Final Fantasy is a storied franchise that has stayed alive, in part, due to its ability to adapt. Being an anthology series without strict game-to-game continuity, Final Fantasy can range from steampunk, quasi-sci-fi stories like that of Final Fantasy 7, all the way to grimdark high fantasy, exemplified by the likes of Final Fantasy 16. This foundational versatility is reflected in the series' ever-changing gameplay, which allows it to change alongside mainstream trends.

Godzilla has arrived in Fortnite as a playable boss that can stomp across the map.Transforming into Godzilla gives you access to powerful abilities that can level cities and annihilate other players as long as youre the first to enter a special portal. Becoming Godzilla is easier said than done as you must find the portal that spawns randomly, and only one player can turn into deadly kaiju a game.Heres how to find and become Godzilla in Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 1.Update (Jan. 18): There has been a change to the spawn rate of Godzillas portal, which is reportedly now double since it first appeared in the game.When and where Godzilla spawns in FortniteTo become Godzilla in Fortnite, youll need to find a portal and be the first player to jump inside. However, a difficulty is the portal does not appear in every match, and only has a 40% chance of appearing (according to HYPEX on X, which is double the 20% spawn rate when Godzilla first debuted).If the portal spawns, itll appear in a random location as soon as the first Storm Circle begins to shrink. Youll know when this happens as a security alert will pop up on the bottom half of your screen with the message Godzilla Portal is open, along with a ping with the portals location.You can also open your map to see the portals location, which is marked with an icon of Godzilla:As the portal spawns fairly early on in the game, youll have very little time to reach the portal if it doesnt spawn in your vicinity, as there are a lot of players still alive. If it spawns far away from you, your best bet is to hoard as much ammo as you can to take Godzilla down.There are two quests that can be completed by damaging Godzilla:Acquire Godzillas Medallion by doing the most damage to himHit Godzilla using a Quad Launcher or Rail GunThe best way to rack up damage is to shoot the glowing spikes along Godzillas back. This will deal bonus damage, and shoot you up the damage charts. To check if youre dealing the most damage against Godzilla, look at the Damage Inflicted bar beneath Godzillas health bar.How to play as Godzilla in FortniteAfter you enter the portal, youll become Godzilla and gain three abilities:Roar Unleash a roar that reveals nearby playersMighty Stomp Launch your enemies as you stomp the ground.Heat Ray Fire a laser capable of destroying players and structures.Additionally, you can forgo the abilities and simply walk over other players to do damage!For gameplay footage of Godzilla, check out this video from Sytsuo on X.NO, NO MOD!Voc pode simplesmente virar o Godzilla hahahTE AMO FORTNITE@Loolo_WRLD @iFireMonkey pic.twitter.com/x728akS07A dan (@sytsuo) January 17, 2025If youre interested in completing other Godzilla quests, we have locations for Monarchs secrets to hand.

If you've ever attempted making cacio e pepe at home and ended up with pasta coated in gritty cheese bits instead of a luscious sauce, know that you are not alone. Thats why I ran to the kitchen after reading that adding a smidge of corn starch (about of a teaspoon per serving) ensures a creamy, emulsified sauce every time. Im happy to report that this tip is completely legit. And it requires barely any extra work!Cacio e pepe, the much beloved, deceptively simple pasta dish featuring pecorino romano cheese and black pepper, is easy to makeon paper. Just stir grated cheese into some pasta and a bit of the starchy pasta water you used when boiling it, add some pepper, and behold your creamy, cheesy dinner. But this simple procedure can produce mixed resultssometimes youll have perfect sauce, and other times, you'll wind up with a tragic bowl of noodles and cheese clumps surfing in water. Heartbreaking. It turns out this inconsistency has bothered a number of hungry food scientists too, and theyve figured out that a bit of added cornstarch is the best foolproof hack to avoid it. So I decided to give it a whirl.What science tells us about cacio e pepeThe reason you can achieve a silky pasta sauce from nothing but aged cheese and pasta water is because of the starch that leaches into that very water. Unfortunately, this process is incredibly inconsistent, and will vary with your water to pasta ratio when boiling the noodlesand even then it's usually around 1% when 2% to 3% starch is needed to stabilize the sauce.They suggest making a small amount of cornstarch slurry, cooking it into a gel, and building your sauce with this starchy foundation to ensure you always have a consistent amount to make the sauce work. The cornstarch gel cooks into a translucent gel. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Before running the test, I feared the sauce might end up too cornstarch-heavy, like a white gravy instead of a cheese sauce, but I was actually rather pleased with the results. The small amount of gel blends right into the other ingredients and cornstarch carries no flavor of its own, so its presence is completely undetectable. The finished sauce is smooth and tastes fiercely of pecorino, as it should. Most importantly, no cheese curds developed. The cornstarch boosted sauce is tighter and silkier. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Cacio e pepe without the cornstarch gel can remain stubbornly watery, or worse, the cheese proteins curdle. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann The directions are a little vague in the Popular Science article above, and theres a step where they add the cheese and gelatinized starch to a blender. For me, the tiny amount of ingredients involved does not warrant a blender clean-up (thats more trouble than its worth), so heres what I did instead.Foolproof Cacio e Pepe RecipeIngredients: teaspoon cornstarch1 tablespoon water1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated2 ounces spaghettiCracked black pepper1. To make the starch booster, combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir them together until completely combined and add it to a medium-sized pan. Heat the pan over medium-low heat and stir with a rubber spatula until it gels. This happens quickly, it only takes about a minute. Let it cool while you boil the pasta.2. Cook the pasta in boiling salty water according to the package directions.3. Add the grated cheese to the starch gel and mix them together a bit. Add the hot, freshly boiled pasta to the pan with a tablespoon or so of the cloudy pasta water and stir everything around over medium-low heat. The ingredients will combine to make a creamy sauce. Add more pasta water if you like a looser consistency. Garnish with plenty of black pepper and enjoy immediately.

Just one day before TikTok is expected to shut down in the US, startup Perplexity AI has submitted a bid to TikToks parent company ByteDance proposing a merger that would allow it to continue operating, CNBC reports. Citing an anonymous source, CNBC reports that the proposed merger would create a new entity combining Perplexity, TikTok US and New Capital Partners. It comes after the Supreme Court on Friday ruled unanimously to uphold a law that requires ByteDance to sell TikTok or it will be banned in the US. The company has so far resisted the idea of a sale.According to CNBCs source, Perplexity is hoping a merger rather than a sale will be more appealing to ByteDance. The new structure would allow for most of ByteDances existing investors to retain their equity stakes and would bring more video to Perplexity, CNBC reports. If ByteDance were to accept the proposal, theres a chance the company would be given a 90-day extension by Trump to work out a deal, which he told NBC News' Kristen Welker that he would most likely do when he takes office on Monday. But there is as yet no indication that ByteDance will go this route.Despite rampant speculation about potential buyers, TikTok said it will be forced to go dark on January 19 when the law takes effect unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement. The outgoing administration, however, reportedly says its leaving all that for the Trump team to deal with. Per MSNBC, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called TikToks claim about shutting down a stunt, and said we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump Administration takes office on Monday.We have laid out our position clearly and straightforwardly: actions to implement this law will fall to the next administration, Jean-Pierre said, according to MSNBC. So TikTok and other companies should take up any concerns with them.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/perplexity-ai-has-reportedly-submitted-an-11th-hour-bid-to-save-tiktok-in-the-us-215012514.html?src=rss

Faster USB 4 transfer speeds will make life a whole lot easier.

Ahead of the expected TikTok ban, creators on the app posted heartfelt goodbyes this week to their fans.

Advocates and holders of crypto will soon influence U.S. policy on the emerging technology after a slew of nominations and advisory appointments by President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on Monday.The crypto industry has spent years fighting lawsuits and enforcement actions by the U.S. government. It hopes the incoming Trump administration will mark a shift in policy.Political appointees will be vetted for potential conflicts. Some have committed to selling their interests.The industry is hosting a sold-out black-tie ball in Washington, D.C., on Friday, with tickets ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. David Sacks, Trumps artificial intelligence and crypto czar, is scheduled to attend.Below are some facts on the crypto positions of key members of the incoming administration and Trumps inner circle.Scott BessentA billionaire hedge fund manager, Trumps pick to be Treasury secretary has spoken favorably about crypto.Crypto is about freedom and the crypto economy is here to stay, he told Fox News in July. I think everything is on the table with bitcoin.According to a financial disclosure filed last month, Bessent holds shares in a BlackRock bitcoin exchange-traded fund worth between $250,001 and $500,000. Bessent will divest his interests in the fund and other investments within 90 days of his confirmation, he wrote last week to the U.S. Treasury.Bessent did not respond to a request for comment.Howard LutnickTrumps choice for secretary of commerce is a vocal supporter of bitcoin.Lutnick is CEO of New York brokerage firm Cantor Fitzgerald, which earns fees to manage billions of dollars worth of U.S. Treasuries for Tether, the company that issues the eponymous stablecoin.Do I own bitcoin? Of course I do, Lutnick said at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in July. Does Cantor Fitzgerald own bitcoin? A shedload of bitcoin.Lutnick did not respond to a request for comment.Elon MuskThe Tesla chief and worlds richest man, chosen by Trump to oversee a government cost-cutting effort, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, has long championed crypto including bitcoin and dogecoin.His public comments and actions of his companies have in recent years influenced the price of bitcoin and dogecoin, a smaller token conceived as a joke during an earlier crypto bubble.The acronym for Musks cost-cutting agency, DOGE, is a nod to dogecoin, which is now the worlds seventh-biggest crypto token based on its circulation of $4.5 billion, according to data provider CoinGecko.In 2021 Tesla bought $1.5 billion of bitcoin, becoming one of the biggest companies to own crypto before selling most of its holdings. It held unspecified digital assets totaling $184 million in September 2024, a company financial report showed.Musk did not respond to a request for comment sent via Tesla on what crypto assets he may hold.Vivek RamaswamySet to work with Musk at DOGE, the former presidential candidate and entrepreneur is the founder of Strive Asset Management.Strive, which said in September it managed over $1 billion in assets, last month filed to launch an exchange-traded fund that invests in corporate bonds for bitcoin investments.The companys wealth management arm, launched in November, seeks to integrate bitcoin into Americans investment portfolios, Ramaswamy said in a press release.In June 2023, Ramaswamy held $100,001 to $250,000 of bitcoin and $15,001 to $50,000 worth of the smaller token ether, according to a financial disclosure.He did not respond to a request for comment.David SacksA former PayPal executive, Sacks was appointed White House artificial intelligence and crypto czar in December, tasked with developing a U.S. legal framework long sought by the crypto industry.Sacks is a cofounder of venture capital firm Craft Ventures. The firm has invested in crypto firms including BitGo and Bitwise, its website shows.Sacks did not respond to requests for comment.Steve WitkoffTrumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, a real estate tycoon and donor to the incoming president, founded crypto venture World Liberty Financial in November.World Liberty, which sells a proprietary token, lists on its website Trump as among those entitled to a large share of any of the companys revenues.Witkoff did not respond to requests for comment.Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Barron TrumpEric Trump told Reuters last year he was very involved in World Liberty, which he, his elder brother Don Jr.seen as the most influential family member in the presidential transitionand younger half-brother Barron helped to form.Eric told a bitcoin conference in December the technology was a financial revolution, and that his father would make the United States the crypto capital of the world.JD VanceU.S. Vice President-elect Vance held between $250,001 and $500,000 in bitcoin in August 2024, according to a financial disclosure.The venture capital firm cofounded by Vance, Narya, has made investments in Strive, Ramaswamys asset management company, and video platform Rumble, its website shows.In November, Rumble said it would allocate its excess cash reserves to bitcoin. The company also received last year a $775 million investment from stablecoin firm Tether.Asked for comment on the crypto stances of Vance and Trumps sons, Trump-Vance transition spokesperson Brian Hughes saidwithout providing evidencethat bureaucrats in Washington had sought to stifle innovation with more regulation and higher taxes.President Trump will deliver on his promise to encourage American leadership in crypto and other emerging technologies, he said in a statement to Reuters.Paul AtkinAtkins, a lawyer and former top SEC official, is Trumps choice to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission and has advocated for deregulation. He is expected to take a softer approach to crypto than current the current chair, Gary Gensler.Atkins is chief executive of Patomak Global Partners, a consultancy. Patomak advises cutting-edge crypto-native companies and traditional financial firms on how to leverage digital assets for growth, its website says.Atkins did not respond to a request for comment.By Tom Wilson in London and Michelle Conlin, Reuters

Tables are designed to be stable, or at least they should be if theyre meant to serve their purpose of providing a safe horizontal platform to put things on. More often than not, table designs are meant to visually convey that characteristic through their structure, forms, and materials. Of course, there will always be exceptions that challenge our brains with a visual that seems contrary to a tables spirit.This table might be made of thick stainless steel always associated with sturdiness, but its irregular, almost chaotic appearance goes against that flow. In fact, its asymmetrical structure doesnt inspire confidence in its stability, forcing people to pause and possibly consider the deeper meaning behind the beautiful yet unorthodox side table design.Designers: Nikita Gorshkov, Alexandra Ivanets (Primitive Buro)Very few things in nature have perfect symmetries or geometrical shapes. You will always find some imperfection, like a jagged edge, a torn piece, or a missing part in naturally occurring things, and yet these very same objects impress a sense of beauty that is difficult to pull off artificially. Designers continue to be inspired by these imperfections, transforming flaws into strengths like in this Flaw coffee table.Almost like a decaying tree trunk, a puddle of muddy water, or a cracked piece of rock, the Flow tables lone leg introduces an element of controlled chaos to the design. Rather than some uniform pattern, the abstract-looking jagged edges create a sense of tension that is meant to contrast with the rest of the tables aesthetic. Polished to a mirror-like finish, the stainless steel construction looks almost diametrically opposed to the brutally unfinished shape of the table. It also has the effect of distorting the images mirrored on its surface.While most tables have two or more legs to keep them balanced, the Flow tables asymmetrical bracket-like form will cause some to wonder whether it will tip over under some weight. Of course, its crafted to actually be structurally stable, but that doesnt stop our minds from questioning the disjunct between what our eyes see and what we expect. It adds yet another element to that controlled chaos and beautiful contrast that the design wants to express.The Flow table offers a bold and interesting choice for homeowners who like to live on the edge and have furniture that reflects that as well. The tension between chaos and control, unpredictability and stability, and asymmetry and balance make for an interesting presence in any space, whether its in the middle of your living room or even off to the side of your desk.The post Structural side table adds a bit of tension and chaotic beauty to your space first appeared on Yanko Design.

Plus: New details emerge about Chinas cyber espionage against the US, the FBI remotely uninstalls malware on 4,200 US devices, and victims of the PowerSchool edtech breach reveal what hackers stole.

Apple's Chief Financial Officer, Kevan Parekh, has testified at a UK trial, disputing claims by the prosecution that the company has a 75 percent profit margin on its App Store for iPhone and iPad.Apple CFO Kevan Parekh. Image credit: AppleThe seven-week trial happening in London is likely to the be the first case in a series of attacks on various Big Tech companies and their various paid services or app stores. The case is being heard by the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal.Antitrust and consumer advocates in the case say that because the iPhone and iPad app stores are the only authorized outlets for obtaining apps and services on those platforms, they constitute a monopoly. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of 20 million UK Apple users, says that this monopoly allows Apple to charge a standard 30 percent commission, leading to inflated costs for consumers. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums