COMPANY called Nothing brought a breath of fresh air to the busy smartphone scene in 2021.

And now the British company is hoping to do it again for those on a budget with the new Nothing Phone 2a.

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Starting at £319 this is a very attractive price tag in today’s mobile world, but does it add up to a good quality device worth considering?

Read on for our full review.

Nothing Phone 2a: Look and feel

Nothing Phones stand out for their quite unique design, led by the quirky Glyph lighting system on the back.

For those who don’t know, the Glyth light strips flash in a variety of ways of your choosing, such as for notifications, as a volume indicator, or as a timer – think of it as a mini dance floor in the palm of your hand.

The Glyth lighting thankfully survived on the 2a, but has been scaled back quite a bit compared to its bigger brother, the Nothing Phone 2.

There are now just three light strips, compared to the 11 on the Nothing Phone 2 – and they’re concentrated on the top third of the handset, rather than the entire surface.

It’s certainly a consideration for anyone tired of breaking the bank on a smartphone

As someone who really likes the Glyth feature, it’s sad to see it reduced, but I can understand why there needs to be some wiggle room to keep the overall cost down, which is why I’m glad it’s in some way another form remains.

An important point to note about the back is that it’s plastic and not glass like previous Nothing Phones – which is another way the company has seemingly cut corners to reduce overall costs.

They don’t look all that different, but the plastic is more sensitive to fingerprints and will scratch more easily.

As for the display, it’s a 6.78-inch screen that delivers sharp, bright and colorful results.

Nothing Phone 2a: Performance

Nothing has swapped the chipsets that power the device and switched to MediaTek’s Dimensity 7200 Pro.

General apps ran quite quickly, although switching between apps wasn’t as smooth as I’d like.

But games performed surprisingly smoothly considering the price.

The maximum amount of storage you can get is 256GB, which isn’t much if you like to take a lot of photos and videos – and there’s no microSD support either, leaving you reliant on the cloud or staying super tidy with what you keep on your handset.

In terms of functionality, there aren’t any AI tools making headlines like we’ve seen with other recent smartphone launches.

The Nothing Phone 2a runs Android 14 and Nothing has committed to three years of major Android updates and four years of security updates, which is less than most rivals.

Nothing Phone 2a: Battery

The battery measures 5,000 mAh, which is the same size as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but so are some mid-range devices.

Nothing claims that you can get up to two days of use and especially after a day of reasonable use (watching videos, surfing the internet and light gaming) my battery was about half empty.

The Nothing Phone 2a does not have a charging brick in the box, but it does have a USB-C cable.

Charging up to 45W is supported, meaning I can get a full charge from zero in about an hour.

One feature that has been removed is wireless charging.

Nothing Phone 2a: Camera

The Nothing Phone 2a has a dual 50-megapixel main camera and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera.

It took some pretty decent photos, although some parts lack sharp detail.

And since there’s only a 2x digital zoom, you don’t expect to get a great close-up photo of something that’s far away.

Taking photos in low light at night went well, although some elements felt too artificially brighter.

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Some trends lend themselves perfectly to the festive season, with a softness that rivals the first seasonal sip of Bailey’s. Others are less tasty.

Take black lace, a divisive material in most women’s books. If you do it wrong, you risk looking like an over-dressed 80s throwback. If you do it right, no one would ever dream of invoking Cyndi Lauper or Cher.

This season, the fabric has undergone a sophisticated makeover so compelling that even those who hate black, lace, or anything remotely sheer will have reason to reconsider their position. In countless incarnations, whether you’re a Little Black Dress fan or someone whose taste leans more towards androgynous, High Street has crafted a style to suit every budget and taste.

Few colors look as chic as black. But during the festive season it can look a bit sloppy. However, black lace is anything but. Just like a print, it gives an outfit something interesting. Black lace is also a clever way to show some flesh while providing a degree of camouflage.

Dare to bare as much or as little as you want, knowing that this fabric will protect your back – as well as your arms and legs.

Velvet va-va voom

This classically elegant dress from LK Bennett will last for seasons thanks to its versatile fit and flared shape. In addition to the flattering mid-calf length and feminine cap sleeves, it is a distillation of two trends in one: black velvet and black lace. Perfect for the indecisive, or for those who like more bang for their buck, it’s ultra-subtle and the lace look means it will be a long-term party essential.

Festive flares with V-neck

A jumpsuit may not be the first item that comes to mind as a party outfit, but this stylish black lace one from Zara adds a dose of festive flair to daytime style. The wide leg trousers are universally flattering, while the deep lace V at the front is subtly seductive. If you don’t like heels, this would look just as good with flats.

Mini maybe

Miniskirts are a big runway trend this season, but you don’t have to go super short to get the look. This chic lace John Lewis dress has a flattering mid-thigh length, but looks shorter thanks to the flowing ruffles. An opaque underlay makes this a modest take on the lace trend, while the sleeves provide good coverage of the arms while still showing some flesh.

Optical illusion

If you want to make a statement this party season, look no further than this black lace column dress from Mint Velvet. The asymmetrical shoulder is guaranteed to attract attention, as is the optical illusion created by the peach underlay. It may look transparent, but the wearer can be assured that she is revealing nothing more than the panties underneath.

Show some leg in a maxi

There’s more than a trace of Grace Kelly in this sophisticated dress, thanks to the simple, chic neckline and slim arms. It would work well with a statement necklace or statement earrings. The ultra-simple, understated bodice flows into a cascade of lace and draws attention to the legs, which peek seductively from below. Those who want less exposure can wear it with semi-opaque or colored tights.

Time to take a bow

The bow of this River Island dress gives it a polished look that cleverly plays on the seedier connotations of black lace. The diamond-effect buttons snaking down the front also add a point of interest, livening up the hue and providing a welcome dose of festive sparkle. Slim-fit sleeves, which fall to the elbow, provide elegant coverage.

Could an increase in the population of Cooper’s hawks limit kestrel habitat? What happens to the winter quarters of kestrels? Do farmlands run kestrels to nest in the spring, only to abandon them as the land changes during the course of the season with planting or harvesting? Could the decline of the kestrel be related to the decline of insects? Are rodenticides, a danger to all raptors that eat poisoned mice and rats, a special concern for kestrels? What are the effects of neonicotinoids, a very powerful insecticide? What about the effects of climate change?

Many kestrel experts believe it is a combination of causes.

“It’s just everything,” said Jean-Francois Therrien, a senior scientist at Hawk Mountain, a bird of prey conservation group. “So many factors that play a small role but add up to the declines we’re seeing.”

Dr. Smallwood agrees, but he still has a top suspect.

“If I may only have one word: locusts.”

A finding that keeps popping up

Sure, kestrels also eat rodents and lizards. Dr. Smallwood even sees leftovers in nests that suggest they are eating songbirds more than before. But he thinks a lack of insect prey is a big problem, a theory that could be supported by early results of an ambitious modeling effort that is trying to solve the mystery of the descending kestrels once and for all.

The project, funded by the United States Geological Survey and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, is a collaboration of more than 50 collaborators, including scientists from universities, conservation organizations, states, Native American tribes and the federal government. Researchers are setting up and testing continent-scale models. The only parameter that seems to decrease over time, researchers say, is the survival of fledglings through the summer.

“That’s not a definitive conclusion by any means, because we haven’t completed the modeling yet,” said Brian Millsap, who recently retired as the National Raptor Coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service and remains affiliated with New Mexico State University. “But it seems like that’s a finding that pops up no matter how you set up the model.”