom display to come up when a certain person attempts to contact you How do you control it? Well, there's a little button about half way down the back of the device that essentially only registers if you're touching it—a short press which turn the matrix on or switch to the next game, whereas a long press will activate whatever function you're currently using: spinning the bottle, for example. The use cases are pretty narrow right now, but it's more than I can do with the back of an iPhone, and the fact that Nothing has such a close and open relationship with a pretty dedicated community of makers and programmers means that, given some time, we'll see a bunch of new ideas sprout from the brand's fanbase. Nothing Phone (3) | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many While the ability to generate new ideas from your community is nice, and bolsters the future of Nothing Phone (3) updates with some additional and totally-optional user-generated content, I do kind of lament the loss of the more 'traditional' glyph interface. I never thought it was particularly useful, and honestly turned it off during my time testing the Nothing Phone (2) and the Phone (3a), but it was so entrenched in Nothing's design language that not having it feels like the new phone lost something in the upgrade. Community response has been considerably mixed as well: while the launch of any new phone these days invariably brings haters to the gate, Nothing's own community forums are filled with people wondering just what the hell they're paying for with the Phone (3)—the Glyph Matrix is a fun feature, for sure, but it's largely a gimmick that can't justify what many are seeing as an unjustifiable price increase over prior Nothing models. Man of Many's Verdict on the Nothing Phone (3) After reading back the past 1000-odd words, I realise I've come off pretty negatively on the Phone (3), but I do view this as more of an average product rather than a bad one. Nothing's main goal is to provide tech enthusiasts with something a bit more fun—more like a toy—to bring some level of joy back into the world. It's honestly not unlike the general strategy of Nintendo, and the way it When that experience doesn't cost an arm and a leg, and I think Nothing totally delivers: it's just the asking price here doesn't match the output, unless you absolutely adore the idea of playing scissors, paper, rock with your phone while waiting for the bus or something. I think if it were priced a bit more aggressively, the Nothing Phone (3) would be a fantastic challenger phone to the iPhones, Pixels and Galaxys of the world in the same was the Nothing Phone (2) was. But that's not what it is today.
