Technology

Marvel Studios unveiled a bold marketing strategy to promote Thunderbolts* with a promotional billboard and online campaign that many MCU fans have decried as a spoiler.

After making $76 million domestically on the film's opening weekend, Marvel Studios and Thunderbolts* distributor Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures papered over billboards and posters that had the movie's title on them with a new proposed title that finally explained that asterisk: *The New Avengers

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. What does the title change from Thunderbolts* to *The New Avengers mean?

Near the end of the 36th MCU movie, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) and Sentry (Lewis Pullman), the ragtag band of antiheroes known as the Thunderbolts (a name even they couldn't agree on) are redubbed "the New Avengers" in a slick PR (or CYA) move by CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).

The movie's post-credit scene takes this rebrand even further, with a potential superhero copyright conflict. Marvel Studios' marketing campaign seems to follow her lead, not only revealing the new title, but also employing the cast to bring more attention to it.

SEE ALSO: 'Thunderbolts*' tries to tackle mental illness. It almost works.

On Instragram, Marvel Studios revealed footage shot at the film's premiere that shows Florence Pugh peel away the Thunderbolts* title from a poster to reveal *The New Avengers. On Twitter, Marvel Studios posted a video of Sebastian Stan replacing a character poster of his Winter Soldier with a new updated poster.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

But what do these billboards, posters, and videos touting the title change mean?

Is this movie called Thunderbolts*? Or is it now to be called *The New Avengers? Is this like The Edge of Tomorrow or Ghostbusters (2016), where the studio changed the name of the movie after release? (In the case of those movies to Live Die Repeat and Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, respectively.)

It doesn't appear so.

On Disney's official website, the film is still called Thunderbolts*. If you're booking tickets on Fandango, you'd still be booking Thunderbolts* — even though both sites boast the updated poster. This seems to be a marketing move long in the making, but not an official change of the MCU title.

You can see both old and new posters below.

Left: The original Thunderbolts* Poster The original Thunderbolts* Poster Credit: Disney Studios / Marvel Entertainment Right: The updated *The New Avengers poster The updated *The New Avengers poster Credit: Disney Studios / Marvel Entertainment

Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier explained the marketing move to the New York Times, saying, "It felt like, if Val is also trying to pull a switcheroo and sell the New Avengers to the world, we could do that, too. Especially given that the asterisk has been on the movie for a year, hopefully it doesn’t feel sweaty — it feels like this was a plan and we built up to it."

Online, the poster swap went over poorly. Fans weren't upset about the relaunch of the Avengers, but were confused about the seeming title change and annoyed that this third act plot point was outed on the internet and in the real world (via billboards and posters) before the movie had been out even a full week.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Will this marketing move help or hurt Thunderbolts* as it moves into its second weekend in theaters? We'll see.

The increasing cost of video games has been a steady trend over many years. While we could go ahead and blame Nintendo or Microsoft for raising prices, this is something that has to happen over time. Price increases are caused by a mix of economic factors and changing consumer expectations. Fortunately, you have options to keep costs down.

Smart home technology can often feel far from smart. You want to turn on the lights in your living room, but your light bulbs are from one brand, and your smart lamp is from another, so you have to open two different apps to turn on all the lights.

A recent Digital Foundry podcast addressed a long-running debate over the Unreal Engine. There is an argument over whether Unreal Engine ini mods actually improve game performance, especially the stuttering problems in the Oblivion Remastered edition.

Fedora 42 is now offered alongside Ubuntu, Debian, and other popular distros in the Windows Subsystem for Linux. It's a neat addition for developers who want to create or audit cross-platform apps without dual booting, as well as professionals who need to access both Windows and Linux on a single machine.

Roblox is a great service with plenty of games, called experiences. There are so many experiences already in the engine that it’s hard to find good ones if you haven’t used it before. However, there are plenty of tried-and-true games that have remained popular thanks to dedicated development teams.

Over the weekend, we covered the rise of "wrong person" scam texts — seemingly innocent messages that evolve into full-blown crypto cons. And across the U.S., drivers are getting E-ZPass toll road scam texts in droves. Now, we have a clearer picture of where these types of scam texts are coming from.

On Monday, May 5, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against Myanmar warlord Saw Chit Thu and his two sons, accusing them of facilitating massive cyberfraud and human trafficking networks. According to the Treasury, Saw Chit Thu and his militia, the Karen National Army, oversaw multibillion-dollar crypto scam operations built on forced labor targeting Americans.

"The KNA profits from cyber scam schemes on an industrial scale by leasing land it controls to other organized crime groups, and providing support for human trafficking, smuggling, and the sale of utilities used to provide energy to scam operations," the U.S. Treasury reported.

SEE ALSO: E-ZPass and toll scam texts are everywhere. What to do if you're targeted.

In the Treasury's statement, the department claimed that Americans lost about $3.5 billion in 2023 to such scams.

Saw Chit Thu leads the Karen National Army, a militia based in Myanmar’s Kayin State. The army controls territory in a so-called "Special Economic Zone" near the Thai border. In this zone, the group has leased land and provided protection to transnational criminal organizations running "scam compounds" — heavily guarded facilities where trafficked workers are forced to carry out online fraud, according to U.S. Treasury officials.

The Treasury says the scam compounds primarily focus on crypto scams.

"Scammers present victims with hints of a wealthy, glamorous lifestyle and induce them to 'invest' in bogus cryptocurrency and trading platforms controlled by the scammers themselves. Victims are shown fake 'returns' on their investments and duped into investing greater and greater sums until the scammers go silent after stealing everything they can from their victims," reads a press release from the Treasury.

The sanctions will freeze any U.S.-based assets held by Saw Chit Thu or his sons and prohibit American individuals or entities from doing business with them. The U.K. and European Union had already sanctioned the group.

Additionally, the Treasury announced plans to sanction a Cambodia-based network accused of laundering money for North Korean cybercriminals. The group is also linked to pig-butchering scams and other fraud operations across Southeast Asia, per Bloomberg.

Have a story to share about a scam or security breach that impacted you? Tell us about it. Email submissions@mashable.com with the subject line "Safety Net" or use this form. Someone from Mashable will get in touch.

Samsung's Galaxy Watch 7 is now on sale for an impressive price of $199.99 on Amazon. This is a full $100 off its original price of $299.99. This deal is a great opportunity for anyone who wants the newest Samsung smartwatch.

The best refurbished Dyson beauty deals at Walmart: DYSON AIRWRAP DEAL Dyson Airwrap Complete Long (Restored Premium) $379.99 (save $120) Get Deal DYSON SUPERSONIC DEAL Dyson Supersonic Origin (Restored Premium) $189.99 (save $130) Get Deal DYSON AIRSTRAIT DEAL Dyson Airstrait (Restored Premium) $249.99 (save $150) Get Deal

There's a reason we are always testing out different Dyson beauty dupes. The real products are simply too damn expensive, making them tough to recommend to about 90 percent of the population.

If you're truly set on a specific Dyson hair tool, your best bet for avoiding the outrageous prices is to buy refurbished. During The Beauty Event at Walmart, running through May 31, you can score a refurbished Dyson Airwrap, Supersonic, or Airstrait for up to $150 off. We're much more inclined to recommend the Supersonic hair dryer when it costs $189.99 rather than $319.99. Here are the nitty-gritty details.

Best Dyson Airwrap deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Airwrap Complete Long (Restored Premium) $379.99 at Walmart
$499.99 Save $120 Get Deal

It's not rare to see Dyson's coveted hair tool go on sale, but with a $600 asking price, even the sale price of the Complete package (which comes with seven accessories) is often close to $500. That's why this refurbished option is so tempting at $379.99. As a restored premium product, it's in like-new condition with minor or no imperfections at all and has been professionally inspected, tested, and cleaned. Plus, it comes with a one-year warranty. Still debating if it's worth it? The Airwrap is the only multi-styler on the market that doesn't require two different curling barrels to change curl direction, has the most attachments of any multi-styler, and comes with a leather case for storage.

Read our full review of the Dyson Airwrap.

Best Dyson Supersonic deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Supersonic Origin (Restored Premium) $189.99 at Walmart
$319.99 Save $130 Get Deal

The bladeless Dyson Supersonic is a truly luxurious hair dryer that uses Air Multiplier technology to dry your hair quickly and quietly. You'll have your pick between three speed and four heat settings, though a temperature scanner ensures the air won't exceed 212 degrees Fahrenheit to protect your hair from damage. Plus, like any other Dyson hair tool, it just looks and feels really fancy. The Origin model only comes with the styling concentrator attachment, but that also helps in keeping the price down. Snag a refurbished model for only $189.99 instead of $319.99; it's in like-new condition and has been professionally tested and cleaned.

Read our full review of the Dyson Supersonic.

Best Dyson Airstrait deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Airstrait $249.99 at Walmart
$399.99 Save $150 Get Deal

Dyson's Airstrait swaps out the typical hot plates of a hair straightener for high-pressure airflow, which is supposed to help avoid extreme heat damage. It also combines the drying process with the straightening process, so you can style your hair straight out of the shower — although, personally, I'm still a bit skeptical (I fried my hair with a Remington Wet2Straight in high school). Regularly $499 at full price, a refurbished option will only run you $249.99, making it much more feasible.

The eight-year partnership between audio company Sonos and furniture store IKEA has officially come to an end. This collaboration is what created the budget-friendly and high-quality Symfonisk line of speakers, but this product line will be discontinued.

When I first switched to Linux from Windows, I was intimidated by the terminal. The black screen with its blinking cursor seemed archaic compared to Windows' polished GUI. Why would anyone choose to type commands when you could just click buttons? Oh, how wrong I was.

Everyone's less favorite part of streaming services is the fact that they seem to be packed with more and more ads every time. If you have a Roku streaming device or TV, you now won't be able to escape ads even if you pause your playback.

Samsung's second-generation Freestyle smart projector is now available at its lowest price ever. You can get the 30" to 100" projector for $497.99 on Amazon. That is a huge $300 drop from its original price of $797.99.

TL;DR: Save A$109 on an Internxt 10TB lifetime cloud storage subscription with code STORAGE20 at checkout through June 1.

That A$23 monthly cloud storage fee might seem small now, but give it a year or two, and you’ll realize you’ve spent more on renting space for your files than you would owning it. Enter Internxt’s lifetime cloud storage plan: 10TB of encrypted storage for a one-time A$438 payment with code STORAGE20 at checkout (reg. A$547).

Dropbox vs. Internxt

Why should you break up with Dropbox? Let’s start with the obvious: no recurring fees.

But this Internxt cloud storage deal isn’t just about saving money — it actually delivers on features. You’ll get access to desktop and mobile apps for easy uploads, 10TB of storage space (enough for 2.5 million photos or 2,000 hours of HD video), and full end-to-end encryption to keep your files private.

Its privacy is another thing to brag about. Unlike the big-name providers, Internxt’s code is open-source. That means anyone — developers, or even yourself if you know how to examine it — can look for hidden risks. That level of transparency is a major green flag.

For anyone developing subscription fatigue, this is your chance to break away from one of the most annoying charges out there.

Get 10TB of cloud storage with an Internxt lifetime subscription at A$438 with code STORAGE20 at checkout (reg. A$547). This code expires on June 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Internxt Internxt Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription: 10TB Plan AU$438
AU$547 Save AU$109 Get Deal

Even though OpenAI walked back its decision to convert to a traditional for-profit, Elon Musk is going ahead with his lawsuit against the company.

"Nothing in today’s announcement changes the fact that OpenAI will still be developing closed-source AI for the benefit of Altman, his investors, and Microsoft," said Musk's lawyer Marc Toberoff in a statement to Reuters on Monday. Toberoff said OpenAI's decision to remain governed by a nonprofit entity "obscures critical details about the supposed 'non-profit control' arrangement."

OpenAI plans to transition its for-profit LLC to a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) that will be governed by the overarching nonprofit and will make the nonprofit a shareholder of the PBC. Toberoff described the new arrangement as a "sharply reduced ownership stake the non-profit will receive in Altman’s for-profit enterprise."

The ChatGPT maker's decision last year to restructure as a for-profit company prompted Musk, who was an early funder in OpenAI's nascent days, to sue the company for breach of contract. He alleged the company deceived him by promising the company's mission was entirely altruistic. More recently, Musk unsuccessfully offered to buy OpenAI for $97.4 billion, which OpenAI rejected, calling it a "sham bid," and accusing Musk of trying to take down a competitor. Musk owns xAI, which makes the Grok AI chatbot.

OpenAI's decision to remain a capped for-profit was a major reversal for the company, which is currently valued at $300 billion. In a blog post explaining the announcement, OpenAI's board chairman Bret Taylor said the decision was made "after hearing from civic leaders and engaging in constructive dialogue with the offices of the Attorney General of Delaware and the Attorney General of California." Last month, former OpenAI staffers and leaders of the AI community sent an open letter to California and Delaware attorneys general urging them to stop OpenAI's restructuring, citing societal safety concerns.

OpenAI may have alleviated the signatories' concerns, but Musk's lawsuit is still going forward. "The founding mission remains betrayed," Toberoff told Bloomberg.

SAVE $85: As of May 6, the Amazon Echo Buds with ANC with the wireless charging case are back down to just $54.99 from $139.99. That's 61% in savings and just $10 shy of their best price on record. If you want to save an extra $10, the wired charging case option is on sale for just $44.99, down from $119.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Buds with ANC (wireless charging case) $54.99 at Amazon
$139.99 Save $85 Get Deal

When the third-generation Echo Buds dropped in 2023, the 2021 version became the Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation. And although they're a handful of years old, they're still some of our favorite wireless earbuds. "I'd call them a steal for anyone who wants to dip their toes into the world of ANC without setting their wallet on fire," Mashable's Alex Perry wrote in his review of the buds. And that was at their full price of $139.99.

As of May 6, the Echo Buds with ANC are down to just $54.99 if you prefer the wireless charging case, and $44.99 (originally $119.99) if you opt for the wired one. That's 61% or 63% in savings, respectively, and just $10 shy of the best price ever on either pair. It's hardly the first time we've seen this discount, but nevertheless, it's worth highlighting.

SEE ALSO: Beats Solo 4 headphones are back to their lowest-ever price at Amazon

While the battery life isn't much to write home about at five hours per charge (up to 15 hours with charging case), they stand out for their comfortable fit, effective noise cancellation, and solid sound quality. Plus, they're device-agnostic, making them a great choice for anyone who isn't particularly partial to Android or iOS. Although they're considered a budget pick and they're a few years old, they're ultimately "a really solid pair of noise-cancelling earbuds that will go easy on your wallet." And in this economy, that's practically a no-brainer.

Tesla's nosedive in the EU markets continued in April, as Elon Musk's EV company sold less than 900 vehicles in Germany last month.

According to a report from Germany's road traffic and transit authority Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA), Tesla sold a total of 885 cars in the country in April 2025. That's down 45.9 percent from last April. 

Last month, Tesla announced that its profit for the first quarter of 2025 fell 71 percent. Tesla sales have also dropped globally since the beginning of the year. The company attributed its decline in part to the mass global protests against Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, due to Musk's involvement with the Trump administration.

Musk donated hundreds of millions of dollars to help elect President Donald Trump and other Republicans in 2024, and he has increasingly shared far-right political views. Since Trump's inauguration, Musk has played an integral part in Trump's DOGE initiative, which has seen federal programs slashed and government workers lose their jobs. As for German politics, specifically, Musk has vocally endorsed the country's controversial far-right AfD party.

It's important to note that these latest sales numbers out of Germany would not be reflected in Tesla's last earnings report, as April falls in Q2. This means that Tesla's troubles are far from over.

In fact, Germany's automaker data paints a much more dire picture for Tesla.

While Tesla's April sales numbers fell by nearly half, Germany saw a 53.5 percent increase in the total number of newly registered electric vehicles over the last year. While Tesla sales declined in Germany, sales for the Chinese EV company BYD's vehicles skyrocketed. 

In Germany, BYD has sold 1,566 vehicles in April and a total of 2,791 vehicles for 2025 so far.

Tesla has only sold 5,820 vehicles in Germany since the start of 2025, which is a drop of 60.4 percent from the same period last year.

No, that's not Katy Perry dripping in a dress made of thick, oily liquid. In fact, Katy Perry wasn't even at the Met Gala last night, and that photo, realistic as it may have been for the thousands who reposted it, was created entirely by artificial intelligence.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

In response, Perry posted the edit to her Instagram and captioned it, "couldn’t make it to the MET, I’m on The Lifetimes Tour (see you in Houston tomorrow IRL‼️) P.s. this year I was actually with my mom so she’s safe from the bots but I’m praying for the rest of y’all."

"Not once but twice 😂," her longtime partner, Orlando Bloom, commented under the photo. "still got it 🔥"

But despite Perry very clearly not being there, the internet fell for it. And it's kind of fair — there were multiple angles of the AI look, and even an AI-generated sketch of the outfit made to look like a custom dress illustration.

View this post on Instagram This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This isn't the first time someone used AI to edit Perry into a dress for the Met Gala. Last year, the same thing happened, and she (once again) posted the edited images to her Instagram and captioned them, "couldn’t make it to the MET, had to work."

Please, I'm begging you, stop falling for AI — it's only going to get more convincing.

SAVE $25: Use code ECHOSPOT25 at checkout to get the Amazon Echo Spot for $54.99, down from the normal price of $79.99. That's a 31% discount thanks to the promo code.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Spot smart alarm clock $54.99
$79.99 Save $25.00 use code ECHOSPOT25 at checkout Get Deal

Mornings can be tough for some people. Sure, we all know we're supposed to get eight or more hours of sleep each night, but those shows won't watch themselves and sometimes we stay up too late. Waking up the following morning, though, is not always easy. Thanks to today's promo code at Amazon, you can make that morning alarm a bit more enjoyable.

As of May 6, the Amazon Echo Spot smart alarm clock is on sale for $54.99 with code ECHOSPOT25, marked down from the normal price of $79.99. That's a 31% discount that takes $25 off the cost.

The Amazon family of Echo devices is extensive and one of most versatile is the Echo Spot. First and foremost, it's an alarm clock that you can customize. Saying, "Alexa, start my day" gives you access to your pre-set morning routine that can include playing your favorite wake-up tunes since the Echo Spot is also a speaker. That also means you can use it to listen to your evening podcasts or pump up the tunes when you're changing the sheets.

SEE ALSO: Feeling sniffly? Grab a $55 Smart Air Quality Monitor with instant alerts

Since it's an Echo device that pairs with Alexa, you can use it to control other Alexa-enabled smart home gadgets like the thermostat, smart lights, and smart plugs. You can also make hands-free calls on the Echo Spot and check the weather.

If you're going for less screen time or have started charging your phone in the living room at night, the Echo Spot is the perfect nightstand accessory to make sure you still wake up on time.

Now's a great time to snag the Echo Spot while saving $25. You'll be getting an alarm clock, a smart speaker, and be able to control your other smart home gadgets for under $55. Be sure to use code ECHOSPOT25 to score the discount.

Digital storage manufacturer Buffalo is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the limited-edition HD-SKL Skeleton HDD. It's an attractive little showpiece—an external hard drive with a "window" that lets you see the spinning platter and R/W head—but it appears to be a Japan-exclusive item.