Marvel’s long-awaited Ironheart series premieres June 24 on Disney+. We also finally have a legitimate trailer, which looks gritty and fun. This should come as no surprise, as Black Panther and Sinners director Ryan Coogler is on board as an executive producer.

The show follows Riri Williams, who was first introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She’s a mechanical genius in the vein of Tony Stark who also builds her own armored suit. Iron Man. Ironheart. Get it? In the comics, it’s an AI version of Stark that suggests the name, but we doubt Robert Downey Jr’s new contract extends to vocal work on a Disney+ series.

The footage suggests a season-long battle against an underrated villain in the comics called The Hood, who is a magic user with loose connections to the Dr. Strange villain Dormammu. We can look forward to plenty of tech vs. magic tomfoolery.

Ironheart stars Dominique Thorne, Anthony Ramos, Alden Ehrenreich, Lyric Ross and Anji White, among others. Chinaka Hodge is the head writer, who penned scripts for Snowpiercer and Mike Flanagan’s The Midnight Club.

We get three episodes on June 24, followed by installments each Tuesday. Ironheart runs for six episodes. The show’s followed by the premiere of the animated anthology series Eyes of Wakanda on August 6.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/marvels-ironheart-series-now-has-a-trailer-152824616.html?src=rss

Privacy watchdog Noyb sent a cease-and-desist letter to Meta Wednesday, threatening to pursue a potentially billion-dollar class action to block Meta’s AI training, which starts soon in the European Union.

In the letter, Noyb noted that Meta only recently notified EU users on its platforms that they had until May 27 to opt their public posts out of Meta’s AI training data sets. According to Noyb, Meta is also requiring users who already opted out of AI training in 2024 to opt out again or forever lose their opportunity to keep their data out of Meta’s models, as training data likely cannot be easily deleted. That’s a seeming violation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Noyb alleged.

“Meta informed data subjects that, despite that fact that an objection to AI training under Article 21(2) GDPR was accepted in 2024, their personal data will be processed unless they object again—against its former promises, which further undermines any legitimate trust in Meta’s organizational ability to properly execute the necessary steps when data subjects exercise their rights,” Noyb’s letter said.

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An anonymous reader shares a report: Sony just announced its financial forecast for the next year, and it’s expecting to be impacted by tariffs to the tune of 100 billion yen (about $680 million). To compensate, the company says it’s considering options including moving manufacturing to the US and increasing prices for consumers.

Speaking to investors during the company’s earnings call, Sony CFO Lin Tao confirmed that the company is considering “passing on” the price of tariffs to consumers in order to mitigate the impact on its bottom line. Tao didn’t mention the PS5 by name though, and it’s possible that Sony could try to protect pricing on its console through increases elsewhere in its electronics business. Sony has already increased the price of the PS5 this year, but only in the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Whoop’s new 5.0 hardware launched this week, along with a premium version of the device that they’re calling the MG. Along with the launch came a new upgrade policy, requiring users to pay for what many thought would be a free upgrade. The company has walked back some of the new policy, but most users will still need to pay to get the new device. Here’s what you should know. 

WHOOP Peak – 12-Month Membership – 5.0 Health and Fitness Wearable – 24/7 Activity and Sleep Tracker with Heart Rate, HRV, Stress Monitor, Personalized Coaching, Healthspan – 14+ Days Battery Life

$239.00
at Amazon

$239.00
at Amazon

Whoop’s official, current upgrade policy

Hardware comes bundled with Whoop’s subscriptions, which are typically sold in 12-month or 24-month memberships. Whoop said upon launching the 5.0 and MG that you can get the new hardware in two ways: 

• You can pay to add 12 months to your subscription (a “membership extension”) and receive the new device.

• You can pay a $49 fee and receive the new device without changing the term of your membership. 

(There was also a mention of a $79 fee for upgrading to the MG hardware, but that hardware requires a more expensive subscription, so people who plan to upgrade to MG would be expected to pay more for their subscription anyway.) 

After some backlash, Whoop published an article “clarifying and updating our upgrade policy” in which they announced a policy to send upgraded hardware to some customers without any further payment: 

• Members who already have more than 12 months left on their membership (for example, someone who bought a 24-month membership and still has 13 months left) can get the new hardware for free. 

• Members who purchased a 12-month (or more) membership or renewal in the 30 days before the 5.0 was announced on May 8 can also get the new hardware for free. 

Why people are mad

This new upgrade policy is different from how Whoop handled upgrades in 2021, when the previous device—the 4.0—came out. And until the launch of the 5.0 earlier this month, at least two pages on Whoop’s website appeared to say that members would get to upgrade to the next generation of hardware for free. Whoop has addressed one of these as a mistake—a blog post referencing a six-month commitment—but hasn’t commented directly on the other, a FAQ that seems to say everyone gets free upgrades. I’ll start with the FAQ.

Until recently, that FAQ stated “WHOOP is a membership, which means you get the latest and greatest technology as soon as it’s available as long as you are an active member. No need to buy a new device each time it is released; you can upgrade for free.” Here is an archive of that page that I made on May 2, 2025, still showing that language less than a week before the 5.0 launched. The date on the page says that it was published in April of 2020.

The page still exists on Whoop’s website here, but now says something very different: “WHOOP is committed to a membership model where hardware is always included. When new devices launch, you’ll have the opportunity to upgrade by extending your membership and you’ll receive the new device at no additional cost. If you’re not ready to extend at that time, you can receive the latest hardware by paying a one-time upgrade fee.” There is no indication on that page that it has been changed, and it still bears the April 2020 date. (Here is an archive of how it looks today, for future reference.) 

I wrote to Whoop asking if they had any comment on that change, along with a few other questions. In response, they sent me the new upgrade policy (also found here), addressed a different blog post that had changed—more about that below—and later sent along this statement:

“We’ve always tried to make it as easy and accessible as possible for our members to get on WHOOP. Since 2021, we’ve required members have a certain number of months remaining on their membership to receive a free upgrade. That remains true today. You can receive a free upgrade to WHOOP 5.0 with 12 months remaining on your membership. Alternatively, you can also pay a one-time upgrade fee if you’d prefer not to extend. You can also choose to renew your subscription when it is up, and you’ll be eligible to upgrade to WHOOP 5.0 at that time for free.  With this launch, we introduced two new devices — 5.0 and MG — both of which offer 14+ day battery life, a 7% smaller size, and the Wireless PowerPack. Given MG is our most premium offering with different medical-grade capabilities, it does come with more premium cost. We ensured members could still receive a free upgrade to WHOOP 5.0, but have a different option if they were looking for different features and functionality.”

Whoop has also been criticized for a blog post, found here by Whoop users on Reddit, that shows another discrepancy in stated policies. That blog post, which bears a date of September 30, 2024, said that the policy was to give upgraded hardware to anyone who had been a member for at least six months. The blog post was still live as of March 28 of this year, as shown on this Wayback Machine archive. Whoop says that “was never our policy and should never have been posted,” saying instead that they had offered free upgrades to anyone with six months or more remaining on their subscription at the time of the 4.0 launch. 

This appears to be correct—emails sent in 2021 mentioned that Whoop users with “6+ months left on their membership” were eligible to upgrade for free. Whoop showed me screenshots from such emails, and I dug into my own inbox (never delete anything, folks) and found the same. The screenshot below is from an email I received in 2021.

From an email dated Sep 17, 2021.
Credit: Whoop

So that historical fact about six-month memberships checks out, but I see why many Whoop users say they feel misled. Meanwhile, the FAQ’s statement about free upgrades for all active members certainly influenced my long-term review of the 4.0, published just last month, in which I reported (based on that FAQ on Whoop’s own website) that “you don’t have to pay for new hardware to get new hardware.”

Angry Whoop users are discussing on Reddit and other forums the question of whether the company’s actions may run afoul of truth-in-advertising laws in Australia, the UK, the EU, and/or the U.S. Some are suggesting that U.S.-based customers consider submitting a complaint to the FTC (here is the form) or to your state’s attorney general. 

Is it even worth upgrading from the 4.0 to the 5.0? 

After all that, it’s not even clear whether the move from 4.0 to 5.0 is worth paying anything. If you’re happy with your current membership (now known as Peak), all you’d gain with 5.0 is a longer battery life. 

But you’d lose the ability to use any straps or accessories you bought for your 4.0. The new device is 7% smaller, Whoop says, which smacks of “we wanted you to buy all new accessories.” It sure seems like they could have easily stuffed those seven-percent-smaller internals in the same size housing as the 4.0 and had everything still be compatible. Heck, fill the extra space with an even bigger battery! 

I would only pay to upgrade if you feel the longer battery life is more important than back-compatibility with your old straps and accessories. (And if you have a lot of Whoop Body clothing, you may want to wait for more 5.0 users to weigh in before you toss it all—I saw at least one Reddit comment saying that the old boxers fit the new device just fine.)

Should you “upcycle” your old 4.0? 

There’s another strange thing going on with Whoop’s upgrade plans. If you upgrade from the 4.0 to the 5.0, they’ll send you a gift box with a sanitizing wipe and a brand-new strap, so that you can pass your old 4.0 on to a friend. They call it “upcycling,” and the full details are here.

But why would your friend want your old 4.0? They would still have to sign up for a Whoop membership, and any new membership comes with a free 5.0 (or MG). 

Whoop attempts to sweeten the deal by giving you (the gifter) a $50 credit that can be used for accessories for yourself—but not put toward membership. You only get this once your giftee signs up for a paid membership. As for the person you gift your old device to, there are a few ways for them to get a discount on membership with the used 4.0: 

• You (the gifter) can prepay for a 12-month Peak membership for them, for $190 rather than the usual $239. 

• They can join for $199 for a 12-month Peak membership

• They can use the 4.0 for a two-month free trial, which automatically rolls over into a full-price $239 12-month Peak membership. 

As soon as you pay for a membership, and have 12 months remaining, you can upgrade to the 5.0 or MG—so that gifted 4.0 may have a short lifespan indeed.

This doesn’t feel like upcycling at all to me, just a way to pretend you’re doing something useful with a device that will shortly get thrown away. For devices you actually buy, like a Garmin or an Apple Watch, going with an older model can often save you some cash. With the Whoop’s cost being baked into any new subscription, it seems strange to recommend that some users forgo the brand-new hardware that would otherwise be included.

If you have a friend getting rid of an old 4.0, you might as well use the upcycling program to get a small discount on the membership with 5.0 that you were planning to buy anyway (using one of the two options above). Or if you already have a 4.0, you might as well ask your friend to get the re-gifting kit just for the free spare band—those things still cost 49 dollars.

Google has warned that the hacker group known as “Scattered Spider,” which recently disrupted UK retailer Marks & Spencer, is now targeting U.S. retailers with aggressive and sophisticated cyberattacks. “U.S. retailers should take note. These actors are aggressive, creative, and particularly effective at circumventing mature security programs,” John Hultquist, an analyst at Google’s cybersecurity arm, said in an email sent on Wednesday. The Guardian reports: Scattered Spider is widely reported to have been behind the particularly disruptive hack at M&S, one of the best-known names in British business, whose online operations have been frozen since 25 April. It has a history of focusing on a single sector at a time and is likely to target retail for a while longer, Hultquist said. Just a day before Google’s warning, M&S announced that some customer data had been accessed, but this did not include usable payment or card details, or any account passwords. The Guardian understands the details taken are names, addresses and order histories. M&S said personal information had been accessed because of the “sophisticated nature of the incident.”

“Today, we are writing to customers informing them that due to the sophisticated nature of the incident, some of their personal customer data has been taken,” the company said. Hackers from the Scattered Spider ecosystem have been behind a slew of disruptive break-ins on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2023, hackers tied to the group made headlines for hacking the casino operators MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment. Law enforcement has struggled to get a handle on the Scattered Spider hacking groups, in part because of their amorphousness, the hackers’ youth, and a lack of cooperation from cybercrime victims.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Netflix said its cheaper, ad-supporter tier now has 94 million monthly active users — an increase of more than 20 million since its last public tally in November. CNBC reports: The company and its peers have been increasingly leaning on advertising to boost the profitability of their streaming products. Netflix first introduced the ad-supported plan in November 2022. Netflix’s ad-supported plan costs $7.99 per month, a steep discount from its least-expensive ad-free plan, at $17.99 per month. Netflix also said its cheapest tier reaches more 18- to 34-year-olds than any U.S. broadcast or cable network. “When you compare us to our competitors, attention starts higher and ends much higher,” Netflix president of advertising Amy Reinhard said in a statement. “Even more impressive, members pay as much attention to mid-roll ads as they do to the shows and movies themselves.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Apple’s smartphone shipments in China plunged nearly 50% year-over-year in March 2025, as domestic brands like Huawei and Vivo surged ahead — now controlling 92% of the market. MacRumors reports: The steep decline saw shipments fall to just 1.89 million units, down from 3.75 million during the same period last year. That shrinks Apple’s share of the Chinese market to approximately 8%, while domestic brands now control 92% of smartphone shipments. For the entire first quarter, non-Chinese brand shipments declined over 25%, while total smartphone shipments in China actually increased by 3.3%.

Apple’s struggles come as domestic competitors have gained ground. Counterpoint Research reports Huawei now leads with a 19.4% share, followed by Vivo (17%), Xiaomi (16.6%), and Oppo (14.6%). Apple has slipped to fifth place with 14.1%. Several factors are driving Apple’s declining fortunes. The company faces competition from rejuvenated local brands like Huawei, which has rebounded with proprietary chips and its HarmonyOS Next software. Chinese government policies appear to be playing a role too. Under government subsidies, consumers of electronics get a 15% refund of products that are priced under 6,000 yuan ($820). Apple’s standard iPhone 16 starts at 5,999 yuan.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

There’s about to be a new online movie rental site in town. Letterboxd is introducing a transactional video-on-demand service for its users, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The social media platform for movie lovers announced the news during the Cannes Film Festival. 

The Letterboxd Video Store will have curated rental categories such as up-and-coming filmmakers, under-appreciated movies and more on demand. There will also be areas that highlight the movies premiering at different film festivals, many of which will be available for a set amount of time. Plus, the rental service could offer some movies that only have a limited distribution, getting them in front of a wider audience. 

Letterboxd pitches its Video Store it as a natural next step for the company. “Every day, we see members recommending films to each other, adding to their watchlists and hungry to discover more,” Letterboxd CEO Matthew Buchanan stated. “Letterboxd Video Store is our way of delivering for those film lovers, creating a dedicated space for films that deserve an audience.”  

However, while we know it should be coming, that’s about all the logistical information we have. Letterboxd has yet to release pricing, launch dates or countries where rentals will be available. These finer points should all arrive in the upcoming months. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/letterboxd-will-launch-a-curated-online-rental-service-for-films-145056220.html?src=rss

It might surprise you, but Memorial Day can be a great time to shop for tech. In years past, we’ve seen solid Memorial Day sales on all manner of gadgets including many of our favorite tablets, headphones, charging accessories, robot vacuums and more. That’s on top of all the seasonal items that usually gets discounted at this time like smart grills and grilling gear, pizza ovens and outdoor tech.

If you’re on the market for any of those things, now’s a good time to shop. And like most seasonal holidays as of late, you don’t have to rush to make your purchase. Memorial Day deals are live now, and there’s a good chance they’ll be available until the holiday weekend has passed. Below, we’ve collected all of the best Memorial Day sales on tech we could find for 2025, and we’ll continue to update this post with the latest offers.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Amazon Prime Day, though. The biggest iteration of the online retailer’s annual shopping event typically happens in July, and Amazon confirmed it will be back again this year (although official dates remain unknown). Tech is usually heavily discounted on Prime Day for Prime members, so if you’re unsure about a purchase, you could take the chance and wait a little while longer to see if that pair of earbuds you’ve been eyeing drops even further in price during Prime Day. If not, Memorial Day offers the next best opportunity this time of year to save on gadgets and gear.

Best Memorial Day tech sales: Top deals

Best Memorial Day tech deals

Beats Studio Pro for $170 (51 percent off): The latest version of the Beats Studio Pro have much-improved sound quality along with good voice performance and Transparency mode. While these are wireless headphones, you can also connect a USB-C cable to them to use them as wired headphones, too.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 for $200 (20 percent off): The new Powerbeats Pro 2 have a comfortable design, improved sound quality and bass performance and heart rate sensors on board that make them good workout companions. However, you’ll only be able to get that heart rate data if you have these buds paired to an iOS device.

Anker 321 MagGo battery pack for $22 (15 percent off): This 5K magnetic charging brick can attach magnetically to the backs of compatible smartphones, including iPhones, and includes built-in technology that monitors temperatures for a safer charge. It’ll work with MagSafe cases as well.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids for $140 (22 percent off): This is the same, latest Kindle Paperwhite, just customized a bit for kids. You’ll get the waterproof ereader in this bundle along with a protective case, a two-year warranty and six months of Amazon Kids+ for free.

Blink Outdoor 4 security cameras, 5 camera system for $200 (50 percent off): This pack-up includes give weather-resistant Blink Outdoor 4 cameras plus a Sync Module 2 to connect them all. These are some of our favorite security cameras thanks to their wireless design, accurate and speedy motion alerts and the ability to save footage locally when you use a thumb drive with the Sync Module 2.

Dyson Supersonic hair dryer for $330 ($100 off): This is the original Dyson Supersonic hair dryer that has been super popular since its debut. It includes five attachments for drying and styling, and it’s billed as a fast dryer that protects hair from heat damage.

iRobot Combo Essential robot vacuum for $150 ($125 off): This is a great entry-level robot vacuum that has the added convenience of being a mopping machine, too. It’ll suck up dirt, debris and pet hair while it vacuums, and you can use the included water reservoir when you want to mop hard floors.

Tineco Pure ONE S11 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for $140 ($60 off with coupon): Our top budget pick among the best cordless vacuums, this Tineco machine offers good suction and a relatively lightweight design at a great price. It also includes the company’s iLoop smart sensor, which will auto-adjust suction power as you clean.

Shark Clean & Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum for $280 (20 percent off): This is a slightly cheaper version of one of our favorite cordless stick vacuums and it comes with a self-emptying base. This Shark stick vacuum has good suction power, can easily convert to a hand vacuum and it docks neatly on its auto-empty base station that traps over 99 percent of dust and allergens.

Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Robot Vacuum and Mop for $700 (30 percent off): A version of one of our favorite robot vacuums, this Shark machine can vacuum and mop floors for you. Its self-emptying base station holds up to 30 days worth of debris, and it has a refill tank for the mopping reservoir as well.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-early-memorial-day-tech-deals-save-on-gear-from-apple-amazon-dyson-and-others-144526098.html?src=rss

Workers who secured substantial salary increases during the pandemic hiring frenzy are now confronting a stark reality: they’re likely overpaid in today’s cooling job market. According to new Korn Ferry data, two-thirds of U.S. workers believe they’re compensated at or above their market value.

The tech sector has experienced significant wage deflation, with expanding pay transparency laws making market corrections impossible to ignore. Only 60% of recent job switchers received raises in Q1 2025, down from 73% just one quarter earlier.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.