Nothing Ear (open)

Nothing's See-Through Earbuds Got Stuck Under the Wrong Brand

Nothing's Ear (open) debuted in 2024 at $149, wrapped in that signature transparent plastic, and I'll say it plainly: this thing launched under the wrong logo. The open-ear buds feel like they should have been a CMF product all along. Nothing's sub-brand already owns the playful, color-forward, slightly rebellious lane this design actually lives in. The transparent shell wants to be a statement, but it lands more like a prototype that wandered into the wrong launch party. It's a clever hinge and a genuinely useful shape, the kind of thing that makes you wonder why nobody else tried it, but it's dressed in a brand identity that takes itself too seriously. (If you liked the material deep-dive on Benks' Kevlar phone cases, you'll feel right at home here.)