In this week's episode, we take a closer look at the Microsoft Surface Laptop and whether it's worth buying in its current state. While it's one of the most aesthetically pleasing laptops on the market, with its wedge design and color options, it hasn't received a real update since the first generation. One of the biggest drawbacks is the thick bezels, which make it feel outdated compared to other laptops with thinner bezels. Additionally, the 15" model doesn't take advantage of the extra space with upgrades, and it lacks modern features found on the rest of the Surface lineup.

Despite its shortcomings, the Surface Laptop still has its fans who appreciate its design and the 3:2 display. However, with the release of the Surface Laptop Go, Microsoft's budget option with slimmer bezels and rounded corners, it's hard to justify paying more for the Surface Laptop 5.

As we discuss the pros and cons of the Surface Laptop, we also delve into the debate over form vs. function. Some people prefer larger bezels for easier touchscreen use, while others prefer thinner bezels for a sleeker look. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and what features and design elements are important to each individual.

In this episode, we delve into the upcoming release of the Nothing Phone (2), an exciting addition to the smartphone market. With a new dark grey color and a rounded back panel, this phone boasts a redesigned OS and updated features that make it a step up from its predecessor. The LED glyph interface has been updated with more lighting zones, allowing for more control over individual parts and greater functionality, including surface-level notifications. The software has also been given a significant overhaul, with a cleaner and more consistent design that centers around new widgets and app icons. The Phone (2) has also received a major upgrade in terms of performance, with a midrange Snapdragon chip and a larger, brighter display that can change its refresh rate depending on usage. The battery has been upgraded and optimized for efficiency, resulting in a 40% increase in battery life over the previous generation. Overall, the Phone (2) is a solid upgrade over the original and is set to hit U.S. markets for $600.

Whenever I see someone compare two pieces of tech, I tend to notice that the final verdict often depends on overall performance. As long as the device functions well and fits your needs, then it is considered the better product.

While that is definitely true, there are also companies that try to put a lot of focus on looks. I myself have had to make several decisions of what product to buy, and more often than I’d like to admit, I’ve often made my final decision based on a product’s look and feel.

I’ve been reflecting on this recently, and it’s led me to consider the argument of form vs. function, and from what I’ve seen and experienced, I truly believe that both play a significant role in tech design.

But more often than not, companies tend to put too much focus into one or the other.

Cloud computing has become a quickly growing field in recent years. But while a lot of it seems to be geared toward enterprises at the moment, Microsoft has other plans for the future. During the FTC v. Microsoft hearing, Microsoft revealed that one of its long term strategies is to bring Windows 11 "increasingly to the cloud." This was announced as part of their "Modern Life" consumer space, meaning that Microsoft not only wants to make cloud-based PCs a part of businesses, but they also want to bring this to consumers as well.

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🍭 short and sweet

* Sony XM5 renders were recently leaked

* Sony is adopting a new teardrop, two-texture design and angular case

* Comfort seems to be a major focus with decreased size, reduced weight, and angled nozzles

* Some details, such as foam eartips, look to remain unchanged

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A while back, I wrote about the Sony XM5 earbuds and some of the changes we were expected to get based on initial rumors:

Now that some time has passed, we finally got full renders of them, and it seems that Sony is going all-in to make them as comfortable as possible.

🍭 short and sweet

* Beats Studio Pros are rumored to release sometime in July

* There will be a slew of upgrades and new features, including much better sound quality, the addition of a transparency mode, and a custom chipset

* The overall design will be almost exactly the same, but they will include upgraded earpads and a metal (possibly free-sliding) adjustment system

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I’ve always seen Beats as more of a tech fashion company rather than just a tech company. All of their products have focused more on looks rather than performance.

If there’s one product that I felt exemplified this, it was the Studio 3, Beats’ “flagship” noise cancelling headphones. Their performance was terrible compared to the competition, they felt cheap, and they were not comfortable.

But hey, where else are you gonna find a set of noise-cancelling headphones that come in camo?

All that being said, they’ve stuck around for way too long and feel incredibly outdated compared to the competition. They’ve been with us since late 2017, and so far, we haven’t gotten any updates.

But recently, a whole slew of information about a brand new version, the Studio Pros, was leaked. Not only does it look like Beats will be shifting their focus towards performance this year, but they could be here as soon as this month!

🍭 the short and sweet

* Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 are coming out on July 27

* Fold 5 has no visual changes, but it may get a slight price drop

* Flip 5 will get a new, larger cover screen but keep the same price

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Even though folding phones were made to make smartphones feel innovative again, it feels like they’ve pretty quickly fallen in the trap of “boring” upgrades that normal smartphones fell into a long time ago.

While Samsung’s new folding phones, which will be coming out July 27, won’t exactly be game changers by any means, they’ll at least be taking meaningful steps toward making folding phones more mainstream.

🍭 the short and sweet

Flip phones have been slowly adopting bigger and bigger cover screens

While smaller cover screens can help reduce screen usage, bigger cover screens let users use the phone without opening it

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Even though the older Galaxy Z Flip had a really tiny and practically useless cover display, it had something going for it: The fact that it had to be unfolded before it could be used created a small barrier that could be just enough to keep people from using their phones unless necessary.

For the sake of digital health, this could actually be useful for a lot of users since many people nowadays tend to spend a bit too much time on their phones.

The Z Flip3 eventually increased the size of the cover screen to make it actually useful, but it did so in a way that still helped prevent impulsive usage since it was still too small to use actual apps.

But with the new Motorola RAZR+ and the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip5 adopting even bigger cover screens that let people use their apps without having to open the phone first, I think it’s time to ask the question:

Are cover screens getting TOO big?