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For all the heavy-lifting that goes into making every Star Wars movie—the casting, the elaborate sets, the VFX, the massive international marketing campaigns—it’s amazing any of them get completed. Yet no Star Wars production to date has seemed as fraught as that of Solo: A Star Wars Story. The second standalone movie after Rogue One, the Han Solo prequel/origin story lost its initial directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and saw them replaced by veteran Ron Howard. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Back in the bygone era before videogames, “playing” meant screwing around with physical toys—action figures, dolls, bugs, whatever. In my house it mean turning wrapping paper tubes into swords and hitting your father with them. (Sorry, Dad.) When gaming consoles came along, though, play for many kids, myself included, got a lot more sedentary. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Before we delve into the darkness of the world this week, let's consider these two tweets from the past seven days that really tell any outside viewer exactly what they need to know about the platform that is Twitter (in addition to the stuff about Nazis and harassment, of course). Oh, social media! So many fascinating characters... But that’s not what you came here for. This is what you came here for. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The last time and place you want to hear someone compliment your ski apparel is when you are in the bathroom, fiddling with the butt zip. As I started to examine the zippers in my general crotchal area, I heard someone exclaim, “Sweet onesie!” I looked around and saw another woman giving me a thumbs up. I should’ve gone into a stall first. But such is the attention-grabbing nature of Airblaster. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

I must confess. I don’t yet own a 4K TV. I’ve stared at them for countless hours in the office and at trade shows, but when it comes time to spend my own money, I haven’t pulled the trigger. And why should I? I’m still sitting cozy with a wonderful 2011 60-inch Panasonic Viera plasma HDTV that works beautifully and has some of the best picture quality possible for its resolution. Throughout the years, TV makers have tried hard to get me to upgrade. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

We're a month into the new year, so why are you still using that busted-up old laptop or game console? Valentine's Day is around the corner so it's a perfect time to treat yourself or someone you love to some new tech. Thanks to our friends at TechBargains, we have a handful of solid deals on computers, Xbox Ones, and even the iPad Pro. When we reviewed the Xbox One X last year, we were impressed with its compact footprint and graphics performance. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Come with me, back to a simpler time. It's 2015, and Apple's MacBook Pros are on the top of the world. The 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro was one of the best notebooks anyone could ask for. It had everything–USB-A ports, Thunderbolt 2, an SD card slot. Everything was great, until—smash cut to late 2016, when Apple did a major redesign of the entire Pro lineup. Suddenly, USB-C and Thunderbolt were the only ports for charging and input, throwing users into an awkward spot. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Full disclosure: Unbeknownst to my editors, I wore a Timex Ironman watch for over a decade. My Timex did everything I needed a watch to do. I wore it traveling, snowboarding, swimming, running, snorkeling and surfing. I could set an alarm, check my pace, and show up when I said I would. It also lit up, so when unexpected noises woke me while camping, I could huddle in my sleeping bag, check the time, and note that the bears had decided to eat us at precisely 1:34 am. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Some days are crushingly cold and sloppy. Bring the right equipment and you won’t suffer. When the snow is ripping sideways, you’ll need a sturdy shield to block the freeze. Constructed from a composite material with a waterproof exterior and a wicking inner fabric, Columbia’s jacket can keep you going long after your friends have bailed. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

January has so far proven to be one of the busiest months for the transportation industry. CES in early January was flooded with car news, including the debut of a new $45,000 electric SUV by a Chinese Tesla competitor called Byton. Then, just days after CES wrapped, we had the Detroit auto show, where America’s largest car-makers trot out their designs for the next year. WIRED transportation editor Alex Davies pays close attention to all of these announcements and developments. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices