Month: August 2022

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Sports

Timeline set for Clarkson decision as North goes all-in

Timeline set for Clarkson decision as North goes all-in

Alastair Clarkson is expected to make a decision on his coaching future before the end of the home and away season.

That is according to Channel 7’s Mitch Cleary who believes the former Hawthorn master coach is set to soon make a call.

SEN’s Sam Edmund reported on Tuesday that Clarkson is already sounding out assistant coaches as he looks to his next role in the game.

Additionally, Cleary believes a call will be made between North Melbourne and GWS very soon, while essentially ruling out any interest from Port Adelaide.

“The only sentiment I get is that Alastair Clarkson is likely to make his decision before the end of the home and away season,” Cleary said on SEN Breakfast.

“I think we’re going to know by next Friday. I think we’ll have a better understanding or a decision from Alastair Clarkson as to where he goes.

“If Port Adelaide wants to get into that race they may need to make a call on Ken Hinkley but I think that’s looking increasingly unlikely.”

Clearly it was asked if the Kangaroos are “all-in” on Clarkson.

He believes they are and that the pursuit is being heavily led by club president Sonja Hood.

“Yeah absolutely (they’re all-in),” he added.

“They’re not talking to one other coach.

“They haven’t even formed a sub-committee. The interesting part of this is Sonja Hood is leading the whole scenario where usually in this situation, you compare it to the Giants, with their CEO Dave Matthews being at the forefront of this.

“What that means is Ben Amarfio will leave question marks if it is Alastair Clarkson who comes in. The fact that Sonja as president has been driving this singlehandedly.

“Let’s see if Alastair Clarkson lobs at Arden Street and what that means for Ben Amarfio, the CEO, given he’s had not much of a part to play in this pursuit.”

Both the Roos and Giants are in the market for a new senior coach having parted ways with David Noble and Leon Cameron respectively during the 2022 season.





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US

Trump’s grip over GOP remains firm as Michels tops Kleefisch in Wisconsin primary face-off

Trump's grip over GOP remains firm as Michels tops Kleefisch in Wisconsin primary face-off

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Former President Donald Trump’s clout over the Republican Party was once again on the line in a key gubernatorial primary, and once again the former president’s endorsed candidate came out on top.

Businessman and former Army Ranger officer Tim Michels edged former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch to capture Wisconsin’s GOP nomination for governor, setting up a crucial November showdown with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in a key general election battleground state. Evers is being heavily targeted by Republicans as he seeks a second term.

“I’d like to thank President Trump for his support, for this endorsement, it meant so much. It was a tremendous validation of our meteoric rise in this campaign. He knows that we need to have new leadership in Madison,” Michels, a multimillionaire owner of a construction company who poured millions of his own money into his bid, said in his victory speech late on Tuesday night.

Trump, as he headlined a rally in Wisconsin for Michels on Friday, criticized Kleefisch, the conservative former lieutenant governor who served eight years under Gov. Scott Walker. But the former president took to social media after the AP projected Michels’s victory to urge Republican unity following a primary that turned divisive in the final weeks.

TRUMP-BACKED MICHELS EDGES PENCE-ENDORSED KLEEFISCH IN WISCONSIN

Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels, left, speaks as former President Donald Trump, right, listens at a rally in Waukesha, Wis., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels, left, speaks as former President Donald Trump, right, listens at a rally in Waukesha, Wis., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)

“Congratulations to Tim Michels on his win against a wonderful and highly-competitive opponent, Rebecca Kleefisch,” Trump wrote. “I know both sides will come together and defeat one of the worst Governors in the Country, Tony Evers.”

The former president suffered some high-profile gubernatorial losses early in this year’s primary season as candidates he backed were defeated in Idaho, Nebraska, and Georgia, where conservative GOP Gov. Brian Kemp demolished the Trump-backed former Sen. David Perdue.

TRUMP’S SWAY OVER REPUBLICAN PARTY STILL STRONG FOLLOWING PRIMARY VICTORIES

But Trump’s been on a roll this summer, with the gubernatorial candidates he’s endorsed and supported winning GOP primaries in Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, and Arizona.

“President Trump drives Republican turnout, period,” GOP consultant Rick Wiley – who held senior roles at the Republican National Committee, the Republican Governors Association, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee – emphasized.

“This race was a toss-up going into Election Day and a Michels victory demonstrates President Trump’s ability to rally the base and push his candidate across the finish line. This was a tough race, Rebecca Kleefisch has been at the forefront of every major battle in Wisconsin over the last decade and her network is strong. Trump rallies have a huge impact on turnout, and we saw it in Wisconsin tonight,” Wiley, a past Wisconsin GOP executive director, highlighted.

HEAD TO THE FOX NEWS ELECTIONS CENTER FOR THE LATEST PRIMARY RESULTS

The Wisconsin gubernatorial primary turned into a bit of a proxy war between Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence, one-time running mates who could potentially face-off against each other for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Pence recently endorsed Kleefisch and last week traveled to Wisconsin to campaign with her in suburban Milwaukee.

Former Vice President Mike Pence and GOP gubernatorial candidate and former Lt. Gov Rebecca Kleefisch of Wisconsin participate in a round table discussion Aug. 3, 2022, in Pewaukee, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

Former Vice President Mike Pence and GOP gubernatorial candidate and former Lt. Gov Rebecca Kleefisch of Wisconsin participate in a round table discussion Aug. 3, 2022, in Pewaukee, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
(AP)

Michels’ victory was the second straight win for a Trump-backed candidate over a Pence-endorsed contender. The candidate Trump backed in last week’s GOP gubernatorial primary in Arizona, former TV news anchor Kari Lake, narrowly edged real estate developer and Arizona Board of Regents member Karrin Taylor Robson, who was supported by Pence.

But in May, Pence came out on top as he backed Kemp and headed a rally with the Georgia governor on the eve of Kemp’s landslide victory.

CHECK OUT THE FOX NEWS 2022 ELECTIONS POWER RANKINGS

Besides Pence, two other potential 2024 GOP White House hopefuls, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and former South Carolina governor and former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, endorsed Kleefisch this summer. Haley campaigned with the former lieutenant governor and helped her fundraise de ella.

While Trump once again enjoyed success in a gubernatorial primary, his mission to oust Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos fell short.

President Biden narrowly carried Wisconsin as he won the 2020 election, and on Friday at his rally, Trump blasted Vos for not embracing his unproven claims that his 2020 loss to Biden was due to massive voter fraud.

While Vos — who’s the state’s longest serving Assembly speaker — launched a controversial investigation into the 2020 election in Wisconsin and took a lead in passing a series of bills that tightened voting access in the state, he’s resisted Trump’s repeated calls to try and decertify the 2020 election results.

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Trump, who days earlier backed Adam Steen, Vos’ Republican challenger in the primary, urged those at the rally to “fire Robin Vos.”

But Vos ended up surviving, as he topped Steen by a few percentage points.

Paul Steinhauser is a political reporter based in New Hampshire.

Categories
Technology

Unfortunate Apex Legend bug leaves characters with the wrong abilities

Apex Legends Season 14

A whacky Apex Legend bug is giving characters the wrong abilities.

Yesterday on August 9, Apex Legends launched Hunted, its brand new season, along with new legend Vantage. The new seasonal launch hasn’t gone as smoothly as developer Respawn might’ve hoped though, as players are now reporting instances of their characters being given the abilities of other legends by mistake.

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Sports

Australian women’s cricket captain Meg Lanning takes indefinite leave

An Australian female cricket looks toward her right as she answers a question at a media conference.

Australian women’s cricket captain Meg Lanning will take a period of indefinite leave, effective immediately.

Cricket Australia (CA) said Lanning made the decision for “personal reasons”, with no timeline set for her return.

“After a busy couple of years, I’ve made the decision to take a step back to enable me to spend time focusing on myself,” Lanning said in a CA statement.

“I’m grateful for the support of CA and my teammates and ask that my privacy is respected during this time.”

The announcement of Lanning’s decision comes only days after she led Australia to victory at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

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Categories
US

Details of MTA’s congestion pricing plan for Manhattan unveiled

Details of MTA's congestion pricing plan for Manhattan unveiled

Drivers could face $9 to $23 in fees to drive into parts of Manhattan as soon as late 2023, according to the MTA’s congestion pricing plan that’ll be unveiled Wednesday.

The amounts and timeline were detailed in a 34-page summary of the project’s much-delayed environmental review, which was provided to reporters by the cash-strapped agency Tuesday.

“The tremendous detail included in this assessment makes clear the widespread benefits that would result from central business district tolling,” said MTA chief Janno Lieber in a statement. “Bottom line: this is good for the environment, good for public transit and good for New York and the region.”

MTA plans on increasing the toll amount for drivers on Manhattan's West Side Highway.
The MTA plans on increasing the toll amount for drivers on Manhattan’s West Side Highway.
AP Photo/Seth Wenig

The summary reveals the MTA is considering a tiered plan that would charge drivers the most to enter the tolling district — south of Manhattan’s 60th Street — during peak daytime hours, while providing discounts to those who drive in during evening or overnight hours.

The MTA’s study outlined a slew of options that its toll board will consider, including:

  • A $9 fee during peak time — typically defined as 6 am to 8 pm — which commuters would pay once per day when they exit the West Side Highway or FDR into Midtown or Lower Manhattan. There would be no discounts for commuters who pay tolls on tunnels or bridges into Manhattan
  • A $23 fee during peak time, which would be paid by all drivers. But New Jersey and outer-borough commuters would be allowed to subtract the tunnel tolls they pay to cross into Manhattan from that congestion fee. The MTA would also exempt cabs from the congestion fee under that proposal.

MTA officials said Tuesday the proposed discount plan would cover 100% of the cost of the East River tolls, 100% of the off-peak toll for Port Authority crossings and between 90 to 95% of the peak hour PA toll.

MTA CEO Janno Lieber commended the up-hike in fees.
MTA CEO Janno Lieber commended the up-hike in fees.
Robert Miller

For example, a driver coming from New Jersey traveling through the Lincoln Tunnel into Manhattan would be able to credit almost all of their $13.75 peak tunnel toll against the congestion charge — meaning they would pay an estimated $10 to continue on into Midtown.

New Jersey politicians, including Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, have campaigned hard for such a discount.

The entire $23 congestion fee would have to be paid by drivers who cross the East River using the free Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, Queensboro bridges or drive down from north of 59th Street. Effectively, officials said, the higher congestion charge is necessary to offset the revenues lost by providing the toll rebate.

Drivers would only be charged once per day to enter the zone and New Yorkers who live south of 60th Street will be able to claim the toll costs on their state income taxes if they make less than $60,000 per year.

The congestion-pricing program has two major goals — combat ever-worsening traffic in Manhattan and use the revenues to overhaul and upgrade the subways, buses, Long Island Rail Road and the MetroNorth.

Over the last decade, average traffic speeds plummeted 22% from an already miserly 9.1 mph to just 7.1 mph.

Buses suffered even more as speeds on routes that run south of 60th Street dropped 28% over the 10-year timeframe between 2010 and 2019.

The analysis found that charging motorists to drive on city roads south of 60th Street would reduce the number of cars driving in Lower and Midtown Manhattan by as much as 20%.

The revenues from the congestion fee would also provide the MTA with enough money to finance $15 billion of its $55 billion program for major upgrades and construction projects.

The money pays for replacing old trains and buses, overhauling and computerizing the ancient and failed prone signals still used on most lettered lines in the subway system and to improve track and reliability of the Long Island Rail Road and MetroNorth.

Officials recently announced plans to speed up the signal work on the Sixth and Eighth Avenue subways, which will improve the speed of the reliability of the frequently late and slow A, C and F trains through Brooklyn.

Despite political pushback and predictions of dire economic consequences, congestion fees succeeded in tamping down London traffic, Bloomberg reported.

The MTA says it will hold a slate of public hearings on the congestion pricing program that will run through early September.

It will then send its recommendations to the Traffic Mobility Review Board, which is tasked with selecting from the menu of options presented by the MTA staff — including the toll rates and possible rebates.

The MTA board must then give its final approval before the congestion pricing program kicks in.

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Categories
Technology

be quiet! Pure Loop 2 FX Review

be quiet! Pure Loop 2 FX Review

In addition to a new case and air cooler, be quiet! has also unveiled a new AIO water cooler – the Pure Loop 2 FX. Just like the other newly announced products, the Pure Loop 2 FX is an improved variant of an existing product – in this case the PureLoop AIO. The new Pure Loop 2 FX is available in 240mm, 280mm and 360mm sizes. For this Pure Loop 2 FX review, I used the 280mm variant.

Design & Processing

The packaging of the Pure Loop 2 FX in the 280mm variant.
The packaging of the Pure Loop 2 FX in the 280mm variant.

The biggest changes are in the design department. The previously mainly monochrome black exterior has been complemented by a lot of RGB with the Pure Loop 2 FX. The fans for the radiator are now the Light Wings PWM fans, which feature a visible RGB ring around the black fan blades on both sides. Likewise, the attachment for the processor, which previously only had white LEDs on the PureLoop, now also supports the full RGB spectrum. Otherwise, the surface of the processor attachment is made of brushed aluminum with the black be quiet!- logo in the center. Included with the AIO is an ARGB-PWM hub that the individual parts can be connected to in order to pair the lights with each other. In addition to the AIO, the rest of the PC’s hardware can of course be connected to this hub, allowing centralized control of the lighting. In total, up to six different devices can be connected to the ARGB-PWM hub.

The build quality is be quiet!-typically high. The pump is installed in a separate unit on the hose of the AIO, which promises improved durability. At the same time, this is also supposed to reduce the noise compared to other water cooling systems. The fans used are specially optimized for radiator operation. On the radiator itself is a refill port, which can be used to refill the supplied coolant if necessary.

Installation

the Pure Loop 2 FX supports Intel 1700, 1200, 2066, 1150, 1151, 1155 and 2011 sockets, as well as AMD AM4 and AM5 sockets. The 40-centimeter-long hose allows the AIO to be attached to the lid of a case as well as to its front. You should only make sure that the pump or the processor attachment is not at the highest point of the loop. Otherwise, air bubbles could collect there, reducing the cooling performance or the pump’s service life.

The installation for the Pure Loop 2 FX test was pleasingly simple. First, the radiator is bolted to the case. Then the fans are screwed to the radiator. Unfortunately, a proprietary socket adapter from be quiet! must be used to attach the CPU attachment; the standard adapter for, for example, socket AM4 is not compatible. However, in my opinion, the adapter itself also has the advantage that the attachment of the attachment is somewhat more precise and it is thus easier to achieve an optimal contact surface between CPU and cooler. The fans, as well as the pump each have their own power supply via a 4-pin WM connector. So that the pump and the fans can be connected to the motherboard and get the correct speed communicated, the included ARGB-PWM hub can be used.

Before installation, it should be looked at in which order you install the radiator, the mainboard and the RAM most sensibly. Otherwise, individual parts may have to be removed again because they get in each other’s way during installation. Likewise, spatial compatibility in the case must be checked – in my case, the RAM sticks, as well as the radiator (with fans) did not fit at the same time until I removed the sticks’ heatspreaders.

Performance

I tested the 280mm variant of the Pure Loop 2 FX. For my slightly overclocked Ryzen 7 5800X, an AIO like this is ideal. The thermal mass provided by the coolant, as well as the large surface area of ​​the radiator, allows heat to be dissipated quickly and, ultimately, effectively. Water coolers are not always necessarily the better choice when it comes to cooling the processor, but water coolers in particular with a large radiator and multiple fans can theoretically dissipate significantly more heat in a certain amount of time than an air cooler, which is of course severely limited in size. The test system used consisted of a Ryzen 7 5800X, Nvidia RTX 3080, 16 GB of Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO memory and the MSI B550-A Pro motherboard.

Cinebench R23 benchmark comparison between the be quiet! Pure Loop 2 FX AIO and the Pure Rock 2 FX air cooler with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X. Arctic MX-4 was used as the thermal paste. On the x-axis is the time. The y-axis shows the temperature of the processor. The data of the AIO is shown in red, that of the air cooler in green. The room temperature during the measurements was about 26 °C.

The graph shows the heat development during Cinebench R23. The green line shows the temperature of the Ryzen 7 5800X with the Pure Rock 2 FX. The red line is the temperature with the Pure Loop 2 FX. The temperature difference is about 5.7 °C. It can also be seen that the Pure Loop 2 FX can keep the slightly overclocked Ryzen 7 5800X below 85 °C under full load. So especially for processors with higher TDP, the Pure Loop 2 FX is a good choice to avoid thermal throttling or temperatures that can reduce the life of the processor.

Loudness

AIO installed for the Pure Loop 2 FX test
The installed AIO

Even under full load, the Pure Loop 2 FX didn’t get particularly loud. I find the pump in particular to be very quiet – I have not been able to hear it a single time. However, the airflow generated by the fans on the radiator is clearly and strongly noticeable, and the Light Wings spin at speeds of up to 2200 rpm. Be quiet! specifies a noise level of 32.8 dB for this speed. When idling, the AIO is generally drowned out in the quiet background noise of the PC and also does not produce any annoying “chatter” or the like.

value for money

the Pure Loop 2 FX is available in three variants. A 240mm variant for €129.90, a 280mm variant for €139.90, and a 360mm variant for €154.90. This is comparable to what other well-known AIO brands charge for their products. Depending on the space in the case and the processor to be cooled, there should thus be a suitable version.

At be quiet! on sale for €99.90 / €109.90 / €124.90, the value for money is almost unbeatable. Only if you like to do without RGB, you can still save some money. Otherwise, the Pure Loop 2 FX is a good choice in terms of price-performance, as well as quality.

Conclusion

the Pure Loop 2 FX test shows that the new AIO builds on the already good foundation of the PureLoop and especially brings the design up to date. The result is an AIO that is quiet, performant, modern and affordable.

Design & workmanship


Installation


Performance


Loudness


value for money



92/100

A good all-rounder AIO that leaves little to be desired.

be quiet! Pure Loop 2 FX 280mm BW014 price comparison

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Sports

All Blacks v Springboks: How Richie Mo’unga can end the All Blacks’ ‘Phoney War’ – Gregor Paul

All Blacks v Springboks: How Richie Mo'unga can end the All Blacks' 'Phoney War' - Gregor Paul

There simply couldn’t be a better time for Richie Mo’unga to prove he has the mental fortitude, writes Gregor Paul. Photo / Photosport

OPINION:

By Gregor Paul in South Africa

Last November, Richie Mo’unga didn’t manage to be the man the All Blacks needed in a crisis.

His big shot came in the last test of the year

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Categories
US

Woman faces felony charges in helping daughter miscarry : NPR

Woman faces felony charges in helping daughter miscarry : NPR

Protesters line the street June 4 around the front of the Nebraska State Capitol during an Abortion Rights Rally in Lincoln, Neb.

Kenneth Ferriera/Lincoln Journal Star via AP


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Kenneth Ferriera/Lincoln Journal Star via AP

Protesters line the street June 4 around the front of the Nebraska State Capitol during an Abortion Rights Rally in Lincoln, Neb.

Kenneth Ferriera/Lincoln Journal Star via AP

OMAHA, Nebraska — A Nebraska woman has been charged with helping her teenage daughter end her pregnancy at about 24 weeks after investigators uncovered Facebook messages in which the two discussed using medication to induce an abortion and plans to burn the fetus afterward.

The prosecutor handling the case said it’s the first time he has charged anyone for illegally performing an abortion after 20 weeks, a restriction that was passed in 2010. Before the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, states weren’t allowed to enforce abortion bans until the point at which a fetus is considered viable outside the womb, at roughly 24 weeks.

In one of the Facebook messages, Jessica Burgess, 41, tells her then 17-year-old daughter that she has obtained abortion pills for her and gives her instructions on how to take them to end the pregnancy.

The daughter, meanwhile, “talks about how she can’t wait to get the ‘thing’ out of her body,” a detective wrote in court documents. “I will finally be able to wear jeans,” she says in one of the messages. Law enforcement authorities obtained the messages with a search warrant, and detailed some of them in court documents.

In early June, the mother and daughter were only charged with a single felony for removing, concealing or abandoning a body, and two misdemeanors: concealing the death of another person and false reporting. It wasn’t until about a month later, after investigators reviewed the private Facebook messages, that they added the felony abortion-related charges against the mother. The daughter, who is now 18, is being charged as an adult at prosecutors’ request.

Burgess’ attorney didn’t immediately respond to a message Tuesday, and the public defender representing the daughter declined to comment.

When first interviewed, the two told investigators that the teen had unexpectedly given birth to a stillborn baby in the shower in the early morning hours of April 22. They said they put the fetus in a bag, placed it in a box in the back of their van, and later drove several miles north of town, where they buried the body with the help of a 22-year-old man.

The man, whom The Associated Press is not identifying because he has only been charged with a misdemeanor, has pleaded no contest to helping bury the fetus on rural land his parents own north of Norfolk in northeast Nebraska. He’s set to be sentenced later this month.

In court documents, the detective said the fetus showed signs of “thermal wounds” and that the man told investigators the mother and daughter did burn it. He also wrote that the daughter confirmed in the Facebook exchange with her mother that the two would “burn the evidence afterward.” Based on medical records, the fetus was more than 23 weeks old, the detective wrote.

Burgess later admitted to investigators to buy the abortion pills “for the purpose of instigating a miscarriage.”

At first, both mother and daughter said they didn’t remember the date when the stillbirth happened, but according to the detective, the daughter later confirmed the date by consulting her Facebook messages. After that he sought the warrant, he said.

Madison County Attorney Joseph Smith told the Lincoln Journal Star that he’s never filed charges like this related to performing an abortion illegally in his 32 years as the county prosecutor. He didn’t immediately respond to a message from the AP on Tuesday.

The group National Advocates for Pregnant Women, which supports abortion rights, found 1,331 arrests or detentions of women for crimes related to their pregnancy from 2006 to 2020.

In addition to its current 20-week abortion ban, Nebraska tried — but failed — earlier this year to pass a so-called trigger law that would have banned all abortions when the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

A Facebook spokesman declined to talk about the details of this case, but the company has said that officials at the social media giant “always scrutinize every government request we receive to make sure it is legally valid.”

Facebook it will fight back against requests that it thinks are invalid or too broad says, but the company said it gave investigators information in about 88% of the 59,996 times when the government requested data in the second half of last year.

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Technology

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: more comfortable design and hi-fi audio

Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: more comfortable design and hi-fi audio

Continuing its string of iterative hardware updates today, Samsung is introducing the new Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. The company says they’re smaller and more comfortable than the original Buds Pro, and the new model supports 24-bit audio playback over Bluetooth — if you ‘re using a Samsung phone, that is. Preorders for the $229.99 Buds 2 Pro start today, and they’ll be available on August 26th. (That’s $30 more expensive than the launch price of the original pair.) Samsung’s latest top-of-the-line earbuds will be offered in black, white, and purple.

The Buds 2 Pro are 15 percent smaller than the original Buds Pro, and Samsung has also expanded the venting grille to allow added airflow to reach your ears and cut down on any “plugged up” feeling during extended use. Hopefully this will also make the earbuds’ transparency mode sound even more convincing.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are 15 percent smaller than the original Buds Pro.

Samsung is also highlighting just how much recycled material is going into these premium earbuds. This gets a little specific, so the best explanation is actually found in the footnotes of the company’s press release, which I’ve included below:

More than 90 percent of all the plastic components of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, in weight, are made of recycled materials. 29 grams of plastics are used in the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in total, and it includes more than 27 grams recycled materials. Each of these components contains at least 20 percent of either discarded fishing nets (ocean-bound plastic) or post-consumer materials. Recycled fishing nets are used in three internal components of the cradle case in its bracket deco front, bracket battery holder, and bracket-PCB. Post-consumer recycled materials are used in eight exterior components. Four components in both Buds in its case front left/right, case rear left/right. And four components in the cradle case in its deco front, case-upper, case-upper inner, and case-lower.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro can still automatically switch between various Samsung devices, but they unfortunately lack multipoint support — so you can’t pair them with two audio sources at the same time. The convenient feature is (finally) becoming increasingly common on earbuds, and Google recently included multipoint on its Pixel Buds Pro. So it’s disappointing to see Samsung ship a new flagship set of earbuds without it.

But on the plus side, Samsung says the Buds 2 Pro can now achieve 24-bit hi-fi audio playback. You’ll need a phone running One UI 4.0 or later, and Samsung notes that 24-bit support will vary by app — you know, since Spotify still doesn’t support it.

They’ll be available in white, black, and purple.

With the help of its proprietary “seamless codec (SSC HiFi),” Samsung is pulling off hi-fi wireless playback. “Quality music is enabled to transfer without a pause, and the new coaxial two-way speaker makes those sounds richer than ever,” the company claims. Apple is rumored to be exploring its own solutions for bringing higher-quality audio to the next AirPods Pro. Sony already has a solution with its LDAC codec, which is available on the WF-1000XM5 and LinkBuds S.

360-degree audio is also said to be “enhanced” with improved multichannel immersion. The Buds 2 Pro feature Bluetooth 5.3 and are LE Audio-ready, according to Samsung’s spec sheet.

Battery life is rated at up to five hours of playback (ANC on) or eight with it off. With the case, you get a total of 20 hours (ANC enabled) or 30 hours if you keep it off. And the Buds 2 Pro are rated IPX7 for water and sweat resistance. All in all, Samsung’s latest flagship earbuds are a modest improvement over the previous model but should still make a great companion to the company’s Galaxy phone lineup — including the new Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4.

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Sports

The Stats Behind Nick Kyrgios’ Untouchable Serving Week In Washington | ATP Tours

The Stats Behind Nick Kyrgios' Untouchable Serving Week In Washington | ATP Tours

Nick Kyrgios made history at the Citi Open on Sunday by becoming the first man to sweep the singles and doubles titles in the 53-year history of the ATP 500 event. But the Aussie also made a bit of history with his flawless serving performance in the singles competition.

With 64 consecutive service holds, Kyrgios was never broken on his title run, saving all 10 break points against him. He hit 96 aces on the week, including a tournament-high 35 in the quarter-finals against Frances Tiafoe — a 6-7(5), 7-6(12), 6-2 victory in which Kyrgios saved five match points.

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The last time a player won an ATP Tour title without dropping serve was in June, when Taylor Fritz won Eastbourne with 51 straight holds. The last player to do so with at least 64 service holds was Kenneth Carlsen, who claimed the 2002 Tokyo title behind 70 consecutive service games won. Ivo Karlovic was the last man to win an ATP Tour title with at least 60 service holds and no breaks; I have held 61 times in winning the 2013 Bogota crown.

You May Also Like: History-Making Kyrgios Reaping Rewards For Hard Yards

For the 2022 season, Kyrgios leads the ATP Tour with a hold rate of 94.42 per cent, winning 423 of his 448 service games across 34 matches, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Only John Isner (91.52%), Reilly Opelka (90.83%) and Hubert Hurkacz (90.13%) join him above the 90 per cent threshold.

Kyrgios’ 538 aces on the season are fifth on the ATP Tour, while his 79.17 break-point save percentage (95/120) tops the Tour. The Aussie has won 79.25 per cent of his first-serve points on the year (fourth) and 56.35 per cent of his second-serve points (third).

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