Manly’s exit from the finals race last week has ended Tom Trbojevic’s dream of returning to play this season and make a late bid for Australia’s World Cup team.
The star fullback suffered what was thought to be a season-ending shoulder injury in round 11, but two weeks ago declared his rehab was going well and he was eyeing a shock return before year’s end.
But Manly will now tell Turbo to just concentrate on getting himself right for 2023.
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The brilliant fullback may still have been a chance at selection for the World Cup in England in October and November, but Manly don’t want him to risk injuring himself again.
One of the game’s genuine match-winners, Trbojevic was superb last season, winning the Dally M Medal, and started this year strongly before his shoulder was dislocated in an awkward tackle.
Jake and Tom Trbojevic (AAP)
PANTHER LOOKING FOR OUTSIDE OPPORTUNITY
The most talked about player in rugby league this week – young Panthers utility Jaeman Salmon – is in danger of being lost to the club at the end of the season.
But his likely exit has nothing to do with Ricky Stuart’s epic spray in the press conference after Penrith’s win over Canberra.
Stream the NRL premiership 2022 live and free on9Now
It all comes down to opportunity – like Sean O’Sullivan, Salmon has had a frustrating time playing behind the Panthers’ gun halves Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai.
O’Sullivan saw the writing on the wall and signed with the Dolphins for next year, while Salmon is a free agent and has been in talks with at least one rival Sydney-based club.
Jaeman Salmon of the Panthers scores a try against the Raiders. (Getty)
TIGERS PLAY HARDBALL OVER STAR
Tigers fans are probably feeling nervous after star signing Isaiah Papali’i appeared to consider back-tracking on his deal to join the club in media interviews on Monday.
“I’ve got a season to finish off and then I can worry about all that after,” he said.
“When it does come time to have that talk (with the Tigers), we’ll definitely have that talk behind the scenes.”
But the Tigers are prepared to play hardball to ensure Papali’i honors the deal he signed, which has been registered with the NRL.
The club has let three backrowers go for next season to be able to afford Papali’i and if he doesn’t come, their pack will be a shambles.
For that reason alone, the Tigers won’t even consider releasing the powerhouse forward.
Star considers backflip on Tigers
FLYER LINKED TO KNIGHTS MOVE
There’s been plenty of talk linking former Eels trying scoring sensation Bevan French to Newcastle next season, but Wigan won’t let the speedy utility go without a fight.
French wants to return to Australia after four years in England where he has proved himself a fan favourite.
Last month, he set a new Super League record by scoring seven tries during a 60-0 win over Hull FC.
Wigan will throw more money at French than the Knights are prepared to pay, leaving him with the old dilemma – money or happiness.
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The backstories and controversies that have ignited feuds involving athletes
The acting Prime Minister insists there is little the federal government can do to ward off constant Chinese criticism of Australia, as Beijing lashes out against international condemnation of its military drills in the Taiwan Strait.
Key points:
Richard Marles says a more diplomatic approach with China may do nothing to improve relations
China has threatened to continue conducting combat exercises around Taiwan
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister has thanked countries that have stepped up to China
Australia has joined with other nations to condemn Beijing’s decision to extend military drills around Taiwan, triggered by a visit to the island from United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Chinese officials said condemnation by Australia was undermining regional peace and stability, and amounted to meddling in its affairs.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles dismissed that accusation and said it was up to China whether relations with Australia thawed or deteriorated again.
“If engaging in a more respectful, diplomatic way takes us some way down a path, it does — and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t,” Mr Marles said.
“We can only control our end of this equation. But we will always be speaking up for the national interest.”
Taiwan has been preparing air raid shelters and conducting drills as Chinese military air and naval combat exercises have increased around the island.
Taiwan thanks ‘courageous’ nations stepping up to China
In a briefing to media yesterday, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister, Joseph Wu, expressed his gratitude to the nations that had supported his country.
“Taiwan is grateful to all of its friends around the world who have stood up courageously to condemn China’s actions and to support Taiwan,” Mr Wu said.
“It also sends a clear message to the world that democracy will not bow to the intimidation of authoritarianism.”
The People’s Republic of China has threatened to continue regular drills as it seeks its decades-long goal of bringing Taiwan under Beijing’s rule.
Mr Marles called on China to end his combat exercises and maintain the status quo.
“I think there would be a sigh of relief around the world if we were to see a de-escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait,” he said.
“It is critical that we return to a much more peaceful and normal set of behaviours.
“What we are seeing there is very concerning.”
Mr Wu warned China was testing agreements that had been in place for decades.
“The median line of the Taiwan Strait has been there for decades, safeguarding peace and stability as well as the status quo across the Taiwan Strait,” he warned.
“And China is trying to wreck that.”‘
Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian is set to deliver an address at the National Press Club later today.
CROWN, Calif. (KABC) — A single-engine airplane crashed into a pickup truck on the 91 Freeway in Corona and then burst into flames, authorities said.
The California Highway Patrol began receiving reports of a plane crash just after 12:30 pm on Tuesday.
The incident happened along the eastbound lanes at Lincoln Avenue.
WATCH | Surveillance video shows plane crash-landing on 91 Freeway in Corona
CHP officials said there were two people on the plane and three in the truck. Thankfully, everyone was able to walk away unharmed.
The single-engine Piper Cherokee aircraft erupted into flames following the crash, but firefighters put the blaze out quickly.
The pilot said the crash may have been caused by possible engine failure during the plane’s final descent into Corona Municipal Airport. The exact cause has not yet been determined.
Authorities say it could have been much worse if the crash occurred during rush hour.
“Absolutely very fortunate today. The traffic was light, and the pilot appears to have made some good landing navigations and avoided what could have been a very bad tragedy,” said CHP Capt. Levi Miller.
The two right lanes on the eastbound 91 and the Lincoln on-ramp were closed and expected to remain shut down through much of the afternoon rush. Drivers in the area were urged to seek an alternate route as authorities cleared the scene.
Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration issued the following statement:
“An unidentified small plane landed on the eastbound 91 Freeway near Interstate 15 in Corona, Calif., around 12:30 local time today. Two people were on board. The FAA will investigate. The agency does not identify people involved in aircraft accidents or incidents.”
The local boss of e-commerce giant Amazon says Australian consumers are flocking to the site to sign up for subscription deliveries of household staples as the retailer ups the ante on fast delivery in major cities.
Country manager for Amazon Australia Janet Menzies said that despite concerns about slower consumer spending, most product categories saw an uplift in sales during the company’s recent Prime Day sale event – with pantry items, beauty and personal care goods performing strongly.
Amazon Australia’s Janet Menzies says shoppers want reliable and speedy delivery now more than ever. Credit:Oscar Coleman
“I think what is most important [at the moment] is value – and we saw on Prime Day that people are willing to spend,” she said.
Grocery and household staples have been a drawcard for customers on the platform, with Menzies highlighting strong demand for the company’s “subscribe and save” feature, which gives users a small discount for scheduling repeat deliveries of things like toilet paper, dog food and soft drinks .
“We have thought a lot about this program and when it is useful — usually, it’s something that is a consumable. And it started off as everyday essentials in the kitchen, but now you can even get ‘subscribe and save’ on [printer] toner,” Menzies said.
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It’s been close to five years since Amazon launched in Australia and while the company’s growth has been gradual, revenues surged throughout the pandemic to hit $1.75 billion in 2021. Its 2022 financials are yet to be filed with the corporate regulator.
Amazon is well-known for its superfast product delivery, with the company pioneering the model of parcels arriving in as little as two hours across the US.
On Wednesday, the company confirmed that years after making its first deliveries, it is now ready to expand free one-day delivery to hundreds of thousands of products in Melbourne and Sydney for customers who sign up to Amazon’s Prime membership program.
Google hit Sonos with two lawsuits on Monday, claiming patent infringement on seven different technologies associated with smart speakers, as part of its ongoing battle with the audio hardware biz over intellectual property.
Both companies previously collaborated on building software to support audio devices, but their relationship soured when Sonos cried foul play two years ago, alleging Google had copied five of its patents after the search giant launched its voice-activated speaker Google Home. The patents describe how smart speakers can wirelessly play music across different rooms.
Google, in return, countersued and claimed Sonos had, in fact, stolen IP from five of its patents relating to content availability search, noise control, and more.
Sonos reacted by filing yet another lawsuit, claiming Google had actually ripped off more than five of its patents over years. America’s International Trade Commission sided with speaker biz in its original lawsuit, and agreed Google had infringed five of Sonos IP filings. Engineers at Google scrambled to make software changes to its products to skirt the judge’s decision banning imported devices built on Sonos’ technology into the US.
Google isn’t letting the matter rest, however, and has decided to sue Sonos again. The two lawsuits filed to the District Court of Northern California in San Francisco, claim its rivals have infringed upon US Patent Numbers: 10,593,330, 10,134,398, and 7,705,565 in one complaint [PDF]and 11,024,311, 9,812,128, 9,632,748, and 11,050,615 in the other [PDF]. These patents cover a range of applications, ranging from wireless charging to hotword detection to audio input monitoring.
Google said it was “proud” of its “multi-year partnership” with the smart speaker biz, and it even made its virtual Google Assistant available on Sonos’ speakers. “Sonos has made false claims about the companies’ shared work and Google’s technology in the lawsuits that Sonos filed against Google. While Google rarely sues other companies for patent infringement, it must assert its intellectual property rights here,” it alleged.
“Rather than compete on the basis of innovation and product quality, Sonos has decided to compete in the courtroom, and started an aggressive and misleading campaign against our products, at the expense of our shared customers,” José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson told The Register. :We prefer innovation to litigation but their actions leave us no choice but to defend our technology and challenge Sonos’s clear, continued infringement of our patents.”
Sonos’ chief legal officer, Eddie Lazarus, hit back and called Google’s latest IP theft claims an “intimidation tactic” to retaliate against the company. “Google previously sued us all over the world and Sonos has prevailed in every decided case. By contrast, the courts have repeatedly validated Sonos’ claims that Google is infringing its core patented smart speaker technology,” he told The Register.
“Google’s new lawsuits are an intimidation tactic designed to retaliate against Sonos for speaking out against Google’s monopolistic practices, avoid paying Sonos a fair royalty for the roughly 200 patents it is currently infringing, and grind down a smaller competitor whose innovations it has misappropriated. It will not succeed.” ®
New Zealand Cricket has agreed to release Trent Boult from his central contract after the fast bowler requested to spend more time with his family and to make himself available for T20 leagues with his international career now to be “significantly reduced”.
Boult, 33, had held several conversations with NZC prior to Wednesday’s announcement. The move will have huge ramifications for New Zealand given the proliferation of T20 leagues that are popping up within the time period of their summer domestic season.
NZC released a statement explaining that Boult had made it clear to NZC chief executive David White that his appetite for touring had diminished and he wished to spend more time with his family.
“This has been a really tough decision for me and I’d like to thank NZC for their support in getting to this point,” Boult said.
“Playing cricket for my country was a childhood dream and I’m so proud of everything I’ve been able to achieve with the Black Caps over the past 12 years.
“Ultimately this decision is about my wife Gert and our three young boys. Family has always been the biggest motivator for me and I feel comfortable with putting it first and preparing ourselves for life after cricket.”
Boult has not retired from international cricket but he is likely to play a lot less with White confirming that Boult was aware of the ramifications of his decision and that NZC would prioritize contracted players.
“We’ve had several conversations and I know Trent understands that, in terms of selection, NZC will continue to make a priority of those players with either central or domestic contracts,” White said.
Boult understood that his decision would affect his selection for New Zealand.
“I still have a big desire to represent my country and feel I have the skills to deliver at the international level,” he said. “However, I respect the fact that not having a national contract will affect my chances of selection.
“Having said that, as a fast bowler I know I have a limited career span, and I feel the time is right to move into this next phase.”
White said he was sad to be losing Boult as a centrally contracted player but understood his decision.
“We respect Trent’s position,” White said. “He’s been completely honest and up-front with us about his reasoning about him and, while we’re sad to be losing him as a fully-contracted player, he leaves with our best wishes and our sincere thanks.
“Trent’s made a massive contribution to the Black Caps since his Test debut in late 2011 and is now considered one of the best multi-format cricketers in the world. We’re very proud of what he’s achieved.”
Earlier this year, Boult went straight from the IPL into the Test series against England. He played 16 games for Rajasthan Royals, including the final in Ahmedabad on May 29, before playing in the Test match at Lord’s just five days later on June 2 where he bowled nearly 38 overs. However, he has since been rested from New Zealand’s limited-overs tours around Europe but is part of the current squad in West Indies and will complete that series.
Boult has represented New Zealand 215 times across all three formats after debuting against Australia in the famous 2011 Test victory in Hobart. He is one of only four men to have taken 300 Test wickets for New Zealand, having taken 317 scalps at 27.49 with 10 five-wicket hauls and one ten-for. He also has 169 ODI wickets and 62 in T20Is. He is currently the No.1 ranked ODI bowler in the world and is ranked 11th on the Test rankings.
LANCASTER, NH — A truck driver charged in the deaths of seven motorcycle riders in New Hampshire was found not guilty on all charges Tuesday.
Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 26, faced multiple counts of negligent homicide and manslaughter in connection with a crash on Route 2 in Randolph, New Hampshire, on June 21, 2019.
Jurors got the case just before noon, after more than two weeks of testimony and quickly returned the verdict shortly before 3:00 pm
Zhukovskyy could be seen pointing to the sky and breaking down in tears after all of the verdicts were read.
Volodymyr Zhukovsky Volodymyr Zhukovskyy reacts after all of the not guilty verdicts were read
Prosecutors had argued that Zhukovskyy, who had taken heroin, fentanyl and cocaine that day, repeatedly swerved back and forth before the head-on crash and told police he caused it. But a judge dismissed eight charges related to whether he was impaired, and his attorney for him had blamed the lead biker, Albert “Woody” Mazza, saying he lost control of his motorcycle and collided with the truck while driving drunk.
“Obviously we were disappointed.” said Assistant Attorney General Scott Chase outside of court. “We believed, looking at the facts, that they were sufficient to provide these charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Our hearts obviously break for the victims’ families as well as just the greater community but again we respect the jury’s verdict.”
The defense team did not speak with reporters after the verdict.
Earlier in the day, during closing arguments, Chase told jurors there was no doubt who caused the deadly collision.
“What happened here isn’t a mystery,” said Chase.
“It’s just as obvious today as it was one three years ago,” said Chase, ”Since day one, since moment one, every single eyewitness including the man with the front row seat told you exactly what happened – who caused this crash, who was driving recklessly.”
“This isn’t a mystery. It’s not a whodunit,” said Chase. “We have heard a lot of excuses; we have heard a lot of distractions. but it is clear what happened here and who caused this crash.”
Zhukovskyy’s defense blamed the crash on Al Mazza, who was part of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club traveling that day, saying Mazza led his club into one of the worst accidents in recent memory.
“He was drunk, he was not looking where he was going, he lost control of his motorcycle and he slid into the front of Vlad Zhukovskyy’s truck.” said defense attorney Jay Duguay. “Al Mazza caused this accident.”
“Vlad Zhukovskyy is not guilty,.” said Duguay. “Al Mazza was driving his motorcycle while drunk, he wasn’t looking where he was going, he lost control of his bike and slid into the oncoming truck.”
Prosecutors addressed the defense tactic of placing the blame on Mazza, who was among the seven killed in the collision.
“Not one person saw Al Mazza impaired, driving off the road, but every person on that road – except for Adam Bartley three cars back – every person on that road saw the defendant all over it.“ said Chase. ”I have endangered everyone.”
The motorcyclists who died were members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island and ranged in age from 42 to 62. They were part of a larger group that had just left a motel along the highway and were headed to an American Legion Post in Gorham for a fundraiser.
Killed were Mazza, of Lee, New Hampshire; Edward and Jo-Ann Corr, a couple from Lakeville, Massachusetts; Michael Ferazzi, of Contocook, New Hampshire; Desma Oakes, of Concord, New Hampshire; Daniel Pereira, of Riverside, Rhode Island; and Aaron Perry, of Farmington, New Hampshire.
Family and friends of the seven motorcycle riders killed in the 2019 collision are seen hugging each other outside of court after the not guilty verdicts were read.
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu released a statement Tuesday, calling the verdict an “absolute tragedy.”
“The Fallen Seven did not receive justice today, and that is an absolute tragedy,” said Sununu. “I share in the shock, outrage, and anger that so many have expressed in the three years since the seven members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club were taken from us. My heart goes out to their families, friends, and loved ones on this especially dark day.”
Editor’s note: Some material from the Associated Press was used in this story.
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Stocks on Wall Street extended their recent run of losses on Tuesday as investors reviewed disappointing earnings reports and looked ahead to the release of an inflation snapshot closely watched by the Federal Reserve.
The S&P 500 fell 0.4 per cent, marking its fourth consecutive drop. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2 per cent and the Nasdaq slid 1.2 per cent. The Australian sharemarket is set to open lower with futures at 6.53am AEST pointing to a fall of 40 points or 0.6 per cent. CBA results are out this morning. On Tuesday, the ASX advanced 0.1 per cent to a two-month high.
The benchmark S&P 500 declined for a fourth-straight session.Credit:Bloomberg
Smaller company stocks also gave up ground, sending the Russell 2000 index 1.5 per cent lower.
Technology companies and retailers were the biggest drags on the market, outweighing gains in energy, financials and elsewhere. Bond yields rose broadly.
The selling likely reflects profit-taking by investors ahead of Wednesday’s consumer price index report, said Sameer Samana, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
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The headline figure is expected to show a smaller annual increase in July than in June, according to FactSet. But core inflation, which strips out volatile energy and food costs, leaving rent and other big-ticket purchases, is expected to come in higher than in June.
“With core (inflation) being the more important of the two, the fact that it hasn’t peaked yet and may not peak for a few months to come, given how much momentum we’re seeing in rent increases, in wage increases, that’s going to be the real problem for the Fed,” Samana said. “How to cool that down, especially when the economy is adding as many jobs as it is?”
The S&P 500 fell 17.59 points to 4,122.47. The Dow slipped 58.13 points to close at 32,774.41. The Nasdaq dropped 150.53 points to 12,493.93. The Russell 2000 ended down 28.31 points at 1,912.89.
The Momentum 4 is a definitive release for Sennheiser. It features remarkable active noise cancellation (ANC), audio quality, and battery life, making the well-received Momentum 3 a complete afterthought, along with many other newcomers who have strived to step out of Bose and Sony’s shadows.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 SPECS
Price: $399 Colours: Black; White Battery life (rated): 60 hours connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2 Water resistance: None Size: 7 x 7.67 x 1.82 inches Weight: 10.3 ounces
Several upgrades were applied to Sennheiser’s latest flagship headphones. Not every change is considered an improvement. Still, that doesn’t stop the Momentum 4 from establishing itself as one of the best noise-cancelling headphones ever assembled.
Let’s not keep you waiting any longer. Read our Sennheiser Momentum 4 review for the full breakdown on these sensational noise-cancellers.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 at Sennheiser for $399
Sennheiser Momentum 4 review: Availability and price
You can purchase the Momentum 4 for $399 on Sennheiser’s website or at major online retailers, including Amazon and Best Buy. Black and White are the two versions available. Inside the box are a carry case, USB-C cable, airplane adapter, and 3.5mm to 2.5mm audio cable.
These headphones share the same MSRP as the Sony WH-1000XM5 and are priced slightly higher than the Bose 700 ($379). If this is out of your budget, check out more affordable options like the critically acclaimed Cleer Enduro ANC ($149) or Bose QuietComfort 45, which is currently down to $279 on Amazon (opens in new tab).
Be sure to bookmark our headphone deals page for the latest sales.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 review: Design and comfort
The Momentum 4’s redesign is more streamlined and unobtrusive, but it lacks the Momentum 3’s premium look and feel. Gone are unique details like the aluminum accents, genuine leather, and stainless-steel yokes that linked the earcups to the headband. These headphones don’t stand out in the same way. The nylon fabric headband with metallic debossed logo is an attractive touch. However, the earcups just scream stock design and bear resemblance to some cheap noise-cancelling headphones (check out the Treblab Z7 Pro (opens in new tab)).
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
At least the build quality is on point. Sennheiser didn’t compromise the Momentum 4’s sturdiness, employing hard plastic and aluminum components to deal with the daily abuse you’ll put these cans through. The genuine leather and nylon are of high quality. Most importantly, the headphones don’t feel as flimsy as some other high-end models (*cough* WH-1000XM5 *cough*). The carrying case is also handsome and has enough space to store everything.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
Comfort isn’t the greatest due to the extra weight (10.3 ounces is heavy). You should be fine wearing them for an hour before taking a breather. Anything longer and you’ll feel the headband apply unwanted pressure atop the head, while your ears heat up from the leather.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
The extenders are easily adjustable to achieve optimal fit and have plenty of length to accommodate listeners with large heads. Learn what setting best suits your skull because having a slightly loose fit increases slippage, and you don’t want these hitting the ground.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 review: Controls and voice assistant
A mix of physical, touch, and motion controls are utilized on the Momentum 4. Most functions – playback, call management, volume, and listening mode activation – can be activated on the touch pad, though for some odd reason it falls asleep after several minutes of inactivity. This becomes frustrating after a while, but when it does function properly, the tap and long-hold gestures are instantly executed. It even lets you perform a pinch gesture with your thumb and index finger to adjust the ANC/Transparency levels.
Wear detection is 50/50. There is occasional latency when removing or placing the headphones on your head; auto-pause/play will take a second to initiate.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
An action button sits on the rear of the right earcup to enable the digital assistant (1x press) or pairing/power mode (long hold). It’s responsive and produces solid tactility to ensure users of intended commands being met.
Siri, Google Assistant, and Bixby are all compatible with the Momentum 4 and work flawlessly. Sennheiser’s mic array captures every syllable, and all three AI bots recognize and respond to voice commands accurately.
Sadly, these headphones do not offer control customization.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 review: Audio quality
Sennheiser equipped the Momentum 4 witha powerful 42mm transducer system, Hi-Res playback, intuitive features, and multiple EQ settings. These headphones pump out audio-grade sound with excellent reproduction to enjoy the subtle nuances in complex recordings. They also complement all music genres and select media (eg, podcasts, movies).
Jennifer Warnes’ hauntingly beautiful vocals on “Ballad of the Runaway Horse” sounded so natural, as if she was serenading my ears up-close and in person. The upright bass was handled delicately, tickling my ear with every pluck, while the softly played fiddle was given prominence.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
I’m always intrigued by headphones that can reveal obscure background noises on songs. Listening to a lo-fi conversion of Wu-Tang Clan’s “Clan in da Front” left me speechless. I picked up on the bee-inspired buzzing during the RZA’s intro soliloquy (I’ve never noticed this), and I was able to identify certain members screaming in the background. Switching to the hi-fi version made these noises more distinctive. I was loving the punchy lows and crisp mids as well.
The Momentum 4 has extensive sound settings. You can manually adjust the three-band EQ or pick from six well-engineered presets (Rock, Pop, Dance, Hip Hop, Classical, Movie). There’s even the option to enable two different sound modes – Bass Boost or Podcast – no matter what EQ is in use. These are useful for increasing bass or speech clarity; the latter is perfect for ebooks and podcasts.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
Next is the Sound Check feature that automatically adjusts the EQ to your sonic preferences via a three-step test. It’s a must for those who desire more nuance from their music, and it boosts the bass and treble performance on contemporary tracks. My customized preset made the low end tighter, clearing up the fuzzy bassline and synths on funk-inspired tracks like Tame Impala’s “Is It True”, while also bettering the midrange (the lo-fi vocals sounded sharp).
Lastly, we have Sound Zones, another one of Sennheiser’s newer features that optimizes the EQ setting (or noise cancellation) by adjusting audio to your location. It does a noteworthy job of stabilizing sound when entering different environments.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
Sennheiser added aptX Adaptive codec support to achieve near-lossless sound on compatible services (eg, Tidal, Qobuz) at up to 24-bit/48 kHz. The results were satisfying when listening to music on my Google Pixel 6 Pro. SBC and AAC are also supported.
An audio cable is included for wired listening. Bass and volume take dips, resulting in a more neutral sound that is still satisfying.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 review: Active noise cancellation
The Momentum 4 has elite noise-cancelling technology that puts a kibosh on nearly every sound it encounters across the frequency spectrum, especially wind.
Sennheiser engineered the headphones to have ANC on at all times, so you’re always getting some form of noise reduction. Setting the feature to its highest level guarantees the best results. Maneuvering around the house during work hours was peaceful, especially at a time when there was so much foot traffic (eg, family members, repairmen, rowdy toddlers). Noises occurring in the kitchen while our fridge was being fixed were silent, along with any dialogue exchanges and my toddler’s loud cries during nap time.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
Airplanes that flew over the house went unnoticed. Speeding cars and gusty winds were heavily minimized, thanks to the Wind Noise Reduction feature, which can be set to Max or automatically adjusted via Auto setting. Really loud high-frequency noises like sirens and whistles could be heard from several feet away, but they weren’t too distracting.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
I love Sennheiser’s Transparency Mode. It has what looks like over 20 levels of adjustment (the increments are so small that I lost count). Everything around me was highly perceptible, from the construction work happening across the street on the Intracoastal Waterway to my baby’s wakeup cries on the monitor during naptime. The mode was most useful for communicating with my wife in the same workspace; hearing her loud and clearly from across the room was clutch when sharing babysitting duties.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 review: App and special features
It’s amazing to see how many Sennheiser features crammed into their headphones. Downloading the Smart Control app grants you access to all of them, including the aforementioned ANC/Adaptive/Transparency mode, Equalizer, Sound Check, and Sound Zones. There is plenty more to play with.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
The homescreen has a battery level indicator, Connection Management setting that plays a pivotal role with connectivity (more on that later), and Sidetone slider for adjusting vocal clarity on calls. Select the settings menu at the bottom right and stumble upon several toggle controls for different functions. You can enable/disable On-Head Detection, Smart Pause, Auto Power Off, and Comfort Call, a proprietary feature that adds signal processing to the voice of callers on the opposite end and reduces listening fatigue.
Rounding things out are firmware updates, a reset function, and a Discover menu that acts as a content hub for Sennheiser releases.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 review: Battery life
Battery life is rated at 60 hours. Is that with ANC on or off? Good question. According to Sennheiser, ANC is never turned off. Nonetheless, the Momentum 4 has nearly triple the battery life of the Bose 700 (20 hours) and can be used moderately for a month before recharging. I’ve used the headphones throughout the workweek (3 hours daily) and still have 60% in tank life.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
Sennheiser’s quick charging can generate 4 hours of playtime on a 5-minute charge. That beats the WH-1000XM5’s quick charging: 5 hours on a 10-minute charge.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 review: Call quality and connectivity
Voice and video calls sound superb. The missus couldn’t tell I was using headphones when speaking indoors, and the results were even more convincing outside. Common noises like cars and landscaping tools were silenced. Wind had zero presence when talking in drafty conditions.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
Bluetooth 5.2 was a smooth operator that extended up to 100 feet in open spaces. There was zero dropout during calls and streaming sessions. The pairing process was instantaneous, especially on Android devices with one-tap Google Fast Pair.
(Image credit: Alex Bracetti/Future)
The headphones come with multipoint technology (pair to two devices simultaneously), but you must go through a different process to enable it. Normally, you would select the headphones in the Bluetooth settings of your two preferred devices, but that never seemed to work. Instead, I had to select my secondary device in the Connection Management settings.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 review: Verdict
Sennheiser just put Bose and Sony on notice with the Momentum 4. These headphones are a fierce competitor backed by grade-A sound, everlasting battery life, and intelligible ANC that blocks out incidental sounds as well as the Bose 700 and Sony WH-1000XM4. The redesign is a step back from the series’ past entries, and the touch panel could use some refining, but the overall performance these can deliver is irresistible.
Daniel Ricciardo is reportedly seeking a whopping eight-figure payout to walk away from his contract with McLaren.
The 33-year-old veteran has become embroiled in F1’s mid-year silly season following reports he is being replaced by fellow Australian Oscar Piastri at McLaren in 2023.
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The news erupted last week after Fernando Alonso blindsided the F1 world when he jumped into Sebastian Vettel’s vacated seat at Aston Martin for 2023.
Alpine then announced Piastri would be the man to replace Alonso, only for the Melburnian to reject the seat — a bold move for a man who is yet to drive in F1.
Now Ricciardo has asked for a $21 million payout from McLaren for the early termination of his contract, according to Speedcafe.com.
Ricciardo is said to be the only party who can break his contract with the team, which expires at the end of 2023.
The report also states that should Ricciardo secure a drive at another team next season, any salary he receives would see the same value refunded to McLaren.
A payout would clear the way for McLaren to sign Piastri and for Ricciardo to continue his F1 career elsewhere on the grid.
Alpine reportedly did not have a valid long-term F1 contract with its reserve driver Piastri, which has allowed McLaren’s deal with the 21-year-old to be ticked off by the Contract Recognition Board.
Daniel Ricciardo could be set for a mega payout from McLaren. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
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Ricciardo has remained tight-lipped and doesn’t appear bothered by the ongoing saga.
He is clearly enjoying his mid-season break and this week posted a photo of himself smiling in a swimming pool.
If Piastri does indeed take his place at McLaren, Ricciardo’s most likely landing spot would be Alpine, the French team formerly known as Renault where he spent two seasons in 2019 and 2020.
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer slammed Piastri in a blistering spray over the weekend.
“I expected more loyalty from Oscar than he is showing,” the Alpine team principal told Spanish publication The confidential.
“I started in 1989 in Formula 1 and I’ve never seen anything like this. And it’s not about Formula 1, it’s about integrity as a human being.
“It could happen in ice hockey or soccer, it doesn’t matter. But you don’t do that. He signed a piece of paper, a document, saying he would do something different.
“For me, the way I grew up, I don’t need to sign a piece of paper and then have someone say, ‘You’re lying, because you signed this.’ For me, if you say, ‘Hey, help me, I’ll help you tomorrow,’ there’s no way I would go back on my word. No way.”
Alpine isn’t happy with Oscar Piastri. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“He should (drive with the) team that has taken care of him, that has taken him to the world championship and, above all, that during the last year has put him in a Formula 1 car so that he would be ready, so that he would know the circuits,” Szafnauer added.
“You did everything I asked you to do (from Alpine to Piastri) and now I promise you that if you do this, I will do this. I don’t need a piece of paper where it says, ‘With a clause, I can get out of here’.
“There should be some loyalty to the fact that we have invested literally millions and millions of euros to prepare him. So I don’t understand it either, you should ask him.”
Despite appearing to botch his contract, Szafnauer said Alpine will play hardball in a bid to hold on to Piastri.
“We have a contract with Piastri, which he signed in November, we have spoken to our lawyers and they have told us that this is a binding contract, so part of that contract allows us to put Oscar in one of our cars in 2023, which is the reason we issued the press release,” he said.
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