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Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Tom's Guide
Nothing Headphones (1) vs Sony WH-1000XM5: Which noise canceling headphones win?
Nothing has finally entered the headphone game with the Nothing Headphones (1), a pair of cans that feature the brand's signature transparent design. There's a tape-cassette motif running through the earcups, and a whole host of features to fire a warning shot over the bow of the established competition. Nothing's first foray into the over-ear headphone space is one that not many were expecting, but they pack in some flagship features for a lower price. Excellent noise canceling and standout design are the name of the game here, but is it enough to worry the XM5? The WH-1000XM5 have only just been replaced at the top step of Sony's headphone lineup, but they're still some of the best headphones we've ever tested. They changed the ANC game with excellent noise canceling and very good sound. But how do they fare against the new kid on the block? Sony's WH-1000XM5 are a staple in the headphone game. They've been around a number of years at this point, and gained a host of different awards and accolades for their good sound and excellent noise canceling. So that begs the question — is it age and wisdom that will come out on top, or youth and enthusiasm that will win the day? I've put the two head to head to discover which is worth buying in 2025. Nothing Headphone (1) Sony WH-1000XM5 Price $299/£299/AU$549 $399 / £379 / AU$649 Colors Black; Silver Black; platinum silver; midnight blue; dusty pink Size Not specified Not specified Weight 11 ounces 8.8 ounces Battery life (rated) Up to 80 hours Up to 40 hours Connectivity Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC and LDAC support Bluetooth 5.2 with SBC, AAC and LDAC support Special features Adaptive ANC, Ambient Sound Mode, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable sound, quick charge, passive mode, Spatial Audio Adaptive ANC, Ambient Sound Mode, DSEE Extreme Audio, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable sound, quick charge, passive mode, 360 Reality Audio The Nothing Headphone (1) have launched at a flagship-challenging price of $299. That makes them a whole $150 less than the likes of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, $250 less than the AirPods Max, and, crucially, less than the Sony WH-1000XM5. The Sony option is going to set you back $399 even to this day. That's a whole $100 more than Nothing's new effort, and while there are still reasons to pay the extra, there can be only one winner. Both are easy to get hold of at the likes of Amazon and Best Buy, and stock levels remain consistent across the board as of publishing. This is an early victory for the significantly cheaper Nothing Headphone (1), but let's see if it keeps this up throughout the battle. There's no way you could call the Sony WH-1000XM5 an ugly pair of headphones. There's a simplistic elegance to their design thanks to a single block color finish and uniform, smooth handfeel. They're minimalism in headphone form, and that lends them the ability to blend in. Those in the know are aware you've got an expensive pair of over-ear headphones, but those who don't won't think you're trying to show off. The carrying case is good, if a little large. They're fairly comfortable too, although I would watch out for their thin headband. I've found it can dig into the top of your head during extended listening sessions. As for the Nothing Headphone (1), you're looking at something that puts design before everything else. They've got that mad-cap transparent design and cassette motif, making them shout from the rooftops about your headphone choice. Build quality is better on the Nothing headphones, interestingly. There's plenty of metal here to go with the plastic components, and they feel much sturdier than the Sony cans. Unfortunately, the Nothing Headphone (1) is slightly less comfortable than the XM5. They're heavier and the cushioning isn't as thick, making them harder to wear for longer periods. I've also found they can press on ear piercings, too, something I'm not a massive fan of. They're still fairly comfy, but Sony is better. This is down to physical controls vs touch controls — and if you're anything like me, that means that the Nothing's controls are going to come out on top. They feature some very intuitive buttons, switches and even a roller that make controlling the headphones a joy. Volume is dictated by a volume roller, which clicks down to pause and play. Skipping is managed with a clicky paddle just under the volume roller. They turn on with a switch on the bottom of the earcup, and there's a customizable button on the top. They're all excellent, and you can change their function in the app. The app is well set out and easy to use, letting you manipulate the EQ with fewer bands but greater bandwidth than Sony. There's no fancy "change the ANC level depending on your GPS location," however. Sony's controls are, apart from ANC control and power, touch sensitive. That means a series of taps and swipes to control your music. They're some of the best touch controls around, but that doesn't stop them from suffering from the classic touch control problems. I'm talking about skipped tracks when you go to manipulate your headphones to be more comfortable, missed taps when it's wet outside, unwanted volume changes when you put your hood up in a snowstorm. They work, but they can still be annoying. Thankfully, the app for the XM5 is robust It's more complicated than the Nothing X app, but it's packed with features like a very strong EQ adjuster and loads of ANC settings. This is where things are going to start looking rocky for the Nothing Headphone (1). Despite sound tuning from premium audio brand KEF, the Headphone (1) doesn't sound particularly good out of the box. The tuning is too dark. It relies on the lower mids too much, and it means that the rest of the soundscape isn't as well represented. The result is music that sounds like it's happening on the street over. To make them sound better, you'll want to use the extensive EQ settings in the app. They are capable of sounding much better than the core tuning, but that shouldn't be locked away given that most users are never going to touch the EQ. To make the Nothing Headphone (1) sound better, you have to use the extensive EQ settings in the app. Sony's headphones sound very good out of the box. They've got more bass than some might like, but the sound is otherwise spacious, airy, and detailed when compared to the Nothing Headphone (1). They're not the best sounding headphones at this price point, but there's still plenty to enjoy when you get your tunes going. This round has to go to the Sony WH-1000XM5 and their superior sonic chops. Nothing has done its utmost here to try and upset the competition. The Headphone (1) is packed with features to bring them up to par with the XM5, including a version of spatial audio and its own leveled ANC system. The Spatial audio should be left turned off, however, and the leveled ANC system should either be used at 'max' level or in the off position — I've never found myself in a situation when I've needed 'medium' ANC. The EQ is a great feature, though, and the rest of the feature set, like LDAC and USB-C mode, are welcome additions to something that costs $100 less than the XM5. But the XM5 just bring more to the table. DSEE improves the sound of compressed audio files, and the GPS-enabled ANC modes are extremely impressive. The spatial '3D reality audio' feature might not be supported by many of the best streaming services, but it does a better job of spatializing music than Nothing's custom model. Overall, the Sony headphones pack in a greater number of more useful features to take the win in this round. Considering it's Nothing's first foray into over-ear noise canceling, the Nothing Ear (1) do a very good job of blocking out the outside world. Thanks to 6 microphones and some clever AI, they're capable of canceling the noise of buses, trains and annoying humming air conditioners in offices. They struggle slightly with loud, abrupt sounds, but that's true of all ANC cans. Where they fall down is when the world starts getting windy — wind noise has an annoying habit of making itself known through the microphones, and invading your personal music bubble. It's still good ANC, mind you, and it's better than that of the similarly priced competition. Alas, the Sony WH-1000XM5 feature even better noise canceling. Thanks to 8 microphones and equally as clever algorithms, the Sony headphones do a better job at blocking out unwanted sounds and noise. They similarly keep the noise of bus engines, trains and offices out, but they fare better with wind noise and with consistent noises like chatty coffee shops and loud airplane engines. Transparency modes are natural sounding across both headphones, although again, the Sony have a slight edge over the Headphone (1). This is another tricky section for the Sony's, although it might not be as cut and dry as first expected. The Nothing Headphone (1) have more battery life all in, but there's more to the story. ANC staying power is 35 hours for both sets of headphones, but turn the ANC off, and things are more interesting. The Sony WH-1000XM5 last for 40 hours with ANC off, while the Nothing Headphone (1) have a rated 80 hours of battery life. I'd love to know where 45 hours of battery life goes when you turn the ANC on, but that increase in endurance is welcome. Just look at how close the Nothing Headphone (1) got to the Sony WH-1000MX5. They've got a more interesting design, ANC that comes very close to the noise blocking of Sony's cans, and battery life that shows them the door. But the XM5 have still got it where it counts, and ultimately take the victory. They're more comfortable, sound much better out of the box, and have more features overall that are more useful to a wider range of potential users. The Nothing Headphone (1) are an impressive pair of headphones, no doubt about it, especially when you consider that they're Nothing's first pair. But they don't quite have the chops to take down Sony just yet. Nothing Headphone (1) Sony WH-1000XM5 Price and value (5) 4 4 Design (15) 14 13 Controls (10) 8 7 Sound quality (25) 15 22 Active noise cancelation (20) 17 19 Call quality (10) 6 8 Connectivity (5) 5 5 Battery life (10) 9 8 Total Score (100) 78 86
Stuff.tv
4 days ago
- Stuff.tv
This dinky Bluetooth speaker could be the most affordable rugged option
As good as the best Bluetooth speakers are, I can't say that they always survive for very long. And while there are rugged options to pick from, they often cost a fair bit more. But Tribit's dinky new StormBox Mini Plus Bluetooth speaker promises to survive most things you could throw at it for less than $40/£40. The StormBox Mini Plus offers a fair bit of kick to this pint-sized package. You get 360-degree surround sound through a pair of 48mm full-range drivers and a passive radiator. The 12W output won't shake the walls, but for a speaker that weighs about the same as a pair of socks, it's more than enough. But if you do need more, pair up a second unit and you've got a stereo system. Plus, it's got AAC and SBC codec support – so iPhone and Android users both get decent sound quality. But the big selling factor here is that its properly waterproof. With an IPX7 rating, you could lob it in a paddling pool, fish it out later and it would still belt out your playlist like nothing happened. Plus, the rubber strap makes it super easy to clip this thing on the back of your bag and take it with you wherever you'd like. The LED lights built-in are either brilliant or completely unnecessary, depending on your tolerance for blinking colours. But they can pulse in time with your music, which gives the whole thing a festive twist – and you can switch them off if you've had enough. You get up to 12 hours of battery life, provided you don't go mad with the volume or the LEDs. That's more than enough for a full day of tunes before it needs a 2.5-hour charge via USB-C. With the latest Bluetooth 5.4 under the hood, pairing it with your phone or tablet is frictionless. The Tribit app gives you EQ presets and manual controls, which is rare in a Bluetooth speaker this cheap. There's even a 3.5mm AUX input and an integrated mic for shouting 'OK Google' at your speaker. Available to order now, the StormBox Mini Plus comes in black, blue or green. It'll set you back $39/£32/€37 and you can order it directly from the brand or from third-party retailers like Amazon. That's not bad at all for what might be the most affordable rugged speaker option knocking about right now.
Atlantic
5 days ago
- Politics
- Atlantic
I Left My Church—And Found Christianity
A decade after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges, the Southern Baptist Convention wants to roll it back. In June, the SBC overwhelmingly voted to pass a resolution, 'On Restoring Moral Clarity Through God's Design for Gender, Marriage, and the Family,' which defines marriage as an exclusively heterosexual covenant and calls for the overturning of Obergefell. For many Americans, gay marriage feels like a settled issue. For Southern Baptists and others who share their theology, the question of the legality of gay marriage is still open. In their view, political and theological opposition is the only possible Christian response to gay marriage, and continuing to challenge marriage equality is a moral duty. The Church they have shaped has no room for the alternative path that many gay Christians have found: not leaving our religion, but embracing our sexuality alongside our faith. I grew up in conservative, evangelical churches. For my undergraduate degree, I attended Union University, a Southern Baptist school in Jackson, Tennessee. I graduated in 2013, and in the years leading up to Obergefell I saw how the growing cultural acceptance of same-sex relationships was haunting Southern Baptist leaders, who viewed it as an existential threat. Their idea of Christian faithfulness in America became synonymous with fighting for a narrow, biblically literalist sexual ethic to be the law of the land. The resolution from the Southern Baptist Convention echoes the arguments I heard as a student: Secular laws are meant to reflect God's moral order, and calling a same-sex partnership a marriage is flatly lying. In one of my ethics classes at Union, the professor insisted that Christians should strongly oppose the legalization of gay marriage as a matter of love for our neighbor. We should not let others enter into something we knew would be destructive, no matter how much they might think they wanted it. One of my classmates suggested that people might be born gay. Would this require a more compassionate response? The professor was unfazed. 'I'm sure there is a biological component, and that doesn't change my view. You can have cancer that is not your fault, and some people are born with cancer of the soul.' David A. Graham: New, ominous signs for gay rights keep emerging The threat Southern Baptists perceived was not just to the social order at large. I heard dire warnings that the legalization of gay marriage would become the catalyst for renewed Christian persecution in America. I heard sermons describing a future where our Church would be dismantled because we refused to perform same-sex marriages. Gay marriage was not a matter of individual freedom; the real freedom at stake was our religious liberty. These predictions have not come to fruition in the 10 years since Obergefell, but the fears persist. In 'On Restoring Moral Clarity,' it crops up in references to laws compelling people to 'speak falsehoods about sex and gender' and the right of each person to 'speak the truth without fear or coercion.' Though churches still have the freedom to refuse to perform gay marriages, ordain openly gay people, or serve Communion to those in same-sex relationships, the idea that Christians are legally forced to accept LGBTQ identities remains a powerful rhetorical tool. My alma mater also benefits from religious exemptions to nondiscrimination laws: In 2020, Union University rescinded its admission of a student entering its nursing program after learning that he was gay. As it did then, the current student handbook at Union prohibits 'homosexual activities' and the 'promotion, advocacy, defense, or ongoing practice of a homosexual lifestyle.' Despite national reporting and a flood of stories from gay alumni about the damage these policies caused, the university continues to exclude LGBTQ students. When I was a student at Union, I did not know I was a lesbian. Maybe it is more accurate to say that I could not know. I believed in and yearned for the God the Church had taught me about. I could not reconcile what I had been raised to believe God wanted from me with the truth of my sexuality. When I finally realized I was gay, I was no longer in the Southern Baptist Church. After graduating from Union, I joined a congregation in the Anglican Church of North America, a conservative denomination formed in a split from the Episcopal Church over women's ordination and the inclusion of gay members. My new church's leaders felt no need to lament Obergefell when it passed, but they still taught that same-sex relationships were antithetical to Christianity. When I came out to them in 2018, the choice set before me was either lifelong celibacy or leaving my beloved community behind. According to my Southern Baptist education, I was also choosing whether to leave God behind. The evangelical voices in my life framed my dilemma as a choice between faithfulness to God and weakness—a capitulation to secular logic and a selfish desire for pleasure. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus calls on his disciples to 'deny themselves and take up their cross.' Gay Christians are all too familiar with these words as weapons. Everyone has a cross, we are told, and it just so happens that ours is living without the romantic partnership we are built to flourish within. Pastors and mentors assured me that I was following God's design, so my sacrifice would eventually lead me to 'have life … abundantly,' which Jesus promises in John 10:10, no matter how painful the interim. The final sentence of 'On Restoring Moral Clarity' says that Christians proceed 'trusting that' God's 'ways lead to human flourishing.' No amount of despair, suffering, and death (most literally reflected in increased suicidality among LGBTQ people of faith) experienced by gay Christians has managed to challenge this presupposition. It is a matter of faith that our suffering is godly. We continue to receive counsel to take up our cross in the hope of a distant resurrection. I spent years telling myself that I could love my Church enough to make up for all the love I would never have. I hoped that the emptiness that burned in my chest could be transformed. It was only one rule. Could I really not follow just one rule? But that one rule was not one simple sacrifice. It was the total subjugation of my ability to give and receive love, an all-encompassing demand of fealty to the authority of my Church. The ground shifted under me as I fought to stay in the Church. By the summer of 2020, I was in a deep crisis of faith. I saw gay Christians happily married while retaining their commitment to faith, and I could not in good conscience deny the Holy Spirit I saw at work in these relationships. I realized that the choice was not between God and my desire for a relationship. It was between my church community and my own integrity. My decision to leave was agonizing. I sobbed through conversations where a pastor recited our Church's theology of marriage. I prayed for a way forward. In the end, the only way forward was out. Today I work for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), at a congregation that fully affirms all LGBTQ people. I am effectively estranged from the communities that I grew up in and committed to as an adult. At first, I worried that embracing my sexuality alongside my faith meant choosing a less serious, less disciplined form of Christianity. Instead, I have found that in leaving my Church, I found only deeper love for God. The cross I took up did not turn out to be forgoing romantic partnership for the rest of my life. Instead, it was listening to the voice of the Spirit within me even when it cost me more than I knew I had. I was not surprised to lose friendships and the network of support that I had had in the evangelical Church. What took longer to accept was the unmooring of my identity, the need to find a new center for my spirituality once I let go of the theology that shaped me. To affirm the goodness of my sexuality, I had to find a new home. Stephanie Burt: A strange time to be trans In my Southern Baptist university and the evangelical Churches I grew up attending, I often heard that opposition to gay marriage was a sincerely held religious belief that Christians should be allowed to practice. I never heard this same language extended to Christians who affirmed the goodness of same-sex relationships. I heard only that theological affirmation of LGBTQ identities was a weak attempt to appease secular culture. For many Christians, affirmation of queer identities is an equally sincere religious conviction. The churches that embrace LGBTQ people as beloved members of the community are motivated by Christian love for God and neighbor. We see the beauty of God's design in our real, embodied lives, and we seek human flourishing that is more than an abstract promise of finding meaning in the pain. The gay and trans Christians I know are the most committed people of faith I have ever met. We had every reason to leave, and yet we are still here. We are here because we still believe in Jesus, and we still believe the Spirit works through this beloved, holy, and achingly human Church. Historically, the Church has seen marriage as a vocation, a calling from God to be formed by a particular way of life. When gay Christians seek to commit their life to their partner through marriage in the eyes of God and the law, they are asking for the religious liberty to act on their sincerely held convictions. For 10 years, Obergefell has protected our right to practice our faith as our conscience dictates. May we continue to have the freedom to love as God leads us to for many generations.
Time Business News
5 days ago
- Health
- Time Business News
Five Tips for Seamless ERISA Compliance
It can be quite scary navigating through complying with ERISA requirements, as you have to take care of deadlines, deal with a lot of documentation, interact with employees, make sure that they are aware of their rights, and feel threatened by the heavy fines that can be imposed on you. Here are some ways that you can make sure your company is following the rules and does not get stuck in any unwanted compliance issues. Many documents update employees on their rights and allow them to know what benefits they are getting, such as how the costs are being shared, the medical tests and procedures that the company will cover and the list of preventative services they will provide, and the list of new or existing drugs, amongst many other things. These documents are comprehensive, and participants have a right to know if there have been any changes made to them. So, as an employer, it is your right to update participants of changes made in a timely manner. These documents include the Summary Plan Description (SPD) that highlights the details of the benefits the employees will be receiving and whether they are eligible for them. The Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) document covers all the health rights that the employees will be given. The HIPAA privacy notice informs employees about how their health information is being utilized. The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Notice explains how the company can aid your children. Employers also need to submit reports to the Department of Labor annually and on time. If they fail to do so, it will result in complications against the business as the DOL can penalize you for late submission of these documents. If you fail to provide any of these documents, the Department of Labor can charge you. It can charge $195 daily for failing to provide SPD, $145 daily for not providing CHIP, and $1443 in the case of a SPD, which is why ERISA compliance is essential. All these penalties can add up to a huge amount that will only affect your company negatively. Make yourself prepared for the audit by understanding the process fully and keeping all the documents in one place. You should also train your HR professionals for this and ensure that those in the benefits teams fully comprehend the importance of ERISA and what its compliance requires from the company. Also, work with your legal advisors and auditors to make sure that you have all the necessary documents and procedures in place. Here are the documents that you should keep prepared: 01k and employee benefits regulation: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) compliance, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) compliance, Employee timekeeping, Wage and hour compliance, Child labor law compliance, Wage deduction processes, and Accurate payroll and recordkeeping. Regularly update all the employees about any changes in the documents and inform them about the rights they have. If they are planning to invest, explain to them their choices fully and completely so that they can know the risks that come with their investments, as they have a right to know where their money is going and how it will be used. The process of compliance with ERISA may seem overwhelming and overburdening, but it does not have to be like that if you have a team that focuses on ensuring regulations by timely filing forms and telling employees about changes in documentation. Since it is not a one-time thing, but rather an ongoing process that you have to keep up with regularly, you will have to ensure that your compliance policy also evolves and adapts. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Former Auckland accountant Howard Taylor gets community detention for $94k Covid loan fraud
Former Auckland accountant Howard Kane Taylor has been sentenced for fraudulently receiving almost $95,000 in Covid support. Photo / 123RF Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen. Former Auckland accountant Howard Taylor gets community detention for $94k Covid loan fraud Former Auckland accountant Howard Kane Taylor has been sentenced for fraudulently receiving almost $95,000 in Covid support. Photo / 123RF A former Auckland chartered accountant has been given community detention after fraudulently pocketing almost $95,000 through the Small Business Cashflow loan scheme. Howard Kane Taylor was sentenced in the Auckland District Court last week after admitting eight charges earlier this year, days before his trial was due to start. Between May 28, 2020, and June 29, 2020, Taylor made eight Small Business Cashflow (SBC) loan applications each requesting an amount of $11,800 for various businesses totalling $94,400. The scheme was introduced in April 2020 to help small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. But Inland Revenue began an investigation in August 2020 and found none of the money was paid into the accounts of the companies Taylor had made applications for.
