An extraordinary eight-car crash has brought the second last race of the Formula E championship to a halt in Seoul on Saturday.
The chaos occurred on the opening lap of the Seoul E-Prix as the field went into the last corner, led by Jaguar driver Norman Nato.
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After Nato came Sebastiaen Beumi, who was then followed by Nick Cassidy, Dan Ticktum, Oliver Askew, Andre Lotterer, Nyck De Vries and Oliver Turvey.
Nato and Cassidy were the only drivers able to continue their race after they managed to remove themselves for the messy pileup.
The race was red flagged but motorsport fans couldn’t believe their eyes as a car became perched on top of the Mercedes of De Vries, who was protected by the halo.
“A couple of big hits at the back,” the commentator said.
“Everyone piles into the back, a really weird accident that. Very strange incident there.”
Motorsport writer Hazel Southwell tweeted: “Buemi, Askew, Lotterer, Ticktum, Turvey, Cassidy, Nato and De Vries in the wall. Buemi also on the Mercedes. simply incredible Formula E stuff (red flag, they all seem to be OK, just no one seemed to be able to brake).”
Several of the cars had to be taken away on the back of trucks, much to the amusement of viewers.
Nato said the slippery surface on the wide part of the track, which weaves through Seoul’s Olympic Stadium, was his undoing.
“In the middle of the pack the visibility in the last sector was quite poor,” said Nato, who was able to restart the race.
“One guy in front of me, I don’t even know who he was to be honest because I couldn’t really see, he was really cautious and braked.
“The two cars in front of me, they tried to avoid him and when I arrived I got a bit surprised and I had to avoid, going on the left-hand side of the apex.
“The tarmac is really different at this part and that’s why we saw so many cars (in the wall) because so many people tried to do the same to avoid the inside because of one car.
Formula E crash or parking bay? Photo: Twitter.Source: Twitter
“On the outside, you have no chance to turn. Six cars or seven cars out in one corner is not what we expected.”
Lotterer added: “Basically, it was super slippery out there.
“Same, like the other guys, just touched the brakes and it was just like ice. Nothing you can do from that point on.
“I don’t think it’s braking too late, it was where there was paint, maybe some cars just happened to be on those patches of paint and lock up and that’s it.
“I managed to find a little gap and not hit another car but I still hit it, but not full on.”
The race restarted with Mitch Evans in the lead, who went on to claim victory in the penultimate race of the season ahead of Oliver Rowland and Lucas di Grassi.
It means the championship battle will go down to the last race of the season as Evans attempts to chase down Stoffel Vandoorne.
The ousted boss of Judith Neilson’s embattled journalism institute has obtained legal advice about suing the organization over his dismissal as executive director.
Mark Ryan, a former adviser to Paul Keating and long-time adviser to the Lowy family, led the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas since its inception, and was working with lawyers to negotiate his exit after Neilson requested his removal.
Billionaire Judith Neilson and the executive director of her journalism institute, Mark Ryan, have parted ways.Credit:James Brickwood/Judith Neilson Institute
In an email sent to JNI’s international advisory council early last week, seen by this masthead, Ryan says he still has not been provided with reasons for his removal.
“It’s been a very disappointing episode to say the least, made more so by the fact that no coherent rationale has been provided for what was a totally unnecessary disruption to the Institute and its hard-working staff,” Ryan said in an email last Tuesday .
“I’m advised by Australia’s pre-eminent employment law firm Clayton Utz that I have strong grounds to pursue an adverse action claim and am reserving my rights in that regard.”
Ryan did not respond to requests for comments for this article. His exit de ella came more than two months after the Institute’s four independent directors received a letter from Neilson outlining plans to remove him from his position de ella, and appoint her daughter Beau Neilson and lawyer Daniel Appleby as directors.
The letter, which Neilson conceded may have surprised the board, backpedaled on long-term plans for a coveted international prize for ideas, which was about to be announced and was initially her idea.
It led to the departure of its independent directors – former NSW Justice Jim Spigelman, Free TV chief executive Bridget Fair, former Victoria State Library CEO and current boss of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation Kate Torney, and The Australian’s editor-at-large Paul Kelly – who were concerned about the independence of the organisation.
For their part, sources close to the institute said staff members have clarity on Neilson’s new vision and have not raised issues internally.
Aird said this delay would probably have a macroeconomic impact.
“There is a lag between changes in the cash rate and the impact it has on monthly cash flow for borrowers on a floating rate mortgage,” he said.
“At CBA, for example, by December the impact of already announced rate rises on monthly cash flow for mortgage holders on variable rate loans will be a four-fold increase compared to July.
“As such, there is a strong case to slow the pace of rate rises given we expect consumption growth to slow significantly as the lagged impact of rate hikes impacts many households.”
Financial markets expect the official cash rate to peak at 3.6 per cent by March and then edge down by Christmas 2023.
The RBA board has six meetings between now and March. To reach 3.6 per cent, it would have to lift the cash rate by half a percentage point at one meeting and then a quarter percentage point at each other meeting.
It would amount to the fastest, and most aggressive, increase in interest rates since before the 1990-91 recession, when the bank had interest rates at 17.5 per cent.
Aird, who was one of the first economists to tip the RBA would start tightening monetary policy in 2022, believes the central bank – which has increased rates by half a percentage point at its last three meetings – may slow its increases to a quarter of a percentage point.
He said official interest rates would probably peak at 2.6 per cent before the RBA cut them in the second half of next year, predicting a combined half percentage point reduction in the cash rate at that time.
Data from National Australia Bank suggests the combination of higher interest rates and inflation is starting to bite.
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Its measure of financial hardship showed the proportion of Australians struggling with the cost of living rose sharply to 35 per cent in the June quarter. It was at a survey-low of 29 per cent in the March quarter.
Hardship is most widespread in Western Australia, at 43 per cent, and has been climbing in the state since the start of last year. Inflation in Perth is at a nation-high of 7.4 per cent.
The biggest increase in hardship was in NSW and ACT, where it jumped from 26 per cent to 38 per cent.
NAB’s personal banking group executive, Rachel Slade, said while most of the bank’s customers were in a good financial position, there were some pockets of concern.
“Seventy per cent of NAB customers are ahead on their home loan payments but we do know there are some people who are feeling the pressure of an increased cost of living,” she said.
Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.
Earlier this week Samsung announced a handful of new devicesall slated to begin arriving on Aug. 26. There are new Galaxy ZFold 4 and Galaxy ZFlip 4 smartphones, the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Proand Galaxy Buds 2 Pro wireless earbuds. Shortly after the event ended, I received a review sample of the Buds 2 Pro.
For the past 48 hours, I’ve been using them as much as I could, listening to music and watching a few YouTube videos on a Z Flip 4. Thus far, the Buds 2 Pro are delivering on the promise of high-end wireless earbuds, with one exception.
Specifications
microphones
3 in each earbud
speaker
Custom coaxial 2-way speaker
connectivity
Bluetooth 5.3
Battery life w/ANC
5 hours listening, 18 hours total with case
Battery life w/ANC off
8 hours listening, 29 hours total with case
Features:
Active noise cancellation, ambient mode, 360 audio, voice detection
Colors
Bora Purple, Graphite, White
Water and sweat resistance
IPX7
Price
$229
Comfort is key
After 48 hours, I can say that the Buds 2 Pro just might be the most comfortable wireless earbuds I’ve worn yet. I was able to use the default medium-size ear tips that come installed on the earbuds. There are small and large tips included in the box, along with a USB-C to USB-C charging cable.
Comparing the Buds 2 Pro with the Pixel Buds Pro and AirPods Pro, Samsung’s earbuds have a unique shape to them. There’s the ear tip, then a small bump that fits nicely into my ear, with a larger area on the outside that houses the touchpad.
Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Lighter, brighter, and more user-friendly
I’ve been able to wear them for several hours nonstop without having to take a break because my ears are sore or feel uncomfortable. I also don’t feel as if the Buds 2 Pro are going to fall out of my ear. Maybe that’s because they feel much lighter than the Pixel Buds Pro. Each individual Buds 2 Pro earbud weighs 5.5 grams, while the Pixel Buds Pro earbuds weigh 6.2 grams each. It’s not a lot, but I can feel the difference (to be clear, I didn’t look up the weight until I started writing this, so it’s not a placebo effect).
Jason Cipriani/ZDNet
Sound quality and Pro features
The Buds 2 Pro have all of the staple features that now come with the Pro nomenclature for wireless earbuds. That means quick pairing, active noise cancellation (ANC) to block out background noise and some form of ambient or transparency mode that lets in background noise. All of those features work as expected, and are on par with the AirPods Pro or Pixel Buds Pro.
The ANC is strong enough to block out my very loud mechanical keyboard and office air conditioner when it’s running, while ambient mode lets all of that through while not drowning out the music I’m listening to.
The Buds 2 Pro, however, have a Voice Detect feature that turns on ambient mode and lowers the volume of whatever you’re listening to once it detects that you’re talking. The assumption is that you’re talking to someone, and adjusting the sound will make you better able to hear the person. After 10 seconds of the earbuds no longer detecting your voice, the sound settings revert to their previous state.
In a couple of quick tests, I found voice detection works well. It’s fast to respond when I start talking, and turns everything down low enough that I can hear someone across the room. You can customize the 10-second timeout to either 5 or 15 seconds, but not any longer than that. I wouldn’t mind a 20-second option.
Samsung also added 360 Audio to the Buds 2 Pro. It’s a feature that’s similar to Apple’s Spatial Audio that creates the effect of being surrounded by the music you’re listening to or the video you’re watching. Samsung’s 360 Audio is not as aggressive as Spatial Audio, but there have been times when I forgot 360 Audio was turned on and I’d turn my head and hear different instruments singled out.
Both Voice Detect and 360 Audio are features that you have to turn on in the Wear app — they aren’t enabled by default.
As for sound quality, Samsung added 24-bit Hi-Fi sound to the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, but you need to have an audio source or streaming service that also supports 24-bit Hi-Fi. I don’t have access to either, so all I can speak to is the standard audio experience. As with ANC and ambient mode, the sound quality of the Buds 2 Pro is in line with other high-end wireless earbuds.
Battery life thus far has been good, but I need more time in order to get a real feel for how long the earbuds last, and how often I have to charge the case itself. More on battery life in the coming weeks, but as of right now it’s not something I’m worried about.
Jason Cipriani/ZDNet
Automatic switching doesn’t seem to work
Or at least, I can’t figure it out. Samsung promises that once you pair the Buds 2 Pro with a Samsung device, the rest of your Samsung devices will automatically switch to the Buds 2 Pro if they’re in use and you start playing audio or receive a call. The caveat here is that you have to be signed in to both devices with the same Samsung account.
I did the initial setup and pairing of the Buds 2 Pro with the new Galaxy Z Flip 4, using the one and only Samsung account I have. On a few occasions, I’ve been listening to music on the Z Flip 4, and then tried to start streaming music or watch a YouTube video on my personal Z Fold 3 and a review model Z Fold 4. Not once has the audio switched away from the Flip 4 to either Fold device.
This is similar to my experience with the feature in the past with Samsung’s wireless earbuds. Am I doing something wrong?
I’ve reached out to Samsung about the apparent lack of auto-switching and will provide an update.
You can use the Buds 2 Pro with non-Samsung devices by pairing them via the traditional Bluetooth method. You need to place both earbuds in the charging case, and then long-press on both touchpads until the status light starts flashing red, green, and blue.
The Buds 2 Pro don’t support multipoint connections like the Pixel Buds Pro do. That means the Buds 2 Pro can only stay connected to one device at a time. If you want to switch from, say, a MacBook Pro back to your Galaxy phone, you’ll need to unlock the phone, open the Settings app, go to Connections and then Bluetooth, and select the earbuds.
For anyone who has multiple devices made by multiple companies, it’s a cumbersome and inconvenient process. And that’s unfortunate.
To be fair, Apple’s AirPods Pro (and the rest of the AirPods lineup) work in a similar fashion when in use with non-Apple devices. However, automatic switching between Apple devices is seamless.
Bottom line… for now
Early impressions are important, but I won’t pass final judgment after a couple of days of testing. Instead, I plan on updating this hands-on/early review over the course of the next two weeks, leading up to the full launch on Aug. 26. I have a couple of flights before then, which will be a great test of battery life and how well active noise cancellation blocks out noise.
The Wallabies have been unable to back up their opening Rugby Championship success, crashing to a 48-17 loss to Argentina in a helter-skelter affair in San Juan.
It was the Pumas’ biggest-ever win over the Australians and, on the back of the thumping bonus-point victory, they moved to the top of the four-nation standings.
Argentina raced to a 26-10 half-time lead with the Wallabies unable to repeat the second half surge that led to their Mendoza Test win last week.
Australia had a James O’Connor try, which would have given them the lead, disallowed in the 20th minute in a baffling refereeing decision and the Pumas scored minutes later for a 14-point swing.
It provided a turning point with the remainder of the game almost one-way traffic in a disappointing display by the visitors.
“Massive disappointment. It’s not good enough,” Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said. “We conceded four tries with kicks in behind us and certainly got dominated in the collision area and created plenty of opportunities but we’ve got to be patient. A ruck’s not a disaster; just not clinical enough.
“We had a good enough side on the paddock to do the job,” said Rennie. “We gave them a few soft points early on, fought our way back into it. We’ve got to be better and while we’ll get a few guys back, whoever puts the jersey on has to front and we weren’t good enough.
“We certainly want to earn the respect of the country and you don’t do it with performances like that.”
Rennie will return to Australia feeling out-coached after Pumas coach Michael Cheika switched up his gameplan and used Argentina’s contestable kicking game to expose the inexperience of Australia’s back three.
The home side piled on the pressure in a physical performance with the Wallabies, who are missing key men such as skipper Michael Hooper through personal leave and injury, bereft of answers.
Australia got off to the worst possible start and they trailed 14-0 after seven minutes. Veteran winger Juan Imhoff opened the scoring in the first minute when he pounced on a mix-up between Wallabies winger Jordan Petaia and full-back Tom Wright and raced to the line.
On the back of a 50-22 kick by Santiago Carreras the Pumas had an attacking lineout five meters out with fired-up prop Thomas Gallo barreling over.
The Wallabies started to find their feet and got on the board in the 12th minute after Rob Valetini charged ahead and set up a quick pick and go for skipper James Slipper to score, which was soon backed up by an O’Connor penalty for a 14 -10 scoreline.
Australia scrum-half Nic White (centre) and teammates look dejected after defeat. Photograph: Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images
It looked like the visitors would take the lead after O’Connor crossed after some clever interplay with Petaia but referee Karl Dickson and the TMO deemed an earlier clean-out by Slipper was illegal.
It provided a double blow when Argentina center Jeronimo de la Fuente scored down the other end with Emiliano Boffelli adding the extras for a 21-10 lead.
The Pumas again jumped on some box kick confusion from the visitors with flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez this time gifted the ball to touch down.
The half-time margin could have been more ugly but for a miracle try-saving tackle by Marika Koroibete.
The Wallabies were unable to build into the second half through errors and poor decision-making while the hungry Pumas marched on. Gallo grabbed his second and then Boffelli crossed before a try by Tomas Albornoz after full-time capped a memorable match for the home side.
The 31-point loss was the Wallabies’ heaviest against Argentina, surpassing a 15-point margin in 1983.
The shattered Wallabies captain James Slipper, deputizing for longtime leader Michael who flew home from the tour last week citing his “mindset”, cut a desolate figure at the end of the record defeat.
“Clearly disappointed,” said Slipper. “Off the back of a good performance last week we wanted to back it up. Probably fell short of today’s standards. They got the momentum and the crowd behind them and they’re a tough team to play catch up football against. I think we’re excited to get home. It’s been a really tough tour for us.”
With Los Pumas’ victory, and South Africa’s 23-35 defeat by New Zealand earlier in the day, all teams in the Rugby Championship have one win from two matches.
He says disability support networks across Australia describe similar experiences of plans being slashed without adequate reasons. Along with these mounting anecdotal reports, official figures reveal a 400 per cent increase in complaints about NDIS plan cuts to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, and the scheme agency spending tens of millions of dollars fighting its disabled clients.
While the NDIA has dismissed claims of a razor gang engaged in wholesale plan slashing, the previous minister Linda Reynolds publicly warned that the scheme was facing a financial sustainability crisis.
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It was against this backdrop that the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) began gathering intelligence about serious organized crime syndicates exploiting the scheme. Some of the commission’s information came from the gangsters the agency hauled before closed-door inquiries, where suspects must answer questions truthfully or face jail.
The NSW, Queensland and Victorian police, along with a joint NDIA and federal police fraud taskforce established in 2018, had also been gathering evidence of crime gangs using loopholes to steal tens of millions of dollars in disability funding (the Australian Federal Police has made several major arrests of NDIS fraudsters linked to crime gangs).
A senior source from the NDIA says that in March the then chief executive Martin Hoffman was warned, via a classified briefing paper emailed by the criminal intelligence commission, that organized criminals were freely exploiting “systemic vulnerabilities” in the NDIS.
The commission’s chief executive, Mike Phelan, has confirmed this rorting to The Agethe Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes, revealing the ACIC had determined that the scheme was far too easy to exploit and that the scale of fraud was in the “billions,” potentially as high as 20 per cent of its total.
Mark Gray struggles to stomach the concept that drug traffickers and money launderers are exploiting the welfare program that has helped give his son a quality of life not possible without government support.
For Mark, the rorting of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is not just about money.
“You’re taking pieces of people’s lives,” he says.
“It’s unconscionable.”
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Phelan is calling for a new multi-agency taskforce to combat the problem and has described an array of strategies being employed by high-level criminals to steal disability entitlements. Some are as simple as billing the federal government for services never provided, confident that desktop audits won’t detect the fraud.
While the intervention of a police chief in a public policy debate is rare, Phelan’s warnings are not news to the Formica family in the southern NSW town of Shellharbour. Parents Guy and Dawn are full-time carers for their daughter, Felicity, 16, who suffers from severe autism and epilepsy.
They, too, were eleven fierce proponents of the scheme until they hired an NDIS-approved contractor to renovate Felicity’s bathroom to make it safer if she has a seizure while showering. Guy says that this contractor sought to inflate the costs of the renovation, assuring him the NDIS would cover any blowout, asked no questions.
Dawn and Guy with their 16-year-old daughter Felicity.Credit:louise kennerley
When Guy pushed back, the builder abandoned the job unfinished. The builder’s last act, though, was to claim the full $33,000 allocated by the NDIS to complete the renovation.
“These providers can just go in, put in a claim and get, get paid, and nobody checks. The actual system on how these providers get paid needs to be revamped,” says Guy, echoing the ACIC boss.
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The calls for NDIS reform from the Formica and Gray families and the criminal intelligence commission have been welcomed by minister Bill Shorten. Shorten dismisses claims the scheme was poorly designed by Labor a decade ago, heaping blame on the recently ousted Coalition government.
Since Shorten has become minister, NDIA chief executive Hoffman and the agency chair, former Victorian Liberal premier Denis Napthine, have both quit.
In a statement, the National Disability Insurance Agency apologized for distress caused by its handling of the Gray family’s case, acknowledging the delay in resolving their complaint was “not acceptable.” It said it had forwarded the Formica’s family’s concerns to the industry watchdog for assessment.
Phelan, who has spent 40 years pursuing criminals in a decorated policing career, is confident that systemic reforms and more investigations will save the NDIS hundreds of millions of dollars – money that should be going to people such as Ken Gray and Felicity Formica.
“It is a personal mission. I look at some of the material that has come across my desk, all the intelligence that is available to me. And it just sickens you,” says Phelan.
“At the end of every single case is a victim who is already a victim.”
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Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 Wireless noise-cancelling headphones ($349.95) are a marked departure from past entries with a completely different look and a revamped app experience. They easily compete with the top-rated Sony WH-1000XM5 ($399.99) and Bose QuietComfort 45 ($329) in terms of audio quality, offering a bass-forward-but-balanced sound signature with excellent clarity. They don’t quite offer the same class-leading active noise cancellation (ANC) as either of those models, but they’re in the same ballpark at least. And although we like the app’s features, we’d prefer more granular control than its streamlined EQ allows. These minor drawbacks aside, the Momentum 4 Wireless headphones are a worthy alternative to our favorites from Bose and Sony.
Streamlined Design, Long Battery Life
The Momentum 4 Wireless headphones are exceptionally comfortable even for long listening sessions. The earcups swivel to fit your head and ensure a tight, secure fit.
You can choose between black or white models, but both feature the same gray fabric lining on top of the headband. Notably, they look distinct from Momentum 3 Wireless headphones, which use a metallic headband adjustor. The earcups are more oval-shaped on the new model, too. Faux leather covers the memory foam earpads, while recessed cloth grilles clearly mark the left and right sides.
Internally, 42mm dynamic drivers deliver a frequency range of 6Hz to 22kHz. The headphones are compatible with Bluetooth 5.2, plus support the AAC, AptX, AptX Adaptive, and SBC codecs. This is the kind of wide-ranging codec support we expect in this price range, but don’t always see. That said, Sony’s headphones have a slight edge here because they also support the LDAC codec, which offers a higher maximum bitrate.
The right earcup’s side panel sports a button that handles power and pairing, as well as summons your device’s voice assistant. It sits alongside five tiny status LEDs. There’s a USB-C port at the base of the earcup for the USB-C-to-USB-A charging cable that arrives in the box.
The right ear’s outer panel functions as a capacitive touch control pad and works quite well. That said, like all touch panels this large, it’s easy to accidentally trigger it when you handle the headphones. Regardless, a single tap in the center controls playback, while forward and backward swipes handle track navigation and phone calls (forward to answer, backward to end). Swipes up and down to control the volume. You can also tap twice to toggle between ANC On and Transparency modes. If you perform these successive taps quickly enough, this gesture doesn’t affect playback, but we occasionally paused the music unintentionally. You can also use a two-finger swipe gesture to toggle between the modes—pinch and expand for Transparency or pinch and draw inward for ANC. Optionally, you can turn off the touchpad controls entirely within the app.
Sennheiser estimates that the headphones can last roughly 60 hours on battery at mid-level volumes with ANC on. Turning the ANC off should get you even more battery life, though listening at top volume levels will lower the runtime. Regardless, 60 hours is an impressive figure. Sennheiser says the battery takes roughly two hours to fully charge from empty and that five minutes of charging gets you roughly four hours of playtime, but these numbers depend on your charging source and headphone usage.
The thoughtfully designed zip-up travel case’s exterior matches the headband’s material (in our case, a gray fabric with a slight sheen). A loop for hanging the case from a hook extends from the outer side panel. The headphones swivel flat to fit inside, and each accessory (the USB cable, an airline jack adapter, and a 3.5mm audio cable) comes with an elastic band so you can keep everything tidy. Additionally, the case features a small mesh pocket for storage.
Sennheiser App Experience
The Sennheiser Smart Control app (available for Android and iOS) offers plenty of features beyond the standard over-the-air firmware updates and basic settings (such as on-head detection, smart pause, and auto-power off).
The main menu has a Connection section (for switching between the maximum two paired devices), an EQ section with adjustable presets (the three-band EQ is a little basic, but at least works in conjunction with Bass Boost and Podcast toggles), a Sound Check section (that creates an EQ preset based on a few parameters you specify after listening to music you’re familiar with), and a Sound Zones section (which helps create ANC and EQ presets for up to 20 locations that automatically turn on when you enter those places).
Farther down in the app, the ANC section offers an Adaptive ANC toggle, as well as a slider that lets you blend the ANC and Transparency modes—the left-most position is for full ANC and the right-most position is for full transparency. You can also enable Wind Noise Reduction (Auto, Off, or Max) and set the auto-pause feature to turn on whenever Transparent mode is active. Lastly, a fader in the Sidetone section lets you control how much of your voice you hear on calls.
In the settings menu, you can also choose to hide the various sections of the menu to streamline the app’s home screen. Notably absent is a section for customizing the on-ear gestures, but that feature is more typical of earphones with limited real estate for touch controls.
It’s a little annoying that Sennheiser requires you to create an account to access some of these features, but at least it doesn’t block access to the app altogether. An increasing number of audio companies apparently now want your email. Our main complaint with the app, however, is that the three-band EQ feels unnecessarily simplified—plenty of competing apps offer far more bands and actually bother to label the bands with frequencies. The app was slightly inconsistent in connecting with the Momentum 4 Wireless headphones, too—more than once in testing (and after we installed all available firmware updates), the app didn’t recognize the headphones despite them being paired to our iPhone at the time .
Highly Effective ANC
The headphones deliver high-quality noise cancellation. Unsurprisingly, we had the most success with the maximum ANC level and Adaptive ANC on. With Adaptive ANC off, the ANC lets through a faint hiss (though one that’s really only noticeable in quieter environments).
In testing with the above settings, the headphones dial back powerful, low-frequency rumble (like you hear on an airplane) significantly and don’t produce any sort of masking hiss. They also effectively cut back noise from a recording of a busy restaurant with clanging dishes and boisterous conversation. We weren’t able to test the Wind Noise Reduction feature (which combats unwanted noise as a result of wind hitting the ANC mics), but we suggest leaving it in the default Auto mode.
It’s difficult to say whether the ANC has an obvious effect on the audio performance because there’s no way to turn it off completely; you can only toggle between ANC and Transparency modes or opt for some blend of the two. We didn’t notice any significant audio performance difference when we switched between the two modes in testing.
Compared with the Sony WH-1000XM5, the Sennheiser headphones let through a little bit more of the lows and low-mids in environments with intense, deep frequencies. In a noisy cafe-like setting, the Momentum 4 Wireless headphones allowed a thin band of higher frequencies to slip through that the WH-1000XM5 didn’t—but both are very effective against lows, mids, and, to a reasonable extent, the high-mids. Neither competes with the Bose QuietComfort 45’s level of noise cancellation in these scenarios, however.
Transparency mode effectively provides a clear way for you to hear your surroundings without removing the headphones. And, as mentioned, you can set the pair to auto-pause your music whenever this mode is active. The app doesn’t provide anything beyond a basic transparency function, though—some apps offer a conversation mode that emphasizes the human voice.
Fantastic Audio and Strong Mics
We tested the audio performance primarily without any EQ or Bass Mode enhancements. On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the headphones produce a powerful low-frequency response. The bass doesn’t distort at maximum volume levels, and at more moderate levels, the audio still sounds robust.
Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the sound signature. The drums on this track sound bass-boosted and heavy, but don’t quite veer into unnaturally thunderous territory. Interestingly, the Bass Boost mode doesn’t really add too much thunder, either, though it does beef up the lows somewhat. Callahan’s baritone vocals sound rich and crisp, while the acoustic strums and higher-register percussive hits maintain a bright, detailed presence. If you want a more clinically accurate sound, you can dial back the lows slightly in the app’s EQ, but as is, this is a balanced, if somewhat sculpted, sound signature.
On Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” the kick drum loop receives an ideal high-mid presence that allows its attack to retain its punchiness, while the sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat come across with an ideal depth. The sub-bass doesn’t sound overly emphasized, but no one will accuse the headphones of skimping on subwoofer-like thump. We can tell that the pair enhances the lows somewhat, but they don’t add sub-bass where it doesn’t exist (unlike plenty of modern headphones). The vocals on this track sound clear, with perhaps a bit of additional sibilance.
Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, sound fantastic. The lower-register instrumentation has a rich, full presence, but the spotlight belongs to the higher-register brass, strings, and vocals. This is a crisp, detailed sound signature with excellent anchoring in the lows—subtle on classical and jazz tracks, but capable of delivering the rumble you want from electronic music and some modern mixes.
The four-MEMS-mic array performs very well. We had no problem understanding every word from a test recording on an iPhone. The beam-forming mics (two are in each earcup) deliver an EQ-ed signal that zeroes in on the voice and successfully tamps down surrounding noise.
Sennheiser Strikes Back
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless headphones deliver excellent audio performance and support a strong array of Bluetooth codecs. The ANC here is quite good too—not the best, but fit to hang with the top models. We also like the new design and the option to tweak the audio in the app (although the EQ section could benefit from more bands). The headphones are a bit more affordable than the top-notch Sony WH-1000XM5, and comparable in price with the Bose QuietComfort 45. The Bose model edges out the Momentum 4 in terms of ANC, but we can at least argue that Sennheiser’s pair sounds the best of the bunch.
If all of these models are outside your budget, you should consider Sennheiser’s $199.95 HD 450BT headphones, which offer impressive ANC and audio, just obviously not on the same level as these other pairs. If you have room in your budget and are more focused on audio than noise cancellation, we’re also fans of the luxurious Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 ($399.99). At the very least, however, the Momentum 4 Wireless headphones deserve a spot in this high-end audio conversation.
Antonio Colak scored for the third game in a row as Rangers swept St Johnstone aside to maintain their perfect start to the league season.
Malik Tillman gave the patient home side the lead in the 32nd minute with a close-range header. St Johnstone continued to make life difficult for the Light Blues until Croatia striker Colak, who had scored in previous games against Union Saint-Gilloise and Kilmarnock, drove in a second from 10 yards in the 62nd minute, with late goals by substitutes Scott Arfield and Tom Lawrence adding gloss to the scoreline.
It was a third Rangers victory at Ibrox in a week with three clean sheets and will boost confidence for the first leg of their Champions League play-off at home to PSV on Tuesday.
With injuries to Ryan Kent and James Sands from last Tuesday’s European game, Ben Davies made his first start and Rabbi Matondo, Ryan Jack and Scott Wright also came in against unchanged St Johnstone.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst gave praise to those who stepped in. “Really pleased because we changed some players today, some we had to and some we gave more minutes, so overall it was a positive day for us,” he told BBC Scotland.
There was a half-hearted appeal for a penalty early on when Colak tumbled inside the area after a challenge by Alex Mitchell. The referee, Nick Walsh, took no notice.
St Johnstone suffered some disruption three minutes later when Cammy MacPherson went off injured to be replaced by the former Watford midfielder Daniel Phillips for his debut.
It was one-way traffic but in the 17th minute, when a deep cross bounced off the Rangers defender Borna Barisic eight yards out, Theo Blair knocked the ball wide of a post from on the ground and a good chance was gone.
Rangers kept the visitors pinned in and when James Tavernier took a Wright pass and floated the ball over to the back post, Tillman, on loan from Bayern Munich, rose high again to head in off the bar.
In the 50th minute Matondo, playing off the left, cracked the woodwork with a drive from the edge of the area and Barisic cleared the bar by inches with a free-kick from a similar distance.
When St Johnstone conceded a second, it was their own fault. A hesitant Drey Wright was robbed by Matondo inside the penalty area and the ball fell to Colak who swiftly turned and drove the ball low past Matthews.
Scott Arfield celebrates giving Rangers a 3-0 lead. Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock
Colak made way for Alfredo Morelos in a triple substitution with Wright and Tillman replaced by Arfield and Lawrence.
The points were already secured and it was a case of Rangers trying to add to their tally, which Arfield did with 10 minutes remaining when he converted a Matondo cutback from 12 yards.
Three minutes later, Arfield set up Lawrence for his first Rangers goal and after a comprehensive domestic display Van Bronckhorst can focus on Europe and PSV.
Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.
TL;DR: Through August 24, you can get the BOSMA Aegis Smart Door Lock(opens in a new tab) for just $79.99 with code SMARTLOCK — that’s a 16% discount.
Your dorm room is a new space for you. It may not be dangerous, but you might feel a little vulnerable living somewhere new. However, even if there’s nothing to worry about, you might be able to make your new digs feel a little safer with a smart lock that’s easy to install(opens in a new tab).
The Bosma Aegis Smart Door Lock attaches directly to the deadbolt on your door and gives you (and any roommates) more control over your security. During this Back to Education sale now through August 24, the BOSMA Aegis is on sale for $79.99 (Reg. $119) with coupon code SMARTLOCK.
Lock your dorm room door from your phone
If your dorm has a deadbolt and you have a screwdriver, then you likely can install the Bosma Aegis with little trouble. All you have to do is unscrew the face of your deadbolt on the inside of your door. Use the included mounting materials, then attach your smart lock. Once it’s attached and paired with the Bosma App (for Android or iOS), you could have more control over your dorm room security(opens in a new tab).
That control includes granting guest access. If your parents are visiting, give them a temporary passcode to get into your room. If you leave your door ajar, the six-axis sensor on the Aegis should be able to sense it and send you an alert to shut your door. If someone tries to break in, your lock can trigger an automatic siren to notify you immediately. Plus, your key will still work with the door, so you won’t get locked out if the batteries on your smart lock dies.
Your bedroom should feel safe. Get the BOSMA Aegis Smart Door Lock(opens in a new tab) during our Back to Education event and only pay $79.99 (Reg. $119) with code SMARTLOCK. Plus, when you purchase, we’ll donate 50 cents to a school or charity that you can vote on. Voting is done via email after your purchase is complete.
birmingham phoenix 161 for 5 (Perry 58, Devine 48) beat Welsh Fire 142 for 5 (Beaumont 39, Elwiss 2-29) by 19 runs
Birmingham Phoenix notched the second-highest total of the women’s Hundred as they beat Welsh Fire by 19 runs at a blisteringly hot Sophia Gardens.
After a slowish start, in which they were scoring at a run a ball in the first 20 and lost the wickets of Eve and Amy Jones, Phoenix picked up the pace to take 22 runs off the next set of five balls from Annabel Sutherland.
Welsh Fire skipper Tammy Beaumont led the charge with a 47-run opening partnership with Hayley Matthews. Matthews hammered 20 off 15 balls, while Beaumont notched 39 off 34 before she was stumped by Amy Jones off opposing skipper Devine.
Despite going down by 19 runs, Fire went on to bag their highest score in the competition with 142 for 5.
Having reached the eliminator last season, Phoenix recruited well in the off-season and made a good fist of being put in by Fire. Aussie import Perry enjoyed a brilliant debut in the tournament and her excellent innings of 58 off 31 balls included 10 fours to earn her the Hero of the Match award.
Having seen two wickets fall very cheaply at the top of the innings, Perry dug in with Devine to put on 46 for the third wicket. Between them they turned that conservative start into an innings with real momentum, Devine hitting seven fours and two sixes in her 48 of her.
Those two maximum strikes came off Matthews, as 18 runs came in her first set of five. That took Phoenix to 60 off 30, and although Devine departed soon after to Katie George’s first ball, Perry and Molineux provided a final flourish that took them to their best-ever total – five runs short of the 166 notched by Northern Superchargers against Fire last summer.
Lauren Filer, whose 20 balls cost just 20 runs, was the pick of the Fire bowlers, with Claire Nicholas taking 2 for 26.
The chase from Fire was energetic and innovative, with a ramp shot from Beaumont for six being the highlight. The skipper steered her team to 32 runs in the powerplay and looked set with Matthews until the latter was caught off the second ball from Abtaha Maqsood. Rachael Hynes hit some nice shot in her quickfire 14 and Sutherland notched 34 before she parted.
There was a spirited 20 in 12 balls from Fran Wilson before she was run out and, in the end, Fire fell well short.
