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Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless review
Not every audio company was quick to jump on the true wireless bandwagon. Some of the big names in headphones took their time crafting a set of earbuds before making a debut. Sennheiser was one of those, and its Momentum True Wireless model didn't arrive until late 2018. Thankfully, the wait was mostly worth it. They have some of the best audio quality I've heard on a set of earbuds like these. But there are a few complaints, and given the nearly $300 price tag, those caveats become major issues.
Philips' extra-bright 4K HDR monitor is now available for $1,000
If you've been salivating at the thought of Philips' (technically, EPI's) ultra-bright HDR monitor, you can now do more than clean up the mess you've left on the floor. The Momentum 43" 4K HDR Quantum Dot Monitor is now available from Amazon and Best Buy for a cool $1,000. That's a lot to pay for a computer screen, but it's also charting new ground -- this is the first PC monitor to support the DisplayHDR 1000 spec, promising 1,000cd/m2 brightness in scenes that call for it (say, staring at a bright sky) without crushing low-light detail. EPI also touts a wide, accurate color gamut that's particularly good at tackling dark reds and greens.
New form of light could make fiber optics more secure
When light hits your eyeball, the spinning photons actually twist it (infinitesimally). The force of that spin, known as angular momentum, has always been thought to be a direct multiple of a quantum physics number called Planck's constant. However, scientists from Trinity College Dublin discovered a form of light with an angular momentum that's exactly half that amount. Though that may not sound like a big deal, the discovery could have "real impact on the study of light waves in areas such as secure optical communications," says Professor John Donegan.
Sennheiser pulls Momentum Wireless headphones after Bluetooth issues
Sennheiser's Momentum headphones have been a staff favorite here at Engadget for a while. When the company announced a wireless version at CES, I was eager to get my hands on a pair for review. Unfortunately, when listening to music with the Bluetooth headphones and using an Apple Magic Mouse with my MacBook Air, I noticed regular music drop outs -- almost every time I moved my mouse. As it turns out, I wasn't the only one. After what Sennheisers says is a "small number" of customer complaints, it stopped production and shipment of the Momentum Wireless until the issue is fixed. Of course, stopping production tells me there's a big problem, but the company maintains the cases are "limited." In addition to interruptions when playing tunes, users experienced issues trying to make calls, too. Sennheiser explained the culprit could be a number of factors that prey on wireless connections, which could include anything from interference to signal strength that can't handle high-traffic areas.
Sennheiser made its great Momentum headphones even better
Since its introduction in 2013, Sennheiser's Momentum line headphones have added not only new color options, but on-ear and in-ear models, too. During that time, I've been quite impressed by the cans and their clear and balanced sound. At CES, wireless versions of the over-ear and on-ear gadgets made their debut, and when the news hit, I immediately wondered if the Momentum Wireless would be better than the original. After trying them out, I can confidently say that Sennheiser has made a good thing even better.
Uber begins offering 'Momentum' perks to loyal UK drivers
Now that Uber is slowly expanding its UK operations, it needs to do everything in its power to maintain and grow its pool of drivers. To this end, the company is bringing its Momentum rewards program, which it first launched in the US last November, to British shores for the first time. Any driver that's worked with Uber for at least four weeks and clocked more than 250 rides is now eligible to claim a host of special perks, including free MOTs for Toyota and Volkswagen vehicles, discounted car servicing and car washes across London. Uber is also throwing in a host of "lifestyle" rewards which include reduced rates for Crunch's accounting services, cheaper coffee from Coffee Republic and free international money transfers via Azimo. Just like Uber's Momentum discounts in the US, most of these deals are hardly earth-shattering, but they should make the service slightly more appealing to dedicated drivers and make it difficult for them to turn down its work in London, Manchester and Leeds.
Sennheiser's Momentum and Urbnanite headphones go wireless
Sennheiser introduced its Momentum cans back in 2012, and then tacked on an on-ear option about a year later. Both of those are quite capable headphones, but wireless is all the rage these days, so to keep pace with the competition, the company is cutting the cord. Here at CES 2015, Sennheiser is debuting wireless models for the over-ear and on-ear versions of the Momentum family. Both feature NFC pairing, Bluetooth connectivity with apt-X tech to handle "superior unaltered sound." What's more, the pair packs in NoiseGuard active noise cancellation to drown out the ambient clamor during 22 hours of playback before needing a charge. There's also version 2.0 of the wired varieties, and the entire series now features a folding design for easy storage. No word on pricing or availability just yet, but you can expect the two Momentum Wireless models to arrive in both black and ivory color options.
Trippy Kinect-powered art disintegrates a man
Though many folks are meh on Microsoft's Kinect 2 for gaming, in the hands of a 3D animator it can do wondrous things. Case in point is the Momentum art project from a group called Schnellebuntebilder. Using custom software, they captured a live action actor with a Kinect 2, and convert him into a series of swirling cube particles and light rays, all in real time (see below). The team doesn't explain how it works, but it looks like they modeled the actor beforehand and then mapped his particle-effect avatar onto the live action video. On top of making us trip balls, doing all that in real time is quite the technical achievement.
Uber offering more perks to its full-time US drivers
Uber has been up against the ropes lately. For one, it's dealing with the fall out from an exec's suggestion it should be investigating critical journalists. Plus it's combating a report that claims a 'God Mode' allows its employees to track customers' whereabouts. No doubt keen to shift the spotlight back on its services, the company is launching a new rewards scheme today in its ongoing bid to boost driver numbers. The program is called Momentum, and it gives eligible US contractors a few different benefits, including discounted car maintenance and cheaper smartphone contracts. The Financial Times reports that drivers will qualify for the scheme provided they drive between 30 and 50 hours for Uber each month. Available perks include up to 15% discounts at major car repair outlets including AutoZone, Firestone, Maaco, Meineke, Midas, Jiffy Lube and Valvoline, as well as between 15 to 18% off phone plans from AT&T and Verizon. Lastly, Stride Health has agreed to advise Uber drivers on choosing a healthcare plan.
Sennheiser grows Momentum family with on-ear model, available in four colors
Momentum, it's not only useful for keeping things going, it's the name of Sennheiser's consumer range of handsome headphones. So far, the cans in this line have been over-ear affairs, but that changes today. Now, the on-ear crew have a pair of Momentums to call their own. If things look familiar, but just a little bit smaller, that's because they are pretty much an exact replica of the originals, all the way down to the audio innards, too. What is different, however, is the choice of colors you get. Sennheiser has spent time researching what this year's big tonal trends are going to be, and the results are what you'll be able to choose from on launch: pistachio, cream, blue and pink. So, fancy some Momentum, without the over-ear bulk? You should be able to take your pick some time later this month. At what price? Expect about £169.99 in the UK (US price to come).
Massively Exclusive: How WildStar has the power to move you
Movement does not normally seem like a complicated topic in MMOs. You press forward; your character goes forward. Backward? Same deal. You can turn, and you can strafe, and you can turn and strafe and run forward if you're some kind of rebel or you want to give yourself motion sickness. But WildStar makes movement a bigger deal than normal because with a greater emphasis on action comes a greater emphasis on moving out of the path of danger. The latest official video covers all the basics of movement, from dashing to sprinting to pining for the presumably nonexistent quadruple jump. But we had a chance to sit down with lead combat systems designer Chris Lynch and lead class designer Hugh Shelton to talk about more of the specifics, starting with the obvious question: What beast must we slay to unlock the all-powerful quadruple jump? Wait, that wasn't it. It was about chaining movement tricks together in an endless cycle of airborne dashes.
Sennheiser's Momentum headphones are back in black at CES
Taking the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach, German audio equipment maker Sennheiser is reintroducing its Momentum headphones in black. Aside from its Batmanesque color scheme, these are the same sleek set of cans that we got up close and personal with at last year's IFA. A lightweight marriage of stainless steel and buttery smooth sheepskin leather, the Momentum Black features a flexible 3.5mm audio jack -- with sexy red accents on the cups, cable and headband stitching -- simple inline audio controls and a built-in microphone for taking phone calls. If you're into expensive toys and are working with Bruce Wayne's budget, these black beauties can be yours this month for $350. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
A guide to monk talents for all specializations
Interested in trying out the new monk class, but can't tell your Tiger Strikes from your Tiger Palms? Written by Chase Hasbrouck of World of Monkcraft, WoW Insider's new monk coverage will get you kicking in no time! Due to an unfortunate family situation, I had to take a break from writing and playing right around the time of release. Now, though, I'm back and ready to talk monk! I've leveled a monk to 90, and in the process, have learned quite a bit more about all three specializations. Build some chi and follow me as we talk turkey about talents. Keep it rolling I'd originally felt that Momentum and Celerity were pretty equal choices. Now, though, Momentum has my heart. Why? Well, two reasons. First, Roll is great, but save for the interposition of a solid object, there's no way to do a half-roll. That means if the object you are trying to get to is not some multiple of 20, Roll doesn't get you "right" there, which can be a problem. (Canny PvP opponents are already discussing how to stay 10 yards away from windwalkers to ensure rolls go right past them.) Momentum doesn't fix this, but it makes closing the remaining distance much less painful.
Sennheiser's Momentum headphones bring their leathery, metal goodness to IFA, we go hands-on (video)
Now these are some seriously nice-looking headphones. And really, that's sort of the thing here.
Mage glyph changes in patch 5.0.4
When the new 5.0 patch flips over on Aug. 28, will you be ready with glyphs? Blizzard is recycling old glyphs instead of making new spell IDs and charring old ones. Some glyphs are staying the same, some are new, but some share IDs with old Cataclysm glyphs. Below is our list of new or changing glyphs for mages. This is not a list of changing tooltips, just which glyphs you ought to have if you want to automatically have the new glyphs when the patch flips over. Mages have no new glyphs but seem to be the masters of musical glyph chairs, namely Icy Veins and Cone of Cold. If you currently have both, you will have both, so get both just to be sure. Glyphs that are changing into new majors: Arcane Power becomes Arcane Explosion Arcane Blast becomes Arcane Power Frost Armor becomes Armors Fireball becomes Combustion Icy Veins becomes Cone of Cold Mana Shield becomes Counterspell Ice Barrier becomes Deep Freeze Living Bomb becomes Fire Blast Frostfire becomes Frostfire Bolt Cone of Cold becomes Icy Veins Mage Armor becomes Mana Gem Blast Wave becomes Remove Curse Dragon's Breath becomes Spellsteal Deep Freeze becomes Water Elemental Glyphs that are changing into new minors: Slow Fall becomes Arcane Language Conjuring becomes Conjure Familiar Molten Armor becomes Crittermorph Arcane Barrage becomes Illusion Arcane Missiles becomes Loose Mana Pyroblast becomes Momentum Arcane Brilliance becomes the Porcupine Armors becomes Rapid Teleportation It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
City of Heroes Intrepid Informer grapples with the Titan Weapons powerset
City of Heroes' Intrepid Informer is on the scene again, and this time it's highlighting a new powerset: Titan Weapons. The powerset is exactly what its name suggests. It focuses on wielding massive tools of destruction and cutting a swath through enemies with brutal swipes. Titan Weapons users will use a new mechanic known as momentum. As you might imagine, momentum starts out building slowly, but once a player has some momentum built, he can unleash a flurry of AoE attacks to finish off his foes. For a complete run-down of the powers available to Titan Weapons characters and the details on what each one does, head on over to the official site.
AT&T USBConnect Momentum 4G and Mobile Hotspot Elevate 4G scheduled for August 21st launch
With it having been in the works for so long, it's easy to forget that AT&T is ready to flip the switch on its sparkling-new LTE network virtually any second now. But Ma Bell is happy to remind us of its impending true 4G launch by announcing that its first two dedicated LTE devices, the USBConnect Momentum 4G and Mobile Hotspot Elevate 4G, are set to be sold in stores this upcoming Sunday. In addition, users of the USBConnect Adrenaline will be able to download a firmware update on August 26th that turns on its dormant LTE radio. The carrier also officially announced that its DataConnect plans will be offered for $50 per month for 5GB, with usage charges of $10 for each additional GB. Hold your horses, though -- the units will be available for purchase and can be used on HSPA+ for now, but it doesn't guarantee AT&T will activate the higher-speed 4G network next week. Nay, we may have to wait just a little longer before Ralph de la Vega pushes the big red button on his desk, but that day is not too distant.
Aventurine reveals a few Darkfall 2.0 changes
Aventurine has updated the Darkfall Epic Blog again, and this time there's a good bit of info regarding the upcoming 2.0 reboot. Producer Tasos Flambouras reiterates that 2.0 is "a new game created on top of the current game rather [than] simply an expansion." He also states that the devs don't want to get too specific and give everything away just yet. That said, this week's entry does provide a very interesting list of changes "that are already implemented." First and foremost is the game's new skill set customization which is in turn tied to a new armor system. In a nutshell, your armor choice will affect your usable skills by rendering certain abilities ineffective and leading to highly specialized character roles (as opposed to the current game where every character can learn every skill, given enough grinding). Skill and attribute gains have also been tweaked, and players who focus on skilling up a single role will excel at it in short order through "casual play." The catch, though, is the inability to have more than one specialization active at a time. Crafting has also been overhauled, and the world map has been "completely changed." There's more big news where that came from too, including UI tweaks, alignment tweaks, incapacitation, dungeon and magic school redesigns, and new combat mechanics like momentum and crosshair wobble. Read all about it at the official Darkfall website.
Blood Sport: Bad momentum, part 2
Want to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women? Blood Sport investigates the entirety of all things arena for gladiators and challengers alike. C. Christian Moore, multiple rank 1 gladiator, examines the latest arena strategy, trends, compositions and more in WoW.com's arena column. Listening Music: Katy Perry's banned Sesame Street appearance. I appreciate Perry's timbre and unique enunciation. It's off-putting to see her music becoming increasingly overproduced, but I guess that's the business of pop music. I wrote last week on momentum and had to truncate a lot of talking points. I wasn't satisfied with only talking about two aspects of the bad momentum that forces you to adapt your gameplay, so we'll be discussing more aspects this week. Action You get Counterspelled out of your healing school. Bad reaction You spam heals mindlessly. Good reactions You communicate, use other schools and improve your positioning. Every healer, even professional WoW players, get locked out of his healing schools. Sometimes, Counterspells hit your heals at the very worst times. Your teammate will be straddling the line of life and death when you go for a quick Flash of Light and boom, you're suddenly locked out of your holy school. Your teammate dies. Relax. There's not a lot you could have done in that situation; the opposing team simply outplayed you into that position. Talk with your teammates to figure out a way to not get yourselves in life-or-death situations in the future -- the problem wasn't with your getting spell-locked.
Blood Sport: Bad momentum
Want to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women? Blood Sport investigates the entirety of all things arena for gladiators and challengers alike. C. Christian Moore, multiple rank 1 gladiator, examines the latest arena strategy, trends, compositions and more in WoW.com's arena column. Listening Music: Bill Withers is amazing. I dare any of you to challenge him to a duel. He'd win, then write a song about it while your entire family recites it word for word because it's so catchy. It's our anniversary! I bet you forgot. Shame on you. You sleep on the couch tonight. About a year ago, I started writing our favorite column. We've been through two arena seasons together, and I've never loved you more. I just wanted to say a special thank-you to all my readers who have made it an incredible joy to be a part of WoW.com... err, WoW.joystiq.com... err, WoW Insider. I suppose it doesn't matter. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Thank you for all the comments you've left and the emails you've sent. Here's looking to many more to come! Enough with this mushy stuff; let's get down to business. It's business time. Momentum is extremely important. Two weeks ago, we talked about good momentum and the effect it has on our opponents. Today, we'll be looking at the other side of the coin.
