# 135: Obi is Back

- Show: [Thoroughly Considered](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered)
- Published: 2026-09-16
- Length: 42m
- Episode: 135
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-09-16-135-obi-is-back
- Listen: http://relay.fm/tc/135

## Summary

Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss 'Obi,' an internal AI operations bot they built using Claude and Markdown documents to streamline inventory planning and ad analysis. The hosts also analyze the new iPhone Duo, debating its foldable form factor, under-screen camera technology, and the implications for future Apple hardware. Finally, Dan Provost offers a defense of flush door handles on EVs, specifically praising the visual affordance and locking status indication on the Kia EV9 compared to poorly implemented competitors like Tesla.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-09-16-135-obi-is-back#t=7) Introduction: Studio Neat and Obi
- [1:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-09-16-135-obi-is-back#t=82) Building Obi: Internal AI and Markdown Documents
- [6:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-09-16-135-obi-is-back#t=383) The Philosophy of Simple, Legible AI Systems
- [14:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-09-16-135-obi-is-back#t=844) The iPhone Duo: Form Factor and Software
- [19:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-09-16-135-obi-is-back#t=1187) Future Apple Hardware: Foldable iPads and Mechanical Design
- [25:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-09-16-135-obi-is-back#t=1507) Under-Screen Cameras and the Full-Screen iPhone Prediction
- [31:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-09-16-135-obi-is-back#t=1879) Flush Door Handles on EVs: The Kia EV9 Case Study
- [38:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-09-16-135-obi-is-back#t=2332) Reliability, Marketing, and User Experience of Flush Handles

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Studio Neat (company)
- Obi (product)
- Claude (tool)
- AirTable (tool)
- Shopify (tool)
- iPhone Duo (product)
- Kia EV9 (product)
- Tesla (company)
- Model 3 (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [iPhone Air Launch, Tesla Master Plan & SpaceX Goes Direct to Your Phone](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-09-12-iphone-air-launch-tesla-master-plan-spacex-goes-direct-to-your-phone) (Built 2 Scale)
- [AI that can be your second brain with Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri of Humane](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-03-14-ai-that-can-be-your-second-brain-with-bethany-bongiorno-and-imran-chaudhri-of-hu) (How I Built This)
- [10. Sustainable Fashion, Apple Car Insights, Sharper Bionic Eyes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-03-23-10-sustainable-fashion-apple-car-insights-sharper-bionic-eyes) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [EP 179: Apple's WWDC and Siri AI, Nebius Inflection, China Trip Takeaways](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2026-06-15-ep-179-apples-wwdc-and-siri-ai-nebius-inflection-china-trip-takeaways) (The Circuit)
- [Can AI Design IoT Hardware? | Flux's Matthias Wagner | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-04-14-can-ai-design-iot-hardware-fluxs-matthias-wagner-internet-of-things-podcast) (IoT For All Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-09-16-135-obi-is-back. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Thoroughly Considered.