Nearly three years ago, Netflix revealed plans to make a Gears of War movie based on the popular video game franchise. Now, the streamer is reportedly circling John Wick co-director David Leitch to bring Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad to live-action.According to The Hollywood Reporter, Leitch is currently in negotiations to helm Gears of War, but his deal hasn't been closed yet. Leitch is a former stuntman who wasn't credited for co-directing the original John Wick with Chad Stahelski. Since then, Leitch has established himself as a solo director with Deadpool 2, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Atomic Blonde, Bullet Train, and The Fall Guy.Even if Leitch's contract with Netflix does eventually get signed, Gears of War seemingly won't be his next film. The director is reportedly preparing to shoot Amazon MGM Studio's heist thriller How to Rob a Bank, which has Nicholas Hoult and Anna Sawai attached to star in it.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Microsoft has stopped production of the Surface Laptop Studio 2 and will mark it as end-of-life in June, with no successor currently planned. Tom's Hardware reports: The Surface Laptop Studio 2 is being put out to pasture quietly, much like other devices that the company has sunset. The Surface Studio, a desktop PC that folded down into a creative studio for drawing, was formally discontinued in December without a successor. Microsoft's audio products, the Surface Headphones 2 and Surface Earbuds, have also quietly disappeared. The Surface Laptop Studio's discontinuance comes at a hazy time for the Surface brand. On the one hand, two new devices -- the Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch -- were just announced and are set to release next week. On the other hand, the lineup lost its champion, former chief Panos Panay, who left Microsoft for Amazon in 2023, reportedly over budget issues and product cancellations. Panay was succeeded by Pavan Davuluri. Since Panay's departure, the lineup has been cut down to just the Surface Laptop, Surface Pro, and the Surface Go 4, the latter of which is only sold to business customers at the moment. Without the Surface Laptop Studio, Microsoft has removed systems with discrete GPUs from its hardware lineup, potentially alienating creatives and gamers. Prior to the Surface Laptop Studio, Microsoft's powerhouse system was the Surface Book, which combined a tablet with a base featuring a discrete GPU. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The author using the MultiShape at home. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable Photo Composite Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Learn more about how we select deals. Back in 2022, Panasonic released a men’s grooming tool called the MultiShape. It had a simple value proposition: Built with swappable heads, this multi-groomer lets you combine a beard trimmer, body groomer, electric razor, nose hair trimmer, and electric toothbrush into one gadget.Three years later, I’m still using that same MultiShape on a near-daily basis. In that time, Panasonic has also introduced new accessories for this multi-groomer, including hair clipping tools, a facial brush, and an electric foot scrubber. Is it weird to brush your teeth and scrub your feet with the same device? Yup, and that's why I recommend choosing your accessories wisely.We saw this men's multigroomer hit a new record-low price of $147 recently, and at the time of writing, you can get it for $170. Obviously, it's not as steep a price cut, but it's still $40 off full price. You May Also Like Opens in a new window Credit: Panasonic Panasonic MultiShape Ultimate All-In-One Kit $170 at Panasonic $210 Save $40 What makes this grooming gadget unique?After the MultiShape came out, I expected Philips-Norelco, Braun, and other big brands to launch similar multitools. However, it's still the only gadget that can go from electric toothbrush to beard trimmer to electric shaver. The MultiShape is also waterproof, so you can clean it pretty easily. I use the MultiShape for daily shaving. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable It's also one of the only beard trimmers that can trim long hair. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable When this product first came out, GQ called it a “god-tier” grooming tool. Whenever I write about the MultiShape, I reference that line because it pretty much sums up my experience. I’ve tested hundreds of grooming products. So. Many. Grooming. Products. I’m probably one of the few men in the world who has more beauty products than his female partner. A lot more. As I write this, I have a locker next to my desk filled to the brim with beard trimmers, beard oils, face moisturizers, retinol serums, face masks — you name it. The vast majority of these products I never recommend; I'm only looking for the rare exceptions. Related Stories Mashable Deals Want more hand-picked deals from our shopping experts? Sign up for the Mashable Deals newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up! I’ve written about the MultiShape a few times over the years, and it’s the grooming product I use more than any other. As someone with a longer beard, it’s one of the few beard trimmers that can handle longer hair. Popular trimmers from Philips-Norelco just don’t work for long facial hair, unfortunately. It’s also my everyday shaving tool. When I travel, I bring the electric toothbrush head. The other tools I use on more sensitive areas — like my ears — so I'll leave it at that.Right now, you can grab a MultiShape all-in-one kit from Panasonic on sale for $170. You can also buy the MultiShape with a handful of pre-selected accessories at Amazon or build your own kit at Panasonic. Best Panasonic MultiShape Kits All-in-one kit Panasonic MultiShape All-in-One Kit $150 (save $40 ) For Amazon shoppers Panasonic MultiShape Trim and Shave Kit $87.09 (Save $42.90) For guys without beards Panasonic MultiShape Clean Cut Shaver Kit $149.99 For beard trimming Panasonic MultiShape Beard Trimmer Kit $79.99 Build your own kit Panasonic MultiShape and accessories Starting at $85 Topics Beauty Timothy Beck Werth Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men's product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl.Tim studied print journalism at the University of Southern California. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He's currently working on his second novel, a science-fiction book.

Watching the behavior of our tech overlords has answered questions I’d never thought to ask. How do you NDA an army of baby mamas? Is there anything more embarrassing than impersonating Benson Boone? (Also, who is Benson Boone?) And now, the latest: how long after a sovereign ruler of a repressive state murders one of your columnists should you make a deal with him? The answer, it turns out, is a little over six years.In October 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a writer for the Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post, was killed and dismembered with the approval of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (better known as MBS) after Khashoggi entered a Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get paperwork for his upcoming marriage. His body has never been found. On May 13th, Bezos’ Amazon announced it would work with Humain, MBS’ AI company, to build an “AI Zone” in Saudi Arabia — and the two companies will spend more than $5 billion in the process.Saudi money is old news in the tech industry — the Public Investment Fund has sloshed into lots of startups, either directly or via intermediaries such as SoftBank. Morally bankrupt moneygrubbers such as Andreessen Horowitz have been wooing Saudi funds for a while. (Perhaps that’s the real reason they endorsed the Saudis’ preferred candidate?) This isn’t the first deal for Amazon, either. In March, Amazon pledged to invest $5 billion to build data centers in a country that’s scrambling to look futuristic. In 2024, Saudi Arabia said it wanted to build an AI-powered economy. There’s a fancy website for Project 2030, which I guess is meant to distract us from all the oil money. That date isn’t a coincidence — many projections say that’s when oil production will peak and then decline. Regardless of when the actual peak occurs, a global shift away from petroleum threatens Saudi Arabia’s wealth. That’s why the country is behaving like a dipshit startup.Take Neom, billed as the city of the future, vaporware at a previously unimagined scale that also served as a “key tool” for MBS to consolidate power, according to Ali Dogan, a researcher at the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient in Berlin. Khashoggi’s murder was a blow to the project, as luminaries such as OpenAI’s Sam Altman and former US energy secretary Ernest Moniz suspended their involvement. A number of companies publicly renounced Saudi money — at least, for a while. Does the freedom to assassinate count as one of the personal liberties Bezos claims to treasure?Neom is moving down the entirely predictable vaporware path. It keeps getting delayed and downsized, which makes sense because it’s no longer the city of the future and a spectacular investment opportunity once it’s built — it’s just another city. But, according to Saudi officials, we won’t have to worry about that for another 50, or possibly 100, years. In the meantime, though, contracts! Investment! AI!Look, I don’t expect ethics out of Altman or any of his ilk. But for basic reasons of maintaining employee morale, I would hesitate to invest in a state that literally murdered one of my contractors. And didn’t merely murder him — but dismembered and then disappeared him. An opportunity the state had only because Khashoggi wanted to get married. Murder is bad enough, but every single detail makes it worse.Lately, it seems Bezos has been dismantling the Washington Post, one of the US’ premier journalistic institutions — putting British failure machine Will Lewis, known for his role in the UK phone-hacking scandal, in charge. Last year, the Post didn’t endorse a candidate in the US presidential race for the first time since 1960, resulting in more than 200,000 canceled subscriptions. Its stars have been fleeing in droves. (Ann Telnaes, who was driven to quit the Post after a cartoon making fun of Bezos was killed, recently won a Pulitzer Prize for her work. Oops!) Now, after all Bezos’ posturing about the free press, he’s cutting deals with people who murder journalists for saying inconvenient things. But maybe we should have seen that coming when he banned op-ed writers from opposing “free speech and the markets.” Does the freedom to assassinate count as one of the personal liberties Bezos claims to treasure?It’s all so spineless. I mean, we already know that MBS may have hacked Bezos’ phone, but I guess that’s water under the bridge. Or maybe not. Maybe MBS got something real good in that hack. Impossible to say whether this is motivated by kompromat or greed, I suppose. But whatever the motive, we know one thing: it takes five years for Bezos to go from posting his photo op with the headstone of a murdered reporter to making billion-dollar deals with his killer.See More:

New ads Netflix will show generative AI ads midway through streams in 2026 Netflix is trying to grow ad revenue quickly. Scharon Harding – May 14, 2025 4:48 pm | 85 Credit: Netflix Credit: Netflix Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Netflix is joining its streaming rivals in testing the amount and types of advertisements its subscribers are willing to endure for lower prices. Today, at its second annual upfront to advertisers, the streaming leader announced that it has created interactive mid-roll ads and pause ads that incorporate generative AI. Subscribers can expect to start seeing the new types of ads in 2026, Media Play News reported. “[Netflix] members pay as much attention to midroll ads as they do to the shows and movies themselves,” Amy Reinhard, president of advertising at Netflix, said, per the publication. Netflix started testing pause ads in July 2024, per The Verge. Netflix launched its ad subscription tier in November 2022. Today, it said that the tier has 94 million subscribers, compared to the 300 million total subscribers it claimed in January. The current number of ad subscribers represents a 34 percent increase from November. Half of new Netflix subscribers opt for the $8 per month option rather than ad-free subscriptions, which start at $18 per month, the company says. Speaking to advertisers, Reinhard claimed that ad subscribers spend 41 hours per month on Netflix on average. The new ad formats follow Netflix's launch of its own in-house advertising platform in the US in April. It had previously debuted the platform in Canada and plans to expand it globally by June, per The Verge. Netflix regards its advertising business as in its early stages, meaning customers can expect the firm's ad efforts to continue expanding at a faster rate over the coming years. The company plans on doubling its advertising revenue in 2025. “The foundations of our ads business are in place, and going forward, the pace of progress will be even faster,” Reinhard said today. Netflix subscribers join virtually all mainstream streaming customers in growing ad efforts. This week, Amazon announced contextual pause ads and shoppable ads for Prime Video this year. Web-based TV viewers are also seeing new-age advertising efforts, such as LG TVs’ webOS software, to integrate ads that are said to analyze viewer emotions. Scharon Harding Senior Technology Reporter Scharon Harding Senior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Tom’s Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 85 Comments

As Dyson home tech enthusiasts, users—dare we say—experts, we’re keeping a close eye on all the Best Dyson Memorial Day sales popping up ahead of the long weekend. While we hope to be out grilling and getting sunburnt, same as you, we think Dyson deals like $300 off a wishlist-worthy cordless vacuum will be a welcome treat for the holiday. Before shopping, feel free to familiarize yourself with our catalog of tested favorites—from air purifiers to humidifiers to cordless vacuums.We’ve assembled all early bird discounts in advance of the official Memorial Day sale drop, where we’re expecting an even wider spread of deals at all our favorite Dyson retailers, including Amazon. Watch this space—we’ll be updating as more Memorial Day deals on our beloved V8’s and V15’s roll in!Our top picksBest deal overall: Dyson V8 Plus Cordless Vacuum, $470 $350Staff-approved purifier: Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04, $1,000 $800A versatile floor cleaner: Dyson V15s Detect Submarine Wet and Dry Vacuum, $950 $800Dyson V8 Plus Cordless VacuumThis Dyson V8 stick vacuum is a longtime favorite of ambitious cleaners the world over. It’s suited for all your basic nightmares: dust, debris, and pet hair. It offers 40 minutes of cordless cleaning and two power modes, plus a hair-screw tool so it doesn’t overheat, as those of us with many years of vacuuming under our belts have come to normalize. Global editorial operations director Diane Dragan speaks emphatically in favor of her V8: “Before, it was exhausting to see dust and willfully ignore it. Now it’s immensely satisfying to grab the unit, zap the filth, and easily dispense of it. To those who walked with old-timey canisters and uprights so this Dyson could run, I thank you.”Rachel FletcherRachel FletcherDyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04In an age of micro-pollutants, germophobes can rest easy knowing this combo air purifier/humidifier/fan not only performs to the caliber of regular Dyson products, but this model in particular sucks up formaldehyde, a colorless gas which can be emitted by paint, furniture, carpets, household cleaners, fireplaces, and even plywood. Commerce director Rachel Fletcher has owned this model for several years and finds that it still functions up to snuff, humidifying and cooling the air to her liking. Plus, the app (yes, the app) is easy to use. “After lighting a candle or cooking, the purifier went to work straight away on cleaning the air and the air quality returned to its usual after about 10 minutes,” Fletcher says.Photo: Terri WilliamsDyson V15s Detect Submarine​ Wet-Dry VacuumUnlike most vacuums—thanks to its combination of hardwood and carpet cleaning capabilities as well as and mopping functionality—this Dyson technology is what state-of-the art home cleaning dreams are made of. Contributor Terri Williams was beyond impressed with its versatility and efficiency. “The beauty of this design is that all of the water is contained in the separate wet roller head, so I can remove it, attach one of the other roller heads, and dry vacuum in other parts of my home,” she says. The top portion can be removed to use for a handheld vacuum for peskier, smaller corners, and handy attachments for handheld vacuuming are also supplied.Dyson Cool Gen1 TP10 Purifier$130 off this air purifier has a person reconsidering her air-quality needs. If you don’t already know, Dyson’s trademark brag is that their two-stage HEPA H13 filtration captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. That means: basically everything. This model includes a purifying fan that also cools you, so you can knock out two purchases with one.Dyson V7 Advanced VacuumIf you’re hoping for a strong and affordable Dyson model, this V7 is $250 and delivers on the basics we love: cordless, long charge time, powerful suction, and detangling technology. This is a great vacuum for those who aren’t looking for the cusp of tech, who might not be off put by older models—anyone with an iPhone 12 or earlier-type people; the corded headphone crowd.Dyson Gen5 Detect Cordless VacuumWhile it’s just 6% off, any discount on this highly coveted vacuum is worthwhile, according to Williams. “This is one of the best Dysons, one of the best vacuum cleaners, and one of the best cordless stick vacuums out there,” she says. Dyson’s most powerful cordless vacuum has 70 minutes of run time off a single charge, and it intelligently adapts its power based on debris and floor type. The LCD screen shows particles sucked up, charge time left, and the amount of power used. Last but not least, the HEPA filtration traps 99.99% of particles as small as 0.1 microns, and it expels clean air in return.Dyson Ball Animal 3 Upright VacuumEverything you love about Dyson’s cordless stick vacuums still comes in this upright vacuum cleaner, down 25% from retail price. This model is designed with pet owners in mind with unrivaled detangling technology and multiple attachments to help you reach every crevice of your home, especially where hair balls like to accumulate. Its whole-machine filtration ensures that particles are trapped inside the machine, not expelled back into the house to force another run-through.Dyson Hot+Cool HP07 Air Purifier, Heater, and FanAnother air purifier high on our list is this HP07 model, which commerce editor Audrey Lee says “works like a dream, and I noticed within a week of use that I felt noticeably less congested.” The purifier uses a 360 degree filtration system that implements a combination of activated carbon, to remove potentially harmful gases and odors from the air, and its HEPA filter, which catches 99.7% of particles. Its auto mode continuously monitors room temperature and indoor air quality while also running the fan or heat to the degree of your choosing. You can control the device with an included remote or from your app.Dyson Solarcycle Morph CF06 Floor LightDyson makes its foray into lighting gear with its Solarcycle Morph line—clean, modern, extended lines give it an ultracontemporary look. Its four-in-one lighting adapts to the atmosphere to create a light that best suits a space, featuring four modes: task, indirect, feature, and ambient. It is formulated with LED lights with glare control and low optical flicker for eye care.

Mike Rupp (left) and Shawn Henderson debut Pyrion, a new lighting collection available through Hostler | Burrows.With the debut of Pyrion, designer Shawn Henderson and Mike Rupp of Rupp Studio introduce a lighting collection that transforms tactile yet minimal table and floor lamps into collectible design pieces. Rooted in sculptural minimalism, each piece takes the form of a pyramid, its surface hand-finished with a spray metal technique that mimics the rich patina of cast bronze. Complementing this architectural form are handwoven shades from Colombian atelier VERDI, crafted from Yaré vine and metallic threads. They infuse each fixture with a tactile contrast of earthiness and refinement.The collaboration is a study in balance, shaped by a shared design language. “Pyrion came out of a shared love for restraint and richness—how one shape, when made with intention, can feel both powerful and quiet,” says Rupp.Ethan HerringtonThe pyramid informs the collection’s hand-polished lamp bases and custom shades created in partnership with VERDI.In this exclusive Q&A, Henderson, a member of ELLE DECOR’s A-List, discusses the origins of Pyrion, his obsession with proportion, and how a unique design tête-à-tête helped create this notable collaboration. Available exclusively through Hostler | Burrows in both New York City and Los Angeles.ELLE DECOR: HOW DID YOU FIRST BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH MIKE? AND WHAT INSPIRED A LIGHTING-SPECIFIC COLLECTION?Shawn Henderson: Mike and I have been friends for many years and have collaborated on design throughout much of that time. Casual conversations gradually turned into a shared curiosity about doing something creative together. We both feel there’s a real void in the market for special lighting, so it felt like the right place to begin—designing lamps that sit at the intersection of architecture, sculpture, and atmosphere, all things we’re naturally drawn to in our work.Ethan HerringtonPyrion is made up of three distinctive lamps in three shade colors. Pictured above is the Pyrion Table Lamp.WHAT WERE YOUR MAIN SOURCES OF INSPIRATION FOR THE COLLECTION? We kept coming back to the idea of a singular, architectural shape—something clean and elemental, but not cold. We were thinking about ancient forms, like pyramids and obelisks, and how to reinterpret that kind of presence in a way that feels modern and quiet.HOW DID YOU BOTH BEGIN THE DESIGN PROCESS? It started with a shape—literally a triangle. We sketched, talked through proportions, passed ideas back and forth. It was very collaborative but intuitive. We were both aligned in wanting to do less, not more—to find strength in simplicity and let the materials do the work.AND, THIS LED TO PYRAMIDS. WHAT’S MEANINGFUL TO YOU ABOUT THIS SHAPE? There’s something timeless and grounded about a pyramid. It’s a shape that feels rooted and powerful, but also quiet. We liked that tension. Architecturally, it’s incredibly stable—and symbolically, it carries a sense of permanence and intention, which aligned with how we wanted these pieces to feel.Ethan HerringtonEach lamp is hand finished and features lamp shades made of Yaré threads.TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR MATERIAL CHOICES FOR THE COLLECTION? We used Vero metal, which is a hand-applied liquid metal coating. It allowed us to get the feel and finish of cast metal, but with more control over weight and form. The process is incredibly hands-on—each base is polished by hand, so the surface has that human touch to it.THERE IS A TACTILITY TO THE CORDED LAMPSHADES. HOW DID YOU COME TO WORK WITH THIS UNIQUE MATERIAL? We partnered with VERDI, a Bogotá-based atelier that creates beautiful textiles from natural materials and metal. When we saw what they were doing with Yaré and metallic threads, we knew it was the right match. The fiber comes from the Colombian Amazon, and it has this amazing strength and texture—woven with copper or steel, it creates something that’s both wild and refined. It felt like the perfect counterpoint to the sculptural metal base.Ethan HerringtonThe Pyrion Floor Lamp transforms illumination into sculpture.WHAT'S IT LIKE TO WORK WITH A FELLOW INTERIOR DESIGNER?It’s kind of like finishing each other’s sentences—but visually. There’s a shorthand. We both understand proportion, materiality, restraint. There’s also a shared understanding of how pieces need to live in a room—not just how they look on a pedestal. That makes for a really fluid and grounded collaboration.This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I don’t know how things are for you, but in my house, I have little gremlins that pop in when I’m not looking to steal my charging cables. There’s no other way to explain how they keep disappearing! So, if gremlins visit your house too, or if you just need some high-speed charging cables to take advantage of your high-speed charging plugs, then you might want to grab this two-pack of Anker USB-C cables for just $10 on Amazon. This flirts with the lowest price they’ve ever been, more than a year ago. The best part about these USB-C cables is that they deliver charging speeds of up to 100 watts. That’s more than most power blocks can even output, so you’re good to go for several years at least. You can use these to charge your phone, laptop, or anything else that connects via USB-C. And these are excellent for use with fast-charging power banks, too. These are 6-foot cables, the perfect length for plugging your phone into its charger at night while still being able to doomscroll comfortably in bed instead of hanging off the edge. And with this being a 2-pack, you no longer have to fight with your spouse over who gets the “long cord.” You can each have one for your own sides. These cables are protected with braided nylon, which feels premium and makes them more resistant to bends and other potential causes of damage. This deal on this two-pack of Anker USB-C cables won’t last forever at Amazon, so hurry up and snag it for just $1 while you can. It’s a brilliant price for long, fast-charging USB-C cables. Buy now at Amazon

Obsidian has announced the 2025 roadmap for Avowed, which consists of three big updates for the rest of the year, the first of which is out now with update 1.4. By the end of the year, Avowed will include a new game-plus mode, a photo mode, NPCs will have new abilities and behaviors, players will get new character presets, Godlike features, weapons, and the ability to change your appearance in the world. But that's all to come in the Summer and Fall 2025 updates. As for today's Spring 2025 update with patch 1.4, Obsidian has added an arachnophobia mode, mouse and keyboard support for Xbox console players, fog of war improvements, more gold and crafting materials, and a slew of bug fixes and other tweaks that Obsidian gets into in the full patch notes. In a blog post about the roadmap and today's update on its website, Obsidian also called out that it is working to add localized language versions of Avowed for Korean, Japanese, and French-speaking players. The studio doesn't say when those versions will be available, but is "committed to delivering these updates as soon as they are ready, and we deeply appreciate your patience and support as we make sure they meet the quality you deserve." Wccftech's Alessio Palumbo enjoyed Avowed when it arrived earlier this year, saying in his review that Avowed "marks a significant step up for Obsidian compared to The Outer Worlds." And soon we'll know just how significant it is with direct comparison to Obsidian's next game, The Outer Worlds 2, which is due to release on June 8, 2025. Products mentioned Avowed USD 69.99 Buy from Amazon Deal of the Day