Nothing has officially presented the Ear (stick) — the third product of Carl Pei’s company and they are the earphones that join the first Ear (1) launched by the startup a few years ago. The Nothing Ear (stick) has been designed with two things in mind — sound quality and aesthetics.
These earphones are called to be one of the most recognizable for their charging box. The aesthetic line of the company is maintained with white, red and transparent elements, with some metallic touch.
Main Specifications of Nothing Ear (stick)
- The size of the main body is 29.88 x 18.8 x 18.4 mm, and the weight is 4.4 g on one side.
- Maximum playback time is 7 hours, and talk time is 3 hours. Up to 29 hours of playback is possible when using a case, and up to 12 hours of talk time. Nine hours of music playback is possible with 10 minutes of charging.
- IP54 waterproof and dustproof.
Nothing Ear (stick) weighs 4.4g, making it very lightweight and comfortable to wear all day. The low range that tends to be lost compared to the in-ear type is corrected by software by making it a half-in-ear design. It emits a sound when worn, detects how much bass is being lost, and automatically adjusts for optimal sound quality.
It uses 12.6mm drivers designed in-house. High-quality magnets are used inside. The diaphragm is designed with an emphasis on sound quality. The driver also includes a unique coating that improves sound and prevents distortion, extending the unit’s life.
The hardware has also been improved based on feedback from Nothing Ear (1). In the previous model, the bluetooth antenna was at the bottom and inside the main unit, making it disconnected sometimes. Therefore, in the Ear (stick), Nothing increased the communication sensitivity by placing the antenna slightly above the outer part.
In addition, the battery life was improved from Ear (1) to 7 hours with the earphone alone and 29 hours with the case. The charging case is a stick-shaped design inspired by the design of cosmetics. It has a compact design that can be held in one hand. The opening and closing of the case is a sliding type, and it is devised so that the earphone can be taken out and put on while holding the case with one hand.
Nothing co-founder and head of marketing Akis Ivanjeridis said, “With conventional cases, the lid may open when dropped, but this time it opens with a slide type, so if you drop it, the earphones won’t pop out.” Making it not only good-looking but also adding functionality.
There is no pairing/reset button — slide the case open to enter pairing mode. Therefore, the only hardware provided on the case is the USB Type-C terminal for charging.
The dedicated app will also be renewed from Ear (1) to Nothing X. This app will support both Ear (1) and Ear (stick), and the interface has been revamped to make it easier to use. The app will be available for both Android and iOS.
The Nothing Ear (stick) will retail for $99, and sales will begin on October 28 through a limited release. The product will be on general sale from November 4.
