Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

Watch Out Adobe, New Free Creator Tools!

November 7, 2025

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  • The Nothing Phone 3A Lite is facing community backlash for including a 2MP macro camera (which a co-founder previously called the 'biggest scam of the 21st century') and pre-installing Meta bloatware, despite Nothing's history of promoting a clean OS. 
  • Affinity's creative suite is now completely free, consolidating its Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign equivalents into one app, which is seen as a major, low-risk challenge to Adobe's subscription model, likely driven by Canva's strategy to convert users to its Pro tier for advanced AI features. 
  • Samsung is employing an extremely slow, deliberate rollout strategy for its new Trifold phone, teasing it through multiple stages (glyphs, glass displays) to manage expectations and avoid past folding phone pitfalls, even as early looks reveal thick bezels on the exterior screen. 
  • The discussion around Teenage Engineering's EP-40 socks highlights the brand's tendency toward ambiguous product descriptions, leading to confusion over whether a 
  • means two individual socks or two pairs. 
  • Fairphone is officially expanding its presence into the United States market, launching via Amazon with the Fairbuds XL and planning for the Fairphone 6 carrier rollout. 
  • The new Motorola Edge 70 is noted for its extremely thin profile (5.99mm) enabled by silicon-carbon battery technology (4,800mAh), but is criticized for being heavily loaded with bloatware and ads for its high price point ($920). 
  • The hosts engaged in a complex, multi-round trivia game involving obscure tech history, including a specific Dyson wireless product and the LG G Flex, which led to confusion over naming conventions. 
  • The trivia segment featured a tiebreaker question about the IP67 rating and a popular children's meme, highlighting the hosts' deep, sometimes niche, technical knowledge. 
  • Teenage Engineering's first product was revealed to be a lamp, not a radio receiver or desk, despite the company having considered a clock radio previously. 

Segments

Nothing Phone 3A Lite Correction
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(00:01:52)
  • Key Takeaway: The Nothing Phone 3A Lite camera setup differs from the CMF Phone 2 Pro, replacing the 50MP telephoto lens with a 2MP macro camera.
  • Summary: The 3A Lite is $10 more expensive than the CMF Phone 2 Pro and includes pre-installed bloatware like TikTok and Instagram. A co-founder previously condemned 2MP third cameras as the ‘biggest scam of the 21st century,’ creating controversy around the new device. Nothing justified the inclusion by stating the options were removing the third camera or converting it to a macro lens.
Affinity Suite Goes Free
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(00:11:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Affinity’s three core apps (Photo, Designer, Publisher) have been combined into a single, free application, challenging Adobe’s subscription dominance.
  • Summary: Affinity, now owned by Canva, offers its professional-grade design tools for free, which previously cost up to $70 per application. The new unified software allows users to switch between design modes (like Photoshop or Illustrator) via tabs within one program. This move is theorized to incentivize businesses to subscribe to Canva Pro for access to advanced, locked AI tools.
Samsung Trifold First Look
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(00:26:12)
  • Key Takeaway: The Samsung Trifold features a 6.7-inch closed phone display and opens to a 10-inch tablet screen, utilizing a unique ‘squashed G’ folding mechanism.
  • Summary: The device is being rolled out very slowly, currently only viewable behind glass, suggesting Samsung is cautious about its launch following early fold issues. Marques argues that the thick bezels on the current model are overreacted to compared to the truly rough dimensions of the first Galaxy Fold. The folding mechanism results in a triple camera setup on the back panel, with the center section housing the inner screen.
Teenage Engineering EP-40 Sampler
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(00:43:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The new Teenage Engineering EP-40 sampler builds on the EP133 platform, adding a Supertone Synth Engine, live looping capabilities, and doubling memory to 128MB.
  • Summary: The EP-40 is inspired by Jamaican reggae culture and includes custom samples, with some proceeds going to Hurricane Relief. A notable new physical feature is an attached microphone accessory that offers voice modulation effects like chipmunk, robot, and lo-fi radio sounds. The company continues its trend of releasing highly stylized, themed hardware that appeals to enthusiasts despite high price points.
Trivia Question Segment
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(00:38:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Samsung developed its own proprietary, power-efficient OLED display technology to navigate patent law, distinct from Apple’s LTPO.
  • Summary: Apple originally developed Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide (LTPO) for efficient OLED screens. Samsung created a similar technology found in the S25 lineup to bypass Apple’s patents. The hosts noted that Samsung’s version has a ‘very silly name’ that listeners must identify.
Teenage Engineering Sock Confusion
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(00:51:31)
  • Key Takeaway: The ambiguity of ‘a green and white pair’ in a two-pack of Teenage Engineering socks required scrolling through product images to confirm the purchase included two distinct pairs (one green, one white).
  • Summary: The hosts debated whether a two-pack of socks included two individual socks or two pairs, illustrating the potential confusion in product listings. The specific description ‘a green and white pair’ was deemed unclear compared to ‘a green pair and a white pair.’ This segment also briefly touched upon the linguistic oddity of calling connected items like pants a ‘pair.’
Fairphone US Expansion News
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(00:53:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Fairphone is officially expanding sales into the United States via Amazon for products like the Fairbuds XL, with plans to launch the Fairphone 6 with US carrier support.
  • Summary: Fairphone, traditionally a European brand, is entering the US market, starting with the Fairbuds XL on Amazon, which features improved drivers and a better headband. The company grew 61% year-over-year in Europe, driven by its repairability focus. The hosts noted a friend successfully switched from an iPhone to a Fairphone 5 and was able to order a replacement camera module easily.
Motorola Edge 70 Thinness and Bloatware
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(00:56:54)
  • Key Takeaway: The Motorola Edge 70 achieves an ultra-thin profile (5.99mm) while housing a large 4,800mAh silicon-carbon battery, but it is heavily criticized for excessive bloatware and ads at its $920 price.
  • Summary: The Edge 70 is noted for its thinness, being only slightly thicker than the iPhone Air but containing a battery size comparable to larger phones like the S25 Plus. Reviews indicate the device is pre-loaded with numerous apps like Candy Crush and features ads, including full-screen ads for Temu on the lock screen. The phone uses a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip, suggesting it is not a true flagship device despite its high cost.
Soulja Boy Copyright Scandal
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(01:04:58)
  • Key Takeaway: Soulja Boy is selling a rebranded handheld console, the ‘Soldier Boy Flip’ for $436, which is essentially a white-labeled Retroid Pocket Flip 2 sold for double the price, with the packaging only featuring a sticker over the original Retroid logo.
  • Summary: The ‘Soldier Boy Flip’ features identical specs to the Retroid Pocket Flip 2, including the Snapdragon 865 and 5,000mAh battery, but costs $436 versus the Retroid’s $230. Retroid confirmed that Soulja Boy does not have permission to rebrand or sell their product. The website for the product, soldierboy.net, is described as a work of art featuring broken links and ripped product photos.
Trivia Game Introduction
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(01:10:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Andrew introduced a new trivia game called ‘Before and After’ based on Jeopardy, where answers are two words connected by a shared word, with teams Marques/David versus Ellis/Adam competing.
  • Summary: The game rules allow for pronunciation matches even if spelling differs (e.g., Lyft/lift) and permits using individual words within a compound name as the linking word (e.g., Google Jamboard of Directors). Each question is worth two points, and stolen answers are worth one point, encouraging team discussion within a 60-second limit.
Trivia Round 1 & 2
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(01:20:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Marques and David correctly answered the first question linking Samsung Galaxy Home and Home Alone, while Ellis and Adam correctly linked Apple HomePod with the portmanteau of iPod and broadcast.
  • Summary: The first question involved linking the unreleased Samsung Galaxy Home device with the 1990 movie Home Alone. The second question required identifying the shared word between the Siri-based smart speaker and the portmanteau of ‘iPod’ and ‘broadcast,’ which was ‘HomePod.’
Trivia Round 3 & 4
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(01:22:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Team Meet (Ellis/Adam) correctly linked Microsoft Azure with Drive to Survive as ‘Azure Drive to Survive,’ while Marques and David correctly linked Windows Vista with Vistaprint as ‘Windows Vista Print.’
  • Summary: The third question required linking Microsoft’s cloud service with the F1 documentary, which Team Meet answered as ‘Azure Drive to Survive.’ The fourth question linked one of Microsoft’s worst operating systems with the custom marketing material website, resulting in the answer ‘Windows Vista Print.’
Trivia Round 5 & 6
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(01:29:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Team Meet (Ellis/Adam) correctly identified ‘Google Domains Name System’ by linking the killed Google service with the internet’s phone book (DNS), while Marques and David missed the question linking the third Wii game iteration with ColorOS.
  • Summary: The fifth question linked a killed Google service with the internet’s phone book, which Team Meet correctly identified as ‘Google Domains Name System’ (DNS). The sixth question, which favored the opposing team, linked the third version of a popular handheld console (Game Boy Color) with the vibrant smartphone UI, ColorOS.
Trivia Round 7 & 8
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(01:37:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Marques and David correctly linked the Humane AI Pin (dumbest product reviewed) with the prepaid service Boost Mobile as ‘Humane Boost Mobile,’ while Team Meet missed the question linking the Dyson headphones with a prepaid service.
  • Summary: The seventh question required linking the ‘dumbest product’ reviewed by Marquez (Humane AI Pin) with a prepaid service provider, which Marques and David answered as ‘Humane Boost Mobile.’ The subsequent question, which went unanswered by Team Meet, linked the Dyson headphones (which had a name) with a prepaid service.
Obscure Tech Trivia Round 1
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(01:39:06)
  • Key Takeaway: The Dyson On Track wireless headphones were linked to the TrackPhone wireless provider.
  • Summary: The trivia round involved identifying the Dyson On Track wireless headphones, which share a name component with the TrackPhone wireless provider. The correct full name is the Dyson On Track Phone Wireless. This segment highlights obscure product naming conventions in the wireless industry.
Self-Healing Phone Trivia
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(01:41:01)
  • Key Takeaway: The 2013 self-healing smartphone referenced was the LG G Flex, which was confused with the LG Royal Flex Pie.
  • Summary: The clue referenced a 2013 self-healing smartphone and a 2018 smartphone needing healing, leading to the correct identification of the LG G Flex. The required linked word structure caused confusion with similar-sounding names like ‘Royal Flex Pie.’
Bezel-less Phone and Twitch Competitor
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(01:43:08)
  • Key Takeaway: The 2016 bezel-less smartphone was the Xiaomi Mi Mix, linked to the defunct Twitch competitor Mixer.
  • Summary: The segment identified the Xiaomi Mi Mix as the 2016 bezel-less phone known for its large chin. This phone was paired with Mixer, the short-lived Twitch competitor, as the linked answer pair.
Final Trivia Tiebreaker Setup
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(01:46:18)
  • Key Takeaway: The tiebreaker rule involved the first team to correctly state the answer out loud receiving five points.
  • Summary: The hosts established a tiebreaker rule where the first team to correctly state the answer out loud would earn five points. This required perfect enunciation and adherence to the specific phrasing of the clue.
IP Rating and Meme Trivia
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(01:47:12)
  • Key Takeaway: The IP67 rating signifies dust-tight protection and submersion up to one meter for 30 minutes, which was linked to a popular children’s meme.
  • Summary: The tiebreaker clue linked the IP67 ingress protection rating to a current popular children’s meme. IP67 specifically guarantees complete dust tightness and protection against submersion in one meter of water for 30 minutes.
Teenage Engineering Origin Trivia
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(01:52:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Teenage Engineering’s first product was a lamp, not a radio receiver or desk, despite debates over other early concepts.
  • Summary: The final trivia question sought Teenage Engineering’s very first product, which was revealed to be a lamp. The hosts noted that the company had previously considered making a clock radio, but the lamp was the actual initial product.