You didn't think Disney+ would only offer Marvel's Netflix shows in Canada, did you? Sure enough, Disney+ has confirmed it will carry Daredevil, Jessica Jones and other former Netflix exclusives in the US starting March 16th. Agents of SHIELD will be available, too. As you might imagine, though, Disney isn't about to release that decidedly darker content without a heads-up to parents used to more family-friendly material — it's going to make everyone reconsider their content settings.

The first time you use Disney+ from March 16th onward, you'll be asked to update your parental controls. You'll have the option of setting per-profile content rating levels, PIN codes for more mature accounts and "Kid-Proof Exit" questions for child profiles. You'll remain at the usual TV-14 rating if you stick with the existing settings. The service has used strategies like this in places like Africa, Europe and the Middle East, but is now expanding that approach to the US.

Disney wasn't shy about the reasons for bringing the Netflix shows to Disney+ instead of Hulu, where mature shows are more expected. It "made the most logical sense" to serve Marvel fans by streaming more content in one place and reach a "broader audience," the company said. The parental controls will help Disney+ preserve both its trust and its reputation.

The Marvel productions were slated to leave Netflix as of today (March 1st). Disney telegraphed its attention for years, warning as early as 2017 that it would drop Netflix in favor of its own services. Netflix cancelled all of its Marvel shows by 2019, and Disney has given former Netflix characters limited roles in Hawkeye and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The US additions reflect the careful balance Disney+ has tried to strike since launch. While it's eager to maintain the stereotypically clean Disney image, it's also determined to attract subscribers drawn to content that doesn't quite fit that mold, whether it's Star's wider selection in some countries or exceptions like Hamilton. This latest expansion appears to continue the strategy — Disney+ isn't about to sacrifice viewers to avoid an inconsistency between the Netflix productions and its 'safer' Marvel fare.

This might be a good moment to start building your next desktop PC. Amazon is selling some of AMD's best Ryzen 5000 series processors at new all-time low prices. The six-core Ryzen 5 5600X is the best value of the bunch, selling for $260 (16 percent off) in the US and £215 in the UK. If you prize performance above all else, the 16-core Ryzen 5950X has been discounted to $599 ($200 off) in the US and £549 for UK buyers.

The Ryzen 5000 line isn't quite as dominant as it once was now that Intel's 12th-gen Core chips have made some much-needed strides forward. At these prices, though, they'll arguably deliver more for the money. The 5600X is a good all-rounder for general productivity and middle-of-the-road gaming. The 5950X, meanwhile, remains one of the best CPUs you can buy for multi-core tasks short of far pricier chips like AMD's Threadripper models or Intel's Xeons.

The timing is right, too. The Zen 4-based Ryzen 7000 series (AMD is skipping 6000 on desktops) isn't shipping until late 2022. You can buy the 5000 series now knowing that it will remain AMD's best offering for several months and remain very competitive throughout the year.

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To say the pandemic threw off my exercise routine would be an understatement. I was a gym regular who thrived on treadmills and weight machines, and I suddenly had to improvise with pushups and runs. I struggled to maintain a routine, and for a while gave up entirely. How was I going to stay fit at a time when merely ordering dumbbells was a challenge? Late last year, though, I resolved to get back into shape and bought a $599 Echelon Connect Sport exercise bike to use in tandem with an $80-per-year Apple Fitness+ membership. I haven’t regretted it.

The math behind my decision was simple: I wanted a quality bike that wouldn’t tie me to one service or empty my bank account in record fashion. That quickly ruled out Peloton, whose Bike ($1,495 as I write this) and full subscription ($39 per month) were overkill for someone who mainly wanted to shake off some cobwebs. The Connect Sport was appealing precisely because it didn’t chain me to anything; I could put my phone on the built-in stand and use a lower-priced service like Fitness+ to guide my workouts. I was poised to save hundreds of dollars per year, even if I had to buy the virtually mandatory Apple Watch. (I already own a Series 5.) An iPhone is also required, of course.

Yes, the Connect Sport amounts to a Peloton Bike doppelgänger without the screen, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Echelon’s machine feels solidly built, and it’s stable even in the midst of an intense workout. The flywheel-based mechanism is also remarkably quiet. Apart from a clacking sound that disappeared after the first three weeks, the loudest noise I’ve heard was my own breathing. The handlebars and seating are highly adjustable, and the pedals use cages to keep your feet in place (thus letting you use ordinary shoes) instead of clips. This is a bike that’s easy to live with, letting me concentrate on the task at hand rather than my equipment.

Jon Fingas/Engadget

The quirks mostly stem from the inherent nature of full-size spin bikes like this. The Connect Sport isn’t as compact as some alternatives, particularly folding models like Echelon’s own Flex Ultra. At 92 pounds, it’s also too heavy to casually move between rooms. And while you don’t need electricity unless you intend to use the built-in Bluetooth telemetry, the included power cord isn’t lengthy. I wouldn’t choose this bike if I was a space-conscious apartment dweller.

I’m happy with its Apple Fitness+ performance, though. To start a cycling workout, I just need to put my iPhone on the stand, launch the Fitness app and go. The exercise data I care about (heart rate, calories burned, duration) comes from the Apple Watch, so I don’t even need the Connect Sport’s Bluetooth functionality. I would only want to plug the bike into power if I craved the Echelon Fit app’s cadence and resistance info, which aren’t necessary with Apple’s service. Just be prepared to buy a tablet if you plan to use Echelon’s app (in its open-ended “free ride” mode) and Fitness+ at the same time, as you can’t juggle both on one screen.

Fitness+ works about as well as it did when Engadget tried it on launch, but that’s plenty for someone getting back into shape on the Connect Sport. Apple’s cycling coaches are friendly, helpful and accommodate a wide range of ability levels. Instead of demanding precise cadence and resistance ranges like you might see with some services, they frequently ask you to match a song’s beat or tweak the resistance to feel enough leg strain. That may be too fuzzy if you’re eager for consistent numbers, but for me it’s perfect: I’m measuring progress in terms of how well I can sustain an all-out push, not how closely I mimic someone else’s settings. The bike’s resistance knob is easy to adjust, so it’s trivial to ramp up the difficulty if a ride is too much of a cakewalk.

Jon Fingas/Engadget

I’ve found Apple’s cycling workouts challenging enough as someone relatively new to spin bikes while still well-acquainted with structured exercise. For one, there’s a healthy variety of classes now that Fitness+ has been available for over a year. Many of them rely on a familiar hill climb metaphor that alternates between intense pushes and easy recoveries, but I’ve sometimes encountered welcome twists, like rides that get progressively harder without significant breaks. While these classes likely wouldn’t push a pro athlete or dedicated amateur to their limits, they’ve gracefully scaled with me as my abilities improved.

More importantly, the sessions are engaging. I find myself picking workouts based on well-chosen music with some surprisingly deep cuts. Ever rally to nostalgia-inducing late ‘90s dance tracks, or a coach’s favorite heavy metal band? I have. And while the inspirational talk is borderline cliché, the personalities often shine through and help me look forward to classes from my favorite instructors. I just wish there were more episodes suiting my exact music tastes. It’s no fun to “settle” for a rock workout when I really hoped for dance, no matter how thrash-worthy that rock might be.

Jon Fingas/Engadget

As a result, the combination of a Connect Sport with Fitness+ works very well for me. Exercise is a pleasure I look forward to, and I’ve seen tangible improvements to my leg power and even my posture. I wouldn’t recommend the pairing to everyone, though. As you might have guessed, Fitness+ is a no-go if you’re either an Android user or seriously considering a switch. You’re thoroughly locked into Apple’s ecosystem if you sign up between the iPhone, Apple Watch and subscription. I would also pass if I were a pro or serious amateur racer — you just won’t get the detailed stats needed for targeted improvements. Spring for a dedicated sports watch and a more demanding membership instead.

If you do live in Apple’s universe and aren’t competing for glory, though, this duo is easy to recommend. It’s an affordable, effective way to cram some cycling into a packed schedule. Moreover, Echelon’s bring-your-own-device strategy offers a convenient escape hatch if you ever want to ditch a service without replacing your bike or rigging an ad hoc solution. For me, the results speak for themselves: I’m in the best shape I’ve been for two years, and I can’t ask for much better than that.

Many of Amazon's attempts at fighting climate change have revolved around policy promises and investments, but now it's focusing more on the goods it sells. The company has launched an Aware product line devoted to eco-friendly items like bedding, clothing, home essentials and skincare. In every case, they're made with "bio-based ingredients," recycled materials and other more sustainable elements.

All Aware products have received at least some form of independent environmental certification. Skincare products are certified as free of "chemicals of concern," for instance. Bed and bath products, meanwhile, are verified as made in "socially responsible working conditions" on top of their reduced ecological footprint.

Amazon has long been accused of contributing to waste through its dominance of online shopping. In 2018, it accounted for 5 billion out of 165 billion packages shipped in the US — that's a lot of cardboard, foam and other packing materials. The company has taken steps to minimize its impact, such as insisting on efficient packaging and developing reusable boxes you can turn into cat condos, but many of its own-brand products haven't been designed with the environment as a top priority.

Green products like the Aware range might be necessary, though. Amazon has made much ado about its Climate Pledge target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. While the company can reduce the impact of its facilities, packaging and transportation, it might have a harder time reaching that goal if its catalog doesn't make a similar pro-climate shift.

Netflix isn't bowing to Russian pressure to carry state-owned TV channels. The streaming service confirmed to Variety that it wouldn't carry the 20 free state channels required under a Russian law, including Channel One, NTV and Spa. The company has "no plans" to offer the programming in light of the "current situation," a spokesperson said — that is, it's not about to support Russian state media while the country invades Ukraine.

The law, known in the country as the Vitrina TV law, requires audiovisual services with more than 100,000 subscribers to carry the channels. National regulator Roskomnadzor labeled Netflix as one of those services in December. The measure has yet to be enforced, but there have been concerns Netflix would soon have to comply.

We've asked Netflix what it might do if the law takes effect. It might not be afraid to withdraw from Russia, however. Netflix only localized its service roughly a year ago, and it doesn't have employees in the country. It only started work on its first Russian original (an adaptation of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina) in May 2021, and a source for The Wall Street Journalclaims Netflix has fewer than 1 million Russian subscribers. This may be more of a symbolic move than a major sacrifice.

Nonetheless, it adds to a growing technology industry backlash to Russian state media. Companies like Meta, Microsoft and Google have heavily restricted Russian outlets like RT and Sputnik due to a European Union ban and general policies against disinformation. Western tech firms aren't willing to spread Russia's official message after the invasion of Ukraine, and they're increasingly unafraid of retaliation from Russian President Vladimir Putin's administration.

Microsoft is joining Facebook, YouTube and others in limiting the reach of Russian state media following the invasion of Ukraine. The company is responding to the European Union's ban on RT and Sputnik by pulling those outlets from its platforms. Microsoft Start (including MSN) won't display state-sponsored RT and Sputnik content, while all ads from either publication are banned across Microsoft's ad network. The software giant is also pulling RT's news apps from the Windows app store.

Bing will still display RT and Sputnik links. However, Microsoft is "further de-ranking" their search results to make sure the links only appear when someone clearly intends to visit those sites.

The crackdown comes alongside an update on Microsoft's cybersecurity monitoring in Ukraine. The company noted that its Threat Intelligence Center spotted a wave of "offensive and destructive" cyberattacks targeting Ukranian online infrastructure just hours before Russia began its invasion on February 24th. The digital assault included new malware, nicknamed FoxBlade, and was "precisely targeted" like previous attacks. Microsoft said its Defender anti-malware tools was updated to counter FoxBlade within three hours of the discovery, and that it was advising the Ukranian government on this and other defense initiatives.

The bans on RT and Sputnik aren't surprising even without the EU's measures in place. Microsoft has fought disinformation campaigns for years, and it stressed that these attempts to manipulate the public are "commonplace" during wars when state propaganda ramps up. Simply speaking, Microsoft sees this as necessary to both present an objective view of the invasion and to avoid funding misinformation efforts.

Etsy is joining the ranks of tech companies offering support to Ukraine following the Russian invasion. The craft-oriented marketplace is writing off all outstanding fees for Ukraine-based sellers. The move is worth about $4 million and is meant to offset "tremendous financial hardship" for creators affected by the conflict.

The gesture comes amid a flurry of help for Ukraine. Airbnb has offered free housing for up to 100,000 Ukranian refugees. Elon Musk's companies, meanwhile, have offered free EV charging and Starlink terminals. That's not including initiatives to protect residents and limit misinformation.

Etsy's fee waiver isn't large compared to some of these relief efforts. It's not compensating sellers for lost business or waiving future fees, for instance. Still, this could be welcome for Ukranians who had to deal with outstanding Etsy bills on top of Russia's military campaign.

LG is once again updating its CineBeam 4K projectors, and the upgrades are good news if you tend to watch during the day. Both the HU715Q Ultra Short Throw laser projector (above) and the HU710P laser-LED hybrid promise better daytime viewing through key upgrades. The HU715Q touts auto brightness, while the HU710P's move to a wheel-free hybrid offers brighter overall pictures than its predecessor. The two also provide high 2,000,000:1 contrast ratios to provide more details in bright and dark video scenes

The HU710P peaks at 2,000 lumens of brightness and is built for back-of-the-room projection at distances between 9.5 feet and 15 feet. It offers the most flexibility for image sizes, though, ranging between 40 inches to 300 inches. The HU715Q is limited to images 80 inches to 120 inches in size, but it can produce a 100-inch picture from just 8.5 inches away and delivers a brighter 2,500-lumen output (if slightly dimmer than the HU810P). It's also your pick if you can't justify external speakers, as it packs a 40W stereo setup and Bluetooth-enabled surround versus the 10W of the HU710P.

Both CineBeam 4K projectors include three HDMI ports (including eARC), two USB 2.0 ports and support for AirPlay 2, HomeKit and screen sharing. Their lamps are good for 20,000 hours of use.

LG is already shipping the two CineBeam projectors, starting at $2,499 for the HU710P and $2,999 for the HU715Q. Those aren't trivial prices, but their brightness upgrades might make them easier to justify as replacements for some premium large-screen TVs.

Russia is cutting some of its cooperation with international space programs in response to sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine. Roscosmos is "suspending" cooperation with European partners on launches from the Guiana Space Center in retaliation for EU sanctions. As Ars Technicaexplains, the Russian agency also announced that it's pulling staff from the French Guiana-based spaceport.

At the same time, Parabolic Arcnotes Russia is ending NASA's participation in the Venera-D mission to Venus, deeming it "inappropriate" to continue joint work in light of sanctions. Venera-D is meant to revive Russian exploration of Venus by sending an orbiter and lander to the hellish planet in 2029. It's not yet clear how the lack of US involvement will affect the project, although Russia claimed in 2020 that its mission wouldn't have "extensive involvement" from other countries.

EU space commissioner Thierry Breton said in a February 26th statement that Russia's decision on the spaceport wouldn't affect service for the Copernicus and Galileo satellite networks. However, this could complicate future launches for either project. Europe's remaining Ariane 5 rockets are already booked, and Ariane 6 won't be ready until 2023 or later. The EU likely won't have access to Russian Soyuz rockets if it needs a launch on short notice, and might have to turn to companies like SpaceX instead.

Russia hasn't severed all its partnerships. It's still involved in the International Space Station for now, although it might leave to establish its own facility. Even so, it's now clear the country is willing to limit scientific efforts in space to punish its political opponents.

Ukraine isn't just relying on foreign government aid to finance its defense against the Russian invasion. According to Reuters, Elliptic reports the Ukranian government has raised over $13 million ($13.6 million as of this writing) in cryptocurrency from more than 18,000 contributors after it launched a crowdfunding effort on February 26th to bolster its fight. The country has raised a total of $20.9 million since the invasion began, but got its biggest lift when it published wallet addresses for Bitcoin, Ethereum and Tether on Saturday.

The nation's digital transformation ministry told Reuters it would use the crypto to "destroy as much [sic] Russian soldiers as possible." Unofficial efforts like Come Back Alive and Support Ukranian Sovereignty have also raised cryptocurrency to support the Ukraine military and local charities.

The actions come as cryptocurrency exchanges have partially clamped down on Russia. Finbold and Reuters note Binance has already restricted crypto accounts affected by sanctions against Russia, while Kraken is warning Russians their accounts might be frozen if there's a "legal requirement" to do so. Both exchanges have ruled out blanket bans for all Russian users despite Ukranian Vice Prime Minister Mykhalio Fedorov calling on major exchanges to "sabotage ordinary users" in addition to addresses linked to Russian and Belarusian politicians.

The cryptocurrency donations are tiny compared to the conventional aid Ukraine has received so far. The US government alone contributed $350 million in military support this past weekend. The amount is still significant, though, and it's a novel concept — a country is directly requesting crypto to fuel its military and defend its existence.