Technology

Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon movies are a fandom menace

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2024

Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon movies are a fandom menace

The trouble with trying to create original sci-fi epics in the vein of Star Wars is that the classics are so culturally ever-present that newer films always tend to feel like pale imitations. Zack Snyder is far from the first director to take that reality as a challenge to prove how, with the right ideas, stars, and studio, the wheel could be reinvented or at least cleverly reimagined. But Snyder’s nascent Rebel Moon film franchise — the second part of which just hit Netflix — is so narratively derivative, emotionally inert, and overlong that it seems as if this entire project is just cruising along on limp vibes rather than heading toward an intended destination.

Between two (so far) interconnected films that, together, clock in at a little over four hours, the story being told in Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire and Part Two: The Scargiver seems like it should feel more complex. But there’s a baffling simplicity to almost everything that defines Rebel Moon’s heroic lead, Kora (Sofia Boutella), and her quest to topple a fascist empire with the help of a ragtag group of freedom fighters from different planets across the galaxy.

Part One introduced Kora as a former Imperium soldier hiding on the agrarian planet Veldt after being disowned by her adoptive father, Balisarius (Fra Fee), as part of his plan to seize control of the empire. After years of following Balisarius’ orders to kill alongside his admiral Noble (Ed Skrein), Kora knew the costs that could come with resisting the Imperium’s might. But her love for Veldt and its salt-of-the-earth natives, like wheat farmer Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), was enough to convince her to stop hiding. A Child of Fire never seemed all that interested in establishing how Kora’s small rebellion could become formidable enough to legitimately challenge an intergalactic power. But the movie did introduce other righteous warriors like blacksmith Tarak (Staz Nair), former general Titus (Djimon Hounsou), and cyborg assassin Nemesis (Doona Bae), whose unexplored backstories all felt like they could be vital pieces of a fascinating tale.

The first Rebel Moon played like two hours of throat-clearing as Kora rallied her newfound allies to Veldt’s cause in between set pieces that each felt the sort of mildly imaginative, slowed-down action sequences Snyder’s known for. By closing out on Kora seemingly killing Noble, though, the movie appeared to be setting the stage for The Scargiver to hit the ground running and finally make clear what Snyder was trying to accomplish with his thinly-veiled Luke Skywalker analog. But rather than pushing Rebel Moon’s story forward in a meaningful way, The Scargiver instead retreads ground its predecessor already established.

And while it spends some time gesturing toward the existence of a larger universe brimming with potential for interesting stories, those gestures are clumsy to the point of making it feel like Snyder doesn’t have a solid vision for this franchise beyond its ability to mimic things you’ve seen elsewhere, albeit executed with far more skill. You can almost hear Snyder reminiscing about how blown away he was by The Matrix as a disoriented Noble returns from the dead in The Scargiver with a series of tubes affixed to various parts of his pale body that’s encased in a gooey chrysalis.

Noble isn’t the film’s biggest bad, but The Scargiver frames him as a Darth Vader-like figure as he chokes subordinates to remind them who he is. Back on Veldt, Kora’s relief is quickly dashed as word of Noble’s resurrection spreads, and it becomes clear that the Imperium intends to attack the planet for its defiance. But rather than building on that looming sense of dread, The Scargiver instead doubles down on its Seven Samurai inspiration with a series of sequences designed to emphasize how the people of Veldt are just mere farmers who need Korra and her allies to protect them.

As The Scargiver’s farmers sing solemn hymns while reaping their crops, Snyder seems to be following in the footsteps of the Hunger Games films, where music played an important role in establishing a deeper connection between District 12 and the US’s Appalachian region. But when you actually listen to what the farmers are saying, the biggest takeaway is that they would be helpless to defend themselves against the Imperium because all they know how to do is work land with simple tools. Those details were already readily apparent in the first film, which is part of why Kora spelling them out in The Scargiver feels so silly. At the same time, however, the new film’s story is so thin that it’s hard to imagine Kora having all that much to say to her followers other than warning them that they won’t all survive the coming battle.

Boutella and her co-stars make an admirable go of trying to make these characters feel like they could be compelling in better circumstances. You can see flashes of genuine imagination where the gang comes together to share their histories as if that knowledge might somehow contain a secret that would help them defeat Noble and Balisarius. It doesn’t, but it does briefly shift The Scargiver’s focus away from Veldt to other, more inspired worlds in flashbacks that all feel like snippets ripped from more exciting films gestating in Snyder’s subconscious. But those moments are regrettably brief and ultimately don’t add much context to the story at hand, which drags at a glacial pace because of how much time The Scargiver spends focusing on Kora and the others, basically waiting to be attacked.

Even in its explosive climax as the Imperium descends on Veldt, The Scargiver has an air of undercookedness because it isn’t all that clear how that one singular battle could change things on a larger scale. Dune was able to steer clear of that issue by making Arrakis a uniquely powerful planet by way of its valuable natural resources. But The Scargiver lacks that sort of worldbuilding — the kind that makes you understand why people want things they’re willing to kill for. Instead, the movie closes out on a cliffhanger and a twist that’s only surprising because of how forgettable the character it involves is.

That is far from the ideal note for the second installment in a sci-fi film franchise that, so far, has cost upwards of $166 million to produce. But it’s one that Snyder’s comfortable landing on. Ironically, it wouldn’t be quite as disappointing if Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver was a proper period at the end of a sentence. Snyder has made it clear that he wants to keep cranking these things out, though, and with Netflix having recently signed him to a new overall deal, it seems very possible that he might do just that.

Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver also stars Ray Fisher, Elise Duffy, Anthony Hopkins, Alfonso Herrera, Stuart Martin, Cary Elwes, and Charlotte Maggi. The movie is now streaming on Netflix.

Technology

This Windows gaming handheld has a screen that folds in half

Published

5 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

This Windows gaming handheld has a screen that folds in half

Lenovo put a foldable display on a gaming handheld. The Legion Go Fold Concept is a Windows-based handheld with a flexible POLED display, detachable Joy-Con-like controllers, and a folio case to turn the whole thing into a mini laptop.

You can use it as a standard Steam Deck-esque handheld with the display folded down to 7.7 inches and controllers attached at its sides, or you can unfold it for a bigger experience. When unfolded, the controllers can be repositioned to all four sides, allowing you to play with the screen in vertical or horizontal orientations.

In vertical splitscreen mode, you can put your game on one half of the screen and a second window (like your chat or game guide) on the other half. Horizontal fullscreen mode gives your game the full 11.6 inches of real estate in a 16:10 aspect ratio. To go into laptop mode, you remove the controllers and mount the handheld into a folio case with a stand, built-in keyboard, and trackpad. The controllers can be put into a separate grip mount to unify them as one gamepad.

There are a lot of ways you can use this folding handheld, including turning one of its controllers into a vertical mouse like on other Legion Go handhelds, but there’s one thing it doesn’t do: fold down to close and protect its screen. The Go Fold only folds outwards, so don’t expect a Nintendo DS or GameBoy Advance-like clamshell that closes for portability. Instead, it’s all about getting bigger than your average gaming handheld and offering more. (Though we’ve tried bigger before.)

The Legion Go Fold has some formidable specs: an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Lunar Lake processor, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a 48Whr battery. The plastic-covered OLED has a resolution of 2435 x 1712 and 165Hz refresh rate. And there’s even a second, circular toushscreen on the right controller, under the face buttons. It doubles as a touchpad and can be a support display, allowing you to swipe between extracted UI elements from a game (which I wouldn’t expect to be widely supported), a clock, system monitoring, or an animated GIF (just for fun).

During my brief in-person demo I didn’t get to play any graphically-intense games — just Balatro, which can practically play on a potato. The screen looked plenty sharp, but like any foldable there’s a crease down the middle; it’s very visible, but you learn to look past it and ignore it after just a bit. The build and feel of the whole thing felt a little fragile, and detaching and reattaching the controllers was definitely janky. Build quality will hopefully be improved if this device ever actually makes it to market.

The laptop mode was a pleasant surprise for me though. I did not expect a gaming handheld to double as a conventional computer you could get work done on. The Legion Go Fold’s case took quite a bit of fumbling before I set it up correctly, but it shouldn’t take too long to get used to if you actually lived with it.

Then again, I don’t know if anyone is going to be able to live with this thing — ever. I’d love for the Legion Go Fold to go from concept to real product like other out-there Lenovo ideas, but I shudder to think what it might cost. The Legion Go 2 is already priced well over $1,000. And with the ongoing RAMageddon crisis we’re living through, there’s no telling how much more expensive an actual Legion Go Fold would be if it came out in a year or more.

But even if it’s not the kind of foldable I expected, and even though it may never come out, it’s certainly cool. Now somebody please make a folding PC handheld that goes from kinda-big to really small. I think that’d be the one for me.

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

Technology

Iran networks suffer losses amid airstrikes, showing digital evolution of conflicts

Published

5 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Iran networks suffer losses amid airstrikes, showing digital evolution of conflicts

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

When missiles fly, we expect explosions. We expect smoke, sirens and satellite images. What we do not expect is silence.

On February 28, 2026, as fighter jets and cruise missiles struck Iranian Revolutionary Guard command centers during Operation Roar of the Lion, a parallel assault reportedly unfolded in cyberspace.

Official news sites and key media platforms went offline, government digital services and local apps failed across major cities, and security communications systems reportedly stopped functioning, plunging Iran into a near-total digital blackout.

According to NetBlocks, a global internet monitoring organization that tracks connectivity disruptions, nationwide internet traffic in Iran plunged to just 4 percent of normal levels.

That level of collapse suggests either a deliberate state-ordered shutdown or a large-scale cyberattack designed to paralyze critical infrastructure. Western intelligence sources later indicated the digital offensive aimed to disrupt IRGC command and control systems and limit coordination of counterattacks.

For the United States and its allies, the episode offers a stark reminder that modern conflict now blends airstrikes with digital warfare in ways that can ripple far beyond the battlefield.

In a matter of hours, modern conflict looked less like tanks and more like a blinking cursor.

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Iran’s national symbols stand in contrast to reports of a sweeping digital blackout that reportedly disrupted communications and critical systems across the country. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Iran internet shutdown: A country offline in real time

Reports described widespread outages across Iran. Official news sites stopped functioning. IRNA, Iran’s state-run news agency, went offline.

Tasnim, a semi-official news outlet closely aligned with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reportedly displayed subversive messages targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

THINK YOUR NEW YEAR’S PRIVACY RESET WORKED? THINK AGAIN

The IRGC, Iran’s powerful military and intelligence force, plays a central role in national security and regional operations. At the same time, local apps and government digital services failed in cities like Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz.

This was not one website defaced for headlines. It appeared systemic. Electronic warfare reportedly disrupted navigation and communications systems.

Distributed denial of service attacks, often called DDoS attacks, flooded networks with traffic to overwhelm and disable them.

Deep intrusions targeted energy and aviation systems. Even Iran’s isolated national internet struggled under pressure.

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For a regime that tightly controls information, losing digital command creates both operational and political risk.

Why cyber warfare matters in the Iran conflict

Cyber operations offer something missiles cannot. They disrupt without always killing. They send a signal without immediately triggering full-scale war. That matters in a region where escalation can spiral fast.

History shows Iran understands this logic. Between 2012 and 2014, Iranian actors targeted U.S. financial institutions in Operation Ababil. Saudi Aramco also suffered a major cyberattack.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HELPS FUEL NEW ENERGY SOURCES

After Israeli strikes in 2025, cyberattacks targeting Israel surged dramatically within days.

Cyber retaliation lets leaders respond while limiting direct military confrontation. It buys leverage in negotiations. It creates pressure without necessarily crossing a red line.

But there is a catch. Every cyber strike risks miscalculation. And digital damage can spill into the real world fast if critical infrastructure is hit.

As military strikes targeted IRGC command centers, internet traffic inside Iran reportedly plunged to just 4 percent of normal levels. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

If the blackout and strikes mark a turning point, Tehran has options. None are simple.

1) Cyberattacks against U.S. or allied infrastructure

Cyber retaliation remains one of Iran’s most flexible tools. It can range from disruptive attacks and influence campaigns to more targeted intrusions that pressure critical services. Recent expert commentary warns that U.S. cyber defenses and the private sector could face sustained testing.

2) Targeting U.S. drones and unmanned systems

Iran has used drones and electronic interference as signals before. Analysts continue to flag jamming, spoofing and harassment of unmanned systems as a way to raise costs without immediately striking large numbers of personnel.

3) Maritime attacks in the Strait of Hormuz

This risk is rising fast. An EU naval mission official reportedly said IRGC radio transmissions warned ships that passage through Hormuz was “not allowed”. Greece has also urged ships to avoid high-risk routes and warned about electronic interference that can disrupt navigation. Insurers are already repricing the danger, with reports of war-risk policies being canceled or sharply increased.

4) Support for allied or informal armed groups

Iran has long worked with allied forces and militias in the region, and some of those groups could step up attacks on U.S. interests or allied partners in retaliation, widening the clash without direct state-to-state engagement.

5) Limited ballistic missile strikes

Missile strikes remain a high-impact option, but they raise the odds of rapid escalation. Recent expert analysis continues to frame them as a tool Iran may use for signaling, especially if leadership feels cornered.

Tehran’s skyline, including the Azadi Tower, became the backdrop to a crisis shaped as much by cyber disruption as by missiles in the sky. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The escalation risk between the U.S. and Iran

Here is the uncomfortable truth. Neither Washington nor Tehran likely wants a full-scale regional war. In moments like this, military strikes rarely stand alone.

They often move alongside diplomacy. Leaders send signals. They apply pressure. At the same time, they try to leave room for talks.

But escalation has momentum. Each missile changes the equation. Each casualty raises the stakes. The more damage done, the harder it becomes to step back.

5 SIMPLE TECH TIPS TO IMPROVE DIGITAL PRIVACY

Fear plays a role. So does pride. Domestic audiences demand strength. Leaders feel pressure to respond in kind. That is how limited strikes can spiral into something much larger.

What the Iran cyberattack blackout means for global cybersecurity

This episode highlights something bigger than regional tension. Nation-states now pair kinetic strikes with digital offensives.

Cyberattacks can blind communications, freeze infrastructure and disrupt financial systems before the world even processes the first explosion.

TRUMP TELLS IRANIANS THE ‘HOUR OF YOUR FREEDOM IS AT HAND’ AS US-ISRAEL LAUNCH STRIKES AGAINST IRAN

For businesses and individuals, that reality matters. Modern conflict no longer stays confined to battlefields.

Supply chains, energy grids and online platforms can feel the ripple effects. The blackout in Iran serves as a reminder that digital resilience is now a national security issue.

How to stay safe during rising cyber tensions

When a country’s internet can plunge to just 4 percent of normal traffic in hours, it is a reminder that cyber conflict can escalate quickly.

Even if the disruption happens overseas, global networks are interconnected. Financial systems, supply chains and online platforms can feel the ripple effects.

You cannot control geopolitics. You can control your digital hygiene. Here are practical steps to reduce your personal risk during periods of heightened cyber activity:

Install strong antivirus software to guard against state-linked phishing and malware campaigns that often spike during geopolitical conflicts.

Nation-state actors frequently exploit breaking news and global instability to spread malicious links and ransomware. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

Keep devices updated so security patches close vulnerabilities that attackers often exploit during global cyber spikes.

WORLD LEADERS SPLIT OVER MILITARY ACTION AS US-ISRAEL STRIKE IRAN IN COORDINATED OPERATION

Use strong, unique passwords stored in a reputable password manager to protect your accounts if cyber retaliation campaigns expand beyond government targets. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on financial, email and social accounts to safeguard access in case stolen credentials circulate during heightened cyber conflict.

Be cautious with urgent headlines or alerts about international conflict, since attackers frequently mimic breaking news.

Monitor financial accounts for unusual activity in case broader disruptions spill into banking systems.

When tensions rise, phishing campaigns often rise with them. Threat actors exploit fear and confusion. Staying disciplined with basic security habits makes you a harder target if malicious traffic increases.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

The reported cyber blackout inside Iran may signal a new chapter in modern conflict. Jets and missiles still matter. But so do servers, satellites and code. Leaders may try to contain the damage while showing strength.

Still, history shows how quickly careful plans can unravel once pressure builds. War today runs on electricity and bandwidth as much as fuel and ammunition.

When networks go dark, the impact does not stay on a battlefield. It spills into banking systems, airports, hospitals and the phones in our pockets. That is what makes this moment different.

If an entire nation’s digital systems can be disrupted in hours, how prepared is your community if something similar ever hits closer to home? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Soundcore new Space 2 promise improved ANC and sound

Published

17 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Soundcore new Space 2 promise improved ANC and sound

We finally have an update to the Soundcore Space One that launched two and a half years ago. At MWC 2026, Soundcore has announced the Space 2, which will be available in the US on April 21st in three colors — linen white, jet black, and seafoam green — for $129.99. That’s $30 more than the Space One’s original price.

According to Soundcore, the Space 2 have had a full-band noise cancellation upgrade with the focus of those improvements on the low-frequency sounds we all generally use ANC headphones to block — things like airplane, train, and bus engine sounds while traveling. The Space 2 use the same number of microphones as the Space One for noise canceling, instead relying on optimized mic placement and structure and materials improvements for the boost in performance.

Redesigned 40mm drivers incorporate dual layers in their design. There’s a silk diaphragm with metal ceramic that supposedly results in faster transient response — the driver’s ability to respond to sudden sound quickly and accurately — with better balanced sound reproduction. The Space One had great sound performance for the price, but I’m all for any improvement to sound performance accuracy. Like the Space One, the Space 2 will support LDAC high-res audio.

The headphones connect wirelessly over Bluetooth 6.1, although they do not support Auracast transmissions — an unfortunate exclusion. There’s also a 3.5mm jack for a wired connection.

Battery life has been increased to up to 50 hours with ANC and 70 hours with ANC off. This is up from 40 hours with ANC and 55 hours without ANC with the Space One headphones. With a five-minute charge the Space 2 get an additional four hours of listening.

The Space 2 will include many of the features found on the Space One. You can use HearID 3.0 to go through a series of sound samples to tune the headphones’ sound to your preferences. It worked well for me on the Space One to get them closer to a sound I liked, with a bit of the edge taken off the higher frequencies. There’s also a sensor that detects when you remove the headphones and stops playback so you don’t miss any of your music or podcast. They once again come with a cloth bag that matches the color of the headphones instead of a case, which is one change I wish Soundcore had made, as the cloth bag doesn’t offer as much protection if you tend to throw your headphones into your backpack or bag.

The Soundcore Space One were among the best budget ANC headphones when they came out, and still hold up to more recent releases. But with the bump in price to over $100 for the Space 2, there’s a bit more expectation on them. ANC performance continues to improve — and products get cheaper — across manufacturers, so the Soundcore Space 2 has some competition from companies like Sony, EarFun, and JLab. If the ANC on the Space 2 stands up to current budget headphones and they still sound as good and are as comfortable as the Space One, you can expect to see the new Soundcore Space 2 on many recommendation lists.