(Image credit: Getty Images) Nvidia and Anthropic have publicly locked horns over the impending enforcement of the U.S. government's new AI Diffusion Rules. According to a CNBC report, an Nvidia spokesperson has described Anthropic's assertions that the Chinese sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to smuggle Nvidia chips as "tall tales." More specifically, a spokesperson for Nvidia told CNBC that, “American firms should focus on innovation and rise to the challenge, rather than tell tall tales that large, heavy, and sensitive electronics are somehow smuggled in ‘baby bumps’ or ‘alongside live lobsters.’” In other words, the Green Team has poured scorn on the notion that the Chinese would smuggle CPUs in baby bumps or smuggle GPUs alongside live lobsters. While Nvidia's stance might have merit if we consider the scale of these bizarre smuggling operations, it is technically wrong, as Chinese Customs has documented these exact occurrences. Check out the above links for more details on those particularly peculiar cases. Furthermore, what we see is probably just the tip of the iceberg. And that's to say nothing of suspect GPU sales in Singapore and Malaysia, with the former reportedly under investigation by the U.S. government. This situation seems to have come to a head as the new AI Diffusion Rules, designed to prevent hostile nations like China from gaining advanced AI technologies from the West, are set to come into force starting on May 15. The Biden administration formulated these rules toward the end of his term (they were published in January). In one corner, Nvidia is keen to continue supplying as many high-end GPUs to China as the country can absorb, and it is allowed to supply. Meanwhile, Amazon-backed and U.S.-based AI firm Anthropic naturally wishes for a ready supply of AI accelerators stateside, with fewer competitors to push pricing up. It reportedly has plans for bigger and better data centers to propel its fortunes. Moreover, it pleads the case for keeping transformative AI technologies in the U.S. "in alignment with American values and interests." Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom's Hardware NewsletterGet Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. See more GPUs News

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Prime Gaming has Wolfenstein II, Amnesia: Rebirth, and many more games for members in May Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Neowin @LoneWolfSL · May 1, 2025 19:54 EDT Amazon's latest Prime Gaming offer is now starting to roll out, and the latest May promotions tout waves upon waves of fresh games to claim. Members have over 20 PC games to claim and add to their various gaming libraries as a part of this month's offerings. The latest list carries names from well-known franchises like Wolfenstein, Star Wars, Styx, Amnesia, Saints Row, and Golf with Your Friends, among others. As usual, keep in mind that the titles are offered across a variety of stores but not on Steam. This involves keys for redeeming on the DRM-free GOG platform, Amazon's own games app, the Epic Games Store, and even the Microsoft Store to play via the Xbox app. Here are all the announced incoming games and platforms they support, with four of them available to claim right now: Available Now Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds Saga (GOG) Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (GOG) Styx: Master of Shadows (GOG) The Invisible Hand (Amazon App) May 8 Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus – Digital Deluxe (Microsoft Store) (PC & Xbox) Amnesia: Rebirth (Epic Store) Hypnospace Outlaw (GOG) Doors: Paradox (Epic Store) May 15 Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell (GOG) Endless Legend Definitive Edition (Amazon App) Golf With Your Friends (GOG) Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2 (GOG) Mail Time (GOG) May 22 Fate (GOG) Thief 2: The Metal Age (GOG) Everdream Valley (Amazon App) Chessarama (Epic Store) The Lost Ashford Ring (Legacy code) May 29 Samurai Bringer (Amazon App) Trinity Fusion (Amazon App) Masterplan Tycoon (Amazon App) Liberté (Epic Store) Unlike giveaways that are seen in major storefronts like the Epic Games Store or Steam, these freebie periods for Prime members are active for a rather long time. This means many titles from previous months are still available for you to claim and add to your PC gaming libraries too. You can find all the currently claimable games by heading to Amazon's dedicated gaming hub here. Tags Report a problem with article Follow @NeowinFeed

Donald Trump's crypto company created a digital dollar called USD1, which is now being used by a big investor in Abu Dhabi to help fund a $2 billion deal with Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange. Reuters reports: Stablecoins are an increasingly lucrative cog in global crypto trading. Their issuers typically profit by earning interest from the Treasuries and other assets that underpin them. The value of USD1 in circulation reached about $2.1 billion on Wednesday, according to CoinMarketCap data, making it one of the fastest-growing stablecoins. The identity of its major holders, however, remains unclear. An anonymous cryptocurrency wallet that holds $2 billion worth of USD1 received the funds between April 16 and 29, according to data from crypto research firm Arkham. Reuters could not ascertain the owner of this wallet. Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao, who was incarcerated in the United States last year after pleading guilty to violating U.S. laws against money laundering, met Zach Witkoff and two other World Liberty co-founders in Abu Dhabi, according to a photo posted on social media site X on Sunday. "It was great to see our friends," in Abu Dhabi, posted Zhao in response to the photo, tagging Witkoff. Zhao, who in 2023 stepped down from his role at Binance as part of a $4.3 billion settlement with the U.S. over the illicit finance charges, remains a major shareholder of Binance. Separately, Zach Witkoff announced that USD1 would be integrated into Tron, the blockchain of Hong Kong-based crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun. Sun is the biggest known investor in World Liberty and an adviser to the venture, according to his social media posts, having poured at least $75 million into the project. Sun was fighting a U.S. securities fraud lawsuit at the time of his first investment in World Liberty. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in February paused its case against him, citing public interest. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

30 Stamp Fonts for a Crafty, Handmade Feel Preston Lee •  In this article:See more ▼Post may contain affiliate links which give us commissions at no cost to you.There’s something incredibly satisfying about the texture and character of a stamped impression. As a graphic designer who’s spent countless hours perfecting typographic choices for clients, I can tell you that stamp fonts offer a unique combination of authenticity and tactile appeal that digital-only designs often lack. Stamp fonts recreate that distinctive look of rubber or wooden stamps pressed against paper – complete with imperfections, ink bleeds, and uneven impressions. They bring a human touch to designs that can otherwise feel too polished or sterile in our increasingly digital world. In this deep dive, we’ll explore the most impressive stamp fonts of 2025, what makes them special, and how to use them effectively in your designs. Whether you’re creating vintage branding, crafting handmade product packaging, or adding texture to a digital project, these stamp fonts will give your work that perfect “pressed-by-hand” quality. Let’s ink up and press down on the best stamp fonts that are making their mark this year! 👋 Psst... Did you know you can get unlimited downloads of 59,000+ fonts and millions of other creative assets for just $16.95/mo? Learn more »The Most Impressive Stamp Fonts of 2025 Not all stamp fonts can deliver that authentic pressed quality we’re looking for. I’ve compiled my favorite stamp fonts that truly capture the essence of physical stamping – including everything from postal markings to rubber stamps to vintage letter-pressing techniques. Handler Stamp Font Handler Stamp Font is a sans-serif typeface with a vintage and retro aesthetic. It features a distressed, stamped appearance that adds character and authenticity to designs, making it ideal for projects requiring a nostalgic or worn look.Ribons – Vintage Stamp Version Ribons is a decorative script font with a vintage stamp effect. Its handwritten style combined with a distressed texture makes it perfect for creating authentic-looking labels, logos, and designs that require a touch of nostalgia and craftsmanship.Get 300+ Fonts for FREEEnter your email to download our 100% free "Font Lover's Bundle". For commercial & personal use. No royalties. No fees. No attribution. 100% free to use anywhere. Stamp Mark – Vintage Stencil Stamp Mark is a vintage stencil font with a decorative flair. Its retro gaming-inspired design makes it suitable for creating bold headlines, logos, and graphic elements that demand attention and evoke a sense of nostalgia.Velcan Stamp Velcan Stamp is a serif font designed for logos and headlines. Its stamp-like texture adds a tactile quality to the letterforms, making it an excellent choice for creating impactful branding and eye-catching titles with a vintage touch.Adfile Stamp Adfile Stamp is a decorative font that exudes authenticity. Its stamp-like appearance and unique character shapes make it ideal for creating distinctive logos, headlines, and designs that require a genuine, handcrafted feel.Sazzle Rounded Stamp Sazzle Rounded Stamp is a sans-serif font with soft, rounded edges and a stamp-like texture. Its friendly appearance makes it suitable for logos and headlines that need to convey approachability while maintaining a vintage charm.Rubbero – Rubber Stamp Condensed Font Rubbero is a condensed sans-serif font with a rubber stamp effect. Its narrow letterforms and distressed texture make it perfect for creating compact, impactful designs with an authentic, handmade quality.Magedo Stamp Magedo Stamp is a quirky, decorative font with a psychedelic flair. Its unique letterforms and stamp-like texture make it ideal for creating eye-catching designs, posters, and branding elements that demand attention and exude creativity.TypedeerMono – Typewriter Stamp Display Font TypedeerMono is a serif font that mimics the look of old typewriter text with a stamp effect. Its monospaced design and distressed appearance make it perfect for creating nostalgic, vintage-inspired designs and typewriter-style text elements.Art on the Wall Svg Stamp Font Art on the Wall is a sans-serif SVG font with a rough, stamped appearance. Its versatile design allows for easy customization and scaling, making it ideal for creating unique, textured designs for both digital and print applications.Moanster Vintage Stamp Moanster Vintage Stamp is a serif font with a hand-drawn, vintage aesthetic. Its irregular letterforms and distressed texture give it an authentic, aged appearance, perfect for creating designs that evoke nostalgia and craftsmanship.Enternal Vintage Stamp Typeface Enternal is a sans-serif vintage stamp typeface with a hand-crafted feel. Its weathered texture and slightly irregular characters make it ideal for creating authentic-looking vintage designs, logos, and branding elements.Stampolar – Display Stamp Effect Font Stampolar is a sans-serif display font with a bold stamp effect. Its strong presence and distressed texture make it perfect for creating impactful headlines, logos, and designs that require a vintage, handmade aesthetic.Navarone Display Navarone Display is a sans-serif font with a western-inspired design. Its bold characters and subtle texture make it suitable for creating eye-catching headlines and logos, especially for projects with a rugged or frontier theme.Gutenberg – Font Family Gutenberg is a sans-serif font family inspired by traditional printing press techniques. Its versatile design and multiple weights make it suitable for a wide range of applications, from body text to headlines, while maintaining a subtle vintage charm.Busky Stamp Busky Stamp is a decorative font with a bubble-like appearance and graffiti-inspired elements. Its playful design and stamp texture make it perfect for creating fun, eye-catching designs for youth-oriented or urban-themed projects.Major Birch – Vintage Logo Font Major Birch is a serif font designed for creating vintage-style logos. Its classic letterforms and subtle texture give it an air of timeless elegance, making it ideal for branding projects that require a touch of nostalgia and sophistication.Labelshort – Risoprint Sans Effect Font Labelshort is a sans-serif font with a risograph print effect, resembling rubber stamps. Its distressed texture and unique character shapes make it perfect for creating designs with an authentic, handmade feel, especially for labels and packaging.Rustic Printed – Vintage Font Rustic Printed is a sans-serif vintage font with a classic, retro feel. Its weathered texture and clean letterforms make it versatile for creating various vintage-inspired designs, from logos and packaging to posters and branding materials.Becham Vintage Becham Vintage is a bold, sans-serif font with a retro aesthetic. Its strong characters and subtle distressing make it ideal for creating impactful headlines, logos, and designs that require a vintage touch with modern readability.Vintage Crafted – Hand Drawn Font Vintage Crafted is a hand-drawn font combining sans-serif and script styles. Its authentic, handcrafted appearance makes it perfect for creating designs that require a personal touch, such as invitations, packaging, and artisanal branding.Stamp Blocks Stamp Blocks is a playful serif font with a cartoon-like quality. Its blocky design and stamped texture make it ideal for creating fun, eye-catching designs for children’s products, educational materials, or any project requiring a whimsical touch.Galber Vintage Galber Vintage is a sans-serif font with a classic stamp-like appearance. Its clean lines and subtle distressing make it versatile for creating vintage-inspired designs that maintain readability, perfect for logos, packaging, and branding projects.Adfile Vintage Adfile Vintage is a bold, decorative font with a squarish design. Its strong presence and distressed texture make it ideal for creating impactful headlines, logos, and designs that require a vintage, industrial feel.Punizione – Vintage Font Punizione is a sans-serif vintage font with a grungy, weathered appearance. Its distressed texture and irregular edges make it perfect for creating authentic-looking vintage designs, especially for projects requiring a rugged or worn aesthetic.Brother Garage – Display Font Brother Garage is a versatile display font family with serif, sans-serif, and decorative styles. Its retro-inspired design and motorcycle theme make it ideal for creating bold, eye-catching designs for automotive, lifestyle, or vintage-themed projects.Rubber Stamp Display Rubber Stamp Display is a script font that mimics handwritten text with a stamped effect. Its authentic appearance makes it perfect for creating signature-like elements, handcrafted labels, and designs that require a personal, artisanal touch.Brocades – Crafted Font Brocades is a versatile font family including serif, sans-serif, script, and symbol styles. Its vintage-inspired design and textured appearance make it ideal for creating cohesive, authentic-looking designs across various applications and mediums.Sazzle Vintage Sazzle Vintage is a decorative font with a classic stamp-like appearance. Its distressed texture and unique character shapes make it perfect for creating vintage-inspired logos, labels, and designs that require an authentic, aged look.Marline – Vintage Texture Font Marline is a serif font with a vintage texture and retro appeal. Its display-style design and weathered appearance make it ideal for creating eye-catching headlines, logos, and designs that require a nostalgic, time-worn aesthetic.What Makes a Great Stamp Font Feel Authentic? The best stamp fonts capture the unique qualities that make real-world stamping so distinctive. Let’s break down what gives stamp fonts their genuine character: Uneven Ink Distribution Real stamps rarely deposit ink with perfect consistency. Great stamp fonts replicate this with subtle variations in opacity and texture throughout each letterform. This inconsistency is what makes stamp fonts feel authentic – areas where ink pools more heavily contrast with lighter patches where the stamp barely made contact.Distressed Edges The edges of stamped letters rarely form perfect lines. Instead, they show slight bleeding, smudging, or fading that creates a distinctive border texture. Quality stamp fonts recreate these imperfect edges, with some letterforms appearing slightly worn or incomplete in spots.Varied Pressure When a physical stamp contacts paper, pressure isn’t applied perfectly. Some areas press harder than others, creating a natural variation in how the letterforms appear. Great digital stamp fonts mimic this by incorporating subtle differences in thickness and weight across characters.Natural Imperfections Specks, blots, and tiny gaps that occur naturally in physical stamping add character and authenticity. The best stamp fonts include these deliberate “flaws” to enhance the organic, handmade quality. These imperfections tell the viewer’s eye that this wasn’t generated by a perfect digital algorithm.Weathered Character Over time, physical stamps show wear as they’re used repeatedly. Excellent stamp fonts often incorporate this aged quality, with subtle degradation that suggests the stamp has a history. This weathered character adds depth and storytelling potential to your designs.These characteristics working together create that distinctive stamped look that designers and audiences find so appealing. When selecting a stamp font, look for these qualities to ensure you’re getting the most authentic stamped appearance possible. Where to Use Stamp Fonts Effectively Now that we understand what makes stamp fonts special, let’s explore where they really shine in design applications: Branding & Logos Stamp fonts add authenticity and craftsmanship to brands wanting to convey handmade quality, tradition, or artisanal values. Craft breweries, coffee roasters, bakeries, and handmade goods all benefit from the tactile quality stamp fonts bring to brand identities.Packaging Design From food products to artisanal goods, stamp fonts on packaging create an immediate impression of care and attention to detail. They suggest that what’s inside has been handled with similar craft and consideration, making them perfect for small-batch or premium products.Certificates & Official Documents For a touch of authority and authenticity, stamp fonts excel on certificates, diplomas, and official-looking documents. They create that satisfying “officially stamped” feeling that adds weight and importance to the information being presented.Event Materials Wedding invitations, festival posters, and special event materials benefit enormously from stamp fonts. They create a sense of occasion and uniqueness, suggesting each item has been individually finished rather than mass-produced.Vintage & Retro Designs When creating designs with historical appeal or nostalgic vibes, stamp fonts are indispensable. They instantly transport viewers to earlier eras when mechanical printing and hand-stamping were the norm, perfect for retro-themed businesses or period-specific designs.Social Media Graphics In the digital space, stamp fonts help branded content stand out in crowded feeds. The textural quality catches the eye and adds a distinctive personality that more standard fonts can’t match, making them excellent for quotes, announcements, or branded posts.Where to Avoid Using Stamp Fonts While versatile, there are some applications where stamp fonts might not be the best choice: Body Text The very qualities that make stamp fonts distinctive – their textural inconsistencies and imperfections – can significantly reduce readability when used for longer passages. Reserve stamp fonts for headlines, short statements, or display purposes, and pair them with cleaner fonts for body text.Technical Information When precise information needs to be communicated clearly – like medical instructions, technical specifications, or financial data – stamp fonts can introduce unwanted ambiguity. Opt for clean, highly legible sans serif fonts in these contexts.Contemporary Tech Brands For brands positioning themselves as cutting-edge, forward-thinking tech companies, stamp fonts might send mixed signals. The vintage, handmade qualities could undermine messaging about innovation and modernity unless used very strategically as a contrast element.Small Text Applications At very small sizes, the distinctive texture and imperfections of stamp fonts can become muddy and difficult to read. If you need text to be legible at small sizes, consider more optimized fonts with better small-scale readability.Formal Business Communications Standard business documents like contracts, proposals, or formal communications generally benefit from a more professional, clean approach to typography. Save the stamp fonts for when you want to make a more distinctive brand statement.How to Pick the Perfect Stamp Font Selecting the right stamp font for your project requires consideration of several important factors: Consider the Stamping Style Different stamp fonts emulate different stamping techniques. Some recreate rubber stamps with their slightly bouncy, uneven impressions. Others mimic woodblock printing with more pronounced texture and grain. Still others reference official postmarks or metal-embossed seals. Choose the stamping style that best aligns with your design concept.Match Historical Period If you’re aiming for period authenticity, research stamping styles from your target era. Postal marks from the 1890s look quite different from 1970s rubber stamps. The right historical reference can make your design more convincing and emotionally resonant.Evaluate Texture Density Some stamp fonts have subtle, fine texturing that reads well even at smaller sizes. Others feature more dramatic distressing that demands larger display applications. Choose a texture density appropriate for how your font will be used and viewed.Check Completeness Many stamp fonts focus on uppercase letters and might have limited punctuation or special characters. Before committing to a stamp font, verify it includes all the characters you’ll need for your project.Consider Color Versatility Test how your chosen stamp font performs in different colors. Some stamp textures look convincing only in traditional ink colors like black, red, or blue, while others maintain their authentic appearance across a wider spectrum.Pair Thoughtfully Stamp fonts make strong stylistic statements, so they need to be paired thoughtfully with complementary fonts. Generally, clean sans-serifs or simple serifs provide the best contrast while letting the stamp font take center stage.Creating Custom Stamp Effects Sometimes an off-the-shelf stamp font doesn’t quite capture the exact look you’re after. Here are some techniques for creating or enhancing stamp effects: Layer Multiple Impressions Real stamps often get pressed multiple times, creating overlapping impressions. Try layering your stamp font at slight offsets with varying opacities to create a more authentic multi-stamped effect.Add Contextual Texture Enhance your stamp font by adding subtle paper texture beneath it, or overlay a light grunge texture to simulate the imperfect surface the stamp was pressed against.Manipulate Individual Characters For truly custom work, consider manipulating individual letterforms in vector software. Adding subtle distortions, removing small sections, or varying the opacity across different parts of letters can create a more convincing stamped appearance.Explore Color Variations Traditional stamp ink comes in limited colors (usually black, blue, or red), but experimenting with different hues and saturation levels can yield interesting results that still maintain authenticity.Apply Contextual Angles Real-world stamps rarely land perfectly level on the page. Applying a slight rotation to your stamp text can enhance the impression that it was manually applied rather than digitally generated.Common Stamp Font Questions Let’s address some frequently asked questions about stamp fonts: What font looks like a stamp? Fonts like Rubber Stamp, Postmark, Stampography, and Letterpress all effectively recreate different stamping styles. The key feature to look for is consistent inconsistency – where the font appears mechanically produced but with natural variations in ink distribution.How can I make text look like a stamp in design software? Beyond using dedicated stamp fonts, you can apply textured brushes or grain overlays to regular text, add slight distressing to edges, vary the opacity throughout letterforms, and slightly offset duplicate layers at reduced opacity to simulate multiple impressions.Are stamp fonts legible enough for important information? Most stamp fonts maintain good legibility for short phrases and headlines, but their textural qualities can reduce readability for longer text. For critical information, ensure your chosen stamp font has clear letterforms beneath its textural elements, or pair it with a more legible font for essential details.Can I use stamp fonts for digital-only projects? Absolutely! While stamp fonts reference physical printing techniques, they add valuable texture and character to purely digital designs. They create an interesting tension between the digital medium and the analog reference, which can make digital designs feel more tactile and engaging.Do I need special licenses for commercial projects using stamp fonts? Like all fonts, stamp fonts come with specific licensing terms. Many require commercial licenses for business use. Always check the license agreement from the font creator or marketplace where you purchased the font to ensure compliance with their terms.Conclusion: The Enduring Appeal of Stamp Typography In our increasingly digital world, stamp fonts offer something precious: a connection to the physical act of making marks on paper – one of humanity’s oldest forms of communication. There’s a reason these fonts continue to resonate with designers and audiences alike. The beautiful imperfections of stamp fonts remind us that communication doesn’t have to be flawless to be effective. In fact, it’s often the little irregularities that make a message feel more human, more authentic, and ultimately more engaging. Whether you’re creating branding for an artisanal business, designing packaging that stands out on shelves, or simply adding some tactile character to digital designs, stamp fonts offer a distinctive aesthetic that’s both nostalgic and timeless. So next time your project needs that perfect touch of handcrafted authenticity, consider reaching for one of these outstanding stamp fonts. After all, in a world of perfect pixels, sometimes the most effective way to make your mark is with something that looks like it was pressed by hand. Preston Lee Preston Lee is a graphic and web designer who grew up drawing, painting, and building with Lego. Okay, let's face it: he still does all of those things. But now, he gets paid to design websites, design graphics, write, and do all kinds of creative things. His advice has been featured by Entrepreneur, Inc, Forbes, Adobe, and many more. 39 Jungle Fonts That Totally ‘Wild’As designers, we’re constantly seeking typography that transports viewers into specific worlds and environments. And when it comes to evoking...21 Digital Fonts for Clocks and Retro DisplaysDigital fonts transport us back to the early days of digital technology while paradoxically still feeling cutting-edge in the right...28 Broken Fonts That ‘Shatter’ Your ExpectationsBroken fonts are exactly what they sound like – typefaces that appear deliberately fractured, glitched, deconstructed, or otherwise “broken” in...

Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Launch Edition $50 for console / $44 (was $50) for PC | Releases June 19 Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart Save on PC preorders One of Megami Tensei's most obscure subseries is returning with Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army on Nintendo Switch 2, Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on June 19. The new game is a remaster of the action-RPG Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army that originally launched on PlayStation 2 back in 2006. The new version features enhanced graphics and retooled gameplay, so it should be the ideal way to experience one of the most unique Megami Tensei spin-offs. It's also one of the first games launching on the upcoming Switch 2. Preorders for Raidou Remastered's physical edition for console are available at multiple retailers, including Amazon and Walmart, for $50. PC players can save on Steam key preorders for the standard and Digital Deluxe editions at Fanatical.Preorder physical edition at Amazon -- $50Preorder for PC at Fanatical -- $44 ($50)Preorder Digital Deluxe for PC at Fanatical -- $57.19 ($65)Editor's Note: This preorder guide was updated May 1, 2025 with Switch 2 preorder information.Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Preorder BonusRaidou Remastered Preorder BonusesAll preorders include the Raidou Glasses DLC, which unlocks the Raidou Glasses cosmetic item Raidou can equip in-game.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Pokemon TCG Pocket has introduced Guzma, a new card that allows players to remove Pokemon Tools. The card is one of the additions made by Celestial Guardians, the third Pokemon TCG Pocket main expansion that brought over 200 new cards for players to collect.

Andor is a series built on tragedy. From the show’s very first episode, we knew exactly how our hero’s journey would end: on the beach of a planet on the verge of being eradicated by the Death Star, content in knowing he completed his mission.  [Ed. note: This post discusses events in episode 6 of Andor season 2.] But just because Andor is full of tragedy doesn’t mean they’re all created equal. In the closing moments of season 2’s sixth episode, Cinta Kaz (Varada Sethu) is killed while helping the residents of Ghorman pull off a heist of Empire weapons — one that Cassian explicitly warns Luthen that the planet’s resistance cell isn’t quite ready or disciplined enough for. Cinta’s death itself even comes from friendly fire, seemingly proving Cassian right, and leaving her partner in both life and revolution, Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay), to watch on in horror.  There’s no doubt that the moment is one of Andor’s saddest so far, but two of our writers here at Polygon came down on different sides on the details. After all, the death doesn’t just come after a cautionary note from Cassian, it comes after Vel and Cinta finally kissed on screen. For some of us, that felt like classic “bury your gays” nonsense; for others, it felt like the dire stakes of the series itself. We sat down to pick apart our reactions, and consider how the show approached the couple, the death, and its revolutions.  Zosha: Let’s start with how these things hit us. For me, I felt like this was the show doing what it always said it would: showing the high cost of freedom. I had already been spent most of this arc nervous about how rattled Bix seemed here, so by the time we got to the intercutting between Luthen and Klaya trying to retrieve a listening device from the home of a prominent Coruscant dignitary and the weapons heist on Ghorman, I was already really primed for a loss in this run.  Susana: I gotta admit that it genuinely took me down a peg! Vel and Cinta’s relationship was so lightly drawn in season 1, it never felt like it escaped the controversy-avoidant realm of something that could be edited out of a release in other markets — I’ve literally seen meme screenshots of them on Tumblr. Are they, you know… plausibly deniable?  Finally getting an on-screen kiss from them, not to mention a declaration of love and intention for their future, felt like an exhale, like the show making up for past deficiencies. Cinta dying in a fluke accident about 15 minutes later felt retrograde in a way I wasn’t expecting from a show as smartly written and well considered as Andor.  Zosha: I feel like this is probably where the division will come down for us: It definitely felt big and weighty to me. But in this case it was set against the smartly written and well-considered scope of Andor as a spy thriller, and pretty much everyone who’s not showing up elsewhere in the Star Wars universe seems tentatively marked for death. (And even then sometimes!)  Susana: I think you’re right that Andor doesn’t toss off Cinta’s death like it’s nothing. Vel’s speech to the Ghorman rebel who kills her, for example, is really good, both in writing and Faye Marsay’s performance. But frankly… The state of queer representation in on-screen Star Wars is just so incredibly bleak. There’s an ironic meme about it!  But Andor is the show where the iconography of Star Wars is the closest to its text, and that gave me hope that I was safe in expecting a happy ending for Cinta and Vel. I saw the fact that they haven’t been seen anywhere else in the Star Wars universe as an open canvas to make it out OK.  Zosha: This is totally fair. Cinta being killed does feel extra heavy to me because the show is so well written, particularly within the Star Wars universe, that even the fleeting glimpses of their relationship matter more to me than the bulk of other Star Wars romances. But I guess, to me, it doesn’t feel worth hanging Star Wars’ failures on Andor just because it’s a political show. As much as it wears on my poor, queer heart, I don’t think the show owes these characters a happy ending just because they’re the only ones willing to actually put them front and center on screen.  In a strange way, this is what makes Andor killing Cinta feel so different to me than something like The 100: Both shows make a meal out of “What is the responsibility of power? What is the responsibility of freedom?” and “How do those clash with an organized society?” But Andor manages to turn this into a “look what we could’ve had” type of death, rather than Lexa on The 100, which felt more purely like shock value. The latter felt gross because of its proximity to the same-sex love story peak.  But Andor features them as just one love story among the many that are doomed, which makes me feel like they are part of the greater story, rather than existing beyond the means of it as Representation™. Cinta and Vel are part of a tapestry of otherwise happy lives and loves were it not for the Empire’s crushing grip on the galaxy. They — like Andor and Bix, or even Aldhani and its colonization — are caught up in a fight bigger than themselves. This is, in its own tragic way, Andor taking them seriously.  Susana: Yeah, it’s complicated! As is basically every angle on the idea of marginalized “representation” in corporate media. As an aside: I don’t want to dismiss the efforts of lots of creators in the realm of Star Wars comics and novels who have been making undeniable strides in introducing unequivocally queer and trans characters to the setting. So that’s just to say: Rise of Skywalker sucked and so did its two-second queer kiss.  If I’m gonna blame anyone for how Cinta’s death cut me, it would be modern, on-screen Star Wars as a whole edifice, not the one grimly hopeful spy drama that’s trying to map deadly, real-world revolutionary movements onto Star Wars canon. I mean, I’ve got another tab open right now in which I’m drafting a piece about how the core theme of Andor is that every character in the resistance has metaphorically accepted that they’re already dead.  As much as I disliked this beat, the reasons I disliked it are outside of Andor’s control. It shouldn’t rest on the shoulders of Andor, the show where the point is that everyone has lost loved ones to the struggle, to single-handedly solve the dearth of queer representation created by, what, almost a decade of modern Star Wars movies and TV series?  On reflection, that’s the real thing that gets me about Cinta’s death. In a better world, I could enjoy it for what it is in isolation: as you said, Andor eloquently expressing its message.  Zosha: Yeah, and none of this really makes it less tragic! I guess for me it just makes it a bit easier to swallow because it feels like I actually care, which is something Star Wars TV hasn’t managed in a minute. These don’t just feel like plot machinations; they’re real choices, with real heft and consideration to them. That they work for me is almost beside the point — it’s just nice to feel like it matters!  To that end: It can’t be said enough, fuck Rise of Skywalker. 

A spiral staircase ascends through three stories of the Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel’s Sky Lobby, its copper-accented herringbone floors below mirroring the city’s historic cobbled streets. Framed by fluted columns, the staircase becomes more than mere vertical circulation, but rather a material manifesto of how Stonehill Taylor’s design for North America’s first Raffles property unveils Boston’s cultural heritage. What distinguishes Stonehill Taylor’s approach, led by president Paul Taylor and principal Sara Duffy, was their excavation of place-specific narratives. The design team put together three distinct Bostonian touchstones – the pioneering botanical gardens, the Arnold Arboretum’s vast plant collection, and Paul Revere’s revolutionary copper works – into a cohesive material manual that permeates throughout every space. The journey of the 33-story tower at 40 Trinity Place begins at street level where dark stone tiles and a hand-blown glass petal chandelier establishes the botanical motif that unfolds throughout the building. The architects placed the main reception area on the 17th floor, creating a threshold that separates street-level noise from the elevated sanctuary. The grand staircase maximizes sight lines while minimizing structural footprint, allowing the surrounding iron and glass atrium to capture unobstructed city views. The Writers Bar opens directly from reception, creating a seamless transition between check-in and relaxation, while the special occasion restaurant occupies a double-height volume visible from multiple vantage points. The speakeasy, in contrast, requires guests to navigate a deliberate sequence of thresholds: ascending to the 18th floor via the grand stair, walking down a corridor overlooking the restaurant, and entering through a discrete door. In the guestrooms and suites, Stonehill Taylor demonstrated both restraint and precision in translating the hotel’s botanical narrative into intimate spaces. The 147 guestrooms, including 29 suites, achieve a delicate balance between Raffles’ global design language and Boston’s specific cultural context. White marble flooring with mosaic accents establish a refined material palette, while the bathroom’s hand-painted wallcoverings bring the botanical theme into the more private spaces. The headboards, adorned with subtle leaf illustrations, incorporate Asian influences that acknowledge Raffles’ Singaporean heritage. Visit Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel’s website for more information. Photography by Brandon Barre.

Whatever happened to chunky mashed potatoes? There’s a lot of hype for the silky, nearly pudding-like variety of mash—which seem to be the only kind served at restaurants these days—but for me, nothing beats a heaping pile of fluffy smashed potatoes studded with knobbly bits of soft, uncrushed tuber. And if you too are a supporter of chunky mashed potatoes, you can use your stand mixer to get the best consistency.Stand mixer versus hand-mashed potatoesThere is nothing wrong with hand-mashing potatoes, but I’d like to bring stand mixer mashing to your attention simply because after I tried it, I couldn't help but appreciate the difference in consistency. I hadn’t even expected to feel the difference on my palate—I was only testing out the method to see if it served a practical purpose. Surprisingly, just by scooping a dollop into a bowl, I could feel that the texture was lighter than when I hand-mash potatoes in a pot. (And I didn’t even use a whisk attachment.) I then ate said bowl of spuds, and experienced an airiness that didn’t fade even after it cooled down. Whenever I mash by hand, the potatoes are soft but still dense, and they sit heavily. Not these—this batch was almost whipped, with more consistently sized bits of unmashed potato. (Maybe this is a me-thing, but if I hand mash potatoes for their chunkiness, I usually wind up with a few embarrassingly large pieces that somehow make it through my masher.)As far as those practical purposes are concerned, mashing with a stand mixer is great if you need to multitask with multiple dishes, quickly free up the stove after boiling, or if you have limited strength or mobility. Regardless of your reasons, here’s how I do it.How to make mashed potatoes with a stand mixer1. Boil or steam your spudsWhen making mashed, I prefer to steam my potato pieces because it’s faster, but you can stick to boiling if you like. (Steaming only takes about 15 minutes because you only need to boil a half-inch of water rather than a gallon.) The type of potato is also up to you, but I use russets for their high starch content, which can yield a more fluffy mash.2. Toss in the hot taters and flavoring ingredients Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Once your potatoes are fork-tender, carefully (don’t burn yourself) toss them into the bowl of the stand mixer. Don’t wait for them to cool down; they should still be piping hot. As America’s Test Kitchen explains in their baked potato post, breaking open the potato (in our case, the potato hunks) while hot allows more steam to escape, leading to a fluffier, lighter texture. Add in your favorite ingredients, a few knobs of butter, some salt, pepper, and chives if you’re into that. Don’t add your liquid ingredient yet.3. Mash Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Attach a paddle attachment to the stand mixer and turn the machine on the lowest speed. Allow the mixer to do the work for about three to five minutes. You’re looking for a uniform texture, and for the butter to be fully incorporated. Stop the machine if you have to so you can get a better look at how the potatoes are breaking down. 4. Add the liquidDuring those three minutes, pour your measurement of liquid (whether it’s milk, cream, or a combination of the two) into a microwave-safe measuring cup. Heat it until steaming. Keeping the mixer on the lowest speed, slowly pour the liquid into the mashed potatoes. Once the liquid has been incorporated, bump the speed up one or two notches and let it mash for another 20 seconds or until you like the texture. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.Top your taters with a swirl of gravy and enjoy the fluffiest chunky mashed potatoes you’ve ever experienced.

Late last year, Reddit introduced its AI-powered search tool, Reddit Answers. Now, the company plans to make the feature even more prominent by adding it into Reddit’s main sitewide search, CEO Steve Huffman said during the company’s first-quarter earnings call. “We are now working to integrate it into Reddit core search experience to further streamline the path from question to answer on Reddit,” Huffman said. “Integrating into Reddit search means we want one search box. That'll be the primary search box, and you’ll type your query in there, you'll get, potentially, your [Reddit] Answers, answer, or, you know, more of a traditional Reddit response, depending on what you're searching for.” Up to now, Reddit Answers, which is still labeled as being in “beta,” has lived in its own section of the service. The feature summarizes conversations from across Reddit in response to queries that users may otherwise seek out by adding “Reddit” to their searches on Google. Huffman said that Reddit Answers, which recently became available to all US Redditors, as well as a handful of international markets, already has 1 million weekly users. That’s only a small fraction of Reddit’s 401 million weekly users, but adding it into Reddit’s primary search box should give it a boost. Huffman said the change is part of a broader strategy to improve search across Reddit. Reddit Answers, he said, could help make the service more accessible to new users and guide people who come to the site via search engines. The change could also be somewhat controversial — Reddit users aren’t exactly known for loving big changes to the service — though Huffman acknowledged users may not always want an AI-generated summary in response to every search. “Sometimes people will want the summarized, annotated, sterile answers from AI, and we're even building this ourselves in Reddit Answers,” Huffman said. “But other times they want the subjective, authentic, messy, multiple viewpoints that Reddit provides.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-will-integrate-ai-answers-into-its-main-search-bar-223907171.html?src=rss