This Week at Mark Ellis Reviews

👋 Happy Friday! I’ve been on a much-needed holiday for the past week, but fear not, I made it back in time to cover the biggest news this week. If you haven’t seen, Google officially unveiled the Pixel 10 series, including a new foldable, new Pixel Buds and the Pixel Watch 4. I’ve summarised my initial impressions on the main channel for all of these devices and gone into some deeper iPhone vs Pixel thoughts on the Tech Diary. I also found the time to write about my 20-year relationship with Apple and what they need to do to keep my (and everyone else’s) attention.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Pixel 10: The iPhone Switch Moment?

This week, Google announced its latest smartphones, the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and 10 Pro Fold. I was lucky enough to grab some hands-on time with all of them a few weeks ago in Paris, and while I wasn’t allowed to tread beyond the login screens, I did get a glimpse at what might be an extremely tempting feature for iPhone users.

It’s called Pixelsnap and it is, basically, Google’s version of MagSafe. It’s even compatible with MagSafe accessories, thanks to the arrangement of magnets built into the rear casing of the new Pixel 10 devices. So, if you’ve got an iPhone and you’re thinking about switching to Android, Google may have removed one of the big reasons you didn’t think it was possible. Smart, eh?

Over the last few months, I’ve seen an increasing number of commenters on my YouTube channel mention that 2025 might be the year they finally switch from iOS to Android. I think they’ve just been waiting for the right phone, and there’s a chance the new Pixel 10 could be one of the strongest contenders so far.

I muse on this topic a bit more in this week’s Tech Diary video (which was shot in a super secret location most of you will probably guess immediately). Go have a watch and get involved!

SPONSORED

Viaim OpenNote Transcription And Translation Earbuds

I rely heavily on AI note-taking. Every meeting I have is recorded by some AI tool, so I can revisit what was said or help the team catch up on key details. That’s why I was genuinely intrigued to try viaim’s OpenNote earbuds. They feel like something from a Kickstarter a decade ago, but this time, these AI-powered transcription earbuds are real, surprisingly refined, and, most importantly, genuinely useful.

A long press on the stem instantly starts a recording, transcribing live in the app and tagging speakers automatically. It then summarises the conversation and pulls out a to-do list. All very clever. But they’re also great earbuds: comfy open-ear design, audio quality well above what you’d expect from transcription-first gear, and seamless for everyday use like watching videos or running. If you regularly juggle meetings or collaborative work, these are seriously worth a look. Use code MARKEILL10 for 10% off!

MARK’S MUSINGS

How Apple Caught My Attention…and Kept It for 20 Years

I felt some waves of nostalgia hit me this week. Not for any particular reason, but it made me want to type out these words for you. Have a read to find out how I first got hooked on Apple, stayed long enough to get totally entrenched in the ecosystem, and about the one (very large) problem they need to solve in order to stop me from straying away.

HAVE YOUR SAY

You’ve heard my thoughts on Google’s slew of new products, but I want to hear your first impressions about the Pixel 10 specifically. Tell me the new feature you’re most interested in from the Pixel 10 range…if there even is one!

ICYMI

Did Google just launch the Best phones of 2025? Pixel 10 Hands-On!

Google unveiled a lot of products this week, pretty much an entire refresh of their product line. It works quite well this way, as you get a real sense of the ecosystem they are trying to build. In this video, I’ll give you my early thoughts about each product, although at the event Google invited me to, I was only allowed very limited access. My full review is coming soon!

TIP OF THE WEEK

iOS Tip 👉 Normally, sharing a screenshot means opening it, tapping the Share icon, and picking a contact. But here’s a quicker iPhone trick: as soon as you take a screenshot, press and hold the little preview that pops up in the bottom-left corner, then just choose who you want to send it to.

TOP FINDS

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🏎️ I Bought a Ferrari before my 30's… (Andres Vidoza) - One of the tech review industry good guys and annoyingly talented. And young. And deserving of everything he works so hard for. Loved this.

🤐 This Record Label Is Trying To SILENCE Me (Rick Beato) - If you don’t know how insane the music industry is, please watch this.

🍗 Tom Holland and Gordon Ramsay Bond Over A Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich (Gordon Ramsay) - I had no idea Gordon was so active on YouTube. Or such a good interviewer.

ELSEWHERE

Samsung’s Impending Battery Problem

We’re back with another episode of Not PC with Mark and Rob, our fortnightly tech podcast! In this episode, we are joined by fellow YouTuber Ben from Lover Of Tech who discusses how he carved out his niche of making extreme battery tests and 8K YouTube videos alongside the latest news, including an Apple Samsung camera collab and the golden statue Apple recently gifted Donald Trump. Take a look and let us know what you thought!

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! If you entered the giveaway, make sure to check your inbox because winners have now been announced. Until next week,

~ Mark