ZDNET's key takeaways The Privacy Hero 2, a $199 router available on FlashRouters, supports NordVPN and Surfshark alongside various VPN protocols. It comes with one year of access to Privacy Hero Wireguard VPN and, with a current promotion, one year of NordVPN. The company should improve the build quality and be more generous with the Ethernet cable's length. View now at Flashrouters Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are excellent tools for improving online privacy and security. Most people sign up with a VPN provider and then install their accompanying native applications on their PCs, tablets, and smartphones.However, there's another option: installing a VPN on your router. This method provides blanket coverage for any device connected to the router's Wi-Fi, allowing you to circumvent connection number restrictions and saving you the legwork of installing a VPN app on every device you want to protect.Also: You need a router-based VPN in 2025. Here's why and how to set one upIt's not always a quick task, though. Many routers on the market support third-party VPNs, but you may need reasonable technical knowledge and be willing to tamper with internal settings to make everything work.Alternatively, some VPN providers offer VPN-ready hardware; one such model is the subject of this review. The Privacy Hero 2, a $199 router available on FlashRouters, supports NordVPN and Surfshark (both owned by Nord Security) alongside a range of VPN protocols. It comes with one year of access to Privacy Hero Wireguard VPN and, with a current promotion, one year of NordVPN.Let's dive into this VPN-ready router's build, installation, benefits, and disadvantages.How's the build quality?Once you unbox the Privacy Hero 2, you're met with a lightweight, compact router. It's lighter than most routers I've tried or reviewed (except for travel routers) and has a plastic feel. The build quality is acceptable for a $199 router, although I felt I had to handle it carefully. Charlie Osborne/ZDNETThe Privacy Hero 2 comes with an A/C power supply, Ethernet cable, and installation guide. The size of the four external antennae seemed odd, probably because they were somewhat bulky compared to the router's tiny body. Overall, the build is reasonable, and my only real complaint is the short length of the Ethernet cable.Installation processI've tested a variety of Wi-Fi routers -- traditional, mesh, and VPN-supporting -- over the years and found that installation complexity varies. The Privacy Hero 2 was very easy to set up. The router comes with a booklet and online installation guides, including a short video that helps users with the hardware side of the installation. After I plugged the router in, it took about 10 minutes to update.Once the router is ready, you must sign up for a free Privacy Hero account, which gives you web access to the router's dashboard. You will see this message once the installation is complete. Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNETThe next step is creating your Wi-Fi network. There are two options:You can set the network name to the same name and password as your existing network, so you won't have to reconnect your devices individually to the new one. This option requires you to turn off your ISP's router Wi-Fi signal.Alternatively, you can create a new network name. As I intend to retire my aging TP-Link model that has served as an IoT device hub until now, this was the option I chose -- with the name Privacy Hero.You can explore the Privacy Hero dashboard now that you're set up. I like the layout; it's clean, simple, and fuss-free. You can see the status of your new router on the Home screen as well as change its name or timezone. Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNET Under the Wi-Fi tab, you can check that your new networks are operating properly, or disable them if you wish. Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNETI'll focus on the VPN tab, as these are the main settings you'd most likely want to change. You will see various options: VPN, VPN Kill Switch, Malware & Phishing, and Ad Blocking.Also: Fastest VPNs in 2025 tested by expertsIf you click the first tab, you can choose between different VPN services. In this review, we'll useNordVPN. Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNETThis part was the most awkward part of the installation process. The router comes with a free year of NordVPN service, so you must go to the account tab, find your voucher, validate it on NordVPN, create your account, and then generate an access token.Once you have the access token, you must submit it in the Privacy Hero dashboard. Due to timeout failures, my token was not accepted until after three attempts.NordVPN then launched on the router with a UK server as default. If you want to change your country, click on the connection and change the server yourself. Visit NordVPN's OpenVPN configuration file list and copy and paste the server name you want to connect to. Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNETEnsure you have also enabled the Kill Switch, Malware & Phishing, and Ad Blocking options. The kill switch will protect your privacy if your internet connection suddenly drops by stopping the router from leveraging your standard, unencrypted ISP connection. The other settings will reduce your exposure to tracking and cyber threats.Let's start streamingMy favorite feature is under the Streaming tab. Dubbed "Relocation," it enables you to select the country connection through which your VPN will attempt to route your traffic without constantly changing your setup.Also: NordVPN vs. Surfshark: Which VPN is right for you?If a streaming service is available in only one country -- for example, BBC iPlayer in the UK -- it won't be shown, as the organization will automatically direct your traffic via a UK relocation connection. If, however, a service is available in multiple countries, you have options. Netflix, for example, can be set to the UK, Canada, or the US.You will still need an active subscription; some streaming services require a subscription from your target country.Testing streaming servicesI spent over an hour testing various connections and configuring the router to my liking. That's not to say you need to spend the same amount of time doing so, as the router is about as "out of the box" as possible.NordVPN worked from the start, and I experienced no connection issues with my Samsung smartphone, Samsung TV, or Apple MacBook Pro. However, setting up streaming services was more challenging. Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNETI spent several hours testing which geo-blocked streaming libraries I could access through my new Wi-Fi connection. I tested the Privacy Hero 2 with Disney+, Netflix, and the anime streaming service Crunchyroll.Also: TunnelBear VPN review: An affordable, easy-to-use VPN with a few notable pitfallsMy first test was accessing my home UK libraries, which I could do without a problem. I then enabled Privacy Hero 2's relocation feature for the aforementioned streaming platforms while keeping the initial connection on a UK server, where I faced several challenges. At first, I had no success -- only my UK library was available. I powered down the TV, Sky satellite TV box, ISP-issued router, and Privacy Hero 2 and waited for everything to reboot.I then tried to access US streaming service libraries on Disney+, Netflix, and Crunchyroll. Despite the relocation options, this didn't work directly through the Samsung TV's Tizen hub when the UK was set as the central server. However, it worked for Netflix and Disney+ when I tested three US-based servers instead with relocation enabled.Accessing these libraries through a third-party app, in this case, Sky, worked best on my TV for Netflix and Disney+. When I chose this route, it didn't matter what country my initial connection was set to.Also: The best live TV streaming services of 2025: Expert testedWhen I tested Netflix and Disney+ on my laptop, I could access US libraries without issues. (I received a login email from Netflix confirming that an account was being used in the US; the relocation function was working correctly.) Unfortunately, Crunchyroll did not work on my smart TV, but I could access its US library on my laptop. Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNETI also attempted to access Canadian libraries and had similar levels of success. Accessing different geo-blocked libraries for testing purposes was more successful than I expected, although you may have to try different configurations.Lastly, I performed a speed test while connected to Privacy Hero 2 compared to my typical ISP router connection. I experienced a download speed loss of around 16% and an upload speed loss of 6.6%. For a VPN, I can't complain. About those ads...While a VPN's streaming capabilities are pretty popular, another feature many VPN providers offer is ad blocking.Ad blocking can be as much of a cat-and-mouse game as streaming services blocking VPN IP addresses. YouTube, for example, has declared war on third-party ad blockers and is attempting to stop viewers from being able to bypass or skip ad breaks.I didn't expect much, considering that most of the time, when I use a VPN and watch a YouTube video, there's very little difference in how many ads are displayed vs. when I use a standard Wi-Fi connection. However, I was pleasantly surprised at my final router and server setup results.I tested my setup using a cooking channel I'm subscribed to; while I love its content, the frequency of commercial interruptions makes it almost unwatchable.Also:Is your live TV streaming service still worth it? I reassessed the options for us bothOn a standard laptop connection, while connected to the default UK VPN server, the first ad on videos and a handful of ads were displayed, but fewer than usual. I compared watching the same YouTube video on my smart TV with Privacy Hero 2, with the same results. I then decided to try changing the router's initial server to a country where YouTube doesn't monetize ads. Lo and behold, all of the ad breaks within the video were disabled.I use an ancient MacBook Air to watch YouTube or to listen to audiobooks at night, and there's nothing worse than an ad break startling you awake. To ensure this wasn't a fluke, I changed this laptop's Wi-Fi connection to Privacy Hero 2, and the result was the same: no ads.There is a caveat: Speeds were impacted, so depending on what server you select and the speed of your initial broadband connection, you might be trading buffering for an ad-free experience.ZDNET's buying adviceRegarding the physical design of the Privacy Hero 2, the company should improve the build quality and be more generous with the Ethernet cable's length. However, installation is easy and user-friendly. This VPN router is the best I've tried to date, and it will be a long-term fixture in my household.I have previously installed VPNs on third-party, supporting routers, but the Privacy Hero 2 is far less complicated to set up and requires very little technical knowledge. The dashboard is easy to navigate and keeps technical jargon to a minimum.Also: Best TVs of CES 2025: Samsung, LG, and other new models that made our jaws dropIf you want to change the initial server connection, you'll need to work out the OpenVPN configuration file names. I would like to see NordVPN provide a streamlined list of servers that identifies which server belongs to which country. A dropdown list right in the dashboard would be useful. My favorite feature is the streaming location option. While many streaming channels are currently limited to the UK, US, and Canada (something I would like to see expanded where possible), toggling between them without finding servers yourself is highly convenient.If you want to try out the Privacy Hero 2, you can buy it from Flashrouters for $199. You'll receive a free one-year NordVPN subscription with your purchase.SpecificationsVPN protocols: WireguardWi-Fi standard: Wi-Fi 6 - Wireless AXWireless speed: 3000MbpsWi-Fi bands: Dual BandEthernet port: Type 4 GigabitAntenna type: 4 ExternalProcessor: MediaTekProcessor speed: 1.3GHzRAM: 512 MB / 128 MBPower supply: 100-240VAlong with Wireguard, this router also supportsNordLynx, which combines Wireguard with NordVPN security features. Why use a VPN to stream? VPNs can be used to watch your favorite content on platforms, including Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, and Netflix.Setting a VPN to your home region while you're traveling, for example, may allow you to access your favorite shows in your standard library. However, some users also use VPNs to try and access films and TV shows only available in other countries. You do this by setting your VPN to a server in the target country.I tried to access streaming libraries locked to the US and Canada via Privacy Hero 2 routing below for testing purposes only. You should keep in mind that accessing libraries outside of your home region is a legally gray area and may break your streaming service provider's terms and conditions. Furthermore, stopping these activities is a constant cat-and-mouse game between VPN providers and content platforms, and so a method that worked last week may not work tomorrow. Show more Featured reviews

Sneaky 2FA attack warning flag raised for M365 users.gettyUpdate, Jan. 19, 2025: This story, originally published Jan. 18, now includes additional mitigation advice from cybersecurity experts regarding the latest Microsoft Sneaky 2FA bypass attack.There is no escaping the phishing threat, as WhatsApp and PayPal users have been warned. Gmail and Outlook users dont escape the attack warnings, and the addition of two-factor authentication bypass hacks just muddies the security waters. Now, French security researchers have exposed another new adversary-in-the-middle attack that targets Microsoft 365 accounts, stealing credentials and bypassing 2FA protections in the process. Heres what you need to know.The Sneaky 2FA Attack WarningA cybercrime group known as Sneaky Log has been selling a 2FA-bypassing phishing-as-a-service kit called Sneaky 2FA since late last year. Researchers from the French cybersecurity company Sekoia have now published a new report warning how the kit, operating by way of a bot service via Telegram, targets Microsoft 365 account holders.Customers reportedly receive access to a licensed obfuscated version of the source code and deploy it independently, Sekoia researchers Quentin Bourgue and Grgoire Clermont said, Currently, Sneaky 2FAs phishing pages are hosted on compromised infrastructure, frequently involving WordPress websites and other domains controlled by the attacker. Costing $200 per month, the Sneaky Log sales team offers reductions that bring the cost down depending upon the length of the subscription.MORE FOR YOULike so many of these kits, take a look at Rockstar 2FA, example, Sneaky 2FA harvests Microsoft 365 session cookies in order to bypass the 2FA process during subsequent attacks so that authentication appears, indeed is, legitimate as far as the session is concerned.Elad Luz, head of research at Oasis Security, said that the threat actors had blurred out screenshots of Microsoft webpages to create a convincing login background, which made it appear as though users will access legitimate content after successfully logging in.Meanwhile, Stephen Kowski, field chief technology officer at SlashNext Email Security+, said this kit's sneaky aspects include its sophisticated ability to populate victim email addresses automatically, its evasion of detection through Cloudflare Turnstile challenges, and its clever redirection of security tools to Wikipedia pages adding that it is particularly dangerous for Microsoft 365 environments.I have reached out to Microsoft for a statement.Mitigating 2FA Bypass AttacksIntercepting both credentials and 2FA codes in real time means that attackers are able to bypass what Patrick Tiquet, vice President of security and architecture at Keeper Security, calls one of the most relied-upon layers of account protection. The sneakiness, Tiquet warned, and its sophistication lies in its anti-analysis features such as traffic filtering and checks to avoid detection. As well as convincing pre-populated login forms, which enhance its success rate, not to mention that hosting the phishing pages on compromised infrastructure adds another layer of deception, according to Tiquet. Luckily, there are mitigations that organizations can consider, and the first, Tiquet said, is implementing Privileged Access Management to restrict access and contain potential damage from compromised accounts. By pairing this with robust password management, Tiquet continued, you can ensure that credentials are strong, unique and securely stored, reducing exposure to phishing campaigns. Additionally, a password manager will prevent users from entering credentials into spoofed websites because the tool will only auto-fill credentials on the authentic webpage, Tiquet concluded.Although this 2FA bypass attack targets Microsoft 365 users, this kind of threat is not just aimed at Microsoft and can impact users of any accounts that are perceived to be of high value to the threat actors involved. The common factor, as alluded to already, in most such attacks is the phishing aspect, so thats where the mitigation methodology must sit: this fascinating article explores methods of mitigating phishing attacks.

A message reading "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now" is displayed from the TikTok app on a cell phone screen on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Los Angeles, Calif.Andy BaoAPBy HALELUYA HADERO / APJanuary 19, 2025 6:05 AM ESTNEW YORK Millions of TikTok users in the United States are no longer able to watch videos on the social media platform as a federal ban on the immensely popular app takes effect.The company's app was removed Saturday evening from prominent app stores, including the ones operated by Apple and Google, while its website told users that the short-form video platform was no longer available. The blackout began just hours before the law took effect.Users opening the TikTok app on Saturday encountered a pop-up message preventing them from scrolling videos that read, Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now."A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S., the message said. Unfortunately that means you cant use TikTok for now.We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office, the notice continued, in a reference to President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to save the platform. The company told its users to stay tuned.The only option the message gives to U.S. users is to close the app or click another option leading them to the platform's website. There, users are shown the same message and given the option to download their data, an action TikTok previously said may take days to process.Before the announcement went out, TikTok said in another message to users that its service would be temporarily unavailable and the company was working to restore its U.S. service as soon as possible." But how long the platform will remain dark is unclear.Apple said in a statement on its website that TikTok and ByteDance apps were no longer available in the U.S., while visitors to the country could have limited access. Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates, the company said.If you already have these apps installed on your device, they will remain on your device. But they cant be redownloaded if deleted or restored if you move to a new device. In-app purchases and new subscriptions are no longer possible, the statement said, adding that the change could impact performance, security and compatability with future versions of iOS and iPadOS.TikTok CEO Shou Chew posted a video thanking Trump for his commitment to work with the company to keep the app available in the U.S. and a strong stand for the first amendment and against arbitrary censorship.We are grateful and pleased to have the support of a president who truly understands our platform. One who has used talk to express his own thoughts and perspectives, connecting with the world and generating more than 60 billion views of his content in the process, Chew said.In an interview with NBC News on Saturday, President-elect Donald Trump said he was thinking about giving TikTok a 90-day extension that would allow them to continue operating. If such an extension happens, Trump who once favored a TikTok ban said it would probably be announced Monday, the day that he is sworn in as president. TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attendTrumpsinauguration with a prime seating location.In Washington, lawmakers and administration officials have long raised concerns about the app, which they see as a national security threat due to its Chinese ownership. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a technology company based in Beijing that operates the well-known video editing app CapCut and Lemon8, both of which were also unavailable for service Saturday evening.The federal law required ByteDance to cut ties with TikTok by Sunday or face a nationwide ban. The statute was passed by Congress in April after it was included as part of ahigh-priority $95 billion packagethat provided foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel. President Joe Bidenquickly signed it, and then TikTok and ByteDance quickly sued on First Amendment grounds.While defending the law in court, the Biden administration argued it was concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of U.S. user data that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion.Officials have also warned the algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way thats difficult to detect. But to date, the U.S. has not publicly provided evidence of TikTok handing user data to Chinese authorities or tinkering with its algorithm to benefit Chinese interests.The Supreme Court unanimously decided on Friday the risk to national security posed by TikTok's ties to China overcomes concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the United States.After TikTok's service started going dark, some in China slammed the U.S. and accused it of suppressing the popular app. In a post on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, Hu Xijin, a former editor-in-chief for the Chinese Communist Party-run newspaper Global Times, said TikToks announcement to halt services in America marks the darkest moment in the development of internet."A country that claims to have the most freedom of speech has carried out the most brutal suppression of an internet application, said Hu, who is now a political commentator. TikTok does not operate in China, where ByteDance instead offers Douyin, the Chinese sibling of TikTok that follows Beijings strict censorship rules.After the court ruling, both White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the Biden administration would leave the laws implementation to President-elect Donald Trump given that his inauguration falls the day after the ban takes effect.But TikTok said on Friday evening it will be forced to go dark if the administration didnt provide a definitive statement to the companies, such as Apple, Google and Oracle, that deliver its service in the U.S.White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called TikToks demand a stunt and said there was no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office. But despite those statements from the administration, confusion lingered about what would happen until TikTok began blocking its service.Under the law, mobile app stores are barred from offering TikTok and internet hosting services are prohibited from delivering the service to American users. Violators could incur fines of up to $5,000 for each user who continues to access TikTok, meaning penalties the companies could face if they continue offering TikTok could total to a large sum.As its written, experts said the law does not require TikTok to take down its platform, so its unclear if the company voluntarily shut it down or was unable to continue the service alive after losing access support from its tech providers. The company did not respond to questions sent this week about its plans.The statue allows the sitting president to extend the deadline by 90 days if a sale is in progress. But no clear buyers have emerged, and ByteDance has previously said it wont sell TikTok.On Saturday, artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI submitted a proposal to ByteDance to create a new entity that merges Perplexity with TikTok U.S. business, according to a person familiar with the matter.Perplexity is not asking to purchase the ByteDance algorithm that feeds TikTok users videos based on their interests and has made the platform such a phenomenon.Other investors have also been eyeing TikTok. Shark Tank star Kevin OLeary recently said a consortium of investors that he and billionaire Frank McCourt put together offered ByteDance $20 billion in cash. Trumps Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also said last year that he was putting together an investor group to buy TikTok.Associated Press writer Kanis Leung contributed to this story from Hong Kong.More Must-Reads from TIMEL.A. Fires Show Reality of 1.5C of WarmingHome Losses From L.A. Fires Hasten An Uninsurable FutureThe Women Refusing to Participate in Trumps EconomyBad Bunny On Heartbreak and New AlbumHow to Dress Warmly for Cold WeatherWere Lucky to Have Been Alive in the Age of David LynchThe Motivational Trick That Makes You Exercise HarderColumn: No One Won The War in GazaContact us at letters@time.com

In a nutshell: The PCI Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG), the organization responsible for defining PCI Express standards, is nearing completion of the PCIe 7.0 specification. If everything proceeds as planned, this next-generation, ultra-high-speed data pipeline will be officially ratified by the end of the year. PCI-SIG has just released revision 0.7 of the draft specifications, and members are likely scrutinizing every detail. There have been minimal changes since the 0.5 version released last April, which is a positive sign that the core technology is stable. Assuming no major issues arise, 2025 could be the year PCIe 7.0 is officially ratified.To set the stage, it's 2025, and AI advancements have accelerated the need for increased bandwidth. Machine learning workloads are becoming more demanding, creating a significant need for high-capacity data pipelines connecting processors, memory, and storage. The interconnect has emerged as a critical bottleneck that must be addressed.PCIe 7.0 aims to eliminate the bottleneck by doubling per-lane throughput once again. While PCIe 5.0 maxed out at a relatively modest 4GB/s per lane, PCIe 7.0 will deliver an impressive 16GB/s per lane.If you're wondering why PCI-SIG is already discussing PCIe 7.0 when PCIe 5.0 has only recently become widespread on current PCs, the answer lies in the gap PCIe 6.0, finalized in 2022, comes between the two. Meanwhile, PCIe 5.0 made its debut in 2019.The wide gaps between the release of a new PCIe specification and actual product availability are due to the real-world testing, verification, and platform integration processes, which can take several years to complete. // Related StoriesOne of the biggest challenges with these latest specs is cooling. Higher bandwidths and faster transfer rates have inevitably led to increased heat generation, prompting solutions that were once unthinkable. For example, Intel is working on a new driver for Linux that will allow users to selectively reduce PCIe link speeds when thermal levels get too high.Given these factors, don't expect PCIe 7.0 products to hit the market anytime soon. As a reminder, PCIe 6.0 devices are just beginning interoperability testing, despite having been finalized three years ago.

Marvel Snap, the ever-popular mobile game, is no longer available in the United States. It went offline at the same time as TikTok. While the focus of the ban has been around TikTok, one aspect of the ban that hasnt been discussed is that it applies to all apps from ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. Although Marvel Snap is developed by Second Dinner, ByteDance published it.When you try to open the app now, you see a message stating, Sorry, Marvel Snap isnt available right now. A law banning Marvel Snap has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you cant use Marvel Snap for now. Rest assured, were working to restore our service in the U.S. Please stay tuned!Recommended VideosThe app is also unavailable for download. Searching for it via the App Store shows a message at the top of the screen that says, TikTok and other ByteDance aps are not available in the country or region youre in. The Google Play Store doesnt have an error message in-browser, but the app doesnt appear as a download option.The shutdown of Marvel Snap took most players by surprise. A complicated legal situation in 2023 saw ByteDance take a step back from its gaming section and divest from publisher Nuverse.Snap players thought the app would be safe as a result, but ByteDance still has sway if the company was able to shut the game down as part of its withdrawal from the western market.Please enable Javascript to view this contentOther ByteDance-published titles like Mobile Legends: Adventure, Watcher of Realms, One Punch Man: The Strongest, and Land of Empires: Immortal have all been removed from US-based app stores, too.The current situation raises questions. What happens to players that have spent real money on in-game items or skins? Will players be eligible for refunds?TikTok shows a message to users that suggests Trump could work out a deal to get the app reinstated in the United States. If that happens, then presumably Marvel Snap and the other affected titles would also return.Editors Recommendations

still learning iOS 18.3 beta disables news notification summaries after high-stakes errors Summaries are often incorrect or strange; Apple is working on improvements. Andrew Cunningham Jan 17, 2025 11:37 am | 88 iPhones running iOS 18. Credit: Apple iPhones running iOS 18. Credit: Apple Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreApple released new beta versions of iOS 18.3 to developers and the public yesterday, and one of the changes coming with the new software update will (at least temporarily) disable Apple Intelligence notification summaries for all apps in the App Store's News and Entertainment category, at least temporarily.Apple said earlier this month that it would be instituting updates to how these notifications are handled after complaints from news organizations, and the company has apparently decided to turn them off entirely while it decides what those updates will look like. Most prominently, one user's notification summary from the BBC suggested that Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had died of suicide; this was not true. Other examples have been cropping up since then.For the notification summaries that remain, Apple is instituting changes to make it clearer when users are reading summaries and to make it easier to turn those summaries off. Notification summaries in iOS 18.3 will be italicized to help further distinguish them from individual non-summarized notificationsbefore, there was a small icon next to the text to indicate you were looking at a summary. Apple is also making it possible to turn off summaries on a per-app basis directly from the lock screen without diving into the Settings app to do it.In our own extensive testing with Apple Intelligence notification summaries in iOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1, we observed many instances of summaries that were inaccurate or just plain weird. When you're just getting updates from your Discords or group text threads, errors tend to be pretty low-stakes, at least. But when you're getting notifications about war, murder, and politics, these kinds of errors have the potential to mislead and misinform.The iOS 18.1 and 18.2 updates (along with iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2) enabled most of Apple's promised Intelligence features across all the hardware that supports them. For the iPhone, that's still only 2023's iPhone 15 Pro and 2024's iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.The iOS 18.3 update is currently in its third beta release. The iOS 17.3, 16.3, and 15.3 updates have all been released in late January, so it's likely that we'll see the 18.3 update (and corresponding updates for iPadOS, macOS, and other Apple software) released at some point in the next few weeks.Andrew CunninghamSenior Technology ReporterAndrew CunninghamSenior Technology Reporter Andrew is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica, with a focus on consumer tech including computer hardware and in-depth reviews of operating systems like Windows and macOS. Andrew lives in Philadelphia and co-hosts a weekly book podcast called Overdue. 88 Comments

Kent He increased rent by $550 a month by adding a bedroom to his affordable housing unit.His 'recession-proof' investment strategy involves operating Airbnbs and affordable housing units.Benefits to investing in affordable housing include predictable, reliable income.When Kent He's Section 8 tenant moved out of his single-family home in Fairfield, Alabama in 2024, the investor saw an opportunity to improve his property.He decided to add a room and convert the three-bedroom into a four-bedroom and spent about $41,000 doing so, he said.The investment has already started to pay off.He told Business Insider that the three-bedroom was bringing in $700 a month in rent. Thanks mainly to the additional bedroom, the Birmingham Housing Authority determined that the property can now be rented for $1,257. BI confirmed these details by viewing the certification He received from the housing authority.That's about a $550 increase in monthly rent or, an extra $6,600 a year.Just because his cash flow increases doesn't mean his tenant's payment does, he noted: "For housing choice vouchers, a tenant is responsible for paying 30-40% of their income toward the rent. If they lose their job or rents continue to go up, their portion on a percentage basis stays the same; the government will come in and fill the rest."The full-time investor, who lives in San Diego and owns two Airbnb units in Scottsdale, said that he often thinks through, "What are your value-add strategies? How can you provide a good experience to your tenant while also generating some additional cash flow by being creative with the square footage?"He's learned that "the housing choice vouchers typically pay based on the bedroom count. And, two bathrooms houses with two toilets rent out easier than homes with one toilet. We knew we had a good property and thought, let's take advantage of the space that we have and create a better product."Owning an affordable housing unit is part of his greater "recession-proof" investment strategy.A 'recession-proof strategy': Short-term rentals for cash flow + affordable housing units for stabilityAfter graduating from Bentley University in 2011, He worked as a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers for nearly four years. He left PwC to help a family member turn their restaurant business around and re-entered corporate America in 2017 when he got a job at a major insurance company.Eager to exit the corporate world, he decided to try real-estate investing on the side. Specifically, he wanted to set up short-term vacation rentals, which, according to his research, seemed to be higher-risk but the most lucrative real-estate strategy.He was right: After purchasing two properties in Scottsdale in 2021 and 2022 and turning them into bachelorette-themed Airbnbs, he started earning enough from his short-term rental units to cover his family's expenses and quit his day job. Kent He owns two Airbnb properties in Scottsdale designed specifically for bachelorette trips. Courtesy of Kent He Despite his success on Airbnb in 2023, his two units brought in more than $240,000 he didn't want to rely on the short-term rental strategy, which has proven to be volatile. Early in the pandemic, when travel was halted and some state and local governments banned short-term rentals to stop the spread of COVID-19, Airbnb hosts saw their calendars wiped clean."For peace of mind, I want to know that there's always other cash flow coming in from another asset class," said He.That's where the second part of his strategy comes into play: buying affordable housing units."It's a great diversification approach," said He. "You have short-term rentals with a higher risk and more active approach to managing. And then you have the long-term rental which might be a little bit passive, lower cash flow, but much more predictable and stable income coming from the government that's paying your rent every single month."The benefits of providing affordable housing: Diversification, predictable incomeThere are a handful of misconceptions about affordable housing, said He, who has built a YouTube channel dedicated to the topic: "A lot of folks, when they think about affordable housing they associate it with the projects, with guns, drugs, and drama; when, in reality, it's really hardworking folks, like my parents, who just needed a stable roof over their heads."His parents immigrated to the US from China "with about $1,000," he said, and raised him in an affordable housing unit. Kent He and his family reside in San Diego. Courtesy of Kent He In addition to providing families in need with a nice roof over their heads, buying affordable housing has unique benefits for the investor.As a Section 8 landlord, you can collect rent reliably, said He: "Even if the Section 8 tenant loses their job, the government will come in and pay the rest of the rent. That is what I'm calling a recession-proof investment because the government will always pay their rent on time for your voucher holders."Plus, "there's some kind of accountability on the tenant side because the tenant doesn't want to lose their voucher," said He, who explained that in some counties the waitlist for a housing choice voucher can be 12 to 15 years. "There are going to be exceptions there are still going to be bad apples here and there but for the most part, folks that desperately need housing for their families value the vouchers very much so, because it's essentially hitting a jackpot."Another aspect of the program is a housing inspection every one to two years, he said: "The local housing authority will come and inspect the home just to make sure it's in good condition."With a traditional rental, if you have a long-term tenant, "you might wait five, 10 years and you never know what's happening inside your home. It's a great accountability mechanism to make sure you are providing a great living experience for the tenant. But as a landlord, you're also understanding what's happening inside your home, so that if anything needs to be fixed, you're taking care of it right away instead of deferring that maintenance and potentially causing more issues for you down the road."

Your Mileage May Vary is an advice column offering you a new framework for thinking through your ethical dilemmas and philosophical questions. This unconventional column is based on value pluralism the idea that each of us has multiple values that are equally valid but that often conflict with each other. Here is a Vox readers question, condensed and edited for clarity.I live in an isolated part of a developed country, relatively far from anything else, and am struggling with my relationship to flying in the face of climate change. Most advice on minimizing flying seems tailored to more connected areas in the US or Europe we have no trains or buses, and its a 12+ hour drive to the nearest city. Ive considered moving to a more connected area where these would be options, but then Id experience the same angst any time I wanted to visit my family where I currently live. Ive tried to take the approach of flying less frequently and staying for longer periods of time, but I feel resentful toward the carefree way I see friends around me approaching this issue, like flying out every month to watch a game. I feel like Im torturing myself with guilt over something that no one cares about, and that the good I do by avoiding the one roundtrip I would take on a vacation per year is erased by the behaviour of my peers. On the other hand, the contribution my annual flight would make, in terms of global emissions and demand in the airline industry, is minuscule. I feel generally opposed to making climate change about individual actions, but flying is also something that is such a privileged action that it feels like a special case. I also feel conflicted because I dont think I deserve to travel if I cant do it ethically, but the strategies often proposed as alternatives are not available to me. Dear Resentfully Landbound, Your question has me thinking about Greta Thunberg. In 2019, the Swedish activist wanted to attend a climate conference in the US, but she refused to fly because of the high carbon emissions associated with air travel. So instead, she traveled across the Atlantic by boat. On rough seas. For two weeks.Should we all be doing what Thunberg did?I think Thunberg is a heroic young activist, and theres value in activists who take a purist approach, like refusing to ever fly. But the value lies less in their individual action and more in their ability to serve as a powerful jolt to our collective moral imagination to shift the Overton window, the range of behaviors that seem possible. Thunbergs well-publicized sailing voyage, for example, helped convince others to fly less. But to say her approach has been a potent rhetorical tool is different from saying its a model that every individual should follow to a tee. For one thing, not everyone can sail the seas for two weeks whether because of the time required, a physical health condition, or some other factor. And its not clear that all people should forgo all flying. Thats because we each have multiple values. Yes, protecting our planet is a crucial value. So is, say, nurturing relationships with beloved family members and friends who live abroad. Or developing a career. Or learning about other cultures. Or making art. So, even though minimizing how much we fly is a virtuous thing to do, some thinkers would caution you against treating that as the only relevant value. Take contemporary philosopher Susan Wolf, who wrote an influential essay called Moral Saints. She argues that you shouldnt actually strive to be a person whose every action is as morally good as possible who is as morally worthy as can be. If you try to optimize your morality through extreme altruistic self-sacrifice, she says, you end up living a life bereft of the personal projects, relationships, and experiences that make up a life well lived. You can also end up being a crappy friend or family member.We often think of virtues as being connected to morality, but Wolfs point is that there are non-moral virtues, too like artistic, musical, or athletic talent and we want to cultivate those, too.If the moral saint is devoting all his time to feeding the hungry or healing the sick or raising money for Oxfam, then necessarily he is not reading Victorian novels, playing the oboe, or improving his backhand, she writes. A life in which none of these possible aspects of character are developed may seem to be a life strangely barren. In other words, its okay even desirable to devote yourself to a variety of personal priorities, rather than sacrificing everything in pursuit of moral perfection. The tricky bit is figuring out how to balance between all the priorities, which sometimes conflict with each other.In fact, I think part of the appeal of the purist approach is that it actually makes life easier on this score. Even though it demands extreme self-sacrifice, the extreme altruist never has to ask herself how much of the luxury (in this case, flying) to allow herself. The right answer is clear: none. By contrast, if youre trying to balance between different values, its nigh on impossible to arrive at an objectively right answer. Thats very uncomfortable we like clear formulas! But I tend to agree with philosophers like Bernard Williams, who argue that its a fantasy to think we can import scientific objectivity into the realm of ethics. Our ethical life is just too messy and multifaceted to be captured by any single set of universally binding moral principles any systematic moral theory. And if thats so, we have to look at how compelling we find the case for each competing value. Its often obvious to us that we shouldnt give equal weight to all of them. For example, Im obsessed with snorkeling, and Id love to be able to travel to all the top snorkeling destinations this year, from Hawaii to the Maldives to Indonesia. But I know I cant justify taking infinite flights for infinite snorkeling trips during a climate emergency! At the same time, that doesnt mean I wont ever go on any trip whatsoever. I do sometimes let myself travel by air, especially if its for a purpose that is not only pleasurable but also essential to a life well lived, like nurturing relationships with friends and family members who live far away. And when I fly, I try to make those miles really count by staying for a longer time. This is basically what youre already doing: Ive tried to take the approach of flying less frequently and staying for longer periods of time, you write, describing the one roundtrip I would take on a vacation per year. I think thats a reasonable approach, especially given the lack of trains and buses in your area.So, even though you framed your dilemma as a question about whether or how much to fly, I dont actually think the flying bit is your real problem. The real problem is this bit: I feel resentful with the carefree way I see friends approaching this issue, like flying out every month to watch a game. I feel like Im torturing myself with guilt over something that no one cares about.To be clear, its totally understandable to feel resentful; what your friends are doing does sound excessive. But the issue is that your resentment is making you miserable. And a virtuous but miserable life is not likely to be sustainable.Some do-gooders can go to altruistic extremes without feeling resentful or judgmental. They may be able to forgo flying entirely and use that choice to create new forms of meaning and connection and to enrich other aspects of their lives, so that they dont become joyless, judgy, or one-dimensional moral optimizers of the sort Wolf described. But most of us are not in that category. And unless you are, I wouldnt counsel you to go down the purist path, because resentment and judgmentalness can cause their own harm. They harm you, they harm the relationship between you and the targets of your judgment, and they can ultimately harm the cause itself because theyre off-putting to others and they make being climate-friendly seem impossibly hard. If youre like most of us, a path of moderation will probably work better. You can decide on a balance that you think is reasonable for example, one roundtrip flight per year and stick with that. Once youve done that, ditch the guilt thats torturing you. Thatll help diffuse the resentment, some of which I suspect is actually resentment toward yourself, because of how youve been torturing yourself. But that on its own might not be enough to get rid of all the resentment, because flying once annually still might feel like a big sacrifice relative to what your peers are doing. So one key intervention here is to expand your aperture, to look at what a broader group of people are doing, so that you dont feel youre sacrificing for the sake of something that no one cares about. More people care than you might think! A study published in Nature Communications found that 80 percent to 90 percent of Americans are living in a false social reality: They dramatically underestimate how much public support there is for climate policies. They think only 37 percent to 43 percent support these policies, when the real proportion of supporters is roughly double that. (And support is high across the world.) The study authors note that this misperception poses a challenge to collective action on problems like climate change, because its hard to stay motivated when you think youre alone in caring. Concretely connecting with others who are choosing to fly less will help bring this home for you, and make you feel that youre part of a community that shares your values. Networks you can reach out to include Stay Grounded, We Stay on the Ground, and Flying Less. The sense of belonging and camaraderie you get from being part of such a group can help you form positive emotional associations with your reduced-flying lifestyle youll feel like youre gaining something, not just losing. I think thats especially important given that resentment can actually feel good in the short term (even if it damages our well-being in the long term). Righteous indignation is a rush; it gives us an energy boost. So we cant expect the brain to give it up just like that we need to replace it with something else that feels good. The best candidate may be the pleasant emotion that philosophers and psychologists have identified as resentments exact opposite: gratitude. Next time you feel resentment bubbling up, go out in nature and do something you enjoy birding, hiking, swimming and really savor it. Pay close attention to each sound, each smell. Remind yourself that your reduced-flying lifestyle is helping to preserve this source of pleasure. In other words, its enabling you to get more of what you love. As you do that, I hope youll feel not only proud that youre living in line with your values, but also very grateful to yourself. Bonus: What Im readingThis dilemma reminded me not just of Greta Thunberg, but also of Simone Weil, a WWII-era philosopher who died early because she starved herself, refusing to eat more than people in occupied France. She was a moral saint if ever there was one. And as this excellent essay in the Point Magazine notes, Weil is a saint, but many couldnt stand her. Shes admirable for how much she cared about others suffering, but is her extreme self-sacrifice actually exemplary, in the sense that we should all follow her example? I dont think so. I also finally picked up a book thats been on my to-read list for ages: Strangers Drowning by Larissa MacFarquhar. It does a beautiful job telling stories about extreme altruists and getting you thinking about the pros and cons of the purist path. Im enjoying Isaiah Berlins essay The Pursuit of the Ideal, in which the moral pluralist philosopher argues that theres no one right way to live, whether on the individual or state level. Utopias have their value, Berlin writes, since nothing so wonderfully expands the imaginative horizons of human potentialities but as guides to conduct they can prove literally fatal. Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

The current frenzy around artificial intelligence has spread like a shockwave.It started among engineers inspired by a 2017 research paper. Next came venture capitalists eager to profit from a new boom. They were followed by government officials racing to impose regulations. Now its labors turn.More than 200 trade union members and technologists gathered in Sacramento this week at a first-of-its-kind conference to discuss how AI and other tech threatens workers and to strategize for upcoming fights and possible strikes.The Making Tech Work for Workers event was convened by University of California labor centers, unions, and worker advocates and attracted people representing dock workers, home care workers, teachers, nurses, actors, state office workers, and many other occupations. A key takeaway from the proceedings: Workers of all stripes are determined to fight during contract negotiations and amid day-to-day operations for the right to negotiate more control over how AI is deployed within companies. Union representatives detailed ways AI threatens jobs, from screenwriting to driving taxis to ringing people up as a cashier. It takes a toll on your physical and mental health when tech tracks your every movement, said Luis, an Amazon worker from Californias Inland Empire who asked CalMatters not to use his last name due to fear of retribution. He felt like he couldnt stop moving or get help from coworkers when lifting heavy objects. That led to back pain that made it hard to sleep at night, and feelings of depression and diminished self-worth.I just couldnt deal with being a robot, he said, describing why he quit. Later he returned to the job because he had no other opportunities. Amazon spokesman Steve Kelly responded that employees are encouraged to work with intention, not speed and can take short breaks at any time to use the restroom, grab water, stretch, or step away from their screen. In addition, theres nothing unusual about using cameras to help ensure employee safety, inventory quality, or protect against theftthis is common practice at nearly every major retailer in the world. Employees who have questions or concerns about any aspect of this technology or their jobs generally arent just permitted, but encouraged on a regular basis, to bring them to their managers and theyre provided several tools to support them in that process.The gathering comes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to begin his second administration and shortly before a Feb. 21 deadline to propose bills for the current session of the California Legislature. Precisely how Trump will respond to issues related to tech and workers is unclear. He has made some promises that seem favorable to big tech, like vowing to cut regulations he sees as harmful to innovation and promising to repeal an executive order signed by his predecessor that put safeguards on AI. But he has also positioned himself as an advocate for blue-collar workers left behind by tech elites: Just last month he called automation harmful to workers. Observers have also been left baffled by where, exactly, the incoming president stands on issues like H-1B visas for foreign tech talent or how he might be swayed by high-profile adviser Elon Musk, the omnipresent tech billionaire.Participants at the conference did not focus much on Trump. Instead, they centered discussions on how to protect workers from tech that can exploit them or automate discrimination. Union representatives unanimously urged workers to negotiate how AI and other forms of tech are used in the workplace when bargaining. Many also urged workers to engage more on tech issues by considering how to use tech for organizing or pushing forthe establishment of committees where management must discuss tech with workers before implementation. The roughly 150,000 United Food and Commercial Workers union members folks who work at stores like Kroger and Albertsons and the 100,000 National Nurses Union members will both face key fights related to automation this year as they bargain new contracts. The grocery workers will challenge the role of self-checkout stands while nurses contest AI tools they say can influence their duty to care and prioritize profits for health care and insurance companies over patient health. Corporations have long marketed AI to consumers and investors as a technology that will transform the world for the better. But gatherings like the conference in Sacramento show that unions are also using AI as a way to galvanize workers to organize their workplace.Unions have a steep hill to climb to grow membership and worker power, said AFL-CIO Tech Institute executive director Amanda Ballantyne, but including AI in collective bargaining negotiations is key, because there are so many use cases for AI in the workplace and workers tend to have strong opinions about them since they are experts in their own jobs and know best the safety implications of a new tool. A number of union representatives argued at the conference that workers need to gain and exercise power to push back against the rollout of technology with the potential to exploit them, visit indignity upon them, or take their jobs. A report released earlier this year by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute found that 4.5 million Californians are in 20 industries labeled at high risk of job loss due to automation, and that more than half of high-risk workers are Latino. Automation that takes jobs away is a major concern for three out of four Americans, according to a Gallup poll taken last year, but AI that makes predictions about workers, manages workers, or attempts to track and quantify their every move is also a major risk, said UC Berkeley Labor Center director Annette Bernhardt. She previously told CalMatters shes less concerned about AI taking jobs than she is about algorithms used in the workplace treating people like machines. AI has the potential to reduce discrimination and improve worker health and safety but it also has the potential to drive job losses, help suppress worker organizing efforts, and intensify demands placed on workers, a phenomenon that led to higher injury rates at Amazon warehouses.SAG-AFTRA executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said that AI underscores why its important for workers to organize, because doing so can force employers to negotiate their use of AI during contract bargaining rather than unilaterally deciding to introduce the technology in the workplace. But obtaining such contract clauses requires foresight by union leaders, who must craft a message that can resonate with workers and the public. Were up against the biggest corporate interests and the biggest political interests that you can imagine, and working together in unity is absolutely where our power comes from, he said. Especially because were going to have so many challenges on the federal level, in California, we can use public policy to advance collective bargaining and use collective bargaining to advance public policy.A lot of tech getting introduced in the workplace is just surveillance of workers, advocates said, and thats nothing new. Its the old boss with new tools, said California Labor Federation president Lorena Gonzalez. Three years ago, as an assemblymember, Gonzalez coauthored a law that prevents algorithms from denying workers break time or worker safety violations. Amid uncertainty of how the Trump administration will address union concerns around tech, Gonzalez told CalMatters last week that she is working with counterparts in other states, including Oregon, Massachusetts, and Washington, and Wisconsin to pass legislation to protect workers privacy in spaces like break rooms and bathrooms and ensure that they know when an employer is collecting data about them or monitoring job performance.The California Privacy Protection Agency is currently drafting rules that would require businesses to inform job applicants and workers when AI is in use and allow them to opt out of data collection on the job without consequence. California would become the first state to enact such rules but that regulation is still under negotiation. The California Civil Rights Department is also drafting rules to protect workers from AI that can automate discrimination. Gonzalez said she doesnt like to rely on such rules because they can take a long time to finalize and enforce, pointing to the fight to keep workers safe from hot workplaces, a battle thats gone on for the better part of a decade. Meanwhile, people like Amba Kak see opportunities for gains by workers against technological threats but said that it may require strategically picking the right battles. Kak previously advised the Federal Trade Commission and is executive director of the AI Now Institute, a nonprofit that researches the human rights impact of the technology. Seizing those opportunities requires paying attention to issues that can build bridges between labor and other actors in the tech justice movement. For example, the activity of data centers can bring together people concerned about the climate and labor and people in local communities who see data centers consume vast amounts of water and energy.Kak told CalMatters she plans to pay more attention to activity in state legislatures in places like California and New York, where lawmakers are already considering a bill that protects people from AI in a manner similar to Californias to Senate Bill 1047, a controversial bill requiring AI safeguards that Newsom vetoed last year. Labor has been at the forefront of rebalancing of power and asserting that the public has a say in determining how and under what conditions this tech is used, she said. This article was originally published on The Markup and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

Biophilic Transformation Crematorium / Doepel Strijkers ArchitectsSave this picture! Peter TijhuisHospitality ArchitectureZaandam, The NetherlandsArchitects: Doepel Strijkers ArchitectsAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:2000 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Peter TijhuisMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. PC Uitvaart, a funeral organization in Amsterdam, saw the need for a disruptive transformation of its real estate in response to evolving market dynamics, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. As Amsterdam's multicultural population continued to grow, so did the diversity in preferences for funerals and memorial services. To meet these changing needs and provide a more personalized experience for customers from all cultures, PC Uitvaart sought the expertise of Doepel Strijkers architects. The architects were commissioned to create a brand book for all PC Uitvaart buildings and to implement this generic brand book in the first specific location in Zaanstad. The aim is to transform the existing crematoria in such a way that not only increases the diversity of ceremonies but also enables multifunctional use of the facility. The redefinition of PC Uitvaart buildings by Doepel Strijkers represents a bold and visionary response to the changing market. By integrating nature, technology, and flexible design principles, it becomes possible to provide a more inclusive, personal, and adaptable space for ceremonies and commemorations for all cultures, setting a new standard in the funeral industry.Save this picture!Save this picture!The wooden structure is a carrier of identity and rituals - Doepel Strijkers analyzed the untapped potential of the existing crematoria. Their ambitious approach resulted in a concept that gives a new identity to the outside and inside of the building, connects indoor and outdoor spaces, uses nature as a carrier of the spaces, and integrates technology to enable customers to create tailor-made rituals for their loved ones.Save this picture!The main intervention on the outside of the building consists of the addition of a wooden structure around the building and the intensification and thematization of the landscape adjacent to this wooden structure. The wooden structure is designed to strengthen the connection between inside and outside, to eliminate the annoying logistics of multiple traffic streams around and in the building and to create a ritual route from the building to the cremation area and cemetery. This architectural element serves both functional and aesthetic purposes. It gives identity to the series of buildings of PC Uitvaart. It also allows multiple entrances on different sides of the building, serves as sun protection, and provides a framework for enclosing and theming outdoor gardens and ceremony spaces. This wooden structure enables a seamless transition between the gardens and the interior because the outdoor space can be functionally connected to the indoor space. Facades are opened where they meet the gardens for accessibility and views of the landscape and the changing seasons. For the development of the landscape with the thematic gardens and the indoor greenery, the office has entered into a collaboration with the landscape architecture office Madma from Rotterdam.Save this picture!Save this picture!Integration of nature - The architects seamlessly integrated nature into the design of the crematorium. Indoor greenery in various forms is strategically placed and not only provides comfort, but also serves as functional elements, such as seating and spatial partitions.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Zaandam, The NetherlandsLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeMaterialWoodMaterials and TagsPublished on January 19, 2025Cite: "Biophilic Transformation Crematorium / Doepel Strijkers Architects" 19 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025572/biophilic-transformation-crematorium-doepel-strijkers-architects&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream