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If I told you that your TV watches everything you do in the name of data collection and advertising, it likely wouldn’t shock you. It’s 2025, after all; we're used to a general lack of privacy. Still, it’s not cool, and it turns out you can stop it (even if your TV manufacturer has opted you into it). So, how do you stop your smart TV from tracking what you watch, so you can go back to the days of watching Netflix or playing video games in peace? You need to turn off ACR. How does your TV track what you watch?Meet ACR: This technology, short for automatic content recognition, allows your smart TV to watch what you watch, identify what you watch, and use that information to both recommend new content and serve you more relevant ads. Your TV observes moments in a show or movie (sometimes including audio), and will send that information to a database to match it against a library of content. ACR does this by literally taking screenshots of what is happening on your screen, roughly two per second. That enables tracking on everything, whether you use your smart TV apps, a Blu-ray player, a device like an Apple TV, or a PlayStation—whatever you display on your TV, ACR can watch and report. Most major TV manufacturers put ACR tracking in their devices. After Vizio got into hot water for not properly disclosing how much data they were stealing from customers, TV manufacturers started baking these settings into initial setup agreements. If you’re like me, you accidentally agreed to this tracking without realizing it, because you were too focused on getting your TV set up to care about, you know, reading a legal document. If you have a smart TV, it likely has ACR tracking you can disable. However, all TV manufacturers call this option something different. I'll run through some of the top brands, what they each call their ACR settings, and where to find them. Even still, these brands change their settings menus and settings names all the time, so even if you have a TV from a company listed here, you might not find my instructions relevant. Your best bet, if these instructions don't help, is to Google your specific TV model and where to find its ACR settings. You should be able to find a guide from the manufacturer, or a walkthrough from someone with access to your TV who knows where to find the setting. But if you have an LG, Samsung, Sony, Hisense, or TCL, follow along below, with a hat tip to our sister-site ZDNet: How to disable ACR on your smart TVLG TVsIf you have an LG smart TV (like me), then your ACR settings are going to be under Live Plus. The setting sounds innocent enough, but it’s likely meant to so that you keep it enabled. You’ll find this option in Settings > General > System > Additional Settings > Live Plus. While you’re here, you might as well enable “Limit Ad Tracking” under Advertisement. Samsung TVsLet’s take a look at another popular TV brand, Samsung. You’ll find your ACR options in the sidebar menu under Privacy Choices > Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy. Just make sure to disable “Viewing Information Services." Sony TVsSony keeps their ACR options under Settings > Initial Setup > Samba Interactive TV. From here, disable Samba Interactive TV. In addition, you might find ad tracking features under About > Ads > Ads Personalization. Hisense TVsHisense keeps its ACR under Settings > System > Privacy. Its name will depend on your particular model, but it might be called "Smart TV Experience" or "Viewing Information Services." TCL keeps its settings under Settings > Privacy > Smart TV Experience. Here, disable "Use Info from TV Inputs." View the full article

China’s retaliation against Washington’s levies adds to sense of gloom across global marketsView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When my cheap Amazon spin bike broke, I wanted to upgrade to something better. But even though I was already following along with Peloton videos on the company's app, I thought getting an actual Peloton was out of reach. Yet as I shopped, I began to change my mind: Even a good off-brand spin bike will start in the high triple digits, and it turns out Pelotons can be rented, or even purchased used. Thus began my quest for a cheaper Peloton, and in the end, I bought a used model I’m very happy with. Mine cost $950 through a Facebook Marketplace sale in 2022. If I had taken the time to shop around and negotiate more, I likely could have found one for less. (Used Pelotons are also a lot cheaper now than they were then.) But before I could find a bike to buy, there were a lot of questions that needed answering. Let me take you on a tour through my shopping process. Peloton Indoor Exercise Bike $1,195.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,445.00 Save $250.00 Shop Now Shop Now $1,195.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,445.00 Save $250.00 The difference between the Peloton Bike and the Bike+Before you start shopping, you’ll need to know if you want a Peloton Bike, or a Peloton Bike+. The Bike is what you probably think of as a normal Peloton; the Bike+ has some additional features and costs about $1,000 more (new). I knew at the start that I wanted a regular Bike, so that narrowed down my shopping. I put together a full guide to the differences between the Peloton Bike and the Bike+, but the biggest differences between the two models are: The Bike+ has its touchscreen on a swivel, so you can do strength or yoga classes next to the bike, instead of having to stand behind it and crane your neck to see over the seat. That said, an All-Access Peloton membership also allows you to watch strength and yoga classes from your phone or another device, so this is a nice-to-have, but not a necessity. The Bike+ can automatically adjust the resistance as you follow along with a class. With a regular Bike, you have to listen to the instructor tell you what resistance to use, and turn the knob yourself. The Bike+ has a slightly larger touchscreen (24 inches versus 22 inches) and a nicer sound system. It also has nicer components throughout, including a faster processor and more RAM. Peloton Bike+ $2,145.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $2,495.00 Save $350.00 Shop Now Shop Now $2,145.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $2,495.00 Save $350.00 Do you have to pay a subscription fee to use a Peloton?Peloton’s Bikes are intended to be used with an All-Access subscription. It costs $44 per month and gives you access to spin classes of all types, scenic rides, and Lanebreak rides (Lanebreak is essentially a video game you play by riding the bike). As noted, the All-Access subscription also comes with the ability to take classes from the Peloton app using your phone or other devices. If you don’t have a subscription, you can still use the Bike in “Just Ride” mode, which shows you a plain black screen and some basic metrics: your cadence, resistance, output, and time. You can even use a device called the DFC to broadcast data to watches or third-party apps. So if you just want to get a workout in, but you don’t care about consuming Peloton-branded content, you can still do that without paying a monthly fee. (In that case, though, you'd probably be better off buying a non-Peloton spin bike.) How much you'll pay for a used, new, or refurbished Peloton, or just rentingAll of the prices I discuss in this section are current as of April 2025, and are subject to change. Used Peloton bikes vary wildly in price and quality. Some are gently used and come with accessories; others may be cheaper but have significant wear and tear. I’m currently seeing asking prices from $400 to $850 for the standard model Bike, and $900 to $1,200 for the Bike+ (subscription not included, of course). New Peloton bikes run $1,445 for just the Bike, or $1,650 for a “Starter” package that comes with shoes, hand weights, a water bottle, and a mat. (The Bike+ is $2,495, or $2,700 with the Starter package.) Both options include delivery and setup, and a 12-month warranty. They do not include the $44/month All-Access subscription that you’ll need to take the platform’s famous video classes. Peloton bikes have also been on steep discounts lately during major sales events, going as low as $1,095 last Black Friday. Peloton Bike rentals run $119/month for the Bike+ (original Bike rentals are not currently available), plus a one-time $150 delivery and setup fee. The rental includes a pair of cycling shoes and the subscription fee for video content. There is also a warranty for the life of the subscription period. Peloton certified refurbished bikes are currently going for $1,145 for the Bike, and $1,995 for the Bike+. Both are a significant savings compared to paying full price, but more than a used Bike. Otherwise, the terms are the same as new bikes: The warranty and delivery fee are included; your All-Access subscription is not. As you’d expect, used Bikes are cheaper than refurbished, and refurbished is cheaper than new. Where do rentals fall? We need to crunch some more numbers to see. Is renting Peloton a better deal than buying new or used?I considered a rental before I started shopping for used Bikes. If you don’t know whether you want a Peloton at all, or if you’re planning on a move soon, the rental might be worth it. Peloton will send someone to come pick up the Bike, for free, if you decide you don’t want it anymore. Rentals may be new or refurbished—Peloton sends you whatever it has, although it promises the machine will be in good condition, even if it has a few dings or scratches. There are options to rent both the Bike and Bike+. Below, I’ll discuss pricing for the regular Bike. What you need to know about renting a PelotonYou have the option to buy your rental at any time, and the price varies based on how long you’ve been renting. If you decide to buy the Bike+ the moment it arrives, it will cost you $2,345. At that point you’ll have already paid the $150 delivery fee and probably your first month’s $119 rental fee, meaning the Bike will effectively cost $2,614—a little more than the full price of a brand-new Bike. (Remember that your rental Bike might be a new Bike, but it might also be a refurbished model, which sells for less.) As time goes on, the deal stays about the same: After a year, the buyout price is just $1,995, but you’ll have already paid $1,578 in rental fees (including the delivery fee). That’s $3,573, but you’ve saved $44/month on the All-Access subscription all along. When you take that into account, you’ve paid the same amount, in total, as if the Bike had cost $3,045 in the first place. Not a good deal. That means buying a brand-new Bike+ at full price is a better deal than renting, no matter when or whether you decide to buy out your Bike+. When I'd done these calculations in previous years (when the Bike was offered in the rental program), the costs were much closer. Now, the rental program is clearly the worse deal. I wouldn't recommend renting now unless you know you won't be using the Bike+ long term. If you're planning to move soon, or simply expect to lose interest, the free pickup at the end of the rental term may be worth the extra cost. Are used Peloton Bikes a good deal?I ended up buying mine used, so I would say they definitely are. But it depends on a few factors. The first thing to consider is resale price. When I was shopping for mine, $950 was an excellent deal compared to the new, rental, and refurbished prices. Since then, prices have dropped on the used market and sales on new Bikes have been occurring more often. For the moment, at least, prices on used Pelotons are still high enough that you'll be able to get a significant amount of your money back if you were to decide to sell your Bike or Bike+. That was a big part of my calculus: A used Peloton doesn’t depreciate instantly like a new car. That said, prices have been slowly falling. If I wanted to sell my $950 Bike now, I'd likely get $600 back at best. Besides the price, though, you might want to consider two other factors that will affect how good a deal you’re getting if you buy used. Used Bikes require a $95 activation feeYep, Peloton now charges you to buy a used Bike (or Bike+) from someone else. Used Pelotons are still a better deal than buying new, but make sure you're budgeting for that activation fee. To soften the blow, Peloton will give you a $25 credit toward replacement parts, and a 50% off coupon for cycling shoes. (That said, Peloton brand cycling shoes aren't the greatest; you may want to buy your own elsewhere.) Used Bikes don’t come with a warrantyNew and refurbished Pelotons come with a 12-month warranty that covers the touchscreen, parts (including pedals), and the labor to replace them. If something breaks, you just contact customer support and they’ll send somebody out to fix your Bike. The warranty does not transfer to new owners. So even if the original owner has had the Bike for less than a year, you don’t get the benefits of the remaining time on the warranty. However, if the original owner purchased an extended protection plan—which can last up to four years in total—those are transferable. Only the original owner can buy this plan, and only within the first year they own the Bike; you can’t buy one yourself if you’re buying a used Bike. If you’re buying used and the owner is transferring a protection plan, make sure to get their order confirmation number, and don’t be surprised if the asking price is a bit higher than other used Bikes to account for the owner’s extra expense. Without a warranty or protection plan, you’re on the hook for any repair costs, including labor. I had to replace the bearings on my Bike shortly after I got it, and I believe I paid Peloton around $45 to send me the part I needed. Fortunately, it was easy to install. On the other extreme, if something went wrong with the touchscreen, it would cost $375 to replace, labor not included. Used Bikes may have wear and tearA bike is a collection of moving parts, and if you love your Peloton, you’ll put a lot of miles on it. That means a lot of wear. Peloton Bikes tend to be pretty sturdy, and indoor bikes don’t accumulate as much damage as something you’d ride outside. But it’s still worth considering when you might have to replace parts. If you’re buying a used bike, you’ll want to check these parts for wear: The pedals should be replaced every year, at least according to Peloton, though most Peloton owners don’t seem to bother. (They certainly seem to last a lot longer than that, but the company is probably keeping in mind its 2020 recall in response to pedals that broke, injuring some riders.) Speaking of recalls, the seat post on all Peloton bikes was recalled in 2023 because it could break. If you’re buying used, make sure the owner has installed the new post. The bearings in the center of the flywheel won’t last forever. You can expect them to endure roughly a year of regular use, although this will vary greatly. If a used Bike is a few years old and hasn’t had them replaced, that’s a repair that is probably due. When the bearings start to go, the Bike will still be functional, but it will make a rattling noise as you ride. Cosmetic damage may also be an issue. There could be dents or scratches on a used bike, worn areas on the handlebars, and so on. Refurbished Bikes may have minor cosmetic issues; all bets are off when it comes to a used Bike. When is a Peloton Bike too old to bother with?Peloton only has two models of bikes, which makes shopping easy. Both the original Bike and the Bike+ have a large touchscreen that plays videos of the workouts and shows you statistics about your ride. The models haven’t changed much over the years, with one exception. The Generation 1 Bikes are no longer supported; the software in their touchscreens will no longer be updated. These Bikes have an orange power button at the top of the touchscreen and were manufactured before September 2016. As long as the used Bike doesn’t have that older touchscreen, any model you buy used is going to be basically equivalent to what’s for sale now. Note that some of the Bikes in used listings may say "gen 1", but as long as their touchscreen has the gray button on the back instead of the orange button on top, they're fine. Where to find used Peloton BikesThere are plenty for sale on places like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, and there are also Peloton-related Facebook groups that allow members to post Bikes for sale. Check anywhere you would look for used items, like OfferUp and the local search options on Ebay. As with any sale on these platforms, watch out for scams. When I was browsing listings to update this post, I found plenty of Bikes listed with a price of $129 and a description that glowingly praised the site where the seller had originally bought it. Yeah, that was just an ad for that site—which turned out not to sell Pelotons at all, but haha! Made you look! In any case, make sure you're dealing with a real person, and don’t pay anything until you’ve seen the Bike in person and are sure you want to buy it. What to ask the seller of a used BikeWhen you’re looking at a specific used Bike, Peloton's history tool (still in beta) may be able to tell you about the history of a Bike or Bike+ if you know the serial number. You'll have to ask the seller for the number, and then cross your fingers and hope that it's one of the Bikes included in the beta program. Besides that, here are some things to ask to make sure you’re getting a good deal. Are you the original owner?There’s nothing wrong with buying a Bike that has been through multiple owners, except that it’s harder to document where it actually came from. Peloton offers a history summary tool where you can look up a specific Bike or Bike+, but it still doesn't support all serial numbers on it. (My own used Peloton keeps turning up a "not part of our beta program" message, nearly a year after it launched this feature.) Peloton recommends you ask the owner to show you proof of the original purchase. It warns that rental Bikes aren’t supposed to be sold, and if you buy one, you won’t be able to activate a subscription on it. Make sure that the Bike is not a rental; there have been scams where a seller shows a buyer a purchase receipt, and then swaps in a rental when it's time to pick your Bike up. Check that the serial numbers match. This question can also kick off a conversation about why they are selling the bike, and how well it has worked for them over the years. Which brings us to... How many rides has this Bike had?There’s going to be a difference in wear-and-tear between a Bike that was ridden a few times versus a Bike that gets hours of use every day. You don’t need to know the exact number, but it can be good to get a sense of how much use the bike has seen. The bike doesn’t come with an odometer, but you can ask when it was purchased and how many rides the owner has done on it. (Their Peloton profile will tell them how many rides they’ve done, but remember that they may also have family members who ride as well.) If the Bike you're looking at show up on Peloton's history tool, it should be able to give you this information as well. Have any recalled parts been replaced?Peloton Bikes’ seat posts (but not the Bike+) were recalled in 2023. Although the rollout was slow, everyone should have gotten their new ones by now. You can check whether the seat post is the newest type by looking at the bottom-most measuring line on the post. While you’re at it, check whether the pedals have an orange Peloton logo. If so, they were part of the 2020 pedal recall and should have been replaced. This is also a good time to ask about repairs, in general. Has anything broken, and if so, was it fixed and when? Does the Bike have any ongoing problems? Can I ride it?Hop on the bike (don’t worry about the shoes for now) and turn the pedals. Do they move smoothly, without clanking noises that might indicate bad bearings? Does the big red resistance knob turn smoothly from side to side? Does the screen have any chips or cracks? Peloton also recommends checking that the adjustment levers and screws move smoothly, and that there aren’t any signs of over-tightening, like cracks. Check that the power cable is in good shape, and that the bike is clean and appears well-cared for. How to move a PelotonIf you decide to take the Bike home with you, proceed carefully. These suckers are heavy, weighing about 140 pounds. Most of that weight is in the flywheel at the front, so be aware of that when carrying it with a partner. Peloton has a guide to moving Bikes here. Importantly, you’ll want to remove the touchscreen first. I wrapped mine in towels and put it in the front seat of my car; the rest of the Bike went in the back. Peloton also recommends taking off the water bottle holders and the cage on the back that holds the dumbbells. Lower the handlebars and seat to their lowest position, and tighten all the adjustment levers so nothing moves in transit. I didn’t remove the pedals, but Peloton says you should. How to transfer a Peloton to a new ownerPeloton recommends doing a factory reset on a Bike before it changes hands. Go to Settings > System > Factory Reset. When you set your Bike up at home, follow the prompts on the screen to register the Bike and set up your new subscription. If you already have a subscription to the Peloton app, make sure to cancel it; that doesn’t always happen automatically. What else you'll need to buy to enjoy your PelotonYou’ll want cycling shoes. They don’t have to be Peloton brand (the standard Peloton shoes kind of suck, if I'm being honest), but they do need Delta LOOK cleats to fit the pedals. That said, you can replace the pedals with another type if you prefer. If you plan to ride a lot, padded cycling shorts are also a good idea. Peloton’s cycling classes sometimes involve small handheld dumbbells; these should come with your bike. If you want to do the strength classes, though, you’ll want bigger dumbbells. Peloton makes its own branded dumbbells with square ends, but the workouts work just as well with any dumbbells you care to buy from the store. You may want a mat to put under your Bike to protect your floor from dripping sweat. You’ll likely also want a towel, a water bottle, and maybe a heart rate chest strap to sync with the Bike (even my cheapo strap syncs just fine). Spin instructor (and Lifehacker features editor, we're so lucky) Lindsey Ellefson has a more complete guide here to the things you may want to pick up to make the most of your new Peloton. Unisex Road Bike Cycling Shoes Compatible with Peloton Shimano SPD Bike Riding Shoes for Men Women, 3 Straps, Pre-Installed Delta Cleats for Indoor Outdoor Cycling Biking $79.94 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $79.94 at Amazon View the full article

March is kind of a wild month — it’s got a little bit of everything. At first glance, Women’s History Month and March Madness might feel like an odd pairing, but lately, they actually go hand in hand. Thanks to the Caitlin Clark effect (you know the one), women’s college basketball has been booming. In fact, in 2024, the women’s NCAA championship game drew more viewers than the men’s for the first time ever. Will that momentum keep going this year? We’re about to find out. The Final Four is here, and UCLA, South Carolina, Texas, and UConn are all ready to bring it. Here’s what you need to know — and how to catch every minute of the action. When and where is the Women’s Final Four? The action is taking place at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Friday, April 4 is game day. First, the South Carolina Gamecocks and Texas Longhorns will battle it out at 7 p.m. ET. Then the UCLA Bruin will face the UConn Huskies for the remaining spot in the championship game at 9:30 p.m. ET. Players and coaches to watch As the defending champion, South Carolina, wants back-to-back titles. Head coach Dawn Staley’s roster is a mix of developmental talent and experienced players which may prove to be a deadly weapon. Joyce Edwards, Chloe Kitts and MiLaysia Fulwiley are eager to prove themselves on the national stage. Sometimes you don’t need a household-name superstar to win it all. Madison Booker and the Texas Longhorns want to stop this crew. The team hasn’t seen the Final Four since 2003. The organization only has a single championship under its belt. Lauren Betts started her college basketball career at Stanford but left to become a Bruin after freshman year. She’s an imposing figure to guard at six feet seven inches. Led by coach Cori Close, this is the first time UCLA has been in the Final Four since 1979 which was before the NCAA sponsored women’s basketball. The team is hopeful the party doesn’t stop here but not if Paige Bueckers has anything to say about it. One could argue Bueckers has filled the void left by Clark at the collegiate level. If she’s successful in the Final Four she will have the opportunity to surpass her predecessor by winning a national championship. This UConn Guard wants to help her team go all the way especially since the organization has not accomplished this feat since 2016. How to tune in Traditional cable subscribers can tune into ESPN to watch all the free throws and three-pointers. Those who cut the cord can turn to a live television streaming service that carries ESPN such as Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, Fubo, YouTube TV, or DirecTV Stream. Both Final Four games are evenly matched with no clear front-runners so the competition is sure to be fierce. View the full article

Banks ask clients to stump up additional money as global market sell-off knocks value of holdingsView the full article

The Department of Justice said in a court filing Friday that a February stop-work order from acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Russell Vought did not entail stopping statutorily-mandated work by the bureau, defying earlier testimony. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. This post is part of Find Your Fit Tech, Lifehacker's fitness wearables buying guide. I'm asking the tough questions about whether wearables can really improve your health, how to find the right one for you, and how to make the most of the data wearables can offer. A fitness tracker’s job isn’t done when you finish your workout, or even when you take your last steps of the day. There are devices that excel at tracking how long and how well you slept, and devices that attempt to tell you when you’re well-recovered and ready for your next challenge. Here are my picks for the best of this category. What to look for in a sleep/recovery trackerWhere our other buyers’ guides are almost entirely about which smartwatch to pick, the recovery-oriented devices are different. Some come in the form of a watch, but the two standouts in this category—the Oura ring and the Whoop band—aren’t watches at all. Neither has a screen for you to look at. They merely gather data and present their conclusions in a smartphone app. They also aren’t (necessarily) worn on the wrist. That’s great news for people who want something minimalist and distraction-free. But that’s not everyone. Here are the questions to ask yourself when you’re shopping around. Do you want a sleep tracker, or a smartwatch that can track sleep? Before you start looking at sleep-specific devices, it’s important to ask yourself whether you want sleep tracking as a feature of a device that does other stuff, or if you truly want a device that’s dedicated to sleep and recovery tracking. Most general-purpose smartwatches can do adequate sleep tracking. They’ll give you a decent idea of how late you went to bed, how many hours of sleep you tend to get, and they’ll often report some recovery metrics as well, like your resting heart rate. Here are a few smartwatches and fitness watches that can track your sleep well: Apple Watch Series 10 (with Apple Health and the new Vitals app—or install a recovery tracking app of your choice for advanced metrics, like Bevel or Athlytic) Garmin Forerunner 265/265S, which will even roll sleep data into your training readiness score for the day Pixel Watch 3, an Android-friendly smartwatch that uses the Fitbit app for sleep tracking If you want sleep tracking in addition to other features, check out our other guides for health tracking and for running. You may find the watch you really want in one of those categories. Are you OK with paying for a subscription? My two top picks both require a subscription to make the most of your data. Whoop sells the subscription as its primary product, with the band as a thing thrown in to go with it. Oura, meanwhile, will sell you a ring and give you sleep and recovery scores for free; but to get the detailed information you probably came for, you’ll need to pay up. Do you need accurate activity tracking? All of these wearables say they can track your heart rate during exercise, but that doesn’t mean they do it well. Oura’s niche use as a sleep tracker evolved from the fact that it’s really hard to get accurate heart rate data from a ring while you’re moving. (Longtime readers will recall that I reviewed the Motiv ring in 2018, and found that it was useless for exercise, but great as a sleep tracker.) Oura turned its ring’s weakness into a strength: Since it needs you to be very still and quiet to take readings, it's now positioned as a sleep tracker, which needs to do that exact thing really well. But that means that when it added activity tracking later on…well, it’s not great. It’s better than I would have expected, to be sure. But it would definitely not be my choice for tracking exercise. I wear an Oura ring every day, but I’ll actually strap on a watch when it’s time to go for a run. Whoop does a better job than Oura, but it still has its issues. I’ve found it can easily get confused about my actual heart rate; the numbers will seem low, and then I’ll wiggle the band, and suddenly I’m seeing a 160 heart rate instead of 140. That’s a pretty big margin of error. Many people find that the Whoop is good enough, most of the time, but if you need really accurate exercise metrics you’ll probably be happier with a more traditional fitness tracker instead. Best for minimalists: the Oura ring This one is my personal favorite; I fell in love with the Oura ring when I reviewed it years ago. If you hate wearing wristwatches and don’t really care about activity tracking, this is the device for you. (You can also read my four-year retrospective on what I've learned using it daily over the years.) The Oura gives accurate resting heart rate (RHR) and heart rate variability (HRV), two metrics that come more or less directly from its sensors, with minimal layers of interpretation. Both can tell you something about your stress and fatigue levels. Generally, if you’re well-rested and not under too much stress, your RHR will be low and your HRV will be high. I routinely see an elevated RHR if I’m sick, if I’ve been drinking or staying up late, or if my weightlifting training has been putting a lot of stress on me. On the flip side, RHR can lower over time as you improve your cardio fitness. Oura’s app then uses those metrics, and other data it’s collected about you, to give you sleep scores, readiness scores, and gentle recommendations for supporting your health. The sleep score gives you an idea of how long and how well you slept. The readiness score is highest when you’re under the least stress (low RHR, high HRV). But I find these scores less useful than the raw data they’re built on. An Oura ring without a subscription only provides these scores in the app, without the raw data. The hardware alone is not worth it. Oura is supposed to be the best wearable for tracking sleep stages, and that may be true, but no wearable is actually tracking your sleep stages accurately. Pay more attention to your total sleep time, which it’s relatively good at detecting, not the time in each stage or the overall sleep quality. One more, important note about activity tracking: you will not want to wear this during workouts where you’re lifting weights or hanging from a pull-up bar. The ring is chunky enough to interfere with your grip and dig into your skin. You won’t be able to do your best lifts while you’re wearing it. And if you care about the ring’s appearance, lifting weights will definitely scratch it up. I lift a lot, so I leave my ring on the charger when I head to the gym. So if you can’t lift in it, and it’s not great at activity tracking or sleep staging, why wear one? Honestly, because I can forget that it exists and still get all the benefits of knowing what my RHR and HRV have been, pretty much every night, for the last three and a half years. (I never stick with a wearable that long.) The metrics help me to understand whether I’m recovering well enough from my daily training, and remind me to pay a little extra attention to my sleep and stress when training gets tough. Two generations of the Oura ring are currently being sold. The newer gen 4 ring has a wider range of sizes, a more comfortable fit, and a more accurate sensor setup. The older gen 3 has all the same core features, but is available at a significant discount. I have a comparison of the gen 3 and gen 4 rings here, if you'd like to consider your options. Oura rings start at $199 (gen 3) or $349 (gen 4), plus a $5.99/month subscription. Oura Ring 4 $349.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $349.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Best for athletes: Whoop band If you want something that can track activities, but works with an app that is recovery-focused rather than exercise-focused, you probably want a Whoop band. If you’re happy to strap a gadget to your wrist, great—that’s the easiest way to wear a Whoop. It will look like a watch, except with no screen (the fabric band covers the spot where the screen would be). If you don’t want a wristband, the Whoop device can also be strapped to your arm, between your deltoid and bicep (they call it a “bicep band”). This was my favorite way to wear it, since it doesn't interfere with wrist wraps while I'm lifting. You can also buy clothing, including sports bras and branded boxer shorts, that have a little pocket to hold the device against your skin without a strap. One of Whoop’s characteristic features is that you can wear it 24/7. Instead of plugging it in to charge, there is a little detachable battery that you plug in. Then, for an hour or so every couple of days, you slide this battery onto your Whoop band like a tiny backpack. When it’s fully charged, the indicator light will change colors and you can slide it off. Besides tracking your sleep, the Whoop can also track activity—although, as I noted above, it’s not as accurate as some of the more traditional gadgets. (If you really want the most accurate heart rate, you’ll want to get a chest strap anyway.) The app models sleep and activity—which it calls Strain—as two sides of the same coin. If you did a long or hard workout, your Strain will be high, and the app will recommend an amount of sleep that will help you to recover. In the morning, it will tell you where your Recovery stands and recommend an appropriate amount of Strain for the day’s workouts. As I’ve written before, I don’t think it’s very smart to adjust your long-term training plan based on short-term fluctuations in recovery, but how you use the data is up to you. The Whoop app also has some really excellent features for tracking your "sleep debt" and planning when to go to bed and wake up for various levels of restedness. Whoop doesn't sell the band as a product, exactly; it sells a subscription that runs $30/month or $239/year, and you get the device with a plain black wristband for free. Other colors and styles cost extra, and you get free hardware upgrades when a new model comes out. Whoop 4.0 With a 12-Month Subscription $239.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $239.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Best smartwatch option: Garmin Venu 3 All of Garmin’s running watches include recovery metrics, including my fave, the Forerunner 265. These include resting heart rate, HRV, training readiness, "body battery," and calculated recovery times for each workout. The non-athletes I know tend to love the Body Battery. Like Whoop’s approach, this sees exercise and sleep as sort of opposite forces. Your Body Battery will be closer to 100% if you’ve been sleeping well and haven’t done much strenuous exercise lately. It will drain as you exercise, or if you’re under a lot of stress. Sleeping fills it back up again. You can get some or all of these features on almost any Garmin watch. But if you’d like to buy a new smartwatch just for sleep tracking, I’d suggest the Garmin Venu 3. The Venu 3 has the Body Battery feature, as well as a Sleep Coach that will tell you how long you slept compared to how much you needed, and it will recommend how much you should try to sleep tonight. The recommendations are based mainly on your HRV (one of those recovery metrics it can read from its sensors) and your recent sleep and activity history. The Venu 3 also has nap detection, by the way, so you’ll still get credit for falling asleep watching a movie—but it also won’t confuse that with your regular night’s sleep. I'm choosing the Venu 3 (or the 3S, which is the same thing in the smaller size) for a few reasons. It has the newest generation of Garmin's Elevate heart rate sensor, making it potentially a smidge more accurate than other great watches like the Forerunner or Vivoactive lines. It also has skin temperature sensing, which not all Garmins do. But if you'd like a more budget-friendly watch that's still great for tracking sleep, the new Vivoactive 6 ($299) has most of the same sleep-tracking features, and also has a smart wake alarm that aims to buzz you awake during a lighter stage of sleep. Garmin Venu 3 $439.83 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Get Deal Get Deal $439.83 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg View the full article

For all of the risks and potential dangers associated with crypto, it is still becoming an increasingly mainstream asset. That’s according to the latest data from the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA), a non-profit aimed at helping Americans better understand cryptocurrency and digital assets. One in five Americans currently owns cryptocurrency in some shape or form, according to the NCA’s 2025 State of Crypto Holders Report. The report, which was produced with The Harris Poll, also finds that nearly 40% use crypto to pay for goods or services, and that two-thirds say that crypto “has a positive impact on their lives.” The data was sourced from a Harris Poll survey conducted in January and February this year, from a pool of 54,000 respondents that was winnowed down to 10,000 crypto holders. It’s the largest survey conducted to date of crypto holders. A couple of other interesting findings include that nearly 40% of American crypto holders live in the South—more than double the amount that live in the Midwest (17%) or the Northeast (18%). Twenty-six percent live in the West. Also, while 14% of crypto holders work in the tech sector, 12% work in construction. And only 7%, a perhaps surprisingly low number, work in finance. The report also notes that crypto owners are a fairly diverse set, and that one reason is that “crypto has a surprisingly low bar for entry.” That is true—in many cases, all that’s needed to start purchasing crypto is a brokerage account and a few dollars, as many cryptocurrencies have low values. But that also makes it a fairly risky field. In 2023, for instance, the amount lost to crypto scams added up to more than $5.6 billion, according to FBI data. Early estimates seem to indicate that the total lost to crypto scams during 2024 will be at least double that amount. Either way, the report points to a rather obvious conclusion: Crypto seems to be growing, and even becoming more mainstream. Of course, that’s as the NCA is also pushing for more mainstream adoption of crypto itself. The organization launched just one month ago. View the full article

Washington’s two biggest trade partners still face a host of levies from their neighbourView the full article

The FBI intervened in the incident, which a lawyer for the company's CEO said was a response to another man's actions. View the full article

Republican lawmakers, mulling a new partial claim proposal, slammed the expiring program that has purchased thousands of mortgages as Biden-era overreach. View the full article

If you're reading this, chances are you've used ChatGPT. But have you paid for ChatGPT? OpenAI offers a number of ways to do so, but the cheapest plan is $20 per month. It's pretty steep, especially since the company continues to offer premium features for free users. However, there are still plenty of features and perks exclusive to paying customers. If you're interested in these options, and you happen to be a college student in the United States or Canada, good news: ChatGPT Plus is now free for you, for a very limited time. Who is eligible? You can only take advantage of this offer if you are a full or part-time student at a degree-granting school in either the U.S. or Canada. Don't be dissuaded if you don't see your school when attempting to sign up for the offer: OpenAI has a support link to help find or add your school to the list. This tool may also confirmed whether your school is ineligible. You need to be physically present in the U.S. (and its territories) or Canada to sign up for this offer, too—VPNs will not work, unless its a whitelisted educational VPN. OpenAI says it'll confirm your student credentials through a service called SheerID. If the service is unable to verify you through your school's registrar office, or via your school's single sign-on service, you may need to provide SheerID with extra documents to prove your eligibility. SheerID says it only uses this data to authenticate your eligibility for this promotion, and does not sell or share your data with third parties. While you are eligible if you have an existing ChatGPT Pro account, you are not eligible if that account is through Google Play or Apple's App Store. You'll need to make a new account in order to get ChatGPT Plus for free. ChatGPT Pro users are also not eligible. What do you get?If you are indeed eligible for the promotion, you can claim ChatGPT Plus from now through May 31, 2025. Once you make your claim, you get two months of ChatGPT Plus for free. So, if you sign up on May 31, you'll have free access through July 31. Once that period is up, OpenAI will charge you the typical $20 per month rate. As said above, this applies to existing ChatGPT Plus subscribers, too. If you verify that you are a student, OpenAI will credit your account for the two month promotional period. This promotion includes the full ChatGPT Plus service. That comes with all of the features of the free plan, including GPT-4o mini access, GPT-4o and o3-mini access, web search, file uploads, data analysis, image generation, and voice mode. In addition, Plus offers extended limits on things like messages, file uploads, analysis, and image creation, advanced voice mode with video and the ability to share your screen, deep research for more analytical queries, GPT-4.5 preview access, custom GPTs, tasks, and limited access to OpenAI's Sora video generator. How to get ChatGPT Plus for freeIf you think you're eligible, head to OpenAI's official promotional site here. Once it loads, click either "Claim offer" button you see. Log into your account, then follow the on-screen instructions to verify your identity as an eligible student. View the full article

Executive order gives video app’s Chinese owner another 75 days to find buyer before US ban hitsView the full article

The US president wants to unwind decades of economic integration. The risk of a 1930s-style global trade war is causing markets to panicView the full article

Italy will effectively have casting vote on whether to support use of anti-coercion instrument to hit US services exports View the full article

Despite inflation concerns, slowing growth raises expectations of rate cutsView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Air travel may be fast, but it’s also often a source of stress and discomfort. Aside from tight seats, delays, and generally uncomfortable accommodations, airlines have been nickel-and-diming us with fees for just about everything, including luggage. Checked bag fees range around $30 to $40 to start, so it’s not surprising that more and more people are trying to travel with just their carry-on. Restricting yourself to a single carry-on is liberating—no more waiting at the luggage carousel, no more dragging a bulky, heavy roller behind you everywhere—but also limiting in terms of space. Clever packing, like rolling your clothes, can help get the most out of a carry-on, but eventually, you run up against the laws of physics. If you really want to stretch that carry-on’s capacity to the limit, here are a few clever items you can buy that will help you with that project. Packing cubesAs our own Beth Skwarecki will tell you, packing cubes are life-changing. They contain all your loose items—like those rolled-up shirts—so they stay in their pristine, efficient configuration instead of getting disorganized and chaotic. Compression cubes can also shrink down many of your items so they take up as little space as possible. They also make it a lot easier to use the space inside your carry-on efficiently, transforming a bunch of oddly-shaped stuff into neat cubes that can be quickly arranged and re-arranged. Finally, they can be used to separate out your stuff by use case, so you can keep stuff neatly packed away when you access the stuff you need right now. Vacuum bagsIf compression packing cubes can shrink down some of your stuff, imagine an entire carry-on that compresses itself. Vacuum seal carry-on backpacks have a built-in vacuum that compresses everything inside all at once with the touch of a button, making the bag as small and easily stowed as possible. The two downsides to a vacuum-sealed carry-on are access and security. If you need to grab something from your carry-on, you’ll have to decompress it first. In terms of getting these bags through security at the airport, the TSA says they are “discouraged” but allowed, so you can get them through. But the TSA agents may force you to decompress them so they can inspect the contents—especially if the compression makes it difficult to make out what’s in there. Because of the built-in vacuum, you should be able to re-seal the bag after you grab your stuff or have it inspected, but it’s still a downside. Stuffable neck pillowsIf you’re going to use a neck pillow on the plane, why not buy one that lets you easily stuff it full of rolled-up clothing or other soft items? Every shirt you get into a neck pillow is a shirt you don’t have to fit into your carry-on, opening up space for other items or making your packing job just a little bit easier, and you still get the benefit of a neck pillow. It’s a win-win! Belt bagsBelt bags (or fanny packs, as the unwashed call them) are a great way to get just a little extra room in your carry-on. It’s true that many airlines will consider a visible belt bag to be a personal item and demand that you stuff it into your carry-on when boarding. But that can only happen if they see it—choosing a slim, compressed belt bag like this one will allow you to wear it under your clothes while boarding, and no one will be the wiser. Stackable containers for toiletriesThese hexagonal, magnetic capsules are designed to be the perfect way to bring liquid stuff with you on the plane. They hold 1.32 ounces of stuff, snap together to make packing them very easy, and are pre-labeled so you know exactly what’s in them. It’s a much more efficient way to bring some basics like shampoo, conditioner, or lotion with you than trying to manage tiny plastic bottles or even a lumpy bag of tiny plastic bottles. Solid toiletriesIf you’re going to be packing your own shampoo and other toiletries, consider bringing solid versions—shampoo bars, conditioner, or lotion—instead of their harder-to-manage liquid versions. You could replace your toothpaste with a tooth powder as well, which can be transferred to any appropriately-sized container. These options are not only easier to pack, with less chance of a mess—they also won’t get you into any trouble at the security line, since they’re not liquid. View the full article

Duncan announced the launch of a new company in a social media post in early April after retiring from the government-sponsored enterprise at the end of 2024. View the full article

America’s tariff onslaught will drive upheaval well beyond tradeView the full article

The GOP side of the Banking Committee, led by Sen. Tim Scott, asks FHFA head Bill Pulte to "aggressively" reduce waste at the government-sponsored enterprises. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Google released the Pixel 9 smartphones along with the Pixel Watch 3, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2 late last summer. Their second generation earbuds brought some great upgrades, and make them a great value for any Pixel user (although they're compatible with any Android and have limited iOS support). Right now, you can get the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for $179 (originally $229), matching the lowest price they've ever been according to price-tracking tools. Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 Brand: Google, Color: Hazel, Ear Placement: In Ear, Noise Control: Active Noise Cancellation $259.00 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $259.00 at Amazon The list price for the new Pixel Buds Pro 2 is $29 more than the original Pixel Buds Pro, which have since dropped to $111. Some of the improvements Google has made to the new earbuds to justify the price include a new twisting mechanism that secures to the ear better for more intense workouts, better active noise-cancelling (ANC) thanks to the more snug fit, better audio processing with the new Tensor A1 chip, longer battery life of about eight hours with ANC on and 31 hours from the charging case, and the inclusion og Gemini Live, Android's AI voice assistant. Some things that were not improved this time around: the drivers, wireless charging, and the equalizer options are all the same as the previous generation. The earbuds have an IP54 rating for water resistance and the charging case is also water resistant, with an IPX4 rating. With a full charge, you can expect eight hours of continuous listening with ANC on (12 hours with ANC off) plus an additional 22 hours (36 hours with ANC off) from the charging case. As CNET's review explains, the audio and ANC quality the earbuds will offer you depends on how good of a snug fit you'll get from them. If you're looking for the latest pair of ANC Pixel earbuds with Gemini virtual AI assistant, a smaller design, better ANC, audio and mic quality, these are a good option at this price. View the full article

Most of us know the general (albeit simplified) story: Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov used a stimulus—like a metronome—around the dogs he was studying, and soon, the hounds would start to salivate. They had learned that the sound meant food was coming. The phenomenon, now known as classical conditioning, became one of modern psychology’s foundational discoveries. It’s an unconscious process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a naturally occurring stimulus, eventually leading to a connection between the two. The dogs, seeing the researcher who often brings them food or hearing the noise of the cart on its way, would immediately know they were about to have a meal. Flash forward 120 years: my dog and I are riding through San Francisco in a self-driving car. I’ve taken Waymo’s autonomous vehicles dozens of times, often with my 9-year-old chiweenie, Poppy, nestled on my lap. She usually naps peacefully, facing inward, oblivious to the world outside. Near the end of each ride, the car makes a familiar “ding-dong” chime, followed by a woman’s voice reminding me to take my phone, keys, and wallet. Poppy, unfazed, would remain in a deep sleep until the car stopped, I unbuckled my seatbelt, and picked her up to get out. Back to the world of smells and fresh air! Lately, I’ve noticed something strange: As soon as the ding sounds, Poppy wakes up, turns around, and readies herself at the door without my help—every single time. Is this . . . Pavlov’s Waymo? As a serious journalist in pursuit of all the hard-hitting truths, I emailed the veterinary team at Bond Vet. The short answer to my not-so-serious question? Yes. “In practical terms, the sound acts as a cue, prompting her anticipation to leave. This behavior develops because the sound repeatedly coincides with the end of the ride, and the reward of getting out reinforces her response,” Dr. Lisa Lippman, director of virtual medicine at Bond Vet, said in an email. “Dogs are incredibly perceptive and often pick up on routines and environmental cues like this, it’s a great example of how they learn and adapt!” Researchers at the University of California, Davis, found in 2021 that common household noises, like a microwave beep or the chirp of a smoke detector, can cause a dog anxiety. Thankfully, Poppy doesn’t seem very anxious about the car’s noise (although humans are notoriously bad at sensing a dog’s stress or real emotions). But it made me think of the constant notifications and dings of our world. At the same time as our pets, we as humans are being classically conditioned. The microwave beep alerts us that we’re about to be rewarded with food, the “tudum” sound when you open the Netflix app prepares us for entertainment, the Waymo chime let’s us know it’s almost time to get out. Brands especially have utilized classical conditioning to associate their product with an emotion. “When we play sound feedback for Waymo riders, our guiding philosophy is to be friendly and helpful,” Waymo’s Head of Design and Customer Research Ryan Powell said over email. “That means playing sounds that feel connected and familiar, but not intrusive. We want to be thoughtful about how and when we play sound, so that riders can rely on these signals for their safety and comfort. Sometimes we’ll play sound followed by a voice explanation for more detail.” View the full article

Swedish ‘buy now, pay later’ fintech was set to launch its so-called IPO roadshow to investors next weekView the full article

Back in the summer of 2024, Boar’s Head recalled seven million pounds of deli meat that had been linked to a deadly listeria outbreak that spanned numerous U.S. states. That outbreak led to the deaths of multiple people and caused the company to shutter one of its processing facilities, which was located in Virginia. The recall led to a brand crisis for Boar’s Head, and by November 2024, when the outbreak was declared over, a total of 10 people had died, and 61 became sick. The event led to class action lawsuits against the company, one of which has now been settled. Here’s what to know about the settlement and whether you can claim any compensation. Class action settlement Boar’s Head Provisions Co., Inc. has now agreed to settle a class action lawsuit related to the recall. The case, Pompilio, et al. v. Boar’s Head Provisions Co., Inc., was filed in the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York. According to the official settlement website, the class action suit alleged that the recall economically harmed the plaintiffs. It’s important to note that as part of the settlement, Boar’s Head has not admitted to any wrongdoing, as is common with most class action settlements. As part of the settlement, Boar’s Head Provisions Co., Inc. has agreed to pay claimants $3.1 million, minus court costs and other fees. Am I included in the settlement? You are included in the settlement—and can make a claim—if you meet the court’s “Settlement Class Member” description. The court says a Settlement Class Member is “All natural persons who purchased in the United States any Covered Products between the earliest date of manufacture of any Covered Product (May 10, 2024) and August 12, 2024 for personal, family or household use, and not for resale, except for any Excluded Persons.” “Excluded Persons” are defined on the settlement website. How much can I get from the settlement? You are eligible to receive a portion of the settlement if you meet one of the following two criteria: You have proof of purchase for a product covered under the settlement. If you have proof of purchase for a covered product, you are eligible to “receive the full purchase price for each unit of Covered Product listed on the Proof of Purchase, subject to adjustment as set forth below.” You do not have proof of purchase for a product covered under the settlement. In this case, you can “receive the average retail price for up to two (2) Covered Products claimed per Household, subject to adjustment as set forth below.” The “adjustments” listed above can be found here in the settlement’s FAQ. How can I file a claim? The easiest way to file a claim is by using the claim form on the settlement website. The FAQ lists additional methods to file a claim. When do I need to file a claim by? Claims must be filed by May 16, 2025. That is also the date that class action members have until to exclude themselves from the class action lawsuit or object to it. The class action settlement is conditional upon the approval of the court. That hearing is expected to take place on August 13, 2025. Full details of the class action settlement can be found on the settlement website here. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. HBO was, for at least a couple of generations, the home of movies on cable—no one else could compete. For a while, it seemed like Max could well be the ultimate streaming destination for movie lovers, but the jury is still out there. Even still, Max maintains a collaboration with TCM, giving it a broad range of classic American and foreign films. It's also the primary streaming home for Studio Ghibli and A24, so even though Max hasn't been in the business of making as many originals as it used to, it still has a solid assortment of films you won't find anywhere else. Here are 23 of the best of Max's recent and/or exclusive offerings. Flow (2024) A gorgeous, wordless animated film that follows a cat through a post-apocalyptic world following a devastating flood. The Latvian import, about finding friends and searching for home in uncertain times, won a well-deserved Best Animated Picture Oscar. It's also, allegedly, very popular with pets—though my dog slept right through it. You can stream Flow here. Heretic (2024) Two young Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) show up at the home of a charming, reclusive man (a deeply creepy Hugh Grant) who invites them in because, he says, he wants to explore different faiths. Which turns out to be true—except that he has ideas that go well beyond anything his two guests have in their pamphlets. It soon becomes clear that they're not going to be able to leave without participating in Mr. Reed's games, and this clever, cheeky thriller doesn't always go where you think it's going. You can stream Heretic here. Queer (2024) Director Luca Guadagnino followed up his vaguely bisexual tennis movie Challengers with this less subtle (it's in the title) William S. Burroughs adaptation. Daniel Craig plays William Lee (a fictionalized version of Burroughs himself), a drug-addicted American expat living in Mexico City during the 1950s. He soon becomes infatuated with Drew Starkey's Eugene Allerton, and the two take a gorgeous journey through Mexico, through ayahuasca, and through their own sexualities. You can stream Queer here. The Parenting (2025) Rohan (Nik Dodani) and Josh (Brandon Flynn) invite both their sets of parents to a remote country rental so that everyone can meet, which sounds like plenty of horror for this horror-comedy. But wait! There's more: A demon conjured from the wifi router enters the body of Rohan's dad (Brian Cox), an event further complicated by the arrival of the house's owner (Parker Posey). It's wildly uneven, but there's a lot of fun to be had. The supporting cast includes Edie Falco, Lisa Kudrow, and Dean Norris. You can stream The Parenting here. Juror #2 (2024) Clint Eastwood's latest (last?) is a high-concept legal drama that boasts a few impressive performances highlighted by his straightforward directorial style. Nicholas Hoult stars as Justin Kemp, a journalist and recovering alcoholic assigned to jury duty in Savannah, Georgia. The case involves the death of a woman a year earlier, presumably killed by the defendant, her boyfriend at the time. But as the case progresses,Kemp slowly comes to realize that he knows more about the death than anyone else in the courtroom, and has to find a way to work to acquit the defendant without implicating himself. You can stream Juror #2 here. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) While Godzilla Minus One proved that Japanese filmmakers remain adept at wringing genuine drama out of tales of the city-destroying kaiju, the American branch of the franchise is offering up deft counter-programming. That is to say, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is every bit as ridiculous as its title suggests, with Godzilla and Kong teaming up to battle a tribe of Kong's distant relatives—they live in the other dimensional Hollow Earth and have harnessed the power of an ice Titan, you see. It's nothing more, nor less, than a good time with giant monsters. You can stream Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire here. We Live in Time (2024) Director John Crowley had a massive critical success with 2015's Brooklyn, but 2019's The Goldfinch was a disappointment in almost every regard. Nonlinear romantic drama We Live in Time, then, feels like a bit of a return to form, with Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield displaying impressive chemistry as the couple at the film's center. The two meet when she hits him with her car on the night he's finalizing his divorce, and the movie jumps about in their relationship from the early days, to a difficult pregnancy, to a cancer diagnosis, without ever feeling excessively gimmicky. You can stream We Live in Time here. Trap (2024) Cooper (Josh Hartnett) is a pretty cool dad in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest, taking his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to see a very cool Billie Eilish-ish pop star in concert. But we soon learn that Cooper is also a notorious serial killer (this is not the patented Shyamalan twist, in case you were worried about spoilers). The FBI knows that "The Butcher" will be at the concert, even if they don't know exactly who it is, and the whole thing is a, yes, trap that Cooper must escape. Of such premises are fun thrillers made, and Hartnett has fun with the central role, his performance growing increasingly tic-y and unhinged even as Cooper tries to make sure his daughter gets to enjoy the show. You can stream Trap here. Caddo Lake (2024) While we're on the subject of M. Night Shyamalan, he produced this trippy thriller that spends a big chunk of its runtime looking like a working-class drama before going full whackadoo in ways best not spoiled. Eliza Scanlen stars as Ellie, who lives near the title lake with her family, and where it appears that her 8-year-old stepsister has vanished. Dylan O'Brien plays Paris, who works dredging the lake while dealing with survivor's guilt and the trauma of his mother's slightly mysterious death. Their stories (and backstories) merge when they discover that one doesn't always leave the lake the same as they went in. You can stream Caddo Lake here. Dune: Part Two (2024) Denis Villeneuve stuck the landing on his adaptation of the latter part of Frank Herbert's epic novel, so much so that Dune zealots are already looking ahead to a third film, adapting the second book in the series. The chilly (metaphorically) and cerebral sequel was a critical as well as a box office success—surprising on both counts, especially considering that the beloved book was once seen as more or less unadaptable (with the deeply weird David Lynch version serving as Exhibit A in support of that assertion). If you're playing catch-up, Max also has the first Dune, and the rather excellent spin-off series (Dune: Prophecy). You can stream Dune: Part Two here. Problemista (2024) Julio Torres (creator of Los Espookys and Fantasmas, also available on Max) wrote, produced, directed, and stars in this surreal comedy about a toy designer from El Salvador working in the United States under a visa that's about to expire. What to do but take a desperation job with quirky, volatile artist Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton)? The extremely offbeat and humane comedy has been earning raves since it debuted at South by Southwest last year. RZA, Greta Lee, and Isabella Rossellini also star. You can stream Problemista here. MaXXXine (2024) The final (for now, anyway) film in Ti West's X trilogy once again stars Mia Goth as fame-obsessed Maxine Minx. Moving on from adult films, Maxine gets a lead role in a horror movie, only to find herself watched by a leather-clad assailant. This film-industry take-down includes Michelle Monaghan, Kevin Bacon, and Giancarlo Esposito in its solid cast. You can stream MaXXXine here. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024) An anime-infused take on Tolkien's world, The War of the Rohirrim boats the return of co-writer Philippa Boyens, who helped to write each of the six previous LOTR movies. In this animated installment, we're taken back 200 years before Peter Jackson's films, to when the king of Rohan (Brian Cox) accidentally kills the leader of the neighboring Dunlendings during marriage negotiations, kicking off a full-scale war. Miranda Otto reprises her role of Éowyn, who narrates. You can stream War of the Rohirrim here. A Different Man (2024) Though it was all but shut out at the Oscars (getting only a nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling), A Different Man made several of 2024's top ten lists, and earned Sebastian Stan a Golden Globe (he got an Oscar nomination for an entirely different movie, so the erstwhile Winter Soldier had a pretty good year). Here he plays Edward, an actor with neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that manifests in his body as a disfiguring facial condition. An experimental procedure cures him, and Edward assumes a new identity—which does nothing to tame his deep-rooted insecurities, especially when he learns of a new play that's been written about is life. It's a surprisingly funny look into a damaged psyche. You can stream A Different Man here. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024) Alternating between Christopher Reeve's life before and after the horse riding accident that paralyzed him, this heartfelt and heart wrenching documentary follows the Superman actor as he becomes an activist for disability rights. Archival footage of Christopher and wife Dana blends with new interviews with their children, as well as with actors and politicians who knew and worked with them both. You can stream Super/Man here. Sing Sing (2024) A fictional story based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, this Best Picture nominee follows Diving G (Colman Domingo), an inmate who emerges as a star performer in the group. The movie celebrates the redemptive power of art and play with a tremendous central performance from Domingo, who was also Oscar-nominated. You can stream Sing Sing here. Am I OK? (2024) Real-life married couple Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne directed this comedy based, loosely, on Allyne's own life. Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, a directionless 32-year-old woman in Los Angeles who finds that her unsatisfying romantic life might have something to do with her being other than straight. She navigates her journey of self-discovery and coming out with the help of her best friend Jane (House of the Dragon's Sonoya Mizuno). You can stream Am I OK? here. Love Lies Bleeding (2024) In a world of movies that are very carefully calibrated to be as inoffensive as possible, it's nice to see something as muscular, frenetic, and uncompromising as Love Lies Bleeding. Kristen Stewart plays small-town gym manager Lou; she's the daughter of the local crime boss (Ed Harris), with a sister (Jena Malone) suffering from the abuse of her no-good husband (Dave Franco). It's all quietly tolerated until bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O’Brian) stops off in town. She's 'roided up and ready for action, falling hard for Lou before the two of them get caught up in an act of violence that sends everything spiraling toward a truly wild final act. You can stream Love Lies Bleeding here. Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. (2024) A provocative title for a provocative documentary film, Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. sees playwright Jeremy O. Harris exploring the creative process behind the title work, a play that earned a record number of Tony nominations, won none, and that is equally loved and hated (it's about interracial couples having sex therapy at an antebellum-era plantation house). The narrative here is entirely non-linear, and the rules of a traditional making-of are out the window, with Harris instead taking a nearly train-of-thought approach to examining the process of creating the play, and in understanding reactions to it. You can stream Slave Play here. Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Parts One, Two, and Three (2024) While the live-action DC slate went out with a whimper (at least until next year's Superman reboot), the animated series of films has been chugging along more quietly, but also with more success. This trilogy adapts the altogether biggest story in DC history, as heroes from across the multiverse are brought together to prevent an antimatter wave that's wiping out entire universes. Darren Criss, Stana Katic, Jensen Ackles, and Matt Bomer are among the voice cast. You can stream Crisis on Infinite Earths, starting with Part One, here. The Front Room (2024) Adapted from a short story by Susan Hill (The Woman in Black), The Front Room gets a fair bit of mileage out of its in-law-from-hell premise. Brandy plays Belinda, a pregnant anthropology professor forced to quit her job by hostile working conditions. Her deeply weird mother-in-law Solange (a scene-stealing Kathryn Hunter) makes Brandy and husband Norman an offer that could solve the resulting financial problems: if they'll take care of her in her dying days, she'll leave them everything. Of course, the psychic religious fanatic has no interest in making any of that easy. It's more silly than scary, but perfectly entertaining if that's the kind of mood you're in. You can stream The Front Room here. Quad Gods (2024) We spend a lot of time fearing new technology, often with good reason, but Quad Gods offers a brighter view: for people with quadriplegia, for whom spots like football are out of the question, esports offer a means of competing and socializing among not only other people with physical restrictions, but in the broader world of what's become a major industry. While exploring the contrast between day-to-day life for the Quad Gods team and their online gaming talents, the documentary is an impressively upbeat look at the ways in which technology can put us all on a similar playing field. You can stream Quad Gods here. Elevation (2024) There's not much new in this Anthony Mackie-lad post-apocalyptic thriller, but Elevation is nonetheless a well-executed action movie that never feels dumb. Just a few years before the film opens, predatory Reapers rose from deep underground and wiped out 95% of humanity. Now, single dad Will (Mackie) is forced to leave his sanctuary to travel to Boulder, Colorado, the closest place he can get air filters to help with his son's lung disease. On the way, he's joined, reluctantly, by scientist Nina (Morena Baccarin), whose lab may contain a way to kill the Reapers. You can stream Elevation here. View the full article