Hey,
Welcome to this week’s issue!
Here’s what’s inside:
My totally unofficial IFA 2025 Awards — from AI homes to the weirdest gadgets on the floor
The new podcast episode on how creators actually make money at tech events
The gear and setups I’ve been testing this week
Let’s dive in👇
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What Actually Stood Out at IFA 2025 (My Totally Unofficial Awards)
Last week I teased the weirdest gadgets, the biggest AI trend, what’s happening with foldables, and the quiet innovations you might overlook.
I just got back from Berlin’s IFA show — and instead of a boring recap, I’m wrapping it all up in my own completely unofficial, zero-prestige awards.
🏆 Biggest Trend: AI appliances running your entire home
If 2024 was the year of transparent screens, 2025 was the year of AI appliances.
Samsung went all in, showing off prefab “AI homes” with solar panels, irrigation, cameras, TVs, and fridges all pre-installed and talking to each other.
LG and Haier followed the same playbook: smart fridges tracking expiry dates, washing machines that weigh your load and auto-select stain cycles (blood? ketchup? it knows).
Not flashy, but this is the tech that will quietly creep into daily life over the next couple of years.
🤯 Weirdest Gadget: tank-tread robot vacuums & robot chefs on standby
Every show has its “why does this exist?” moment.
For me, it was a robot vacuum on tank tracks, a robot chef that literally stood there doing nothing when I walked by, and a rolling $5K home theater you could drive around your living room.
Ridiculous? Absolutely. Memorable? 100%.
👻 The Ghost of Last Year: foldables & transparent screens
Remember 2024’s obsession with bendables and see-through displays?
This year: gone.
Not a single big player was pushing foldables or transparent panels at IFA. But don’t count them out just yet.
The whispers suggest brands are still working on modular/foldable twists — they just weren’t ready to show their hands in Berlin.
💸 Most Expensive Toy: rolling $5K home theaters
Yes, it deserves its own award.
Imagine a projector, speakers, and screen strapped onto a set of wheels and priced like a family holiday.
Cool demo, but I can’t imagine anyone outside of a Berlin trade floor actually buying one.
📦 Quietly Revolutionary: prefab Samsung AI smart homes
One of the few things that actually made me stop was Samsung’s full prefab smart house sitting outside the show.
Walk in, and everything just… works.
The solar + battery system shifts devices into economy mode when power runs low.
Appliances talk to each other out of the box.
It’s less “sci-fi dream” and more “this could actually ship in 2026.”
📱 Accessory Overload: iPhone 17 cases before launch
The accessories floor was packed, but the wildest part?
Every case brand already had iPhone 17 dummy units.
Usually you don’t see this until after the keynote, but this year it felt like everyone had access early. If you needed any more confirmation that the design leaks were legit, there it was.
🎥 Behind the Scenes: fake views and brand hype
Here’s something you don’t see on the show floor: the PR games behind it.
Word among creators was that Midea (yep, the massive top-500 brand) was pumping sponsored content — and allegedly juicing views.
One Android Authority video for them shot past a million views in under 24 hours. Other creators said the same thing: work with Midea, and suddenly your videos “magically” perform 100x better.
Funny, a little shady, and a reminder that not everything viral at IFA goes viral on its own.
So yeah — 2025 IFA was less about shiny foldables and more about AI quietly moving into your kitchen, laundry, and even your house itself.
👇 Got a friend who’d geek out on this? Hit forward:
📺 What I’m Testing & Consuming This Week
Some things that grabbed my attention this week:
Neutonic productivity drink — My non-coffee, brain-fuel alternative with caffeine (instead of a Red Bull).
Peacemaker (series) — Currently watching; it’s pretty great.
Magtame magnetic USB-C cables — Using these a lot; the magnets keep them tidy in a bag (took them to a Berlin trip).
Anker charger — The big one with a loop handle and a retractable cable.
MOFT iPhone case — Using it on my 16 Pro. Although not a fan of the case designs for the 17 with a huge cutout.
Helldivers 2 — The only game I’ve been playing when I’m home.
🎙️ Podcast: How Creators Really Make Money at Tech Events
This week’s episode was recorded live in the middle of Berlin’s IFA Creator Hub — so you’ll hear music, people dancing, and maybe a scream or two in the background.
But that’s the point: it’s the unfiltered reality of being a creator at a massive tech show.
Inside this episode:
How we approach brand deals at trade shows (shorts vs. long-form, and why the balance is tricky)
The surprising ways creators actually make money at events like IFA
Why clickbait titles still work (and what we’ve learned about using them without burning your audience)
The ongoing challenge of balancing personal life and YouTube deadlines
Thoughts on working with agents for brand deals — the pros, cons, and stories you don’t normally hear
📱 Next Issue: iPhone 17 — The Features That Actually Matter
Apple just unveiled the iPhone 17, and with every launch comes the same flood of “game-changing” features. But which ones are truly worth your attention… and which are just keynote filler?
I’ll be breaking down:
The camera upgrades that actually make a difference (and which ones feel recycled)
The battery + charging changes Apple didn’t hype on stage
A hidden iOS 19 feature that quietly transforms daily use
The new design tweaks — sleek or just marketing polish?
Why one feature feels overrated (but another might genuinely change how you use your phone)
Plus: my quick verdict on whether it’s worth upgrading from the iPhone 16 (or even the 15).
📅 See you Saturday.
Help Me Shape What’s Next
I want these issues to be genuinely useful (and fun) for you — so tell me: