This Week at Mark Ellis Reviews

👋 Hello all, and a special welcome to any new subscribers! I’ve been quite literally all over the place this week, travelling to various countries for various launch events. You might have seen my Nothing Headphone (1) review, which was one reason for my travels, but if not, it’s definitely worth checking out. I seem to have a different opinion from most other reviewers. I’ve also been reflecting on four months with the iPhone 16e, which is, against all odds, quickly climbing the ranks of my favourite ever iPhones. Am I going mad?!

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Four months with the iPhone 16e

I think - well, I hope - that I’ve finally managed to convince (or frighten off) those who didn’t believe I’d switched to the iPhone 16e from the iPhone 16 Pro Max that I did actually do that. I’m not sure why it took four months to do so, but, well - welcome to the internet.

This got me thinking. Now that the iPhone 16e is firmly a part of my life, do I enjoy using it? Or is it just a tool that I have no choice but to put up with because I made such a big deal of switching to it from its big brother earlier this year?

More interestingly, what does the iPhone 16e mean to Apple? I’ve heard unconfirmed reports that it is selling very well indeed, but with the Apple intelligence fall-out continuing, is a lacklustre mid-range telephone really capable of putting a smile on Tim Cook’s face? There’s a lot to ponder.

To get to the bottom of this, I decided to use some spare time I had this week in a random European city to waffle my way through the thought process. This, obviously, wasn’t conducted as a monologue in my head - it was spoken to camera while walking around said city for this week’s Tech Diary video. I enjoyed the stroll and solitary chat, even if it was incredibly early and I was interrupted at one point by church bells. You might enjoy it, too - and it’s another opportunity to play ‘guess what city Mark’s in’. Go check it out and let me know what you think, please!

BYTE-SIZED NEWS

This Week’s Top Tech Headlines

🖥️ Leak Reveals Apple’s Entire Mac Release Schedule Through 2026
And there might be a surprising inclusion…

👾 Google Pixel Watch 4 Leak Reveals New Colours and Bands
More customisation is on the way with the new Pixel Watch.

HAVE YOUR SAY

This week, I’d love to hear your thoughts about the newsletter to ensure I’m making content that genuinely meets your preferences. Please be honest in your answer, and any further feedback is much appreciated!

As for last week, here are the results:

It’s quite clear that Apple’s AI blunders have had a lasting effect, but the thing people desire the most is some innovative hardware. And that makes sense. Apple’s big leaps have all come from blowing the competition out of the water with a revolutionary new device. This probably also explains why they’re struggling with AI (and iOS); Apple's main pedigree is hardware more than software.

As for VR, well…the Vision Pro dev team better hope interest picks up fast.

ICYMI

Nothing Headphone (1) Review: A Brave Move!

If you don’t like Nothing’s style by now, then you never will and these headphones will be an instant turn-off. But you have to admire a company that goes its own way with design. Yes, the Sony XM6 are a better pair of headphones, but they play it safe. Nothing is willing to risk it, and that’s ultimately a good thing for the industry. And no, I’ve not been paid to say these things, as the comment section on this video may have you believe!

NEED TO KNOW

Tip Of The Week

👉 iOS tip: No printer or scanner? No problem. On your iPhone, take a screenshot of the document and tap the preview. Tap the + icon in the corner, choose “Signature,” and sign with your finger or use a saved one. Hit “Done,” place and resize the signature, then save and send.

TOP FINDS

What I watched on YouTube this week

⚙ Richard Porter: Top Gear Script Writer Reveals What Was Real Vs Fake (Road to Success Podcast) - I have a feeling I’ve featured Richard Porter in this list before, but I don’t care; he’s a fascinating, funny guy, and the real voice behind Top Gear and The Grand Tour. No, really.

🎬 Can we talk about the MacBook Pro... [1 Take, No Cuts] (The Tech Chap) - Look, Tom’s doing one-takes now, too!

ELSEWHERE

Honor Magic V5 Preview!

I had the chance to check out the Honor Magic V5 recently at a secret behind-the-scenes event in London—and, trust me, this is not your average foldable.

It is RIDICULOUSLY thin. And even more surprisingly so when you see it in the flesh.

I can’t say much more than that at the moment and a full review is of course on the way, but here’s what you need to know in the meantime.

It is just 8.8mm folded and 4.1mm unfolded. In fact, it’s so thin, even the best autofocus struggles to keep it in focus—a content creator’s nightmare in the most impressive way possible.

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter. It’s a jam-packed week coming up with three videos, one of which is my review of the very exciting Nothing Phone (3). Stay tuned!

~ Mark