The Federal Government has promised to pick up the bill for any potential pay rise for aged care workers in a submission to the Fair Work Commission (FWC).
Key points:
The government has stopped short of nominating how much aged care wages should increase
It says existing rates do not reflect the modern skills and demands of the role
Aged Care Minister Anika Wells says gender pay equity is a priority
The independent wages umpire is considering a case brought forward by the unions, calling for a 25-per-cent pay increase for 200,000 residential and home care workers.
While stopping short of nominating how much wages should rise, the Commonwealth argued in its submission that the existing award rates do not reflect the value and skills of the sector.
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Tony Burke said the COVID pandemic had exacerbated pressures on the workforce and underlined the case for a pay increase.
“Right now, there is no doubt their work is undervalued. We need to change that,” he said.
“Our government is prioritizing these workers as we fight to get wages moving again.”
Unions celebrate commitment
The Health Services Union welcomed the government’s submission, arguing the aging population and changing expectations had made the roles more complex.
National president Gerard Hayes said the government’s submission was a shot in the arm for the sector.
“Older Australians will not get the care they deserve until we can attract and retain a workforce to look after them,” he said.
“The Government has understood this and taken action.
“We are hopeful the Fair Work Commission will make a decision that recognizes the work value of aged care.
“A decent pay rise is beyond overdue.”
Health Services Union president Gerard Hayes says Australia has allowed aged care workers to be exploited and overworked for too long.(ABC News: Laura Brierley Newton)
The Interim CEO of employer group Aged and Community Care Providers Association Paul Sadler said the case for a pay rise was strongest for registered and enrolled nurses and personal care workers.
“It would not surprise me to see that the increase for these key workers will be certainly up towards that 25 per cent level,” he said.
“The sooner this decision is made the better, but we do support a staged implementation of the increase.”
An election promise
Lifting the pay of aged care workers was a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety’s final report last year.
During the election campaign, Labor promised if it won the government it would make a submission to the FWC in support of a pay rise for the workforce.
The commitment was criticized by then-prime minister Scott Morrison, who questioned how Labor would fund any increase, instead opting to give aged care workers across the country two standalone payments of $400.
Workforce shortages
Unions and industry groups have argued pay increases are needed to attract and retain skilled workers for the sector.
Aged Care Minister Anika Wells said a pay rise was the first step to addressing workforce shortages.
“We need more staff in aged care and a pay rise is the start of ensuring workers are rewarded for the crucial roles they play,” she said.
“One of the main causes of the gender pay gap is low pay and poor conditions in care sectors like aged care, where the majority of workers are women.
“Increasing wages in aged care is essential to ensuring that men and women are paid equally.”
The Albanian government has committed to funding any proposed wage increase.(ABC News: Matt Roberts)
If the unions’ case is successful, the FWC would vary the aged care award, the document outlining minimum pay rates and conditions for the sector.
That change could see the minimum wage for aged care workers rise by at least $5 an hour.
The minimum wage of a qualified personal carer would be bumped up from $23.09 to $28.86 an hour, dependent on salaries when the application was lodged.
Under the union’s proposal a level 1 aged care worker could see their weekly pay increased from just over $800 to more than $1,000.
The case has been before the FWC since 2020.
It is due to hear from the government and unions when it holds hearings this month.
MARSHALL, NC — When schools in one North Carolina county reopen later this month, new security measures will include stocking AR-15 rifles for school resource officers to use in the event of an active shooter.
Spurred by the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead in May, school officials and Madison County Sheriff Buddy Harwood have placed one of the semiautomatic rifles in each of the county’s six schools. Each of the guns will be locked inside a safe, Harwood said.
The North Carolina school district and sheriff’s office are collaborating to enhance security after the Uvalde shooting revealed systemic failures and “egregiously poor decision-making,” resulting in more than an hour of chaos before the gunman was finally confronted and killed by law enforcement, according to to a report written by an investigative committee of the Texas House of Representatives.
“Those officers were in that building for so long, and that suspect was able to infiltrate that building and injure and kill so many kids,” Harwood told the Asheville Citizen Times. “I just want to make sure my deputies are prepared in the event that happens.”
The idea of having AR-15s in schools does not sit well with Dorothy Espelage, a UNC Chapel Hill professor in the School of Education who has conducted decades of study and research on school safety and student well-being.
“What’s going to happen is we’re going to have accidents with these guns,” Espelage told WLOS-TV. Just the presence of an SRO increases violence in schools. There’s more arrests of kids. Why is it that they have to have these AR-15s? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Madison County Schools Superintendent Will Hoffman said school administrators have been meeting regularly with local law enforcement officials, including Harwood, to discuss the updated safety measures.
Harwood said the county’s school resource officers have been training with instructors from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Harwood said the safes where the AR-15s will be kept will also hold ammunition and breaching tools for barricaded doors.
“We’ll have those tools to be able to breach that door if needed. I do not want to have to run back out to the car to grab an AR, because that’s time wasted. Hopefully we’ll never need it, but I want my guys to be as prepared as prepared can be,” he said.
Schools are scheduled to reopen Aug. 22, according to the Madison County Schools website.
While the optics of school resource officers potentially handling AR-15s in schools may be discomforting to some, Harwood said he believes it is a necessary response.
“I hate that we’ve come to a place in our nation where I’ve got to put a safe in our schools, and lock that safe up for my deputies to be able to acquire an AR-15. But, we can shut it off and say it won’t happen in Madison County, but we never know,” Harwood said.
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While the iron was still hot after announcing its brand new LinkBuds range, Sony tacked on one more family member: the Sony LinkBuds S. The LinkBuds range is Sony’s dedicated “Never Off” line of wireless earbuds, designed to be worn all-day.
In my review of the Sony LinkBuds S, I sussed out its fit, active noise cancellation and listening experience to see if it’s everything it’s cracked up to be. But what I was keen to experience was its Ambient Sound Control, a new feature that is programmed to listen and adapt to your activities to give you the best audio experience possible.
Sony LinkBuds S wireless earbuds
WHAT IS IT?
Sony’s latest mid-price pair of wireless earbuds.
PRICE
$269.
LIKE
Great sound, ACN, comfortable all-day fit, solid price.
DO NOT LIKE
No Bluetooth multipoint connectivity, bass isn’t anything special.
set-up
Image: Isabella Noyes/Gizmodo Australia
From the moment you remove these wireless earbuds from its recyclable packaging, the set-up process is totally seamless, especially if you’re already a Sony user.
To get started, you’ll want to download Sony’s Headphones app and turn on your Bluetooth. There’s truly not much else you need to do, except pair the two by selecting your Sony LinkBuds S when it appears on the list of nearby devices.
Downloading the Headphones app isn’t mandatory, but if you want to take full advantage of these earphones’ features, I highly recommend you do.
Once connected, you can use the app to check on each earbud’s battery as well as the charging case’s, which is a very handy feature. From there, you can also choose to turn on the LinkBuds S’ Ambient Sound Control, which will take note of your location and adjust its noise cancellation or ambient noise depending on whether you’re relaxing at home or walking on a busy road.
Its Ambient Sound Control feature is ideal if you’re trying to work in a busy office, but don’t want to miss out on any important conversations happening around you. You can even opt to “Focus on Voice”, which will take in voices while suppressing noise.
Inside the app, you’ll also be able to play with the equalizer to adjust your music based on your preferences – whether you prioritize the sound of the bass pounding in your ears, or to focus on the vocals.
I did try to set up Spatial Sound Optimization in-app, but after craning my head up and down for a good 10 minutes (and feeling very silly), I couldn’t get a result. The idea of it is meant to measure your headphones wearing angle so you can experience more precise spatial sound. But honestly, listening without it set up was still fine.
Design
I like to think they fit pretty well in my small-ish ears. Image: Isabella Noyes/Gizmodo Australia
I’m a big fan of the Sony LinkBuds S’ design. In a commendable move, the LinkBuds S are made from the recycled plastic parts of old automobiles, which gets a firm nod from me on the sustainability front.
Its charging case feels paper smooth and gives a satisfying snap whenever you shut it, that’s almost as addictive as playing with a fidget toy. (Although probably shouldn’t treat it like one).
The wireless earbuds themselves are considerably small and featherlight, which is ideal for smaller ears that usually have to harden bulky ear pieces that stick out like a sore thumb.
It’s nothing as outlandish as the donut-shaped LinkBuds, and while it’s nothing to write ballads about, its simple design is just that. They’re available in white, black or ecru (pale gold). None of the aforementioned colors are anything to scream about, but they do feel a little devoid of personality.
These Sony earphones were designed with the intention to be comfortably worn all-day, and on that front they were a success. I was able to wear them for an entire shift at work and not feel that dull ache inside my ears that usually comes from wearing a pair of earbuds for too long.
Another thing I want to add is that these guys will stay glued to your ears if you head out for a walk or a fairly rigorous run. I braved the outside world a handful of times and decided to run at my fastest down a footpath and didn’t once have to stop to push my earbuds back in.
Compared to the Sony WF-C500 earbuds that I reviewed a few months ago, I prefer the LinkBuds S’ seamless design and touch controls.
While I initially thought that the touch controls weren’t super sensitive, I later found that to be not true. During my review period, I noticed that sometimes the Sony LinkBuds S would pause my music as I moved around the house. While I could restart it hands-free by calling out to my Google voice assistant, it just kept on happening. Eventually, I realized it was because my bangs would brush against it and trigger the pause button. So if you have long hair like me, you might want to keep that in mind.
Battery life
Image: Isabella Noyes/Gizmodo Australia
Sony advertises that the LinkBuds S can offer up to 20 hours of playtime, which I found to be pretty accurate. While this is a little low on the battery life spectrum – especially when its marketed towards those who want to listen all day – it’s plenty for me who tends to listen for a few hours at a time. In fact, I probably only needed to charge it once a week, if not less.
Even if you are a dedicated to living your best life by ignoring the outside world, you will need to give your ears a break here and there. The Sony LinkBuds S are designed to offer six hours of continuous use before they need to be recharged in its case. While a speedy five minute charge does allow up to 60 minutes more battery life, it feels like an inconvenient or convenient amount of time to give your ears a rest – depending on how you look at it.
Your charging case will indicate when its battery is getting low by turning bright red. However, you can also keep an eye on each parts’ battery percentage by checking the app.
How do they sound?
Catmodo says they taste as great as they sound. Image: Isabella Noyes/Gizmodo Australia
Using the equalizer
The equalizer is one of my favorite parts of the Headphones app. It allows you to easily customize your music preferences, depending on whether you want to focus on the vocals or create a custom equalizer setting.
The default options that are consistent on the app regardless of which pair of headphones you own are bright, excited, mellow, relaxed, vocal, treble boost, bass boost, speech and manual.
Making calls
Answering phone calls is a breeze. While I wouldn’t say you’ll have a standout experience, it gets the job done. You can just tap the left earbud to receive or finish a call, which is perfect if you’re on the move.
I forced my boyfriend to call me (ah, the joys of having a tech writer as a partner) and he reported that I sounded “okay”. My mum then called me later and spoke to me for about half an hour. She said that she could hear me clearly the whole time while I did not have any trouble listening to her speak from her.
How does Adaptive Sound Control work with ambient sound and noise cancellation?
Ah, the star of the show. According to Sony, the “LinkBuds S automatically switches between Ambient Sound Mode and noise canceling depending on where you are and what you’re doing.”
So, how does that work? Well, the Sony LinkBuds S are designed to be worn all day long – hence, how damn comfortable they are – so as you go about your activities, it’ll pay attention to whether you’re on route to work, studying at your local library or just sitting on your bed scrolling TikTok. Once the LinkBuds S has an idea about how you spend your day, it’ll start to tune out any ambient noise, like the cars racing past you on your morning walk.
There’s generally four adaptive sound modes it switches between that you can customize: staying, walking, running and transport. Out of the four modes, you can opt to set it to noise-cancelling, ambient sound or off, as well as scaling how much ambient sound you want to hear, and whether you want to take in voices as you go about your activities.
If you head into its settings, you can register and customize the modes depending on real places you visit. For instance, when I’m at home, I’ll wear my earbuds because I want to focus on a task, such as work or cleaning. Using Learned Location, Sony can pinpoint all of the places I frequent and display them on a Google map (which also means it knows where I live). But because it picks up on my location, it knows to automatically switch on noise-cancellation while I’m wearing the LinkBuds S.
As for noise cancellation, it’s pretty good. It’ll block out the sound of your nearby TV and muffle the voices of those speaking around you, but it won’t block out everything. Like snoring.
listening to music
And lastly, how does it sound? Like a dream. I’ve been cycling through all kinds of music lately, anything from songs you can scream in the car to cottagecore instrumental.
I particularly enjoyed listening to my new favorite cottagecore playlist, since it features a lot of upbeat flute playing. The flute’s melody carries clearly over the other instruments in a way you wouldn’t notice if you were relying on your phone’s itty bitty speakers.
If you switch over to a bass heavy playlist, unfortunately it doesn’t quite reverberate through your chest like you’re attending an in-person gig. The bass is very subtle (even if you play around with the equalizer), so if you were hoping for a pair of earbuds that could resuscitate your cold, dead heart, you might want to look for another option.
The lack of good bass is pretty disappointing, considering that the Sony WF-C500 has the 360 Reality Audio feature and sits at a $100 cheaper price point. In contrast, somehow the flute playing sounds better and bounces back and forth between my ears as though I’m sitting in the crowd of an orchestral concert? The same thing goes when I hear other instruments play, such as the violin or a piano.
Should you buy the Sony LinkBuds S?
Image: Isabella Noyes/Gizmodo Australia
Oh Yes. Price-wise, I think you’re getting a solid deal for a mid pair of earbuds. Compared to the expensive donut earbuds and the budget-friendly WF-C500, you’re sitting well in terms of sound quality and pricing, with heavy emphasis on a more comfortable and uniform design.
The LinkBuds S are priced pretty competitively, especially with active noise cancellation. If you want a pair of wireless earbuds that offer some solid hush, you’ll need to look around the $300 mark. But the LinkBuds S are the exception.
If you’re looking for a pair of earbuds that you can wear all-day minus the ear ache, there’s no better option out there.
Where to buy the Sony LinkBuds S
The Sony LinkBuds S are available in Black, White and Ecru.
Amazon ($269) | Bing Lee ($269) | eBay ($269) | The Good Guys ($269)
One of the most dramatic finishes to a race in Commonwealth Games history has had another post-race twist to shatter English hearts and strip their 4x400m women’s relay team of a gold medal.
Watch all the drama in the video above
Stream Seven’s coverage of the Commonwealth Games 2022 for free on 7plus >>
England thought they had hung on for a heart-stopping gold medal victory by 0.01 seconds over Canada when Jessie Knight just barely held off the fast-finishing Kyra Constantine in the very last athletics race for the Games.
The host nation had a massive lead heading into the last leg, but Constantine surged her way up to Knight, who looked gone.
But Knight had more fight left in her yet, creating one of the all-time great finishes to a race in Games history.
She mustered up everything she had to sprint to the line alongside Constantine in a finish that was far too close to call.
After waiting with bated breath, the stadium erupted when replays showed Knight had held on by the barst of margins to claim gold.
Then came the twist.
Constantine and Knight finished 0.01 seconds apart. Credit: 7Sport
After a protest, officials reviewed England’s changeover at the end of the first leg, when Jodie Williams received the baton from Victoria Ohuruogu.
During an awkward handover, Williams had inadvertently drifted over into the lane on her inside, lane two, as she was about to receive the baton and take off.
So disoriented were the two English runners that even Ohuruogu was standing in lane two as she watched her teammate run off.
The review found that the England team clearly infringed and, in such a close race, could have had a slightly unfair advantage that meant they hung on for gold, so they were stripped of their gold medal.
This was the moment England were disqualified for. Credit: 7Sport
EVERYEVENT:Check out the full Commonwealth Games schedule
TALLY MEDAL:Every gold, silver and bronze at Birmingham 2022
LATEST RESULTS:Detailed breakdown of every event at the Games
The England team completed a victory lap before having the bad news broken to them.
Athletics commentator Rob Walker said it was a clear-cut decision.
“It’s as clear as day; you cannot step on the inside,” he said.
“Possibly, because the gold, in the end, was determined by such an incredibly slender margin – maybe if they’d won it by 50 meters there wouldn’t have been a protest. But that was clear and away, and England’s glory turns to heartache.
“It was an incredible, incredible end to the race, but it is Canada’s gold in the end – and by a little more than a hundredth of a second.”
Desperate to hang on to their gold, England protested the decision, but were denied.
(From left): Ama Pipi, Victoria Ohuruogu, Jessie Knight and Jodie Williams celebrate what they thought was a gold medal-winning performance before the bad news was broken to them. Credit: David Ramos/Getty Images
Athletics commentator Tim Hutchings said they had no grounds on which to protest.
“Jodie took a couple of steps inside the lane which was Canada’s lane, ironically, lane two,” he said.
“And then, once she’d set off and righted herself in the correct lane, Victoria Ohuruogu was standing in the wrong lane – that’s how disoriented they were.
“She was standing in the lane inside England’s lane as she watched Jodie Williams head off on her second leg. That compounded the infringement.”
“It was, at the time, a glittering, glittering end – the perfect end – to a wonderful six-day, 12-session bonanza of athletics,” Walker added.
But it wasn’t to be, and Canada finishes with the medal, while Jamaica was elevated to silver, and Scotland took third.
Just like Tokyo 2020 on Seven, there will be one destination to watch every epic feat, every medal moment, every record attempt and every inspiring turn from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
7plus is the only place to watch up to 30 live and replay channels of sport, see what’s on when, keep up to date with the medal tally, create a watchlist to follow your favorite events and catch up on highlights.
In the video below: A wrap of all the action from Day 10
The gunman who allegedly murdered three members of the same family in a rural Queensland town last week was banned from owning a gun license by police more than a decade ago before he successfully overturned the decision.
Queensland Police refused to renew Darryl Valroy Young’s gun license in 2010 after it found he was “not a fit and proper person” to hold firearms.
It added an approval for a license to own four rifles and a shotgun “was not considered to be in the public interest”, The Courier Mail reported.
But the 59-year-old appealed to the Civil and Administrative Tribunal in the same year he needed the weapons to kill feral animals on his sprawling property in Bogie, south-west of Bowen, in northern Queensland’s Whitsundays region.
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Young argued he had not broken laws that would prevent the Queensland Police from renewing his firearms license – which was first acquired in 1998.
“I would like the Tribunal to over turn the rejection notice as I have not broken any laws to stop me having a gun license,” Young wrote.
“…There is no were (sic) in the laws of the gun laws that I have broken to stop me having a gun license… I need my gun license for my business.
“I hope the Court overturns the decision so I can have my license.”
He was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder on Friday following the shooting incident that rocked the town one day earlier.
Police will allege in court three family members – couple Mervyn, 71, and Maree Schwarz, 59, and their son Graham Tighe, 35 – were fatally shot on Thursday by Young at the boundary of their huge properties after the parties agreed to meet the night before.
The other son, Ross Tighe, was left in a critical condition after a shotgun wound to the abdomen. He was able to escape about 40 kilometers in a ute and raise the alarm.
Young appeared at Proserpine Magistrates Court via video link on Monday morning. His legal team did not apply for bail.
He will remain behind bars at a Queensland correctional facility until the case is mentioned again in just under three months on November 1.
Neighbors of the Schwarz’s traveled more than an hour from their town to the courthouse to support the alleged victims and their families.
The Schwarz’s had moved next door to the Young’s in the town with a population of about 200 people after purchasing the 29,000 hectare farm in May 2021.
Police will allege the couple and one of their sons were murdered at the front of the Shannonvale Rd property over an ongoing dispute about boundaries of the homes.
Anyone in the area with information who has knowledge, information of any issues in the area, or spoke with either family, should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
BEIJING (AP) — China said Monday it is extending threatening military exercises surrounding Taiwan that have disrupted shipping and air traffic and substantially raised concerns about the potential for conflict in a region crucial to global trade.
The announcement increases uncertainty in the crisis that developed last week with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
The exercises will include anti-submarine drills, apparently targeting US support for Taiwan in the event of a potential Chinese invasion, according to social media posts from the eastern leadership of China’s ruling Communist Party’s military arm, the People’s Liberation Army.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and its leader, Xi Jinping, has focused on bringing the self-governing island democracy under the mainland’s control, by force if necessary. The two sides split in 1949 after a civil war, but Beijing considers visits to Taiwan by foreign officials as recognizing its sovereignty.
Xi is seeking a third term as Communist Party leader later this year. His control of him over the armed forces and what he has defined as China’s “core interests” — including Taiwan, territorial claims in the South China Sea and historic adversary Japan — are key to maintaining his nationalist credentials of him.
The military has said the exercises, involving missile strikes, warplanes and ship movements crossing the midline of the Taiwan Strait dividing the sides, were a response to Pelosi’s visit.
China has ignored calls to calm the tensions, and there was no immediate indication of when it would end what amounts to a blockade.
On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China would “firmly safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, resolutely deter the US from containing China with the Taiwan issue and resolutely shatter the Taiwan authorities’ illusion of “relying on the US for independence.”
China’s slowing economic growth, which has reduced options among migrant workers as well as college graduates, has raised the specter of social unrest. The party has maintained its power through total control of the press and social media, along with suppression of political opponents, independent lawyers and activists working on issues from online free speech to LGBQT rights.
China doesn’t allow public opinion polls, and popular opinion is hard to judge. However, it generally skews in favor of the government and its efforts to restore China’s former dominant role in the region that puts it in conflict with the United States and its allies, including Japan and Australia.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said Sunday it detected a total of 66 aircraft and 14 warships conducting the naval and air exercises. The island has responded by putting its military on alert and deploying ships, plans and other assets to monitor Chinese aircraft, ships and drones that are “simulating attacks on the island of Taiwan and our ships at sea.”
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s official Central News Agency reported that Taiwan’s army will conduct live-fire artillery drills in southern Pingtung county on Tuesday and Thursday, in response to the Chinese exercises.
The drills will include snipers, combat vehicles, armored vehicles as well as attack helicopters, said the report, which cited an anonymous source.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has called on the international community to “support democratic Taiwan” and “halt any escalation of the regional security situation.” The Group of Seven industrialized nations has also criticized China’s actions, prompting Beijing to cancel a meeting between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Japanese counterpart, Yoshimasa Hayashi.
China has cut off defense and climate talks with the US and imposed sanctions on Pelosi in retaliation for her visit.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Cambodia over the weekend that Pelosi’s visit was peaceful and did not represent a change in American policy toward Taiwan. He accused China of using the trip as a “pretext to increase provocative military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait.”
The Biden administration and Pelosi say the US remains committed to the “one-China” policy that extends formal diplomatic recognition to Beijing while allowing robust informal relations and defense ties with Taipei.
The US, however, criticized Beijing’s actions in the Taiwan Strait, with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre calling them “fundamentally irresponsible.”
“There’s no need and no reason for this escalation,” Jean-Pierre said.
In Washington, Taiwanese de facto ambassador Bi-khim Hsiao said China had no reason to “be so furious” over Pelosi’s visit, which follows a long tradition of American lawmakers visiting Taiwan.
“Well, you know, we have been living under the threat from China for decades,” Hsiao told CBS News on Sunday. “If you have a kid being bullied at school, you don’t say you don’t go to school. You try to find a way to deal with the bully.
“The risks are posed by Beijing,” Hsiao said.
On a visit to Myanmar, whose Chinese-backed military government has been accused of murdering its opponents, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Washington was “taking the opportunity to build up its military deployment in the region, which deserves high vigilance and resolute boycott from all sides.”
“China’s firm stance” is aimed at “earnestly safeguarding peace across the Taiwan Strait and regional stability,” Wang was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.
Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called for a cooling of tensions. “Australia continues to urge restraint, Australia continues to urge deescalation, and this is not something that solely Australia is calling for, and the whole region is concerned about the current situation, the whole region is calling for stability to be restored,” Wong told reporters in Canberra.
The OnePlus 10T is priced on par with the Pixel 6, skips the zoom camera just like Google’s phone, and sports a snappy and barebones Android interface, again like, you guessed it, the Pixel 6.
That is why we are pitching the new OnePlus 10T versus the “old” Google Pixel 6 to help you choose which one to get on the runup to the September release date here in the US, based on their camera, display, and processor performance benchmarks .
OnePlus 10T vs Google Pixel 6, the main differences:
Record fast 150W wired charging on the OnePlus 10T, but no wireless charging
The smaller Pixel 6 display has better color presentation but lower refresh rate
Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset is faster than Google’s Tensor 1 and offers better 5G connectivity
The OnePlus 10 comes with twice the RAM and base storage of the Pixel 6
Two color options vs three
50 MP cameras, but Google is still the mobile photography boss
Design and Display Quality
The OnePlus 10T is undoubtedly the more elegant phone at the front, what with the thinner display bezels and the boxy Pixel 6 appearance. At the back, however, it’s a toss-up between the OnePlus camera island fused with the side frame and the unorthodox camera “strip” of the Pixel 6.
The Pixel’s design is a bit more comfortable to hold and use with one hand, not only because it is more compact, but also because the elevated camera strip serves as a great place to press your index finger against. The OnePlus 10T’s elevated camera area holds three cameras and a flash, while Google’s strip has two and a flash, making for a rather bare appearance in comparison.
The 10T has two color options – Moonstone Black and Jade Green – which, despite the drastic difference in texture and looks, are achieved by using a glass back. The Pixel 6, in comparison, offers three colorways – Kinda Coral, Sorta Seafoam, and Stormy Black – and is again offering a glass back which has a wireless charging coil on the inside, unlike the OnePlus 8T which only charges with the monstrous 150W brick .
displays
We have to give it to Google and its Pixel line when it comes to display colors. While phones from the BBK holding, like those of Oppo or OnePlus, offer rare per-unit factory calibration on the high-end models for the maximum in wide gamut coverage, Google’s Pixels have perfect display calibration even towards the midrange which is currently occupied by the Pixel 6.
Granted, Google’s midranger has a smaller, 6.4″ 1080p panel with “only” 90Hz refresh rate, against the OnePlus 10T’s 6.7-inch OLED screen with a dynamic 120 Hz refresh rate, but our display benchmarks reveal some weaknesses like a cold white balance, or too high of a Delta E in the grayscale meaning colors that differ from the reference point.
The Pixel 6, on the other hand, has one of the lowest Deltas we’ve measured, near-perfect white balance, and brightness on par with the OnePlus 10T, as if counterweights to the higher refresh rate of the OnePlus phone.
Performance and Software
The OnePlus 10T is powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor paired with up to the whopping 16 GB of RAM. if you preorder the OnePlus 10T in the US, you get a free upgrade to the 16GB/256GB version, too. On the software side of things, we have Android 12, with OnePlus’ own OxygenOS 12.1 overlay running on top.
The Pixel 6 runs on Google’s own Tensor processor, coupled with 8GB RAM and 128GB of base storage. While both phones run their light Android interfaces well, the OnePlus 10T runs the most powerful Android chipset at the moment, so Google’s Tensor has a hard time catching up, especially when it comes to gaming or 5G connectivity where Qualcomm has no equal in terms of bands and filters supported.
But let’s look at the raw specs from our performance benchmarks and let them speak for themselves, especially in the 3D graphics rendering section which is important if you play a lot of games on your phone, here the 10T easily surpasses the Pixel 6:
Camera
The OnePlus 10T has a big but aesthetically pleasing camera island on the back, hosting three sensor and lense combos only one of which makes sense, the 50MP main camera with the Sony sensor. The 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro camera are compromises and seem to be there for the count.
Can Google compete with the 50MP sensor of the Pixel 6’s main camera and the 12MP of the ultrawide against the newer OnePlus 10T? It can, and then some, as you can see from the samples below.
The crowd-pleasing OnePlus camera algorithms churn out overly warm, yellowish images with unnatural contrast boost. The photos lose some details in the process, while the Pixel 6 not only manages to snap very realistic, true-to-life colors both indoors and outdoors, but also captures more detail and the images have less blur without oversharpening, and the same goes for the 4K sample videos from the two phones below.
Audio Quality
Both the OnePlus 10T and the Pixel 6 list “dual stereo speakers” among their virtues, but it’s a single speaker augmented by using the earpiece as the other one to keep the stereo sound off-balance. The sound from both phones won’t rock your socks, especially in the lows and mids, but they are both sufficiently loud to annoy people on your morning commute still.
It’s also worth noting that the phones lack a headphone jack, so you’d have to pick your poison of USB-C headphones, or wireless ones if you don’t want to use the “stereo speakers.”
Battery Life and Charging
The OnePlus 10T’s added value is its 150W charging system that pumps its 4800 mAh dual-cell battery full of electrons for less than 20 minutes. We measured 23 minutes, to be exact, but that was from a completely depleted state, not the 1% that OnePlus measures from.
To top it all off, OnePlus also notes that it’s taken measures to make sure this super fast (“SUPERVOOC”) charging is safe by installing 13 temperature sensors inside the phone’s battery system and introducing self-healing battery materials that make it good for 1600 charging cycles, twice the current average.
There’s no wireless charging like on the Pixel 6, but the ultrafast wired and the inclusion of its 150W brick in the box more than compensates In short, both the battery life and the charging rounds go to the OnePlus 10T here.
Specs Comparison
Specs
OnePlus 10T
Pixel 6
Dimensions
163mm x 75.37mm x 8.75mm
6.24 x 2.94 x 0.35 inches (158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9mm)
Weight
203.5 grams
7.30oz (207.0g)
Screen
6.7 inches, AMOLED 2412 x 1080 resolution (394 pixels per inch) 120Hz refresh rate HDR10+
6.4 inches, AMOLED 2400 x 1080 resolution, (390 pixels per inch) 90Hz refresh rate HDR10+
processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
Google Tensioner 1
RAM
8GB / 12GB / 16GB
8GB
rear cameras
50 MP main (with OIS) 8 MP ultra wide 2MP macro
50 MP main (with OIS) 12 MP ultra wide
front-camera
16MP
8 MP front
BatterySize
4,800mAh
4,614mAh
Charging Speeds
150W (wired) No wireless charging (150W charger included in the box)
30W (wired) 15W (wireless) (No charger included in the box)
Price
$649 for the 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage variant $749 for the 16 GB RAM / 256 GB storage variant
$599 for the 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage variant
Conclusion: OnePlus 10T or Pixel 6, which one to buy?
While the specs of the OnePlus 10T and Google Pixel 6 are quite similar, as can be expected given their respective price category, the newer phone is definitely the faster one with its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and the 20-minute charging speed. When it comes to photography, the Pixel 6 has the upper hand, though, despite both having 50MP main cameras.
In other words, if performance while gaming, record charging speeds, and a larger display with smoother refresh rate are more important to you than better dynamic range or night colors in your photos and wireless charging, go for the OnePlus 10T which can now be ordered with a free storage upgrade to boot.
Having added seven gold medals to the collection on the penultimate day, Australia has one last chance to secure a further four golds on the final day of the Commonwealth Games.
It’s been a tremendously successful Games for the Aussies as they reached the 1000 gold medal milestone and are 11 golds ahead of host nation England in the tally.
Follow all the action from the final day in our LIVE blog below!
It comes as a five-time Commonwealth Games representative Melissa Wu was confirmed as the flag bearer for Australia at the closing ceremony.
After winning gold in beach volleyball, cricket, diving (twice), road cycling, and javelin, the superstar Diamonds netball team that brought up the incredible milestone by beating Jamaica 55-51 in the women’s netball final.
DAY 10 WRAP: Aussie’s final dive wins gold, Poms RAGE after cycling duel
The Kookaburras are also in action in the men’s hockey, while an Aussie duo compete for the gold in the women’s doubles final in the table tennis.
Foxsports.com.au has you covered on who’s in action, what they’re competing in and when you can watch them!
TALLY LIVE MEDAL
HOCKEY
the kookaburras face India in the men’s end and is scheduled for 9.30pm.
The Aussies, who have not lost at the Commonwealth Games since 1998 along with six gold medals in the trophy cabinet, will look to continue their mind-boggling streak having beaten host nation England in the semi-final.
In the Kookaburras’ most recent clash against India, the Aussies got the better of them to the tune of 7-1 in a pool match at the Tokyo Olympics.
However, India will no doubt be seeking revenge having overcome South Africa in the other semi-final.
Barber claims gold with CLUTCH throw | 00:28
DIVING
Australia’s first medal event was the mixed synchronized 3m springboard final in the diving, with li shixin teaming up with Madison Keeney and Domonic Bedggood paired with Annabelle Smith.
Keeney and Li grabbed silver with a score of 304.02 — less than two points away from gold.
Bedgood and Smith, who’d already won the gold in the women’s synchronized 3m springboard, finish in fifth, only five points off a medal.
the mixed synchronized 10m platform final saw Cassiel Rousseau and Emily Boyd winbronze.
Rousseau was coming off an incredible gold in the men’s 10m platform.
PERFECT 1O in final gold medal dive! | 00:30
TABLE TENNIS
aussie pair Jian Fang Lay and minhyung jee lost their gold medal match to Singapore to take home silver medals.
A woman in sydney’s eastern suburbs has been allegedly stabbed at her doorstep after opening her front door to a man believed to be known to her.
A crime scene was established on the cliffs of Dover Heights after the 46-year-old was treated for stab wounds this afternoon.
It’s alleged a 46-year-old man, believed to be a friend of the woman’s husband, knocked on the woman’s door before stabbing her around 3pm, leaving her with a severe chest wound.
A woman in Sydney’s eastern suburbs has been allegedly stabbed. (Nine)
Three builders working nearby heard the woman’s screams and rushed to the scene, disarming the alleged attacker.
The knife was dropped and the man allegedly fled.
A neighbor witnessed the aftermath of the incident.
“My understanding was she opened the door because he was familiar to her,” witness Marina Bassin said.
The three builders are being credited with potentially saving the woman’s life.
“There were three of them. They were so brave… extremely brave,” Bassin said.
“She was also extremely brave, screaming for help.”
A crime scene was established on the cliffs of Dover Heights. (Nine)
Paramedics stabilized the woman before taking her to St Vincent’s Hospital in a critical condition.
“This was a very traumatic scene to arrive at with a significant, life-threatening stab wound,” NSW Ambulance Inspector Giles Buchanan said.
“Paramedics administered IV fluids, stemmed the bleeding and provided pain relief to stabilize the patient.
“Stabbing wounds are generally confronting incidents and this patient has suffered a very serious injury.”
The alleged attacker was tracked to Bondi Beach and arrested this afternoon.
A trader works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), New York, August 3, 2022.
Andrew Kelly | Reuters
Here are the most important news items that investors need to start their trading day:
1. Stocks look for momentum
US equities markets were on track to open higher Monday morning after three straight winning weeks for the S&P 500, which is recovering from its worst first half in more than 50 years. The Nasdaq also posted a winning week as investors digested the latest jobs report, which was much stronger than expected, as well as chances for future rate hikes from the Federal Reserve, which is in inflation-fighting mode. Markets will also get a fresh read on inflation this week: The latest consumer price index is slated to be released Wednesday, and economists expect it to show a slight slowdown in the red-hot rate of inflation. Follow live stock market updates here.
2. Senate passes climate and health-care package
US Vice President Kamala Harris smiles during her speech at the NAACP National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey, US July 18, 2022.
Hannah Beer | Reuters
Senate Democrats, relying on Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote amid unanimous Republican opposition, finally passed a reconciliation package including provisions to battle climate change and bolster health care. The $430 billion bill ended up much smaller than what President Joe Biden and Democratic leaders were looking for, but the party is touting it as a huge victory ahead of the midterm elections this fall. The party in power tends to lose seats in Congress during a president’s first term, and with inflation raging and Biden’s approval ratings in the gutter, Democrats are in danger of ceding control of both chambers. The House is slated to vote on legislation and send it to Biden later this week. Read NBC News’ report here.
3. Fed governor sees more big rate hikes
Federal Reserve Bank Governor Michelle Bowman gives her first public remarks as a Federal policymaker at an American Bankers Association conference In San Diego, California, February 11 2019.
Ann Saphir | Reuters
The Fed is relatively fresh off its second consecutive three-quarter point rate hike, but expect more to come, according to Fed Governor Michelle Bowman. “My view is that similarly sized increases should be on the table until we see inflation declining in a consistent, meaningful, and lasting way,” She said in remarks over the weekend. Bowman, a voting member of the central bank’s rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee, said high inflation is a bigger threat to the economy than slowing growth. If prices continue to surge like they’ve been doing over the past few months, she said, it “could lead to a further economic softening, risking a prolonged period of economic weakness coupled with high inflation, like we experienced in the 1970s.”
4. Huge loss for SoftBank
SoftBank Founder Masayoshi Son said there is “confusion in the world” and in the markets due to a number of factors including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, high inflation and central bank moves to raise interest rates. These factors have contributed to a record annual loss at SoftBank’s Vision Fund.
Kentaro Takahashi | Bloomberg | Getty Images
High interest rates have taken a toll on risky tech stocks this year, and SoftBank’s tech-focused Vision Fund is feeling the pinch. The Japanese conglomerate said Monday that the Vision Fund posted a loss of 2.93 trillion yen ($21.68 billion) in the most recent quarter – the second-largest quarterly loss for the fund. Overall, the company reported a record quarterly loss after delivering a profit during the same quarter a year earlier. SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son had already warned during the spring that the company would be more “conservative” with its investments after a massive loss during its previous fiscal year.
5. China sets new military drills near Taiwan
Video screenshot shows a missile launched by the rocket force of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army PLA, targeting designated maritime areas to the east of the Taiwan Island, Aug. 4, 2022.
China isn’t done with its aggressive drills near Taiwan. The Chinese military said Monday it would conduct new actions in the air and sea near the self-ruled island, which China claims as its own. China’s military had just wrapped up several days’ worth of exercises – its largest ever, according to Reuters – protesting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The drills included the firing of 11 short-range ballistic missiles, while warships, fighter jets and drones made several maneuvers around the island.
– CNBC’s Yun Li, Jeff Cox and Arjun Khrapal contributed to this report.
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