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Rian Johnson Aimed to Make the ‘Empire Strikes Back’ of the ‘Star Wars’ Sequels

Rian Johnson Aimed to Make the ‘Empire Strikes Back’ of the ‘Star Wars’ Sequels

When talking about his time in Star Wars, Rian Johnson often says that he’d like to return to that world one day, at least once he stops making murder-mystery movies and TV shows. But while fans continue to hope he’ll make that once-planned trilogy one day, others can’t quite get past the seeming disappointments contained in his franchise entry, The Last Jedi. In a new interview, Johnson recalls what he was told when he came aboard the Lucasfilm project.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Johnson addressed the notion that he and J.J. Abrams—who made the first and third films in the sequel trilogy, The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker—didn’t communicate enough about their 2015 and 2017 Star Wars films, leading to a disjointed feeling between the two.

That’s not the case, Johnson said. “We met and I spent days with him and was able to get into his head and all the choices he had made. That having been said, I communicated and I went and made the movie. And he was in the middle of Force Awakens. Ultimately, I feel like the choices in it, none of them were born out of an intent to ‘undo’ anything. They were all [born] out of the opposite intent of, how do I take this story that J.J. wrote, that I really loved, and these characters he created that I really loved, and take them to the next step?”

An authority stepped in for some guidance at this point, Johnson said. “Kathy [Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm] said, ‘We’re looking at someone to do the Empire [Strikes Back] of this series.’ I took that assignment very seriously. Maybe more seriously than someone would have liked. I guess to me that didn’t mean making something that just had nods to Empire—that meant trying to genuinely do what Empire did.”

Whether or not Johnson’s interpretation of Empire pleased fans (some people don’t mind The Last Jedi!), it’s clear that coming into the franchise to make the middle film in the series was no easy task. That became even tougher when Johnson tried to put his own stamp on the story so far—including, as Rolling Stone uses as an example, doing away with Snoke, the big bad set up with much fanfare in The Force Awakens. Turns out Johnson just thought Kylo Ren was a “more compelling and complicated villain.”

“To me, I didn’t easily dispense with Snoke. I took great pains to use him in the most dramatically impactful way I could, which was to then take Kylo’s character to the next level and set him up as well as I possibly could. I guess it all comes down to your point of view.”

And really, what would Star Wars be without heated fan debates over the choices made, on-screen and off?

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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#Rian #Johnson #Aimed #Empire #Strikes #Star #Wars #Sequels


Open-style wireless earbuds are all the rage these days, but not all the major brands are on board yet. Samsung, for example, still has its semi-open-ear Galaxy Buds 4, but nothing quite as open as the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds or Nothing’s Ear Open. I should say Samsung doesn’t have anything fully open yet.

According to a leak from SammyGuru, Samsung is working on a new pair of Galaxy Buds called the Galaxy Buds Able, and it looks like that unreleased pair might opt for an open-style clip design if illustrations found in recent One UI firmware are anything to go by.

In addition to the open-style design, SammyGuru is also reporting that the Galaxy Buds Able will use bone conduction, which is suited for delivering sound without needing to plug up your ears with silicone ear tips. Another benefit of bone conduction is that it’s not prone to sound leakage, which is often a downside of most pairs of open wireless earbuds. Bone conduction is also often used in more fitness-focused wireless earbuds, so there’s a chance the Galaxy Buds Able might lean into running and other exercise applications.

While clip-style open wireless earbuds aren’t novel—Sony, SoundPeats, and JBL all have their own pairs now—it’d be a departure for Samsung and a big indicator that open wireless earbuds are having a huge moment right now. If the leaks pan out, one of the things I’m most interested to see is whether Samsung endeavors to provide any kind of noise reduction. Though full-on active noise cancellation (ANC) isn’t possible without ear tips, brands like Shokz have managed to provide a surprisingly effective level of noise reduction that scratches a similar itch. Shokz’s OpenFit Pro, for example, are its only pair with noise reduction, but they do have a bulkier design. They’re not exactly clip-style; instead, they loop around the back of your ears with a sound module that nestles into the outer ear.

Since the Galaxy Buds Able aren’t official yet, there’s no word on price or release date, but there’s a chance they could end up being unveiled this summer at Samsung’s next Unpacked event.

#Samsungs #Pair #Galaxy #Buds #Huge #Departureaudio,Galaxy Buds Pro,wireless earbuds">Samsung’s Next Pair of Galaxy Buds Look Like a Huge Departure
                Open-style wireless earbuds are all the rage these days, but not all the major brands are on board yet. Samsung, for example, still has its semi-open-ear Galaxy Buds 4, but nothing quite as open as the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds or Nothing’s Ear Open. I should say Samsung doesn’t have anything fully open yet.

 According to a leak from SammyGuru, Samsung is working on a new pair of Galaxy Buds called the Galaxy Buds Able, and it looks like that unreleased pair might opt for an open-style clip design if illustrations found in recent One UI firmware are anything to go by. In addition to the open-style design, SammyGuru is also reporting that the Galaxy Buds Able will use bone conduction, which is suited for delivering sound without needing to plug up your ears with silicone ear tips. Another benefit of bone conduction is that it’s not prone to sound leakage, which is often a downside of most pairs of open wireless earbuds. Bone conduction is also often used in more fitness-focused wireless earbuds, so there’s a chance the Galaxy Buds Able might lean into running and other exercise applications.  Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Buds Able, spotted in One UI firmware, feature a unique clip-on bone conduction design that keeps your ears open while delivering sound in a whole new way.   Would you trade premium sound quality for more awareness and comfort in your daily listening?… — SammyGuru (@sammygurus) April 20, 2026  While clip-style open wireless earbuds aren’t novel—Sony, SoundPeats, and JBL all have their own pairs now—it’d be a departure for Samsung and a big indicator that open wireless earbuds are having a huge moment right now. If the leaks pan out, one of the things I’m most interested to see is whether Samsung endeavors to provide any kind of noise reduction. Though full-on active noise cancellation (ANC) isn’t possible without ear tips, brands like Shokz have managed to provide a surprisingly effective level of noise reduction that scratches a similar itch. Shokz’s OpenFit Pro, for example, are its only pair with noise reduction, but they do have a bulkier design. They’re not exactly clip-style; instead, they loop around the back of your ears with a sound module that nestles into the outer ear.

 Since the Galaxy Buds Able aren’t official yet, there’s no word on price or release date, but there’s a chance they could end up being unveiled this summer at Samsung’s next Unpacked event.      #Samsungs #Pair #Galaxy #Buds #Huge #Departureaudio,Galaxy Buds Pro,wireless earbuds

semi-open-ear Galaxy Buds 4, but nothing quite as open as the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds or Nothing’s Ear Open. I should say Samsung doesn’t have anything fully open yet.

According to a leak from SammyGuru, Samsung is working on a new pair of Galaxy Buds called the Galaxy Buds Able, and it looks like that unreleased pair might opt for an open-style clip design if illustrations found in recent One UI firmware are anything to go by.

In addition to the open-style design, SammyGuru is also reporting that the Galaxy Buds Able will use bone conduction, which is suited for delivering sound without needing to plug up your ears with silicone ear tips. Another benefit of bone conduction is that it’s not prone to sound leakage, which is often a downside of most pairs of open wireless earbuds. Bone conduction is also often used in more fitness-focused wireless earbuds, so there’s a chance the Galaxy Buds Able might lean into running and other exercise applications.

While clip-style open wireless earbuds aren’t novel—Sony, SoundPeats, and JBL all have their own pairs now—it’d be a departure for Samsung and a big indicator that open wireless earbuds are having a huge moment right now. If the leaks pan out, one of the things I’m most interested to see is whether Samsung endeavors to provide any kind of noise reduction. Though full-on active noise cancellation (ANC) isn’t possible without ear tips, brands like Shokz have managed to provide a surprisingly effective level of noise reduction that scratches a similar itch. Shokz’s OpenFit Pro, for example, are its only pair with noise reduction, but they do have a bulkier design. They’re not exactly clip-style; instead, they loop around the back of your ears with a sound module that nestles into the outer ear.

Since the Galaxy Buds Able aren’t official yet, there’s no word on price or release date, but there’s a chance they could end up being unveiled this summer at Samsung’s next Unpacked event.

#Samsungs #Pair #Galaxy #Buds #Huge #Departureaudio,Galaxy Buds Pro,wireless earbuds">Samsung’s Next Pair of Galaxy Buds Look Like a Huge DepartureSamsung’s Next Pair of Galaxy Buds Look Like a Huge Departure
                Open-style wireless earbuds are all the rage these days, but not all the major brands are on board yet. Samsung, for example, still has its semi-open-ear Galaxy Buds 4, but nothing quite as open as the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds or Nothing’s Ear Open. I should say Samsung doesn’t have anything fully open yet.

 According to a leak from SammyGuru, Samsung is working on a new pair of Galaxy Buds called the Galaxy Buds Able, and it looks like that unreleased pair might opt for an open-style clip design if illustrations found in recent One UI firmware are anything to go by. In addition to the open-style design, SammyGuru is also reporting that the Galaxy Buds Able will use bone conduction, which is suited for delivering sound without needing to plug up your ears with silicone ear tips. Another benefit of bone conduction is that it’s not prone to sound leakage, which is often a downside of most pairs of open wireless earbuds. Bone conduction is also often used in more fitness-focused wireless earbuds, so there’s a chance the Galaxy Buds Able might lean into running and other exercise applications.  Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Buds Able, spotted in One UI firmware, feature a unique clip-on bone conduction design that keeps your ears open while delivering sound in a whole new way.   Would you trade premium sound quality for more awareness and comfort in your daily listening?… — SammyGuru (@sammygurus) April 20, 2026  While clip-style open wireless earbuds aren’t novel—Sony, SoundPeats, and JBL all have their own pairs now—it’d be a departure for Samsung and a big indicator that open wireless earbuds are having a huge moment right now. If the leaks pan out, one of the things I’m most interested to see is whether Samsung endeavors to provide any kind of noise reduction. Though full-on active noise cancellation (ANC) isn’t possible without ear tips, brands like Shokz have managed to provide a surprisingly effective level of noise reduction that scratches a similar itch. Shokz’s OpenFit Pro, for example, are its only pair with noise reduction, but they do have a bulkier design. They’re not exactly clip-style; instead, they loop around the back of your ears with a sound module that nestles into the outer ear.

 Since the Galaxy Buds Able aren’t official yet, there’s no word on price or release date, but there’s a chance they could end up being unveiled this summer at Samsung’s next Unpacked event.      #Samsungs #Pair #Galaxy #Buds #Huge #Departureaudio,Galaxy Buds Pro,wireless earbuds

Open-style wireless earbuds are all the rage these days, but not all the major brands are on board yet. Samsung, for example, still has its semi-open-ear Galaxy Buds 4, but nothing quite as open as the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds or Nothing’s Ear Open. I should say Samsung doesn’t have anything fully open yet.

According to a leak from SammyGuru, Samsung is working on a new pair of Galaxy Buds called the Galaxy Buds Able, and it looks like that unreleased pair might opt for an open-style clip design if illustrations found in recent One UI firmware are anything to go by.

In addition to the open-style design, SammyGuru is also reporting that the Galaxy Buds Able will use bone conduction, which is suited for delivering sound without needing to plug up your ears with silicone ear tips. Another benefit of bone conduction is that it’s not prone to sound leakage, which is often a downside of most pairs of open wireless earbuds. Bone conduction is also often used in more fitness-focused wireless earbuds, so there’s a chance the Galaxy Buds Able might lean into running and other exercise applications.

While clip-style open wireless earbuds aren’t novel—Sony, SoundPeats, and JBL all have their own pairs now—it’d be a departure for Samsung and a big indicator that open wireless earbuds are having a huge moment right now. If the leaks pan out, one of the things I’m most interested to see is whether Samsung endeavors to provide any kind of noise reduction. Though full-on active noise cancellation (ANC) isn’t possible without ear tips, brands like Shokz have managed to provide a surprisingly effective level of noise reduction that scratches a similar itch. Shokz’s OpenFit Pro, for example, are its only pair with noise reduction, but they do have a bulkier design. They’re not exactly clip-style; instead, they loop around the back of your ears with a sound module that nestles into the outer ear.

Since the Galaxy Buds Able aren’t official yet, there’s no word on price or release date, but there’s a chance they could end up being unveiled this summer at Samsung’s next Unpacked event.

#Samsungs #Pair #Galaxy #Buds #Huge #Departureaudio,Galaxy Buds Pro,wireless earbuds

I was delighted to see that the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 didn’t skimp on a crappy touchpad. That goes a long way toward improving the experiencing of actually using the laptop on a moment-by-moment basis. I wasn’t annoyed every time I had to click-and-drag or select a bit of text. This one’s biggest weakness is definitely the screen, which is true of just about every cheap Chromebook I’ve tested. The colors are ugly and desaturated, giving the whole thing a sickly green tint. It’s also not the sharpest in the world, as it’s stretching 1920 x 1200 pixels across a large, 16-inch screen. But in terms of usability and performance, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 is a great value, combining an Intel Core i3 processor with 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB of storage. For a Chromebook that’s often on sale for $350, it’s a steal.

While we’re here, let’s go even cheaper, shall we? Asus has two dirt-cheap Chromebooks that I tested last year that I was mildly impressed by. The Asus Chromebook CX14 and CX15. Notice in the name that these are not “Chromebook Plus” models, meaning they can be configured with less RAM and storage, and even use lower-powered processors. That’s exactly what you get on the cheaper configurations of the CX14 and CX15, which is how you sometimes get prices down to as low as $130. I definitely recommend the version with 8 GB of RAM, but regardless of which you choose, the both the CX14 and larger CX15 are mildly attractive laptops. You’d know that’s a big compliment if you’ve seen just how ugly Chromebooks of this price have been in the past.

With these, though, I appreciate the relatively thin bezels and chassis thickness, as well as the larger touchpad and comfortable keyboard. The CX15 even comes in a striking blue color. The touchpad isn’t great, nor is the display. Like the Acer Chromebook Plus 516, it suffers from poor color reproduction and only goes up to 250 nits of brightness. It only has a 720p webcam too, which makes video calls a bit rough. But that’s going to be true of nearly all the competition (and there isn’t much).

Of the two models, I definitely prefer the CX14 though, as it doesn’t have a numberpad and off-center touchpad, which I’ve always found to be awkward to use. Look—no one’s going to love using a computer that costs the less than $200, but if it’s what you can afford, the Asus Chromebook CX14 will at least get you by without too much frustration.

Whatever you do, don’t just head over to Amazon and buy whatever ancient Chromebook is selling for $100 for your kid. It’s worth the extra cash to get something with better battery life, a more modern look, and decent performance.

Other Good Chromebooks We’ve Tested

We’ve tested dozens and dozens of Chromebooks over the past years, having reviewed every major release across the spectrum of price. Unlike Macs and Windows laptops, Chromebooks tends to stick around a bit longer though, and aren’t refreshed as often. I stand by my picks above, but here are a few standouts from our testing that are still worth buying for the right person.

Image may contain Computer Electronics Laptop Pc Computer Hardware Computer Keyboard and Hardware

Photograph: Daniel Thorp-Lancaster

#Chromebooks #Correctchromebooks,laptops,buying guides,google">The Best Chromebooks Are Doing Their Best to Course CorrectI was delighted to see that the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 didn’t skimp on a crappy touchpad. That goes a long way toward improving the experiencing of actually using the laptop on a moment-by-moment basis. I wasn’t annoyed every time I had to click-and-drag or select a bit of text. This one’s biggest weakness is definitely the screen, which is true of just about every cheap Chromebook I’ve tested. The colors are ugly and desaturated, giving the whole thing a sickly green tint. It’s also not the sharpest in the world, as it’s stretching 1920 x 1200 pixels across a large, 16-inch screen. But in terms of usability and performance, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 is a great value, combining an Intel Core i3 processor with 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB of storage. For a Chromebook that’s often on sale for 0, it’s a steal.While we’re here, let’s go even cheaper, shall we? Asus has two dirt-cheap Chromebooks that I tested last year that I was mildly impressed by. The Asus Chromebook CX14 and CX15. Notice in the name that these are not “Chromebook Plus” models, meaning they can be configured with less RAM and storage, and even use lower-powered processors. That’s exactly what you get on the cheaper configurations of the CX14 and CX15, which is how you sometimes get prices down to as low as 0. I definitely recommend the version with 8 GB of RAM, but regardless of which you choose, the both the CX14 and larger CX15 are mildly attractive laptops. You’d know that’s a big compliment if you’ve seen just how ugly Chromebooks of this price have been in the past.With these, though, I appreciate the relatively thin bezels and chassis thickness, as well as the larger touchpad and comfortable keyboard. The CX15 even comes in a striking blue color. The touchpad isn’t great, nor is the display. Like the Acer Chromebook Plus 516, it suffers from poor color reproduction and only goes up to 250 nits of brightness. It only has a 720p webcam too, which makes video calls a bit rough. But that’s going to be true of nearly all the competition (and there isn’t much).Of the two models, I definitely prefer the CX14 though, as it doesn’t have a numberpad and off-center touchpad, which I’ve always found to be awkward to use. Look—no one’s going to love using a computer that costs the less than 0, but if it’s what you can afford, the Asus Chromebook CX14 will at least get you by without too much frustration.Whatever you do, don’t just head over to Amazon and buy whatever ancient Chromebook is selling for 0 for your kid. It’s worth the extra cash to get something with better battery life, a more modern look, and decent performance.Other Good Chromebooks We’ve TestedWe’ve tested dozens and dozens of Chromebooks over the past years, having reviewed every major release across the spectrum of price. Unlike Macs and Windows laptops, Chromebooks tends to stick around a bit longer though, and aren’t refreshed as often. I stand by my picks above, but here are a few standouts from our testing that are still worth buying for the right person.Photograph: Daniel Thorp-Lancaster#Chromebooks #Correctchromebooks,laptops,buying guides,google

Asus Chromebook CX14 and CX15. Notice in the name that these are not “Chromebook Plus” models, meaning they can be configured with less RAM and storage, and even use lower-powered processors. That’s exactly what you get on the cheaper configurations of the CX14 and CX15, which is how you sometimes get prices down to as low as $130. I definitely recommend the version with 8 GB of RAM, but regardless of which you choose, the both the CX14 and larger CX15 are mildly attractive laptops. You’d know that’s a big compliment if you’ve seen just how ugly Chromebooks of this price have been in the past.

With these, though, I appreciate the relatively thin bezels and chassis thickness, as well as the larger touchpad and comfortable keyboard. The CX15 even comes in a striking blue color. The touchpad isn’t great, nor is the display. Like the Acer Chromebook Plus 516, it suffers from poor color reproduction and only goes up to 250 nits of brightness. It only has a 720p webcam too, which makes video calls a bit rough. But that’s going to be true of nearly all the competition (and there isn’t much).

Of the two models, I definitely prefer the CX14 though, as it doesn’t have a numberpad and off-center touchpad, which I’ve always found to be awkward to use. Look—no one’s going to love using a computer that costs the less than $200, but if it’s what you can afford, the Asus Chromebook CX14 will at least get you by without too much frustration.

Whatever you do, don’t just head over to Amazon and buy whatever ancient Chromebook is selling for $100 for your kid. It’s worth the extra cash to get something with better battery life, a more modern look, and decent performance.

Other Good Chromebooks We’ve Tested

We’ve tested dozens and dozens of Chromebooks over the past years, having reviewed every major release across the spectrum of price. Unlike Macs and Windows laptops, Chromebooks tends to stick around a bit longer though, and aren’t refreshed as often. I stand by my picks above, but here are a few standouts from our testing that are still worth buying for the right person.

Image may contain Computer Electronics Laptop Pc Computer Hardware Computer Keyboard and Hardware

Photograph: Daniel Thorp-Lancaster

#Chromebooks #Correctchromebooks,laptops,buying guides,google">The Best Chromebooks Are Doing Their Best to Course Correct

I was delighted to see that the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 didn’t skimp on a crappy touchpad. That goes a long way toward improving the experiencing of actually using the laptop on a moment-by-moment basis. I wasn’t annoyed every time I had to click-and-drag or select a bit of text. This one’s biggest weakness is definitely the screen, which is true of just about every cheap Chromebook I’ve tested. The colors are ugly and desaturated, giving the whole thing a sickly green tint. It’s also not the sharpest in the world, as it’s stretching 1920 x 1200 pixels across a large, 16-inch screen. But in terms of usability and performance, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 is a great value, combining an Intel Core i3 processor with 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB of storage. For a Chromebook that’s often on sale for $350, it’s a steal.

While we’re here, let’s go even cheaper, shall we? Asus has two dirt-cheap Chromebooks that I tested last year that I was mildly impressed by. The Asus Chromebook CX14 and CX15. Notice in the name that these are not “Chromebook Plus” models, meaning they can be configured with less RAM and storage, and even use lower-powered processors. That’s exactly what you get on the cheaper configurations of the CX14 and CX15, which is how you sometimes get prices down to as low as $130. I definitely recommend the version with 8 GB of RAM, but regardless of which you choose, the both the CX14 and larger CX15 are mildly attractive laptops. You’d know that’s a big compliment if you’ve seen just how ugly Chromebooks of this price have been in the past.

With these, though, I appreciate the relatively thin bezels and chassis thickness, as well as the larger touchpad and comfortable keyboard. The CX15 even comes in a striking blue color. The touchpad isn’t great, nor is the display. Like the Acer Chromebook Plus 516, it suffers from poor color reproduction and only goes up to 250 nits of brightness. It only has a 720p webcam too, which makes video calls a bit rough. But that’s going to be true of nearly all the competition (and there isn’t much).

Of the two models, I definitely prefer the CX14 though, as it doesn’t have a numberpad and off-center touchpad, which I’ve always found to be awkward to use. Look—no one’s going to love using a computer that costs the less than $200, but if it’s what you can afford, the Asus Chromebook CX14 will at least get you by without too much frustration.

Whatever you do, don’t just head over to Amazon and buy whatever ancient Chromebook is selling for $100 for your kid. It’s worth the extra cash to get something with better battery life, a more modern look, and decent performance.

Other Good Chromebooks We’ve Tested

We’ve tested dozens and dozens of Chromebooks over the past years, having reviewed every major release across the spectrum of price. Unlike Macs and Windows laptops, Chromebooks tends to stick around a bit longer though, and aren’t refreshed as often. I stand by my picks above, but here are a few standouts from our testing that are still worth buying for the right person.

Image may contain Computer Electronics Laptop Pc Computer Hardware Computer Keyboard and Hardware

Photograph: Daniel Thorp-Lancaster

#Chromebooks #Correctchromebooks,laptops,buying guides,google

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