IT General

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first major tentpole to hit theaters this summer. So fans of a galaxy far, far away should brace for action, adorableness, and scads of allusions to other Star Wars movies and shows. But one cinematic thrill that's a real surprise is how legendary American filmmaker Martin Scorsese comes into play in this much-anticipated spin-off.

In the opening credits, Scorsese's name will appear after Pedro Pascal, who headlines as Mando himself. But fans of Goodfellas, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Killers of the Flower Moon will have to wait until Act Two for the Academy Award–winning director's role.

What does Martin Scorsese look like in Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu? Pedro Pascal and Martin Scorsese in "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu." Credit: Lucasfilm

In the movie, the Mandalorian is tasked with rescuing Rotta the Hutt (The Bear's Jeremy Allen White), the son of the late Jabba the Hutt. But first, he and his child/protégé Grogu have to find Rotta. So, Mando asks an Ardennian street cart vendor with four arms for information. Voiced by Scorsese, this simian-like alien delivers rapid-fire exposition with a New York sensibility and a grounded awareness of what happens to snitches.

Two months ago, some keen-eared fans noticed Scorsese in a trailer for Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu.

But what fans couldn't have guessed is his character's name: Hugo Durant.

The first name seems to be a reference to Hugo, Scorsese's family-friendly 2011 adventure, based on Brian Selznick's 2007 book The Invention of Hugo Cabret. The last name; however, appears to be a reference to Rio Durant, the Ardennian pilot from Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Presumably, Hugo and Rio are related. But another thing they have in common is that both are voiced by directors, as The Mandalorian and Grogu helmer Jon Favreau provided the voice of Rio.

Of course, Scorsese's not the only filmmaker with a cameo in Favreau's film. Did you spot The Mandalorian and Grogu co-writer and producer Dave Filoni?

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is now in theaters.

It's been almost seven years since a new Star Wars film hit movie theaters, but after watching Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, I think we should wait even more before giving it another shot.

It's not that I don't love to watch Star Wars on the big screen. I would just rather wait longer for a great, fresh Star Wars film to come along, and The Mandalorian and Grogu is certainly not that film.

SEE ALSO: 2026 Summer movie preview: Every film you need to know about now

The problem starts with the source material: TV series The Mandalorian. What began as a superlative space Western soon spiraled into a never-ending parade of references to other Star Wars stories, from the original trilogy to The Clone Wars to Rebels. The Mandalorian became nostalgia central, and a symptom of larger problems with Star Wars as a whole: The franchise is terrified to move beyond what fans already know. (Look no further than fans' reaction to The Acolyte, and the show's cancellation.)

That nostalgia is a tad less stifling in The Mandalorian and Grogu, which manages to weave in its fair share of former characters without totally hitting viewers over the head with it. However, the film is still a slog: an unwieldy adventure full of illegible action and the creeping sense of dread that we've seen this all before. Not even Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu's sweet bond can Force lift it to success.

What's The Mandalorian and Grogu about? Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.

Following The Mandalorian Season 3, The Mandalorian and Grogu sees Din and Grogu working for the New Republic. Supervised by Colonel Ward (an underutilized Sigourney Weaver), they hunt down Imperial warlords still in hiding.

Their first quarry in the film holes up in possibly the grayest, most underlit room in the entire galaxy, a location that doesn't quite raise your hopes for director Jon Favreau's vision. Thankfully, their quest for their next target, the mysterious Commander Coin, will take them to far more interesting (if still somewhat drab) locales, from a crime-ridden, neon-lit metropolis on Shakari to the gooey tunnels of Nal Hutta.

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The latter is the home of the Hutt clan, currently ruled by the Hutt twins. (If you're keeping score of The Mandalorian and Grogu's references to other Star Wars properties, they showed up in The Book of Boba Fett.) These big ol' space slugs are willing to cough up valuable information to the New Republic, but only if Din can rescue Jabba the Hutt's very ripped son Rotta (voiced by Jeremy Allen White) from the Shakari fighting pits. (Add another reference to the tally: Rotta's kidnapping was a key part of 2008's Star Wars: The Clone Wars film.)

If the thought of The Bear's White voicing a Hutt excited you, I'd advise you to lower your expectations. His voice is nearly unrecognizable, and his performance oddly flat. The dialogue he's saddled with does him no favors. Twice, he gives almost the exact same monologue about how hard it was to have Jabba as a father, and how the fighting pits helped him step out from his shadow. Did writers Favreau, Dave Filoni (also LucasFilm President and CCO), and Noah Kloor not think we'd get it the first time?

The Mandalorian and Grogu's action is underwhelming. Credit: Francois Duhamel / Lucasfilm Ltd

While we're on the subject of Rotta, let's get into the Shakari fighting pits. At one point, The Mandalorian sets up what should be an action slam dunk: an all-out brawl between Rotta, Mando, and the most dangerous creatures in the galaxy. What follows, though, is a confused slugfest with murky visuals, too many cuts, and no standout moments. Sure, each fighter gets a formidable introduction, but they ultimately lack individuality. (The film does get points for Rotta's barrel roll.)

This winds up being the rule and not the exception for The Mandalorian and Grogu's action sequences, especially group fights where Favreau struggles to keep up with multiple players. After a certain point, despite Ludwig Göransson's impressive score amping up the energy, these battles become chores, especially when they stack up in the movie's jam-packed third act.

A notable exception to this rule is the film's snowy opening, which pits Din and Grogu against a squad of AT-ATs. It's a dynamic leap back into Star Wars, but it's also too familiar. I mean, where have we seen AT-ATs in the snow before? It takes more than adding a cliff to your Empire Strikes Back homage to create something new.

The Mandalorian and Grogu still relies too much on nostalgia. Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.

The Mandalorian and Grogu's opening isn't the only place where the film tries to tug at our Star Wars nostalgia. A later sequence involving X-wings does the same thing, as does the appearance of several characters from prior Star Wars titles, including the Hutts. Elsewhere, Rebels pilot Zeb Orrelios (voiced by Steve Blum) shuttles Mando on his missions, while The Clone Wars' bounty hunter Embo wreaks havoc in the film's second half. The movie assumes viewers have total knowledge of both, waiting until about the halfway mark to call Zeb by his name, and never truly introducing Embo at all. For the latter, this works fine. Even without knowing who he is, he reads as a menacing bounty hunter. Still, the fact that The Mandalorian and Grogu can't think to create a new formidable foe is what's truly disappointing here.

As a continuation of The Mandalorian, it also makes sense that the film picks up with Din and Grogu as they were by the end of Season 3. But there's very little growth, or establishment of any dynamic beyond standard "protector and protégé" to open the film. Yes, Grogu is adorable, and it's fun to watch Din toggle between hardened fighter and protective father figure. But for most of the movie, I craved more.

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Thankfully, I got it in The Mandalorian and Grogu's third act. Here, Favreau, Filoni, and Kloor flip the script, and Grogu takes on a protector role. Throughout several nearly wordless scenes, he wanders a swamp in search of ways to help his mentor. It's a much-needed breather in a film packed to the gills with action, and it finally lets Grogu evolve from his usual state of precocious mischief-maker. (Don't worry, he's still cute as ever.) The swamp sequence also serves as a reminder of the remarkable craftsmanship that goes into bringing Grogu to life, the work of Legacy Effects. It's always on display, but sometimes it threatens to get lost in The Mandalorian and Grogu's muddled fights. During this contemplative stretch of the film, we truly get to take in every minute detail and every carefully executed motion.

Part of the reason this sequence works so well is that it finally addresses Din's main anxieties about Grogu's future. Grogu will outlive Din by many centuries, but how will his life look once Din is gone? The Mandalorian and Grogu dances around this question — which should be its emotional core! — for ages. But when it finally digs into it, it's too little, too late. Despite any worries the film may stir up, we know Din and Grogu will be a pair for as long as Disney will milk them. And anyway, this standout section must end to make way for an unremarkable climax.

Still, for those few brief minutes, The Mandalorian and Grogu finds greatness. In the end, though, the film sticks to Star Wars' current road map to the future. Paradoxically, that strategy is just "look to the past," and the galaxy is all the less fortunate for it.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters May 22.

No one is making movies like Boots Riley. The audacious American filmmaker who had critics raving about his mind-bending 2018 directorial debut Sorry to Bother You is back with I Love Boosters, an unreservedly anti-capitalist satire with a deluge of bonkers spectacle and fierce fashion. 

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While filmmakers out of February's Berlin Film Festival aimed to avoid politics in promoting their work, SXSW kicked off with an opening night film that uses car chases, teleportation, stop-motion animated monsters, and a sprawling story about shoplifters to raise a big, bedazzled middle finger in protest to a capitalist society that treats workers' rights and self-expression like a luxury item. 

With a dynamic cast that includes Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, Will Poulter, Demi Moore, Don Cheadle, and LaKeith Stanfield, Riley delivers a sophomore effort that's outrageous, provocative, and really fucking fun. 

What's I Love Boosters all about?  Credit: SXSW

Written and directed by Boots Riley, I Love Boosters centers on a trio of "boosters," known as the Velvet Gang, who shoplift designer clothing from chic stores and resell them at discount prices. But each of these boosters has their own motivations for this risky version of entrepreneurship. For single-mom Sade (Ackie), it's all about the money, be it through boosting or a pyramid scheme called Friends Being Friendly. She's determined to buy her kids a better life, whatever the cost. 

Meanwhile, chipper Mariah (Paige) sees their group as "fashion-forward filanthropists [sic]" who give back to their community by making awesome gear affordable. (Yes, she knows philanthropy isn't spelled with an "f" — but "branding, though.") Then there's Corvette (Palmer), a fashionista who dreams of being a top designer like her idol, Christie Smith (Moore). This cunty-bobbed executive owns a series of shops that only sell one color of clothing per month, which creates an eye-popping production design of violently hued shops that early on give I Love Boosters a cartoonish impishness. 

Irate over the boosters hitting her stores, Smith declares war on the shoplifters that she calls "low-class urban bitches — all due respect to urban bitches." From there, the Velvet Gang steps up their game with the help of some new allies, who are less interested in reselling designer duds than in kick-starting a workers' rights movement against Smith's sweatshop industry. 

Along the way, they'll fold in not only a dizzying barrage of eye-popping outfits and fabulous wigs, but also an ultra sci-fi device that can deconstruct, transform, or teleport anything from clothes to people with a sloppy splurt of glimmering goo. And without spoilers, I can say that if you thought horse people in the climax of Sorry to Bother You were a weird treat, you'll be pleased with how supporting players like Don Cheadle, Jermaine Fowler, and Jason Ritter come into play in the chaotic climax. 

Keke Palmer is a shining star in I Love Boosters.  Credit: NEON

Don't get it twisted. Palmer's had a storied career with scads of terrific performances that display her irresistible charisma and kinetic screen presence. But often in movies, she's the love interest (Good Fortune, The Pickup) or half of a double act (Nope, One Them Days). While I Love Boosters is about the Velvet Gang, there's no question Corvette is its protagonist, and Palmer is its star. 

Riley gives this dynamo room to move. From the opening frames, cinematographer Natasha Braier follows Corvette as she swans across a dance floor, cool and confident. Braier frames her close for shots of longing, like when Corvette crosses paths with a mystery man (Stanfield) who's so hot that his POV close-up from Corvette's perspective rattles in the frame. It's as if we can see her brain short-circuit as she takes in the Prince-like curls dangling down his face to his sexy, smudged eyeliner, his husky voice, and the smoldering expression that make this man a dangerous distraction to her booster mission.

But comedy lives in the wide shot. So in scenes of goofy physical stunts — like when Corvette tries to sneak out of Christie's penthouse, where the floor is at a 45-degree angle — Palmer full-body commits to the bit. Whether she's prat-falling on her face, running like a cartoon roadrunner, or escaping a boosting trip with a velvet tracksuit so stuffed with stolen goods it makes her look like a pink Stay Puft marshmallow man, she's giving comedy on the level of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, landing the physical business without a wink to the camera.

From there, costume designer Shirley Kurata builds Corvette's ambition to be a fashion designer through every single look. Palmer is alternatively wrapped in turquoise vinyl, Harajuku streetwear, '90s club kid gear, and highlighter yellow menswear. Some actors might be swallowed by so much look, but Palmer wears it all with ease, expressing Corvette's passion in each step. 

And it might go without saying, but no one hits a punchline like Palmer. It's not just that her take on Riley's wacky dialogue gets laughs. A one-liner in the film's final sequence earned roars of laughter that erupted into cheers and scattered applause. It's thrilling to see a movie give Palmer such a well-earned showcase — especially one that pits her onscreen against Moore, whose own weirdo showcase The Substance became a surprise award season contender. Could I Love Boosters have a similar rise? I'd like to live in that world. 

I Love Boosters is stuffed with laughs, twists, and a killer supporting cast.  Credit: NEON

Palmer drives this wild ride, but every actor around her is fully on board for Riley's radical vision. Ackie has been on a tear of late, playing everything from an earnest cop (The Thursday Murder Club) to a kinky soldier (Mickey 17) to a caring best friend (Sorry, Baby) to a vengeance-seeking party girl (Blink Twice). Here, she's the tough love in the Velvet Gang, bringing intensity and determination that crackles opposite Palmer's dreaminess and Paige's comically consistent awe. Watching Paige playfully pluck at plush nipples on a big fluffy nude suit while the rest of the crew gets into a heated argument is a lesson in low-key comedy brilliance. 

A kinetic Poppy Liu gets in on the fun with a side quest full of color, real-world horror, and high-energy action. Eiza González seethes and sizzles as a union-minded shop girl, while Will Poulter is a pitch-perfect bastard as her posh, merciless manager. Stanfield thrives as the sultry eye candy, but he's at his best when that subplot gets utterly devilish. Then there's Moore, who gives a scathingly hilarious portrait of American wealth and entitlement. 

Moore spits monologues about art over commerce with such conviction that you might be tempted to believe Christie Smith's sales pitch. But Moore also delivers snarls that send a shiver. And numerous scenes in her preposterously slanted penthouse (perhaps inspired by actual ultra-expensive high rises that aren't on the level) expose her fashion exec as ridiculous. 

There are similarly sharp visual critiques of wage-gap politics, like Corvette and Sade prepping for their insanely short lunch break by placing their feet in starter's blocks, ready to literally race for sustenance. And with each over-the-top sight gag, Riley whips his audience into an elated surprise. He presents our world with its worst and best bits exaggerated — just like a certain MacGuffin in this movie. And through that, he urges us to reflect not only on the absurdities of our own society, but also on how we might dream up something better and bolder. 

I Love Boosters plays like a fever dream. Its narrative veers into tangents, with subplots buried under sensational set pieces and big ideas. It's undeniably messy, tossing in new characters, weird conspiracies, and an astonishing avalanche of unhinged imagery. But I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Riley isn't just rejecting the status quo of American capitalism with his films. He's rejecting the tidy boxes filmmakers are urged to put their stories into to make them more marketable, be they boxes of form or genre. Like the fashion in the film, Riley blends whatever fits his vision without apology. By delivering something this messy and marvelous, Riley makes a statement about the glory to be found outside the box. And make no mistake: I Love Boosters is glorious.

I Love Boosters was reviewed at SXSW. The film opens in theaters May 22.

UPDATE: May. 21, 2026, 5:09 p.m. This review was first published on March 13, 2026. It has been updated for its theatrical premiere.

There are all kinds of reasons to delete a dating profile. Perhaps you've found that special somebody and you want to prove you're committing by officially withdrawing from the world of online dating. Maybe you've decided you're happy as a singleton or you just need a break from the minefield of swipes, matches, and "heys." Well, whatever your motivation, AdultFriendFinder makes it super easy to delete your account and scrub your profile data permanently.

First, understand that deleting your account is different to cancelling your Gold membership. If you want to continue using AdultFriendFinder for free, or just want to stop your monthly payments, you can just cancel the subscription without deleting your entire account. Actual account deletion is a more permanent action. It's worth noting that you’ll lose all of your profile info, all of your chat history, and all of your settings. So, maybe consider whether you 100 percent want to wipe all that information before you proceed.

SEE ALSO: The best sexting apps for discreet NSFW chats

If you do want to go ahead, you can choose whether to delete your account via a web browser or on your phone. The steps are different but the result is the same. But one big heads up for phone users: merely deleting your AFF app is not enough to delete your account. Here's all the information you need.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More How to cancel your AdultFriendFinder Gold subscription

If you have a Gold subscription, make sure you cancel that membership before you undergo the steps necessary to delete your account:

Total Time

• 2 minutes

What You Need

• AdultFriendFinder account

Step 1: Log in to your account as usual, using your username and password credentials

Step 2: Navigate to the "My Account" section in the top right and select "Settings"

Step 3: If you are a Gold member, you will see a "Billing History & Credit Card" info section

Step 4: Turn the auto-renew switch to "Off"

Step 5: Verify that your subscription was cancelled by checking your email for confirmation

How to delete your AdultFriendFinder account on the web

If you primarily use AdultFriendFinder on a web browser, these are the steps you’ll need to follow:

Total Time

• 2 minutes

What You Need

• Web browser

Step 1: Log in to your account as usual, using your username and password credentials

Step 2: Navigate to the "My Account" section in the top right and select "Settings"

Step 3: Under the "Manage My Account" heading, select "Close Account"

Step 4: You’ll be prompted with a confirmation message offering alternatives to account deletion, including hiding your profile or turning off email notifications

Step 5: Select "Please Delete My Account"

Step 6: You’ll be prompted to enter your password one last time, to confirm your identity and intention

How to delete your AdultFriendFinder account on your phone

AFF doesn’t have an official app in either the Apple App or Google Play store, owing to their NSFW content, but lots of AFF users still use phone-based workarounds for AdultFriendFinder, often via a web-based shortcut on their home screens. 

Simply deleting your AFF app icon will not delete your account and the data and history pertaining to it. To delete your account via your phone, follow these steps:

Total Time

• 2 minutes

What You Need

• Smartphone

Step 1: Log in to your account as usual, using your username and password credentials

Step 2: Navigate to the "My Account" section in the top right and select "Settings"

Step 3: Under the "Manage My Account" heading, select "Close Account"

Step 4: You’ll be prompted with a confirmation message offering alternatives to account deletion, including hiding your profile or turning off email notifications

Step 5: Select "Please Delete My Account"

Step 6: You’ll be prompted to enter your password one last time, to confirm your identity and intention

Account deletion is final and irrevocable. So be sure that you’re prepared to lose all of your contacts, chat history, and profile information permanently before you click to confirm deletion. And if, for any reason, the above steps haven’t worked for you, you can always visit the AFF Help Center, where you'll find FAQs and visual guides for on-site activities, including account deletion.

Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) assistance package is no longer available as a one-time purchase in Europe.

Instead, users can sign up for FSD at a monthly fee of 99 euros/British pounds, depending on the market. Previously, European customers were only able to get FSD (or the promise of FSD) for a one-time fee of €7,500 or £6,800, respectively.

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In addition, customers in Europe were previously able to get Tesla's Enhanced Autopilot suite of driver assistance features for a one-time fee of €3,800 or £3,400, depending on the market. That feature is no longer available; however, the customers who previously purchased Enhanced Autopilot can now get FSD for a reduced fee of €49 per month.

Tesla FSD brings numerous self-driving features, including navigating through city streets, respecting traffic lights, automatic parking, and more. Enhanced Autopilot has a greatly reduced set of options, with highlights being automatic lane changing on motorways, helpful navigation while on autosteer, and automatic parking.

SEE ALSO: Tesla says its Full Self-Driving package is now available in China

The news comes after FSD became available in two European markets: the Netherlands and Lithuania. However, we've checked, and the option is available even in the European markets where FSD hasn't formally launched yet.

It's also available for vehicles with older HW3 hardware (as opposed to HW4), even though Tesla CEO Elon Musk made it clear that HW3 cars will not be able to run FSD in its full capability, at least not without a hardware upgrade.

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"If you're just tuning into The Late Show...you missed a lot."

That's how Stephen Colbert begins his last ever Late Show monologue, which he assures us is going to be a just like a regular monologue — until the celebrity guests start showing up.

The first is Bryan Cranston, who asks if Colbert is planning to have any surprise cameos. "No Bryan," says Colbert. "Those always feel kind of forced."

Next comes Paul Rudd, who wants to know when his interview will start. "I have an extremely long poem I want to recite and I don't want to run out of time," says Rudd, before revealing that he bought Colbert "the traditional retirement gift" of six bananas.

Colbert tells him the traditional retirement gift is a gold watch, to which Rudd asks what he's supposed to do with these five bananas?

"I thought just a moment ago you said it was six?" says Colbert.

"I got hungry!" yells Rudd. "Now interview me!"

Who's the creator you tell everyone to follow? Vote for them in Mashable's Fan Fav.

Meta's got a brand new app, but the company isn't advertising it anywhere yet.

The app is called Forum, and it's been spotted by Geekout Newsletter's Matt Navara (via Engadget). It's freely available to iPhone users, though it's not available in all markets yet.

Per the app's official description, it's a "dedicated space built for deeper discussions, real answers and the communities you care about."

In practice, it lies somewhere between Reddit and Quora, enabling users to ask questions and get related answers from folks on Facebook Groups. By default, it'll show you content from Facebook Groups based on your (previously selected) interests.

On the admin side, Facebook says the app is build for people who run groups, giving them a new admin AI assistant to help manage their groups and moderate content.

Facebook emphasises that this is about getting answers from "real people." Forum requires a Facebook account; the driving idea behind the app might be to leverage Facebook's vast community of users to provide answers, instead of getting AI-generated slop. Still, an AI assistant will fetch the answers when you ask a question on Forum.

SEE ALSO: Parents on Instagram, Facebook: Expect a big message from Meta

A Meta spokesperson told Engadget the app is still undergoing testing. "We test lots of new products publicly to see what people find interesting and useful to their experiences across our apps," the spokesperson said.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

In the know.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

PRIVY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Strangely.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 22, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ODDLY

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To sag.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 22 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 22, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DROOP

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To brush.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SWEEP

Final Hurdle hint

To take off.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

STRIP

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

The Moon is nearing its First Quarter phase tonight, meaning almost half of its visible surface is now illuminated as it continues its monthly journey around Earth.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Friday, May 22, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. Tonight, 37% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

Tonight, with just your naked eye you'll be able to spot the Mares Crisium and Fecunditatis. If you have binoculars you'll also be able to catch a glimpse of the Endymion Crater, and a telescope will reveal the Apollo 11 and 17 landing spots.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes around 29.5 days to orbit Earth completely, passing through eight phases during that time. While the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the way sunlight hits its surface changes throughout its orbit, creating the familiar full, half, and crescent appearances we see in the night sky. Altogether, the lunar cycle consists of eight main phases:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Soundcore announced two new pairs of earbuds during its Anker Day event on May 21: the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max.

The earbuds are the first Soundcore products to feature the new THUS AI chip, designed to boost the performance of the earbuds' microphone for call quality, voice activation, and smart features like live translation and AI note-taking. Spoiler alert: the mic performance is no joke on these earbuds.

SEE ALSO: The 11 best wireless earbuds we've ever tested

Both the Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max are available as of May 21. I've spent a few days trying out both pairs of earbuds — below you'll find my first impressions, the specs, price, and everything else you need to know about Soundcore's latest audio release.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro: Specs and price

The Liberty 5 Pro is available for $169.99 and comes with the following feature set:

The Liberty 5 Pro come with a small on-case display. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

• Battery: 6.5 hours with ANC (28 hours with charging case), 12 hours without ANC (50 hours with charging case)

• Active noise cancellation: Yes, adaptive and five levels of manually adjustable ANC

• Microphones: 8 microphones, plus two bone conduction sensors

• Connection: Bluetooth 6.1

• Multipoint: Yes, up to three devices simultaneously

• IP rating: IP55

• Ear tips: Five sizes, from XXS to L

• Ear fins: Three sizes

• Colors: Blue, white, black, and pink

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro: First impressions

I haven't had the chance to test the full range of the Liberty 5 Pro features just yet, but as Soundcore emphasizes the "whisper clear" calls these buds are capable of, I made sure to get in some testing of the microphone, along with the usual suspects of the sound quality (rich and well-varied, from my initial listens) and active noise cancellation.

Mic quality is superb

Call quality may seem like a weird feature to brag about, but if you've used earbuds with a crappy microphone, you know how annoying it can be to have to disconnect your earbuds every time you need to take a call.

My first test for these earbuds was an informal one. While FaceTiming a friend and wearing these earbuds, another friend in the room with me leaned into the frame of my phone's camera to say hello. My friend on the other end of the call happened to be looking away — she had no clue the other person in the room with me had spoken at all. Meanwhile, she could hear me without any issue. Whisper clear indeed. I've also been able to hold full conversations with ease while other people are watching TV and chatting in the same room, while the person on the other side of the call has been none the wiser. All this to say, the early results are very promising.

So is it really just a matter of matching up a full set of microphones with an AI chip? Not exactly. Soundcore goes the extra mile, adding two bone conduction sensors to detect vibrations in your skull and ensure that only your voice is picked up, even in noisier environments.

The noise cancellation is no joke either

I nearly jumped out of my skin when someone approached me to say good morning while I was listening to music on these earbuds at about 40 percent volume. Apparently, they'd been trying to get my attention for a good 30 seconds. So that's another informal test, passed.

On a more technical note, these earbuds have eight microphones that work together with the THUS chip to provide the best possible noise cancellation. The result is impressive, especially considering their $169.99 price point. While I look forward to testing them out and about in the world more, as far as my home office (and simply existing in a house where seven other people live), these earbuds are more than getting the job done so far.

Comfortable and stable

The ear fin/ear tip combo on these earbuds reminds me a lot of the Bose QuietComfort earbuds series. Whenever I'm positively comparing the wear of earbuds to the QC series, that's a very, very good thing, considering the Bose buds are the most comfortable I've tested.

SEE ALSO: Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds 2 are one of the best noise-cancelling earbuds available, but not a must-upgrade

While I haven't yet put these through the extended hours of wear needed to see if they deserve the same accolades, I can say that so far, I've experienced no fatigue wearing them in one to two-hour bursts. At the same time, they feel plenty secure and provide a great seal for boosting passive ANC.

A unique charging case design No need for a companion app to adjust the earbuds' settings. Credit: Soundcore

The charging case for the Liberty 5 Pro features a 0.96-inch mini touchscreen, where you can access settings such as ANC adjustments, equalizer presets, spatial audio, and Bluetooth pairing. Essentially, it reduces the need for a companion app to adjust every feature that isn't playback or volume. Despite the small screen, this was a surprisingly convenient way to use the earbuds — especially when pairing them to new devices.

Though it doesn't feel fragile, I am curious to see how this case holds up once I throw it in a bag and take the earbuds on the go.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro $169.99 at Amazon, Soundcore, Best Buy
  Shop Now Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max: Specs and price

The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max is available for $229.99, with the following feature set:

The Liberty 5 Pro Max comes with a larger display on the case and the ability to record meetings for AI note-taking. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

• Battery: 6.5 hours with ANC (28 hours with charging case), 12 hours without ANC (50 hours with charging case)

• Active noise cancellation: Yes, adaptive and five levels of manually adjustable ANC

• Microphones: 8 microphones, plus two bone conduction sensors

• Connection: Bluetooth 6.1

• Multipoint: Yes, up to three devices simultaneously

• IP rating: IP55

• Ear tips: Five sizes, from XXS to L

• Ear fins: Three sizes

• Colors: Titanium-gold and black

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max: First impressions

The Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds have many of the same features as the 5 Pro, including the same tech for powering noise cancellation, sound quality, and the microphones. They also feature the same earbud shape. There is one notable difference, though, which we'll get into below:

The mic impresses on the Pro Max buds, too

The Pro Max earbuds use the same 10-sensor matrix (the microphones and bone conduction sensors) as the 5 Pro earbuds, so it's no surprise that, in combination with the AI chipset, these earbuds also sounded incredible on calls and did a reliable job at blocking out background noise.

Living in a house with seven other people means that if I'm not at my desk (and even then), there's at least a 50 percent chance that I'll take a call while someone else is having a conversation around me. For the times that's happened so far, not once did the people on the other side of the call hear the background noise from my end. My next tests will involve taking these earbuds out into the world (for even louder and more distracting environments).

A larger display on the earbuds case The entire top of the case acts as a display for customizing features on the earbuds. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

The 5 Pro Max has an even bigger touchscreen on the charging case than the 5 Pro, which takes up the entire top of the case. The 1.78-inch AMOLED display allows you to access many of the same features as the smaller 5 Pro case, plus the AI note-taking feature, which uses the case to record the conversation.

AI note-taking feature isn't anything to scoff at either

As a journalist, I'm especially into any easy way to record interviews or conversations, and Soundcore seeks to do just that with its AI note-taker. Basically, it works as the case records the conversation, meeting, talk — whatever you're trying to get down. Then, it transfers the file to the companion app, and, at your request, can generate a transcript and summary with identified speakers.

During the recording, a tap of the flag button creates markers in the recording that become highlighted in the transcription. Before creating the transcription, you can also select the recording type (discussion, presentation, etc.), so the AI can choose the best format for the information.

So far, I could see this being an incredibly useful tool, but I'm also interested to see the limitations (it looks like a Pro version for more transcription minutes is available) and how it compares to Apple's built-in voice memo feature.

Noise cancellation and sound quality

In my testing so far, the noise cancellation and sound quality are basically indistinguishable from the 5 Pro earbuds, which is to say they both sound really good and do a great job of blocking out sound.

One hiccup I noticed while testing the adaptive ANC on the 5 Pro Max buds was a soft clicking sound in the left earbud — it was almost not detectable while audio was playing, but without music, it was definitely present. It could've just been a glitch that a software update will fix, so I'll be keeping my eye on it as I head further into my testing period.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max $229.99 at Amazon, Soundcore, Best Buy
  Shop Now Where to buy the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max

As of May 21, you can pick up the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro for $169.99 and the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max for $229.99 at the following retailers:

Where to buy the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max Amazon Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro $169.99 Shop Now Soundcore Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro $169.99 Shop Now Best Buy Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro $169.99 Shop Now Amazon Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max $229.99 Shop Now Soundcore Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max $229.99 Shop Now Best Buy Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max $229.99 Shop Now

SAVE $20: As of May 21, the Anker Soundcore P20i earbuds are on sale for just $19.99 at Amazon. That's a savings of $20 or 50% and just two cents away from their best price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Soundcore P20i earbuds $19.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $20.00   Get Deal

Despite what big tech might have you believe, spending hundreds of dollars on a pair of earbuds isn't required — especially if you just want a pair for everyday listening. Case in point: some of our favorite budget earbuds just got the deal treatment for Memorial Day, knocking them down to a mere $20.

The Anker Soundcore P20i are the best cheap earbuds we've tried and as of May 21, they're on sale for only $19.99 at Amazon. That's half off their list price of $39.99 and just two cents away from their record-low price.

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After tweaking a few settings on the companion app, our reviewer was shocked by how well the P20i earbuds performed for the cost. With the Treble Boost equalizer preset turned on, the P20is are able to produce the kind of sound you'd expect from options three times the price. They also boast an impressive battery life of about 10 hours, plus an extra 30 with the charging case. For comparison purposes, the standard AirPods without noise-cancellation offer less than six hours.

Anker Soundcore also threw in some extra ingredients on these earbuds, like a "find device" feature and the ability to set up to three personalized touch controls on each bud.

Obviously, at a price this low, the brand had to cut some more advanced features. So don't expect noise cancellation or multipoint pairing. If those are dealbreakers, you'll have to spend a bit more. But if you just want some basic earbuds that sound great and offer some extra perks at a low price, you'd be hard pressed to find a better option.

TL;DR: Make an old PC feel brand new again with the Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license and Windows 11 Pro Bundle, on sale for just $34.97 (reg. $418.99) through May 31.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle $34.97
$418.99 Save $384.02   Get Deal

Want to squeeze more life out of your current PC? It may not be as expensive as you think, thanks to the Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license and Windows 11 Pro Bundle. This combo gives your Windows device a total refresh, and right now you can snag it all for just $34.97 until May 31.

Who has an extra few hundred dollars to spend on a laptop these days? Fortunately, there’s no need if you get this Microsoft bundle. It equips your PC with a fresh set of tools and an updated operating system, making it feel brand new to you for under $40.

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This bundle kicks off with Microsoft Office Professional 2021, which gives your computer permanent access to eight helpful apps. This suite includes classics you know and love, like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. It also features new favorites like OneNote, Teams, Access, and Publisher.

Once you have your new apps downloaded, it’s time to upgrade your OS. This bundle includes Windows 11 Pro, an operating system that was purposefully designed with the modern professional in mind.

This OS offers a more powerful search experience, improved voice typing, snap layouts, and a whole lot more features designed to improve your workflow. It also includes cybersecurity features like biometric logins, encrypted authentication, and advanced antivirus defenses.

Act fast to score major savings and get the Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license and Windows 11 Pro Bundle for just $34.97 until May 31.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

You probably know this all ready, but pretty much every major dating and hookup site has been the victim of a major data breach at one time or another. In fact, some of them have even undergone multiple data breaches. We're talking full names, addresses, billing information, and in some cases extremely personal information about sexual preferences. It's not ideal but it happens.

To be fair to these sites, they become targets because they're super successful in the online dating world. Think about it: If you're a hacker, you're going to target the biggest websites with the most users, because you'll get the biggest reward for your scam. Consequently, the big name dating sites now spend millions of dollars on cybersecurity, hoping to hold back future attacks.

But there are also hookup sites that fly under the radar — sites not yet big enough to get on the scammers' radar. If you're looking to experience the internet's hookup culture without exposure to the most popular sites, here are three solid adult dating sites that haven't experienced a data breach:

Friends with Benefits

Think of Friends with Benefits like a website version of Tinder or a slightly toned down version of AdultFriendFinder. Setting up an account is easy and requires very minimal personal information, so it's a great starting spot for people wary of sharing their data, but be warned: It's also vulnerable to bots and fake profiles. You'll spend as much time weeding out AI-generated profiles as you will messaging potential partners. 

If you live in or near a large metropolitan area, Friends with Benefits can work for you, because that's where their users are most concentrated, and as of this writing, they have yet to have a data breach. 

Guilty Affairs

We don't condone cheating on your partner or spouse, but it's a simple fact that a huge draw of online hookup sites is how much easier they make stepping outside of your relationship. Unfortunately, that also makes them a desirable target for hackers, who get not only your personal information but some excellent blackmail material ("You wouldn't want your wife to know…") — just think of the damage done to Ashley Madison users after more than 60 gigabytes of data were leaked.

If you're looking to explore some extra-marital fun but want to keep a low profile, Guilty Affairs is a good place to start. The interface is incredibly simple and easy to use, and doesn't require a ton of sensitive personal information before you can create an account and explore your options — there's nothing like their Roulette wheel of local singles to build excitement, for example.

SEE ALSO: All your Hinge questions, answered

Best of all, they're very transparent about their dedication to cybersecurity, with 256-bit encryption as standard and PCI DSS certification across all of their payment methods, so if you do decide to purchase tokens (called "Coins" on the site) to boost your profile or browse incognito, you can be assured of high levels of payment protection. 

Senior Sizzle

Okay, granted, if you're still on the younger side, a hookup site with a tagline of "intimate encounters over 50" might not sound that enticing, but there are a whole lot of single seniors out there looking to get frisky, and the site is well designed to help them find their "sizzle." 

From a security standpoint, the site touts an in-house security team as well as "industry standard" efforts like firewalls and data encryption to help keep your personal information safe. And at time of writing, they've been successful, with zero data breaches, which is no small feat given the site was first launched more than 20 years ago. 

How to protect yourself from data breaches

While it's a good idea to audit your website choices before you sign up, ensuring they have a history of good cybersecurity practices, it's also important to realize that you have a major role to play in protecting your own data. Here are a few best practices to follow to ensure your online safety:

1. Limit your exposure. The less data you share with each dating website, and the less specific that data is, the better.

2. Sign up using a personal or alternative email. Never use your work email, and consider creating a backup email specifically for online dating signups. 

3. Don't divulge personal information to unverified people. The person you're talking to might be a cute, fun single, but they could also be a chat bot or scammer eager to learn everything they can about you for nefarious ends. Save the detailed conversations for in-person meet-ups.

Thea Sharrock understands that she can't make everyone laugh in Ladies First, a new Netflix movie starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike. Sharrock's rationale makes perfect sense: Everyone's humor is different. That's why the timing and delivery of the jokes are of the utmost importance. If you're off by even a minute, the comedy doesn't work.

Waymo's recent crop of safety issues have led it to halt service in another city. The Alphabet-owned company has temporarily shut down service in Atlanta after one of its robotaxis drove into a flooded intersection.

Not long ago, buying a new car followed a somewhat predictable path. Do online research, pick a trim level, choose your options, go for a test drive, and sign the paperwork. Once you pull away from the dealership, everything on that window sticker is yours. Heated seats worked. Remote start worked. The features and packages you paid for were yours for as long as you owned the vehicle.

One of Prime Video's most popular shows is forgoing a new season in favor of a movie. Instead ofseason 5, Prime Video has opted to continue John Krasinski's run as Jack Ryan in a movie, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War. While many fans, including myself, would have preferred another season of television, having Jack Ryan in a movie is better than not having the character at all.

Affordable compact cars often force buyers to compromise somewhere, whether it’s reliability, driving enjoyment, interior quality, or efficiency. That’s what makes the Honda Civic such a standout in 2026. Few cars at this price point manage to balance all the things that matter quite as well, combining strong fuel economy, impressive reliability, sharp handling, and a surprisingly refined cabin in one affordable package.

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Thursday addressing the imminent "disruptions" of artificial intelligence on jobs.

The Democratic governor and widely-rumored 2028 presidential contender directed the state to explore a number of measures to prevent nightmare scenarios for workers affected by AI job loss.

The executive order focuses on policies for severance, employment insurance, universal basic income, and workforce training, among other potential responses to AI worker displacement.

SEE ALSO: Meta will track employee mouse movements and keystrokes for AI training, report says

"This moment demands that we reimagine the entire system — how we work, how we govern, how we prepare people for the future — and that work is starting right here in the Golden State," Newsom said in a statement.

Meta layoffs: AI job losses mount

The timing of Newsom's executive order is noteworthy. On Wednesday, California-based tech giant Meta laid off 8,000 employees, 10 percent of its workforce, and moved another several thousand to roles focused on AI.

Despite Meta's recent strong quarterly financial performance, the company's CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed the layoffs as part of the company's aggressive transition to AI.

"Success isn’t a given. A.I. is the most consequential technology of our lifetimes," Zuckerberg wrote in a memo to staff, according to the New York Times. "The companies that lead the way will define the next generation."

Other major tech companies, including Cisco and Microsoft, are shedding jobs as they focus on AI.

The timeline for Newsom's AI executive order

Newsom's executive order established a short timeline for evaluating and identifying new solutions. Within 90 days, the state's Employment Development Department is supposed to launch a dashboard showing AI's impacts on California jobs, based on unemployment insurance data.

By mid-October, various state agencies should finish reviewing specific policies and practices, including how unionized workplaces are addressing the adoption of AI technology.

"Today is just the first step as we rewrite policy and direction, creating a future of work that works for all," Newsom said.

Your phone already uses its sensors more than you probably think. They count your steps, point maps in the right direction, adjust screen brightness, detect motion, and rotate the display when you turn the phone sideways. Phyphox is an open-source app that lets you use those sensors directly, so you can explore the world around you instead of only seeing the features they power.