Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Learn more.
Fast Charge: Nothing Phone (1) brings the fun back to smartphones
In This Article
The internet has been ablaze this week with the long awaited reveal of the Nothing Phone (1), but this journalist believes the handset’s secret weapon is something that’s been missing from smartphones for a long time.
Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee recently uploaded the first proper hands-on video for theNothing Phone (1). While the performance of the phone itself (as well as the cameras, exclusive overlays, etc.) are still under embargo, the video was able to show off the unique LED system that makes up a huge part of the phone’s rear-facing design.
The design itself is certainly eye-catching, and while my colleague Peter Phelpsisn’t a huge fan of the lookthat Nothing has gone for, I find myself transported back to a time when all I wanted was a translucent Game Boy Pocket. There’s just something about a see-through back that I absolutely love, and to combine that with the almost space age-style panelling within the phone just feels like a winner in my book.
Still, as much as I enjoy the new design, it isn’t here that the phone’s playfulness can be found – that merit is entirely within the phone’s lighting system. On the back there are several LED strips that can perform different functions depending on the task at hand.
For example, the ‘Glyph Interface’ (as it’s labelled by Nothing) can put on a little light show that works in tandem with several ringtones. Of course, most people have moved away from ringtones since the days Nokia’s ear-piercing jingle, but it’s still a neat feature to have if you want to use it.
The Glyphs can also illuminate to let you know when a notification has popped up, so you don’t have to constantly check your phone to see what’s new. For me however, the coolest feature is the LED progress bar that appears near the bottom of the phone whenever it’s charging.
The comparison might sound rather niche, but the progress bar reminds me so much of the visual health indicators in games like Dead Space and Ghostbusters – plus it’s just a more visually arresting than a simple on-screen percentage.
The whole thing just feels a lot more refreshing than anything that a lot of modern smartphones have been able to dish out in the last couple of years. YouTuber Mr Mobile has an entire series under the banner of ‘When Phones Were Fun’ and it’s an easy bit of nostalgia to connect with.
Those days when a phone’s design was just as much of a selling point are long gone, with most smartphones these days only being recognisable by the massive camera bump on the back. By reaching directly into a bygone era and pulling out some much needed inspiration, the Nothing Phone (1) has easily become one the most exciting phones of 2022.
You might like…
After graduating with an MA in History from University College London and cutting his teeth for several years as a journalist in the film and TV industries, Tom joined the Trusted Reviews team as a Co…
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
