Fallout 76 Season 20: Glow of the Ghoul is live with a massive update that lets players finally become a ghoul. The ghoul-themed season also includes a questline, a new landmark, and more.Bethesda released a new trailer for the update, which can be viewed below, and it shows off a character's transformation from smooth skin to ghoul. It even highlights some of the options players can choose to make their ghoul unique in the game's character customization. Players can transform their characters into ghouls as early as level 50. They'll be able to collect and equip 30 new ghoul-specific perk cards, giving new ways to build out characters and suit unique playstyles.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Lego's newest R2-D2 building model is discounted to only $82 (was $100) at Amazon and Walmart. The 1,050-piece building kit released last March as a more budget-friendly alternative to the highly detailed and recently retired R2-D2 display model that joined the Star Wars Lego lineup back in 2021. Get deal at Amazon Lego Star Wars R2-D2 Set (1,050 pieces) $82 (was $100) This R2-D2 model is a faithful replica of the droid from the iconic films. It has a detachable periscope and third leg as well as several interactive tools. In addition to detachable components, you can rotate R2-D2's head, so this particular model was designed to be both a display piece and toy.After piecing together the full 1,050-brick build, you'll have an R2-D2 figure that's 9 x 6 x 4 inches. The set includes an information plaque, a miniature R2-D2 figure, and a bonus Lego Star Wars 25th Anniversary minifigure of Darth Malek from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. See at Amazon See at Walmart Lego Star Wars - R2-D2 Display Model (2,314 Pieces) $240 | Retired in January If you're a big R2-D2 fan, you may want to check out the aforementioned large-scale model kit that launched in 2021. The 2,314-piece R2-D2 display model for adults is in stock for its regular $240 price at Amazon. This is notable because Lego retired this version of R2-D2 earlier this year, and it's no longer available to purchase for its MSRP at other major retailers or the Lego Store.A more detailed model of the legendary droid, the completed build is 12.5 x 7.5 x 6 inches. See at Amazon Lego Star Wars - Millennium Falcon (921 Pieces) $74 (was $85) The 2024 R2-D2 set released the same day as several other notable kits as part of Lego's celebration of its 25-year partnership with the Star Wars franchise. One of the other marquee sets in the 25th Anniversary lineup is the similarly budget-friendly Millennium Falcon model hailing from Star Wars: A New Hope.Amazon and Walmart are selling the 921-piece Lego Millennium Falcon for $74 (was $85). The included stand has an information plaque and a Lego Star Wars 25th Anniversary brick. When fully assembled and attached to the stand, the set is 9.5 inches long, 7.5 inches wide, and 5 inches tall.It's far from the first Millennium Falcon Lego set, but it is substantially cheaper than some previous models, including the 7,541-piece replica that carries an $850 price tag.Lego also released a 1,579-piece Dark Falcon building set last summer. Modeled after its appearance in Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, the Dark Falcon changes the color scheme of the iconic starship to black and red. The Dark Falcon Lego set is discounted to $162 (was $180) at Amazon. See at Amazon See at Walmart Continue Reading at GameSpot

Mydei is one of the newest limited Destruction characters in Honkai: Star Railand boasts a playstyle that blends offensive power with self-sustainability. Similar to some other characters on the same path, such as Blade, Mydei stands out with his ability to both recover and drain HP for himself in a manner that complements his role as a damage dealer. This makes him a versatile unit capable of maintaining his presence in prolonged battles.

Even ahead of Avowed's launch, there was nothing prettier than its magic combat. As spells would fling out of the end of a wand or the player character's hand would rise up, causing a magical explosion to erupt from the ground, it was reasonable to expect jaws to be on the floor in amazement at the light show they were bearing witness to. Then, Avowed released, letting its magic combat be experienced by the masses for the first time, and it hasn't disappointed. While the melee combat in Avowed has plenty of things going for it, the game's magic combat supersedes it in a number of ways.

As quantum computers continue to develop, they will integrate with AI supercomputers to form accelerated quantum supercomputers capable of solving some of the worlds hardest problems.Integrating quantum processing units (QPUs) into AI supercomputers is key for developing new applications, helping unlock breakthroughs critical to running future quantum hardware and enabling developments in quantum error correction and device control.The NVIDIA Accelerated Quantum Research Center, or NVAQC, announced today at the NVIDIA GTC global AI conference, is where these developments will happen. With an NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 system and the NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand networking platform, the facility will house a supercomputer with 576 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs dedicated to quantum computing research.The NVAQC draws on much-needed and long-sought-after tools for scaling quantum computing to next-generation devices, said Tim Costa, senior director of computer-aided engineering, quantum and CUDA-X at NVIDIA. The center will be a place for large-scale simulations of quantum algorithms and hardware, tight integration of quantum processors, and both training and deployment of AI models for quantum.The NVAQC will host a GB200 NVL72 system.Quantum computing innovators like Quantinuum, QuEra and Quantum Machines, along with academic partners from the Harvard Quantum Initiative and the Engineering Quantum Systems group at the MIT Center for Quantum Engineering, will work on projects with NVIDIA at the center to explore how AI supercomputing can accelerate the path toward quantum computing.The NVAQC is a powerful tool that will be instrumental in ushering in the next generation of research across the entire quantum ecosystem, said William Oliver, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, and of physics, leader of the EQuS group and director of the MIT Center for Quantum Engineering. NVIDIA is a critical partner for realizing useful quantum computing.There are several key quantum computing challenges where the NVAQC is already set to have a dramatic impact.Protecting Qubits With AI SupercomputingQubit interactions are a double-edged sword. While qubits must interact with their surroundings to be controlled and measured, these same interactions are also a source of noise unwanted disturbances that affect the accuracy of quantum calculations. Quantum algorithms can only work if the resulting noise is kept in check.Quantum error correction provides a solution, encoding noiseless, logical qubits within many noisy, physical qubits. By processing the outputs from repeated measurements on these noisy qubits, its possible to identify, track and correct qubit errors all without destroying the delicate quantum information needed by a computation.The process of figuring out where errors occurred and what corrections to apply is called decoding. Decoding is an extremely difficult task that must be performed by a conventional computer within a narrow time frame to prevent noise from snowballing out of control.A key goal of the NVAQC will be exploring how AI supercomputing can accelerate decoding. Studying how to collocate quantum hardware within the center will allow the development of low-latency, parallelized and AI-enhanced decoders, running on NVIDIA GB200 Grace Blackwell Superchips.The NVAQC will also tackle other challenges in quantum error correction. QuEra will work with NVIDIA to accelerate its search for new, improved quantum error correction codes, assessing the performance of candidate codes through demanding simulations of complex quantum circuits.The NVAQC will be an essential tool for discovering, testing and refining new quantum error correction codes and decoders capable of bringing the whole industry closer to useful quantum computing, said Mikhail Lukin, Joshua and Beth Friedman University Professor at Harvard and a codirector of the Harvard Quantum Initiative.Developing Applications for Accelerated Quantum SupercomputersThe majority of useful quantum algorithms draw equally from classical and quantum computing resources, ultimately requiring an accelerated quantum supercomputer that unifies both kinds of hardware.For example, the output of classical supercomputers is often needed to prime quantum computations. The NVAQC provides the heterogeneous compute infrastructure needed for research on developing and improving such hybrid algorithms.Accelerated quantum supercomputers will connect quantum and classical processors to execute hybrid algorithms.New AI-based compilation techniques will also be explored at the NVAQC, with the potential to accelerate the runtime of all quantum algorithms, including through work with Quantinuum. Quantinuum will build on its previous integration work with NVIDIA, offering its hardware and emulators through the NVIDIA CUDA-Q platform. Users of CUDA-Q are currently offered access to Quantinuums System H1 QPU hardware and emulator for 90 days.Were excited to collaborate with NVIDIA at this center, said Rajeeb Hazra, president and CEO of Quantinuum. By combining Quantinuums powerful quantum systems with NVIDIAs cutting-edge accelerated computing, were pushing the boundaries of hybrid quantum-classical computing and unlocking exciting new possibilities.QPU IntegrationIntegrating quantum hardware with AI supercomputing is one of the major remaining hurdles on the path to running useful quantum hardware.The requirements of such an integration can be extremely demanding. The decoding required by quantum error correction can only function if data from millions of qubits can be sent between quantum and classical hardware at ultralow latencies.Quantum Machines will work with NVIDIA at the NVAQC to develop and hone new controller technologies supporting rapid, high-bandwidth interfaces between quantum processors and GB200 superchips.Were excited to see NVIDIAs growing commitment to accelerating the realization of useful quantum computers, providing researchers with the most advanced infrastructure to push the boundaries of quantum-classical computing, said Itamar Sivan, CEO of Quantum Machines.The NVIDIA DGX Quantum system comprises an NVIDIA GH200 superchip and Quantum Machines OPX1000 control system.Key to integrating quantum and classical hardware is a platform that lets researchers and developers quickly shift context between these two disparate computing paradigms within a single application. The NVIDIA CUDA-Q platform will be the entry point for researchers to harness the NVAQCs quantum-classical integration.Building on tools like NVIDIA DGX Quantum a reference architecture for integrating quantum and classical hardware and CUDA-Q, the NVAQC is set to be an epicenter for next-generation developments in quantum computing, seeding the evolution of qubits into impactful quantum computers.Learn more about NVIDIA quantum computing.

AI deployments thrive on speed, data and scale. Thats why NVIDIA is expanding NVIDIA-Certified Systems to include enterprise storage certification for streamlined AI factory deployments in the enterprise with accelerated computing, networking, software and storage.As enterprises build AI factories, access to high-quality data is imperative to ensure optimal performance and reliability for AI models. The new NVIDIA-Certified Storage program announced today at the NVIDIA GTC global AI conference validates that enterprise storage systems meet stringent performance and scalability data requirements for AI and high-performance computing workloads.Leading enterprise data platform and storage providers are already onboard, ensuring businesses have trusted options from day one. These include DDN, Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Hitachi Vantara, IBM, NetApp, Nutanix, Pure Storage, VAST Data and WEKA.Building Blocks for a New Class of Enterprise InfrastructureAt GTC, NVIDIA also announced the NVIDIA AI Data Platform, a customizable reference design to build a new class of enterprise infrastructure for demanding agentic AI workloads.The NVIDIA-Certified Storage designation is a prerequisite for partners developing agentic AI infrastructure solutions built on the NVIDIA AI Data Platform. Each of these NVIDIA-Certified Storage partners will deliver customized AI data platforms, in collaboration with NVIDIA, that can harness enterprise data to reason and respond to complex queries.NVIDIA-Certified was created more than four years ago as the industrys first certification program dedicated to tuning and optimizing AI systems to ensure optimal performance, manageability and scalability. Each NVIDIA-Certified system is rigorously tested and validated to deliver enterprise-grade AI performance.There are now 50+ partners providing 500+ NVIDIA-Certified systems, helping enterprises reduce time, cost and complexity by giving them a wide selection of performance-optimized systems to power their accelerated computing workloads.NVIDIA Enterprise Reference Architectures (RAs) were introduced last fall to provide partners with AI infrastructure best practices and configuration guidance for deploying NVIDIA-Certified servers, NVIDIA Spectrum-X networking and NVIDIA AI Enterprise software.Solutions based on NVIDIA Enterprise RAs are available from the worlds leading systems providers to reduce the time, cost and complexity of enterprise AI deployments. Enterprise RAs are now available for a wide range of NVIDIA Hopper and NVIDIA Blackwell platforms, including NVIDIA HGX B200 systems and the new NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPU.These NVIDIA technologies and partner solutions are the building blocks for enterprise AI factories, representing a new class of enterprise infrastructure for high-performance AI deployments at scale.Enterprise AI Needs Scalable StorageAs the pace of AI innovation and adoption accelerates, secure and reliable access to high-quality enterprise data is becoming more important than ever. Data is the fuel for the AI factory. With enterprise data creation projected to reach 317 zettabytes annually by 2028*, AI workloads require storage architectures built to handle massive, unstructured and multimodal datasets.NVIDIAs expanded storage certification program is designed to meet this need and help enterprises build AI factories with a foundation of high-performance, reliable data storage solutions. The program includes performance testing as well as validation that partner storage systems adhere to design best practices, optimizing performance and scalability for enterprise AI workloads.NVIDIA-Certified Storage will be incorporated into NVIDIA Enterprise RAs, providing enterprise-grade data storage for AI factory deployments with full-stack solutions from global systems partners.Certified Storage for Every DeploymentThis certification builds on existing NVIDIA DGX systems and NVIDIA Cloud Partner (NCP) storage programs, expanding the data ecosystem for AI infrastructure.These storage certification programs are aligned with their deployment models and architectures:NVIDIA DGX BasePOD and DGX SuperPOD Storage Certification designed for enterprise AI factory deployments with NVIDIA DGX systems.NCP Storage Certification designed for large-scale NCP Reference Architecture AI factory deployments with cloud providers.NVIDIA-Certified Storage Certification designed for enterprise AI factory deployments with NVIDIA-Certified servers available from global partners, based on NVIDIA Enterprise RA guidelines.With this framework, organizations of all sizes from cloud hyperscalers to enterprises can build AI factories that process massive amounts of data, train models faster and drive more accurate, reliable AI outcomes.Learn more about how NVIDIA-Certified Systems deliver seamless, high-speed performance and attend these related sessions at GTC:Unlock the Power of NVIDIA Certified Systems: Live Q&A With ExpertsEverything You Want to Ask About NVIDIA Enterprise Reference Architectures*Source: IDC, Worldwide IDC Global DataSphere Forecast, 20242028: AI Everywhere, But Upsurge in Data Will Take Time, doc #US52076424, May 2024

The Electric State is the latest blockbuster action epic from the Russo Brothers, and its one of the most expensive movies Netflix has ever produced. For all that coin, the streamer got what critics call truly off-putting, self-cannibalizing slop, a sub-Marvel slog, and akin to sifting through a dumpster filled with discarded, decaying scraps of better films.On the other hand, the art book by Simon Stlenhag (on which the movie is tangentially based) has a very different reputation, based on reviews on its product page. Critics hail the book as haunting illustrated, an awe-inspiring vision, and as beautiful as it is unsettling. There are layers to The Electric State that take the story beyond surface value and [Simon Stlenhags] stories crawl into my brain and mess with my memory of history, time, and place.While I havent read The Electric State myself (my understanding of the book comes from this excellent YouTube breakdown), I do own and cherish Simon Stlenhags first art book, Tales From the Loop. While the book contains a few paragraphs on each page, the main draw of the book is the striking art. Stlenhags moody, stark, haunting images are unmatched at creating a particular post-apocalyptic mood. Between pages of art there are faux-advertisements and articles from imaginary newspapers that add more life to the drawings. Its intoxicating how much these images can pull you into their world of towering technological ruins side by side with frigid, mundane suburbs.Based on the breathtaking content of that book, I think I can extrapolate from the reviews of The Electric State art book that youll probably have a much better time with it than the movie.But this isnt a post begging you to read the book instead of watching the (apparently) atrocious movie. Simon Stlenhags art might not be your jam, and thats okay, because there are countless other art books out there Im sure you would enjoy.Because heres the thing: Art books rule. Theyre hefty objects, with high quality binding and textured covers that are a joy to hold. Its a treat to slowly turn each colorful page, your fingers running along the smooth, glossy prints. Theres not too much reading to do, maybe some historical context, or a little anecdote about the artists own inspirations or process. Even if you skip the reading, just slowing down and looking at some masterworks is both satisfying and motivating. Creativity ought to be nourished with art that inspires you, and there are few meals as rich as a good art book.They also turned out to be the perfect gift for me, at least. Thanks in part to my job, friends and family arent likely to give me games or gadgets since they know Im usually way ahead of the curve on those things. So, a couple years ago, I simply started asking for art books and I quickly amassed a small library. Syd Mead and John Harris are a couple of my favorites, but this fantastic collection of 1970s sci-fi art is my go-to recommendation. If youve got a favorite, Id love to know about it in the comments!

Fallout 76s new update includes a big potential change that characters can undergo. The Ghoul Within is named that because, well, players can finally become a nasty little ghoul. We first learned about this update in June 2024, and its arrived in the March 18 update alongside the launch of season 20. After the first season of the Fallout show on Amazon, being a ghoul is a more attractive prospect than ever.In the Fallout canon, ghouls are humans who have been mutated by the radiation of the nuclear wasteland. Some of them go feral, and serve as bullet fodder for the games protagonist, but many are just normal folks trying to get by. Sure, theyre hugely pockmarked, scarred, burned, and twisted but they can make for good neighbors and allies. In Fallout 76, players can take a ghoul serum that prompts the transformation, allowing for access to special perks, immunity to radiation, and new character customization options. This option unlocks with a special quest at level 50, which means that fresh vault dwellers out of 76 wont be able to ghoul it up immediately. If players regret their ghoul decision, they can purchase a token in the Atomic Shop to regain their humanity.The downside? Well, players who neglect taking a preventative chem can go feral, which seems pretty unpleasant. There are also different reactions vendors and NPCs have to ghouls, changing the social dynamics of Appalachia. Ghouls will also need a disguise if they want to enter certain areas. The Brotherhood of Steel, for instance, arent going to let any ghouls run around their base.This is the first time players have been allowed to be a ghoul in a Fallout game, so itll be interesting to see just how reactive the wasteland is for the ghouls among us. Season 20 is also filled with ghoul-themed cosmetics to unlock, so you can make a cozy little camp to match your new macabre aesthetics.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVpbQPyE2hE

We may earn a commission from links on this page.Hopefully, you're done paying off your credit card bill from October Prime Day, but regardless, Amazon is ready for another rounda Spring sale is around the corner. Here is everything you need to know about Amazon's Big Spring Sale if you're looking for some deals.What is Amazon's Big Spring Sale?Amazon's Big Spring Sale is the spring version of Prime Day, although it lasts longer and features less impressive deals. It's a seven-day sale with deals focusing on seasonal items from winter- and spring-like apparel, travel, sports, furniture, gardening, lawn, grilling, storage, and bedding supplies. And, of course, tech. This is only the second time Amazon has run this spring sale, with the first one running in 2024 from Wednesday, March 20 through Monday, March 25.When is Amazon's Big Spring Sale?Amazon announced that their Big Spring Sale will run for a ful week from March 25 through March 31, 2025.Do you need to be a Prime Member to shop for Amazon's Big Spring Sale?You do not need to be a Prime Member to shop Amazon's Big Spring Sale, however, Prime Members will get more and better deals, according to Amazon. Prime membership starts at $14.99 per month. You can calculate whether a yearly Prime membership is worth it for you, but remember you can always cancel your Prime membership once the sale is over. Keep in mind that Amazon offers free 30-day trials, so you can shop the whole week of the event and cancel before making a subscription payment. You can read about how to sign up for a Prime account here.What can you expect for Amazon's Big Spring Sale?Because the Big Spring Sale happens in the spring, you're going to see end-of-season deals from Amazon outlet stores on winter items, but also on upcoming spring products. The deals seem to tap at 40% off. Here is an idea of what you can expect:Up to 40% off select outdoor furniture and gardening suppliesUp to 35% off select lawn and grilling equipmentUp to 35% off select home storage and beddingUp to 40% off select apparel and beautyUp to 40% off select sports and travel essentialsThere will be "daily themes" for each day of the sale, and whatever the theme is for that day is where you can expect to find the best deals. We'll also be publishing the best deals we find, so make sure to keep tabs on our deals page throughout the week.Early Amazon's Big Spring Sale deals are already liveAs is usually the case, Amazon kicks off their sales with some early deals that lead up to the main event. Keep in mind these aren't technically Big Spring Sale deals, though. You'll know they are by the "Prime Spring Deal" badge on the product page once the sale officially starts.Some tips for Amazon's Big Spring SaleIf this will be your first time shopping an Amazon sale, there are some basic things you need to know; you can share your Prime membership with family members even if they don't live with you; you can set price alerts for products you want and your Alexa devices can notify you when they go on sale; and there are tools you can use to see if the deal you're looking at is good or not. But if you only take one bit of advice for shopping on Amazon's Big Spring Sale, let it be this one: Don't buy anything you weren't going to buy anyway. A good way to make sure you do this is by making a list of the products you do want ahead of time, and focus on those.

Ads are an unavoidable part of modern life. They support both free and discounted services, for better or for worse, and unless you pay for premium services like YouTube Premium or expensive Netflix tiers, it's likely you'll run into these commercials one way or another. But just because ads are deeply entwined in our digital devices, that doesn't mean they get a free pass in all situations. As reported by Ars Technica, it appears Roku is pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable here, experimenting with placing ads when you first boot up your streaming device. Moana 2 ads are rolling on Rokus at launchOne Reddit user noticed the change when they turned on their Roku and was forced to watch a commercial for a movie before they could simply access the Roku home screen. This wasn't an ad placed before another movie or show: Roku simply wouldn't let the user access the device they paid for without sitting through an ad first. The user posted about their experience on the r/Roku subreddit, where frustrated Roku owners confirmed the same was happening on their devices, as well. Multiple users received a Moana ad after turning on their Roku devices, and some threatened to ditch their Rokus over the situation. One went so far as to say, "my Roku devices will be in the trash" if the company keeps this up. The sentiment was the same in another thread, where users threatened to chuck their Rokus or switch brands for their streaming purposes. Someone even wrote: "I was indifferent to Moana. But now I will go out of my way to hate on that movie." (Disney might want to reconsidering its marketing strategy.)According to Ars Technica, the ads are supposed to have a close button, though some users don't seem to see it when it pops up on their end. The outlet reached out to Roku, who confirmed the ads are intentional, but aren't yet official: Roku OS won't have permanent ads at start for the moment. It seems this is simply an experiment. If so, they're certainly receiving some valuable feedback from customers. I understand why Roku users are angry. It's one thing to show static ads on the home screeneven that feels wrong on a device you paid for. But to stop you from being able to actually use your streaming device until you watch a commercial? The future isn't looking so bright.Your Roku is designed for adsWhile this experiment is pretty anti-consumer, it isn't all that surprising coming from Roku. The company, like many others, collects your data as you use its devices, and uses that data to, you guessed it, serve you ads. Roku is very focused on ads as a business model, exploring ways to not only place as many ads on the home screen as possible, but potentially show you ads when you've paused content on a non-Roku device that is connected to your Roku TV. Yikes. You expect ads in exchange for free content, but we've longed moved past this business model. Now, ads and data scraping subsidize devices and services. Your Roku Express only costs $30 (or less, depending on the deal), not because that's what the hardware is inherently worth, but because Roku is banking on you earning the company more money with your data and ad exposure. You pay less for the product, because you are the product. Now, sit tight, and watch an ad for Moana 2 before choosing to watch something else filled with ads. Can you stop ads from appearing when starting up your Roku?There's no official solution to this situation yet, and not all users will even see these ads when booting up their Roku devices. If you do, there might be something you can do about it, but it's complicated. Roku has had static on-screen ads long before this current situation. While far less obtrusive than start ads, some users want to block all ads on their Roku devices. Since Roku, unlike a computer, doesn't have a native ad-blocker to install, many turn to Pi-hole, a service that can block ads on many sites across devices. The issue is, setting up Pi-hole can be a bit technical. The company has a thorough walkthrough on its site to get set up, so if you're interested, go ahead and give it a scan. When properly configured, Pi-hole says it can block most ads across your devices, so you might notice a lack of ads across everything you use to access the internetnot just your Roku.