Image: CapcomThanks to Monster Hunter Wilds' recent beta tests and ever-closer release date (28th Feb), all eyes are on what's next for the series. Importantly, this is a next-gen entry and, despite the wishes of Capcom's investors, that means it's not scheduled to come to Switch.But what about Switch 2? That's what series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and director Yuya Tokuda were asked in a recent interview with Spanish outlet Gamereactor. While the pair obviously didn't spill the beans on any kind of Switch 2 confirmation, Tsujimoto did share some insight into the team's thoughts on the upcoming hardware: namely, they want more info too.The Monster Hunter producer said that he's "in the same position everyone else is with the Switch 2". While the team will be looking into "the nature of the hardware and how we'll be using it best" in the future, Tsujimoto said that there's nothing to be announced for the time being.You'll find the producer's full quote below, as translated by Gamereactor:Of course, with relation to platforms for Monster Hunter Wilds, we have nothing extra to announce beyond what's already out there. But we're also kind of in the same position everyone else is with the Switch 2. It's such a brand new announcement, and we would need to take time over the coming future to learn exactly the nature of the hardware and how we'll be using it best. And that's something that is going to be in the future for us.Hmm. We struggle to believe that a team as big as Capcom has been kept in the dark about Switch 2 and its capabilities, though Tsujimoto does hit on an important point there: we have no idea how powerful the hardware is going to be. We've heard rumours that Nintendo is mustering PS4-level juice in its next hybrid, but Wilds is set to be a big game; will the Switch 2 even be able to handle it?We have to assume that Tsujimoto already knows the answer to that, but for now, at least, we'll be waiting for the official word from Nintendo before we set our hearts on the next Monster Hunter entry coming our way. Gotta draw the line somewherePush SquareThe humans behind the huntWould you like to see Monster Hunter Wilds on Switch 2? Let us know in the comments.[source gamereactor.es]See AlsoShare:00 Jim came to Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his insistence that The Minish Cap is the best Zelda game and his unwavering love for the Star Wars prequels (yes, really), he has continued to write news and features on the site ever since. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo Talks About Future Switch Support Ahead Of Switch 2 Launch"We would like to continue releasing new titles"Rumour: Placeholder Retail Listing Suggests Switch 2 Price Might Be Cheaper Than Expected500 CAD, but it's "PALCE HOLDER"Random: Hideki Kamiya Would Rather You Not Play Okami On The WiiThe Switch version is fine, thoughNintendo President Reiterates Switch Online Will "Continue To Be Available" For Switch 2"We will continue to provide comprehensive services"

Welcome to TechCrunch Fintech!This week were looking at how fintech heavyweights such as Klarna and Stripe are incorporating crypto into their strategies, which companies are planning for IPOs, one fintechs Super Bowl ad, Stripes new lead of startups and venture capital, and more!To get a roundup of TechCrunchs biggest and most important fintech stories delivered to your inbox every Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. PT, subscribe here.The big storyImage Credits:KlarnaKlarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski posted in a February 8 post on X that he and Klarna would embrace crypto. The Swedish buy now, pay later giant is also said to be planning a U.S. initial public offering in April with a target of a $15 billion valuation, according to the Financial Times. Even though this would be about one-third lower than its peak valuation of $45.6 billion in 2021, it would still be one of the biggest listings of the year, reports FT. Klarna was valued at $6.7 billion when it raised $800 million in 2022.Dollars and centsKhazna.Image Credits:KhaznaKhazna, an Egyptian fintech startup that offers financial services tailored toward low- and middle-income workers, recently secured $16 million in pre-Series B funding, bringing its total funding to over $63 million.Rapyd Financial Network is looking to raise $300 million in a new funding round that would value the global payments platform at $3.5 billion, a considerable decrease from its approximately $9 billion valuation set in 2021.Fintech-turned-HR outfit Deel is trying to lay the groundwork for an IPO. On February 4, it said its annual revenue run rate climbed to $800 million in 2024 after growing by 70%. It also sold $300 million in secondary shares to General Catalyst and an unnamed sovereign investor.Superlogic, a startup that helps give consumers a way to apply rewards points toward experiences such as courtside tickets to NBA games, has raised $13.7 million at a $200 million valuation.A clearer picture of Benchs downfall is emerging thanks to newly released bankruptcy filings. The records show that the Canada-based startup, which ironically enough offered cloud accounting software for small businesses, consistently struggled to reach profitability. It burned through $135 million from its founding in 2012 to September 2024. By the time of its collapse, Bench was forced to shut down due to a liquidity crisis, the records say. The company has since been acquired by Employer.com. However, Benchs bankruptcy offers a window into the dangers of too much debt for startups. Charles Rollet takes a look.Stripe has closed on its $1.1 billion purchase of stablecoin platform Bridge marking the payment giants largest acquisition to date and tangible push into crypto.In other Stripe news, TechCrunch learned that the payments giant has tapped Asya Bradley to serve as its Startups and VC Partnerships lead. Bradley previously held revenue roles at Synapse and Sila. Shes also an LP in venture funds Ganas Ventures and Cowboy Ventures.Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley has not only become an investor in fintech startup Ramp, but he was also the star of the companys first Super Bowl commercial.US consumer finance watchdog (CPFB) chief tells all staff to cease work, days after the Trump administration closes the bureaus headquarters for a week.Plaid working with Goldman Sachs on raising $300M to $400M in tender offerThanks for reading! Until next week Follow me on X @bayareawriter for breaking fintech news, posts about coffee, and more.

Apple Tuesday announced the long-awaited debut of Powerbeats Pro 2. The new headphones arrive nearly six years after the original Powerbeats hit the market. The new model maintains the familiar ear hook for workouts, while delivering upgraded sound, better battery life, and a wireless charging case.The earbuds also mark a major next step in the companys bid to expand its health care features, with the addition of built-in heart rate monitoring. The feature triggers during workouts, offering real-time data via LED optical sensors.In addition to Apples own health app, the monitoring is compatible with a number of leading fitness apps, includingOpen, Peloton, Runna, Slopes, Ladder, Nike Run Club, and YaoYao. One of the most popular running apps, Strava, is conspicuously absent from the list, however.Image Credits:Apple/BeatsThe Powerbeats expand an Apple health portfolio that currently revolves around the Apple Watch. While elements like step tracking have been around since the early days, Apple has since gone all-in on health. The Watch now features ECG readings, fall detection, sleep tracking, and various other features aimed at providing a full picture of the wearers health.Apples health suite further branched out in 2024, with the addition of a hearing aid feature for the AirPods Pro 2. The arrival of heart rate monitoring on the Beats line could herald the features addition to upcoming AirPods updates though doing so would require a major hardware refresh. Apple-branded headphones are also more general lifestyle products, compared to the Powerbeats fitness focus.The new headphones have been upgraded from Apples W2 to its H2 chip, which debuted on the AirPods Pro 2 in 2022. That continues to be the top of the line Apple headphone chip until the company introduces AirPods Pro 3 at a future date. Image Credits:Apple/BeatsApple cites the proprietary silicon as the driving force in battery life improvements. The buds themselves sport a stated 10 hours of battery, compared to their predecessors nine. More impressive, however, is the case, which improves total battery life from 24 to 45 hours. The company managed to do so while reducing the footprint of the original Powerbeats Pros infamously massive case. Apple is touting improvements to sound quality, as well. Those arrive with the addition of Spatial Audio with head tracking, the same noise-canceling found on the AirPods Pro 2, and Adaptive EQ, which adjusts audio quality to matchs the wearers ear. The familiar ear hooks now sport nickel alloy, for improved strength, while the buds overall weight has decreased by 20%.Image Credits:Apple/BeatsApple adds that its tested the Pros on 1,000 athletes in an attempt to create a more universal fit. The headphones also sport an IPX4 sweat resistance resistance rating the same rating found on AirPods. In addition to wireless charging, the headphones swap their predecessors Lightning port for USB-C.The Powerbeats Pro 2 are available online starting today, priced at $250 same as their predecessors, back in 2019. They hit store shelves February 13. Apple just missed the Super Bowl with its announcement, but thats not stopping the company from spending a load on ads, with endorsements from star athletes, including LeBron James, Lionel Messi, and Shohei Ohtani.

InterviewsSenna: Craig Wentworth and Marcelo Siqueira Production VFX SupervisorsBy Vincent Frei - 11/02/2025 Craig Wentworth gave us insights into Method Studios visual effects work on Extraction back in 2020. Since then, he has contributed to shows like The Boys and For All Mankind. In 2022, he joined Scanline VFX, where he worked on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Atlas.Marcelo Siqueira brings over 30 years of experience in visual effects, having contributed to countless films and series in Brazil.Today, these seasoned VFX professionals share their insights about their work on the Netflix series Senna.How did you get involved in this series?Marcelo Siqueira // In September 2022, I received a call from Vicente Amorim, the projects showrunner, with whom I had a long history of collaborating on other works. He asked me who in Brazil could supervise and produce VFX for a series like Senna. Vicente understood that the project would demand complete dedication and that, in addition to my family commitments, Im also a partner at Mistika Post, a VFX and post-production company in Brazil, which made balancing everything challenging.Moreover, I was fully aware that Senna was a unique project with the potential to showcase Brazil on the global VFX stage. With the full support of my family and Mistika Post, I accepted the position as it was an opportunity I simply could not pass up.Craig Wentworth // I was first introduced to the production team in February 2023 as a representative of Scanline VFX. Our earliest conversations centered around the challenges the show faced in terms of world-building specifically the several racetracks that would need to be created digitally either in full or as set extensions and the unique challenge of visualizing what Vicente described as Sennas Superpower.Given Scanlines long history in producing complex and creative visual effects, we seemed like a great fit for the series as a whole. In May of that year, I began consulting with (Brazilian VFX Supervisor) Marcelo Sica Siqueira on many aspects of the VFX production.Later, as Scanlines relationship with the production evolved, my Producer partner Vero Lauzon and I assumed responsibility for the distribution and execution of the final VFX in the show. We also supported the LED shoot planned for early December with support from our counterparts at Eyeline Studios.How was the collaboration with Directors Vicente Amorim and Julia Rezende?Marcelo Siqueira // Since the start of the project in 2022, it was decided that Vicente Amorim would focus on the world of racingtracks, pits, pit lanes, and all the grandeur and drama of those settings while Jlia Rezende would handle the more personal aspects of Sennas life. Although both aspects were crucial, it became clear that the races would demand most of our energy and resources. Together with Jlia and Kaue Zilli (DP), we had extensive discussions about how to recreate the luxurious settings of Formula 1s major social events, such as palaces, parties, and hotels in Monaco, as well as planning set extensions for the commentary booths filmed in the studio, where much of the story would be told.With Vicente, the priority was to understand and plan the world of the tracks and pits. We assembled a pre-visualization (previs) team to align our extensive location research and address production and storytelling challenges. Over nine months, a team of four people and a dedicated researcher worked full-time to recreate every historical moment we would film. We also had access to a rich archive from the FIA, which helped us create over 150 beats of the races in animated form.Beyond the tracks, we also conducted previs for all dialogue scenes in the pits and pit lanes. This was crucial for framing decisions, enabling the production and art departments to visualize what would be physically built and created in VFX. During this process, I began generating materials showing all possible angles of the races. We refined the rhythm and tone of the most complex sequences with one of the series editors, Diana Vasconcelos, and Vicente himself.By the end of May, we had all the race sequences edited and a detailed shooting board for every other scene in the pits. With everything in place, we were finally ready to start filming.Craig Wentworth // My time was spent mainly with Vicente, as he was 100% our client for the VFX work on the series once filming had been completed.The collaboration with him is one of the most rewarding experiences Ive ever had. We seemed to be very much in sync visually and creatively we are avid racing fans, particularly of Sennas era, so our visual aesthetic and passion for the subject aligned quickly. I lost count of the number of times I would show him something for the first time, and he would sit there with a smile on his face, with very little to actually comment on because we both knew the shot was great.We also valued honesty in our conversations, particularly how certain VFX choices might influence our tight budget. These are tough conversations to have sometimes Hey, you can have this, but you need to cut here to cover it. But our dialogue was very open in that regard because Vicente was also the Showrunner and had responsibilities beyond just the visuals on the project. Ultimately, we had his complete trust to make the right choices for the show and provide the best VFX bang for the buck.So much so, actually, that in the final couple of weeks of color and sound, Vicente entrusted me to finalize color with Luisa Cavanagh (our colorist) while he left to work on sound and later on another project. I dont know any VFX Supervisor who has been left holding the fort that way, but I think it indicates how great our relationship with Vicente was.How did you organize the work between you two?Marcelo Siqueira // Shortly before filming began, we received news that Scanline would be joining the project, which generated great expectations given their experience with projects of this magnitude. That said, this meant integrating a new team into a project that was less than two months away from filming.I met Craig and Alain LaLanne (VFX Executive Producer). As a first step, we shared and validated our VFX strategy with them. Thanks to our detailed planning and organization, we gave everybody the confidence to forge ahead with production, which was crucial as we were only two weeks away from starting principal photography.Ultimately, Scanlines participation and support allowed me to focus exclusively on on-set VFX supervision and second unit direction. Vero assumed all financial and production responsibilities with the vendors, while Craig handled creative supervision and technical communication with them.Craig Wentworth // The division of responsibility between Sica and I happened quite naturally and organically. The very high level of planning that had been put into the production at the outset gave all of us every confidence in Sica and his teams ability to manage the on-set needs of VFX.As Vero and I got deeper into the financial side of things, however, it seemed logical that I also take on more direct creative and technical responsibility for the successful execution of the work during post. This worked well because I was in the same time zone as Vicente, which really allowed us to maximize our day and his valuable time.How did you choose the various vendors and split the work among them?Craig Wentworth // It was very important to everyone involved in the production that Brazilians play an influential role in the work. So, in some respects, our decision was made for us but not without first testing and vetting several potential vendors from the region.Sicas invaluable connection to the Brazilian market meant he had already curated and tested several vendors who had the potential to meet the projects demands by the time we came aboard. He had challenged them to produce examples of what they could do with very early test footage of our cars lapping a historic track in Balcarce, Argentina. Across the board, those tests primarily set extensions of the streets of Monaco were very impressive, and we immediately had the confidence to engage local talent without fear.One of the companies that stood out was Miagui a small house based in Porto Alegre, Brazil, specializing in car commercials. They took the initiative to produce their test entirely in CG, and based on that knock-out effort, we committed to using them for the races in Monaco, where we knew we could not film and for which we knew we would not have plates.Marcelo Siqueira // It became clear that having each vendor take responsibility for one race or a group of races would benefit the overall VFX schedule. In addition to Miagui, Picma Post handled the junior racing categories Formula Ford and Formula 3 as well as the iconic Imola 1994 race, marked by the tragic accident that ultimately took Sennas life. The Quanta team, which also handled virtual production, online, and color for the series, was tasked with all of the burn-ins and the restoration of actual FIA footage of races, which was used extensively throughout the show.This production was also a great opportunity to leverage the power of Netflixs resources. We had a literal army of people working for NetFX all over the world who assisted in a variety of shot types, such as press booth window comps, simpler or one-off set extensions, clean-ups, and makeup fixes.Scanline assumed the work of digitally recreating Suzuka, Japan (across 3 time periods), the historic race at Interlagos in 1991, along with Estoril 1985 (in the rain) and the on-track shots of Sennas last race at Imola. Last but not least, Eyeline Studios came to our aid with several shots we called whooshes (cars rushing past the camera that serves as really useful editorial transitions). They also supported us with the scanning of all the production cars and chassis, as well as offering tech support to the Quanta team for our LED shoot.What is your role on set and how do you work with other departments?Marcelo Siqueira // As the VFX Supervisor, I oversaw three VFX teams operating throughout 156 days of filming. Each unit had its own dedicated team. The main unit included an on-set supervisor and a data wrangler/assistant. The performance unit had a VFX supervisor, (Niko Casilho and Marco Padro who took turns) a data wrangler, and three assistants responsible for placing tracking marks and piloting the drone, which acted as a witness cam for every shot involving cars on the track. (Luca Rassi and Renato Hoyda ) Additionally, we set up a chroma key studio for capturing sprites and plates led by Patrick Hanser Altogether, our team consisted of 11 people dedicated to meeting these specific demands.I believe the VFX department plays a unifying role, connecting all other departments. In a production of this magnitude, its essential to know when to ask and when to compromise. From the start, I established a strong relationship of camaraderie and collaboration with all departments, especially art, production, and photography. They knew the VFX team would always be available to assist, and in return, our needs were promptly addressed. There was no my problem or your problemjust a problem that we all worked together to solve.For example, we secured a dedicated space at one of the locations to set up an exclusive studio. This studio was used by the Eyeline data acquisition team to scan all the cars and helmets in controlled conditions. We created a closed environment with black drapes and diffused lighting, ensuring high-quality and efficient work. This organization was widely recognized and praised by the Canadian team, who commented that they had never been so well accommodated as they were on Senna. To achieve this, we had to mobilize production, electrical, photography, gaffers, logistics, and transportation for the cars. The strong relationships between department heads made this possible, allowing us to work collaboratively and efficiently.Craig Wentworth // This was a unique project for me as my on-set involvement was quite limited, mostly due to the timing of when Scanline began partnering fully with the production. However, I was present for tech scouting of the location in Buenos Aires chosen to stand in for most of our race tracks, and I went again to Argentina for performance unit filming of racing that directly affected Scanlines Interlagos and Suzuka work. All of which is to say that what might be a supervisors typical interaction with the crew in those situations was mostly (and already) handled by Sica who did a stellar job of setting the VFX table for Vero and me.At the end of main unit photography, however, was a 3-week LED shoot (including a week of prep). Sica became consumed with on-set duties, so it made sense for me to get involved with the LED shoots prep, and I worked closely with our Eyeline team and the Virtual Production team at Quanta to help facilitate a smooth couple of weeks from a technical perspective. Then, once we were back in So Paulo for the LED shoot itself, I stayed mostly quietly behind the scenes, helping to update Unreal projects, make adjustments as needed, and the little things that largely go unnoticed but keep the shoot days running smoothly on a VP stage. During that shoot, we really started engaging creatively with Vicente, since we were there with him in So Paulo and could present a lot of work in progress and ideas in person.What was your initial approach to recreating Ayrton Sennas iconic moments through visual effects?Marcelo Siqueira // The recreation of Sennas races was driven by an unwavering pursuit of historical accuracy. Whenever possible, we used real footage as a reference to ensure every curve, overtake, and detail was faithful to what actually happened. In rare cases, such as Sennas overtake of Keke Rosberg at Monacos Rascasse corner in 1984, where no visual record exists, we allowed ourselves some creative freedom. However, these moments were always grounded in detailed research and eyewitness accounts. Our primary goal was to recreate Sennas iconic moments exactly as they happened, enabling the filmed sequences to be seamlessly intercut with original broadcast footage, ensuring a perfect record and historical validation.The second approach was to innovate in how the races were presented to the audience. Instead of the traditional distant, third-person perspective of Formula 1 broadcasts or productions like Drive to Survive, we sought a closer, more immersive viewpoint. Our aim was to make the audience feel what Senna and other drivers experienced, delivering a unique emotional and cinematic visual proximity. These two approacheshistorical fidelity and immersive experiencewere fundamental pillars in crafting the series race narrative, striking a balance between authenticity and emotion to engage viewers in an unprecedented way.With the knowledge accumulated throughout the project and my deep familiarity with all the captured material, after filming, I dedicated myself to editing the racing scenes alongside senior editors Diana Vasconcelos and Guilherme Porto. We brought the same obsession with historical accuracy but now applied to selecting the right shots and perfecting the match cuts.Craig Wentworth // By now you know that a great deal of thoughtful and detailed planning went into this production.Sica, Vicente, and the Brazilian editorial team had created these things called Monsters (or Montros, in Brazilian), which were essentially previsualizations of every race but not just the race itself, they included all of the action and commentary that took place AROUND the race, too. Family points of view, the action in the pits, press booths, along the action on the track everything was represented, often with footage from other movies. So it played like a complete scene, and really set the tone in terms of what needed to be filmed, and how, and not just for VFX.Every significant moment in history that we wanted to cover in the series was prepared in this fashion, and these Monsters were referred to constantly on set, right up to the last day of shooting. They werebuilt, of course, around the historical accuracy of what really happened and, very smartly, intercut with FIA footage from the day, to which the production had unprecedented access.With these scenes in hand, and available long before filming began, we could really break down and assess what we faced in VFX in terms of challenges very early in the process. It wasnt like we had to imagine something based on a conversation it was staring us right in the face, right there on screen, exactly what we needed to achieve to tell our story. And we could use these visuals to inform all departments of our approach and needs on set to help execute the work.What specific aspects of the project excited you the most from a VFX perspective?Craig Wentworth // Honestly, the races! As a fan of F1 of the 80s and 90s, and of Senna himself, to have the opportunity to bring his highlight reel to life in VFX was at once daunting, but also a particularly thrilling challenge. I also loved the scope of world-building the series needed the number of races we planned to portray, and the significance of those races and key moments in Sennas career. What a gift to be able to contribute to bringing all of that back to life.Marcelo Siqueira // Recreating Ayrton Sennas story, from karting to the tragic accident at Imola, was already an extremely challenging project for the world of VFX. However, it also presented unique challenges. Each racetrack had its own distinct characteristics, such as the placement of pit boxes, signage, team uniforms, and specific architectural details. Attention to these elements was crucial to ensure historical accuracy. The sheer number of components that needed to be recreated was staggering, and even with two races in Monaco and three in Suzuka, there was little that could be reused from one to another due to changes between the years.Another major challenge was finding new ways to capture the adrenaline of the races. We worked with cameras placed extremely close to the track, recreated conditions like intense rain, and sought innovative methods to convey the speed and intensity of Formula 1. These elements, combined with the opportunity to construct a unique high-speed visual narrative, made the project an immense challenge and, at the same time, an extraordinary opportunity for the world of visual effects.What were the biggest challenges in recreating the look and feel of the 1980s and 1990s F1 era?Marcelo Siqueira // Recreating the atmosphere of Formula 1 in Senna was a complex challenge, especially given the modernity of todays racetracks. It was impossible to recreate Suzuka or Interlagos from the 1980s using the circuits in their current configurations. To capture the essence of the era, we researched over fifteen racetracks across Latin America, seeking locations that could host the production and match historical characteristics. It was a true puzzle, selecting track segments from different racetracks to represent the iconic sections of the originals.At the Buenos Aires circuit, for example, we found the S do Senna and the famous Casio Chicane from Suzuka. Interestingly, the same engineer who designed Interlagos was also responsible for Suzuka and the Buenos Aires circuit. Since the Argentine circuit had not undergone updates since 1994, it became our primary filming location, where we shot for two months. At the Pinar racetrack in Uruguay, one curve stood out as a match for Tamburello, along with the tunnel exit from Monaco. For scenes involving the pit, pit lane, and pit wall, we concentrated on four racesEstoril, Interlagos, Suzuka, and Imolaat the Buenos Aires circuit. We utilized the physical features of the location and digitally recreated everything necessary to transform it into our historical racetracks. Regarding the tracks themselves, we added elements such as grandstands, advertising boards, marshals, and guardrails to ensure complete authenticity and allow seamless integration with real historical footage.Another significant challenge was recreating the weather conditions of historic races. Iconic moments, such as those in Monaco and Estoril, occurred under heavy rain, requiring a combination of practical production techniques and visual effects. In Monaco, for instance, we physically reconstructed the main straight and simulated torrential rain using practical effects. This set the foundation for all the VFX sequences for the rest of the track, which had to replicate the same weather conditions, achieving a balance between practical and digital effects.Craig Wentworth // I cant answer that question without first acknowledging the inspired choice by Vicente to use actual FIA footage in the series and intercut it with our recreations to sort of ground everything in reality. So, the challenge, truly, in terms of VFX was finding the sweet spot of being faithful to what REALLY happened, matching that with absolute historical accuracy, and at the same time tying the VFX into what we filmed practically and the aesthetic of the series as a whole.How did you ensure historical accuracy while maintaining cinematic appeal?Marcelo Siqueira // Historical accuracy was ensured through detailed research, which included analyzing hundreds of hours of archival footage to faithfully recreate every curve and moment. As production progressed, each department contributed valuable insights from their respective areas. The art department provided details about sets and props, while the costume team supplied elements for the racing suits and helmets. Meanwhile, the team responsible for the physical construction of the cars focused on the unique characteristics that changed from year to year.To integrate and centralize this wealth of information, we created a database accessible to all departments. This system allowed each team to input and retrieve essential data, such as historical references, continuity notes, VFX reports, and camera data. This unified approach was critical for collecting, building, and utilizing information throughout the project, ensuring that all VFX teams had access to the necessary references. This rigorous process resulted in a perfect match cut between historical footage and the filmed sequences, keeping everything in complete synchronization and ensuring the projects authenticity.Craig Wentworth // As with anything that involves recreating events of the past, the devil is in the details. Our VFX partners spent a long time looking at FIA footage to analyze and extract all of the details that would be needed in our backgrounds, for example, to match up with what we saw on the televisions our actors were watching (which was always the real event, the real Senna). And then there was the visual bar that had been set by the shows production design team led by Frederico Pinto, and cinematographer Azul Serra, who brought so much tactile historical accuracy to sets and developed a real beauty to the main unit photography through its lensing and lighting.It was critical that our VFX, which was filmed with several different cameras for very practical reasons, tied in aesthetically to those rich visuals and had the same look and feel. This is where our partnership with Luisa in color was so helpful. We massaged the final look in DI to bring our production and post-production worlds together.Monaco is a fan-favorite race in Sennas career. How did you approach the challenge of recreating this unique circuit and its surroundings?Marcelo Siqueira // From the start of preparation, we knew that recreating Monaco would be a major challenge. As a circuit located within a city, with elements that were extremely close and distinctive, the task was incredibly complex. The crowd, iconic buildings, and the proximity of the cars to the guardrails on a narrow track made constructing this environment both intricate and demanding.With this in mind, in January 2022, six months before principal photography, I, Azul Serra (DP), and Caique Ferreira (producer) traveled to Balcarce, a small town 200 km from Buenos Aires, where our replicas were being constructed and where a small racetrack was located. We spent two days filming our replicas on this track, aiming to validate the set extension process, which initially seemed the best solution for recreating Monaco.We edited about 30 seconds of this material and sent it to various VFX houses in Brazil, along with a basic model of the Monaco track, to validate the process and demonstrate the capacity of Brazilian teams to deliver such a complex scene. Four studios were invited: Quanta Post, Casablanca VFX, Tribbo Post, and Miagui. The first three immediately accepted the challenge. To my surprise, Miagui declined the initial invitation, stating they felt more comfortable creating the shots entirely in full CGI. We knew that at some point, full CGI shots would be necessary, particularly for wide-angle shots. However, for this particular race, we had planned to use real cars and a physical track, which seemed more practical and cost-effective. Nonetheless, I decided it was prudent to allow Miagui to conduct a test to explore the potential of this approach.Six weeks later, we received the final shots from all the studios, including Miaguis full CGI shots. The shots were edited and combined with close-ups filmed in virtual production. When we presented the material to Netflix, the shots were so consistent that it was impossible to distinguish which technique had been used for each one. The impeccable work of all four studios was widely recognized, and the method was approved.There remained, however, a critical challenge: the 1984 Monaco race occurred under torrential rain. During initial tests, we realized that 100 meters of rain towers, with cars traveling at 250 km/h, were insufficient to create the necessary impact. With the success of Miaguis full CGI test, we requested a new simulation of the 1984 race with heavy rain. The result was spectacular. The full CGI recreationbrought the perfect atmosphere for the intense battles between drivers while enabling innovative camera movementsthough we avoided impossible or overly artificial camera angles. Moreover, it resolved the significant production challenge of replicating rain over extended stretches of the track.We redesigned our approach for this sequence, investing substantial resources in physically constructing the main straight. Using an old airport parking lot in Montevideo, we repaved the asphalt, recreated the straight with all its elements, covered a large area to avoid sunlight, and poured over 30,000 liters of water during the filming. By combining real scenes shot on the main straight, close-ups of real cars on our tracks, full CGI shots produced by Miagui under Craigs supervision, and close-ups captured in virtual production during the last four weeks of filming in Brazil, I believe we achieved something extraordinary. We were able to transport the audience not only back to 1984 but directly into Sennas car, allowing them to feel the full intensity and emotion of the moment.Craig Wentworth // As Sica says based on the test work of the Miagui team, we made the commitment to producing Monaco races in CG very early on. This helped in a couple of ways: one, it started to direct our choices financially and organizationally for the balance of VFX work, and, two, it freed up the performance unit to focus on all of the other racing in the series, and not have to worry about the time and expense of wetting down large sections of racetrack.So, with the exception of the pitlane, the entire circuit was digitally recreated, with special emphasis on the famous tunnel (in which we spent a lot of racing time both in 84 and 88), the first turn, and sections of the track leading to the pitlane.The real focus in terms of the level of detail and look development centered on the track itself, barriers, and midground crowd. One thing in our favor was Vicentes passion for shallow depth of field, a photographic quality that permeates the whole series. So, we could afford to work our way from front to back in terms of leveling up building assets.The team at Miagui created digital twins of our production cars, which were scanned by Eyeline in Balcarce. The full field had to be created for the start of the 84 race, which then needed a healthy dose of rain effects, atmospherics, rooster tails, tire tracks, and so on, to look authentic. For the 88 race we needed both Senna and Prosts Mclarens, along with the cars Senna overtook during his trance. The race ends with his crash. The Scanline team handled the shots of Senna exiting his car and walking back to his apartment, which was filmed in live action against bluescreen and extended with digital matte paintings based upon Miaguis assets.What techniques were used to recreate the racing sequences, especially those that featured iconic cars from the era?Marcelo Siqueira // We used virtually the same techniques for all the races to ensure realism and flexibility in production.Filming real cars with environment replacement (performance):We filmed the real cars in specific locations, replacing the background and environment with VFX to recreate the historical racetracks.Use of placeholder or naked cars:With 22 cars built but only 15 chassis available, we often used placeholder cars without shells. Thesecars featured black chassis with tracking marks, allowing us to film the choreography and dynamics of the races. In post-production, we applied the necessary shells and details to represent the specific models for each race, as well as replaced the backgrounds.Full CGI shots:We incorporated full CGI shots throughout the races to create expansive and dynamic views that were often impossible to capture physically.Close-ups using Virtual Production:For the close-up shots of Formula 1 scenes, we adopted Virtual Production technology. We used nearly 360 LED panels surrounding the cars, which were positioned on a motion base developed specifically for the project. These original cars, without engines, were mounted on the base to simulate the sensation of movement.Additionally, we developed an integrated system using Unreal Engine, synchronizing the motion base with the animations we had previously created for the environments displayed on the LED panels. This combination ensured an exceptional level of realism, immersion, and control during the capture of these scenes.Craig Wentworth // Sica sums it up very well. We pretty much used every trick in the book in racing sequences, and Im a firm believer in mixing it up in VFX. Performance was filmed at 4 different race tracks, chosen based on how their location or specific turns reflected those of the real tracks we were creating. Weather conditions varied a lot from location to location. In fact, in the edit, we would sometimes cut between footage shot four or five months apart, and the differences in plates were quite stark.The challenge was making this material feel cohesive, which started with making sure the geography in the background made sense. We laid out our set extensions of racetracks in the background, along with digital cars as needed in the midground, and would show this to Vicente to be sure he was happy with the continuity of things.From there, the work shifted focus to integration. We embraced lighting changes for what they were thats just part of filming life the light is different in every take, so dont fight it. But the historical details were sweated on profusely: Do we have the right signs? The right density of crowd? The right cars in the background with historically accurate liveries? We consulted extensively with the productions resident F1 expert (who was also a writer on the series) to ensure everything even the RPMs on dashboards in steering wheel closeups was as accurate as possible.Intermixed with the real driving shots were several all-CG moments the kinds of takes that we just couldnt get in camera when filming the cars for real. These CG shots went through the same exhaustive authenticity process as a performance shot, with the added pressure of having to match photographically to production footage around it. This meant matching long lensing, shallow depth of field, and the shimmering bokeh you get from filming down at track level on a hot day. No details were missed, because we had nowhere to hide: the FIA footage was always our ground truth.Were there any specific races or moments that posed unexpected challenges in terms of visual effects?Marcelo Siqueira // Everything was meticulously planned from the start, which allowed us to avoid major surprises during the VFX process. One adjustment that proved to be more efficient, despite being initially envisioned on a smaller scale, involved aerial shots. Originally, we planned to use drone footage to work with set extensions. However, during the editing process, we decided to discard the drone footage and opted to produce these shots entirely in full CGI.Craig Wentworth // And, honestly, we found a rhythm and process for creating the race action that made the work itself surprisingly easy and I dont mean to belittle the amount of effort that went into creating the VFX shots by our vendors. I just mean that things fell into place quite naturally, because the logic of what had happened in real life really dictated what we needed to do in VFX and our primary mission was to provide cohesion and continuity of action. If anything, it was one of our more creative VFX ideas that had the most time spent on it, and by extension could be considered the most challenging to get right.Sennas Superpower this notion that he was someone capable of driving beyond the limits of his peers and that he saw things on a track differently to everyone else was a concept that went through several iterations, and even close to the end of production, while working on the sound mix, Vicente was tweaking the balance of elements that went into his Superpower POV. But as I mentioned earlier, Sica and the production teams in Brazil really did set the table for us in post production incredibly well. The real challenge was pushing our 2000+ shots through in, essentially, 6 months after picture lock.How did you recreate the Formula 1 cars of that era? Were they fully CG, or did you incorporate practical elements?Marcelo Siqueira // 22 production cars were built in total for the series with a special focus on Sennas cars and those of his main rivals However, during each key moment of the races, there was a need to include many additional cars that were not physically constructed. To meet this demand, we used two methods: full CGI and our Nakeds. These Naked cars, which were eventually replaced by CGI models, were present in the scenes to aid in understanding the race dynamics and vehicle choreography.Craig Wentworth // To ensure precision in the details, we not only scanned all the racetracks but also performed 3D scanning and photogrammetry on all the physically constructed cars. Eyeline acquired all of these vehicles along with drivers helmets so we could build digital versions as needed, seamlessly integrating them into the filmed scenes. For wider shots that showed the whole starting line, we would repurpose these scans and redress them with the right liveries to fill out the entire grid. So, the answer to your question is that they were both practical and digital, and hopefully, weve fooled everyone into thinking which is which and when.What techniques did you use to ensure the authenticity of car dynamics, including their speed, sound, and motion?Marcelo Siqueira // We conducted an in-depth study of race dynamics and car movements, working with experienced race drivers who brought the authenticity needed for the performance and framing to convey the sensation of speed. Additionally, we built our own camera car, equipped with a more powerful engine than the replicas, to execute overtaking maneuvers with ease without compromising the speed of the cars on set. Our replicas ran at approximately 100-120 km/h, and all scenes were filmed at a minimum of 48 fps. Later, we adjusted the speed of each shot in post-production to achieve the desired effect.For sound, we had the opportunity to record the original cars from the era on racetracks. A dedicatedteam captured every noise from different points of the cars, including authentic engine sounds, gear shifts, and braking. This meticulous work, led by Post Production Supervisor Gabriel Queiroz, was challenging but essential to the success of the series. The rich sound design ensured that each scene immersed the audience in Sennas racing world.Craig Wentworth // For the VFX, the simple answer to your question really is just watching a lot of footage, both of our own cars (which had certain dynamic properties to them when driving at high speed), and anything we could get from FIA or internet reference of the real F1 cars. In our favor was that everything on the show was shot at a high frame rate not just 48, but sometimes 240fps! What that gave us was the opportunity to look really closely at how wings would flex under air pressure, or how many minute movements you could detect in a cars body when at speed twitching wheels, vibrating suspension, even the main body of the car would ripple due to airflow.All of this was built into the animation rigs of our digital cars so that their performance characteristics would match, at minimum, those of our production cars. Then, of course, in context, some creative choices were made in animation to amp things up a bit, as needed, but always with this real-world reference in mind.How did you handle vehicle wear and tear, such as tire degradation, crashes, or weather effects, to enhance realism?Marcelo Siqueira // Some physical contact between cars occurred during filming. Naturally, we scheduled these scenes for the end of production, when potential damage would pose fewer issues, as we were nearing the completion of the replicas use. However, since we had several chassis available, this did not become a major obstacle. The cars were custom-built by Crespi, the same teamresponsible for driving them. They also maintained an extra crew outside of set hours to handle any necessary repairs and ensure the vehicles were ready for the following day. The more intense crashes, however, were executed using VFX, often in full CGI, to ensure safety and greater control over the visual outcome.Tires were an interesting aspect of the project, as it wasnt possible to simply purchase them off the shelf. We found a factory in Brazil willing to take on the challenge of creating custom molds, developed according to the technical specifications provided by Crespi, who also manufactured the wheels. The development process took months, culminating in a tire capable of withstanding 40-50 burnouts in a single day. We had several sets of tires, both for wet and dry conditions, which were swapped depending on the scene. For static shots of cars on the grid, for instance, we used newer tires to ensure an impeccable appearance. For motion scenes, tire details were less noticeable, offering us greater flexibility. However, in some instances, it was necessary to use VFX to clean up unwanted marks or correct visual imperfections on the tires.Craig Wentworth // Our digital cars were built and look developed to withstand extreme close-up scrutiny, so a lot of wear and tear was built into textures and dialed in shading. We also committed to making sure our digital cars always matched the production vehicles built by Crespi. So we took exhaustive numbers of photos of all of the details of those cars, including their tires (which were specially formed for the show).We decided that our cars would generally be pre-weatheredmeaning they did not undergo any look dev evolution during a race. So, a layer of dust and grit was built into their shading from the start. It somehow just made them feel more realnothing in F1 of the 80s and 90s was ever showroom-perfect.We created two digital crashes for the show, Prost and Sennas collision at Suzuka in 1989, and Sennas accident at Monaco in 1988. Ironically, the latter has never been seen on television only the aftermath was captured. So we had some creative license in terms of what happened, but a lot of intelligent inference was based on photographs, witness accounts, and so on.Senna and Prosts other collision at Suzuka, Japan in 1990 was all in-camera. In VFX we helped out by adding some more dust in the air for post-crash scenes, along with the set extensions of course.Many races took place in distinct environments around the world. How did you balance recreating each tracks unique geography and atmosphere?Marcelo Siqueira // Even though the races were repeated, such as Suzuka in 1988, 1989, and 1990, each required special attention as the focus often shifted to different parts of the track. In 1988, Sennas car stalled at the start, and the drama unfolded across nearly the entire circuit. In 1989, Prost collided with Senna at the Casio Chicane (a particularly significant set). In 1990, Senna collided with Prost on the first corner. In other words, apart from the pit area, which also changed every year due to signage and pit box order, very little could be reused from one episode or scene to the next.Balancing not only different locations and years but also a mix of techniques and, crucially, the time gap between filming shots for the same sequence required us to establish a method for daily implementing scenes into the previs. This way, as we filmed, the editors worked simultaneously, replacing the previs shots with updated material. This ensured that we always had an up-to-date version of the edit to guide us in subsequent stages.For example, we filmed an initial round of track scenes for all the F1 races. We then paused these shoots to film scenes for Formula Ford and F3 while the editors and I worked with the footage to identify additional elements we wanted to include in the F1 races. Afterward, we embarked on another four-week phase dedicated to F1, followed by a return to editing to prepare for filming close-ups using Virtual Production. By the time we arrived at the studio for the final three weeks of filming, all the races were pre-assembled, with full knowledge of the weather conditions and sun positions for each shot. This structured approach ensured consistency and allowed us to maintain a seamless visual flow throughout the production process.Craig Wentworth // And by now Im sure most of our readers are aware that one location in particular in Buenos Aires stood in for most of our racetracks in the series, so in terms of the VFX we had to go through the exercise of conforming the digital world to real our location several times. Suzuka, Interlagos, Imola and Estoril all used the same pitlane, with different set extensions applied based on time period as needed.Another technique that worked very well and really helped to define each location or time period was the color grading of scenes that took place at those tracks. Suzuka had an inherent warmth to it. Interlagos was appropriately a bit more golden. And Imola had a particularly cool and stark color cast, foreboding what we all know is coming.What role did modern tools like AI or Unreal Engine play in crafting the environments and crowd simulations?Craig Wentworth // We didnt really explore AI for this project. However, Unreal Engine played a huge part in our work throughout prep, shooting, and post.Firstly, everything had been prevized in Unreal and, as I mentioned, became part of the Monsters that served as a visual template for production.Those same Unreal projects created for previs were then leveled up for the LED shoot. We spent a solid month working on environment details with one of our production designers, dressing the virtual world to match our locations. We animated entire racing beats, for every race in the series, including the cars that Senna was overtaking, all of which were prepped for playback on the VP stage. Cory Geryak, 2nd Unit DP, and Vicente shot the heck out of those Unreal Projects over two weeks.Those project files were then passed to our VFX vendors, forming a solid basis for the digital environments they created. Also, significantly, the Eyeline team created several of the aforementioned whooshes for us in Unreal. As a fan of the tool, Im really pleased to be able to say we have final pixel renders of F1 cars created in Engine peppered throughout our show.How closely did you collaborate with motorsport historians, race engineers, or the Senna family to maintain authenticity?Marcelo Siqueira // During pre-production, we had access to several individuals who had been close to Senna, both on and off the track. Engineers, team managers, and TV crew members all provided invaluable insights. However, our greatest asset was undoubtedly lvaro Mamute, one of the screenwriters and the person who brought the project to the Senna family over eight years ago. lvaro is an extreme Senna enthusiasta true encyclopedia of Formula 1.Throughout the project, we became not only great friends but also collaborators, working in sync with every recreated lap and overtake. While I already had a good understanding of track and race dynamics, I consistently sought his input on artistic decisions, ensuring that no historical inaccuracies slipped through.What was the most rewarding moment for you when you saw the final sequences come to life?Marcelo Siqueira // I closely followed the construction of every race we recreated. With each VFX review, Craig, Vero, and the VFX coordinators team presented us with the progress of each shot, and we saw the scenes integrated into the narrative context. There was immense satisfaction in realizing that everything we had planned was coming together perfectly.However, the true sense of reward came when I watched Episode 2, which features Monaco 84. With the soundtrack, sound effects, and color gradingall finalized and perfectly harmonizedit was impossible not to get emotional. Even after seeing that race over 50 times during the process, it still moves you, touches your heart, and even brings you to tears. Its a priceless experience.Craig Wentworth // I agree 100% Monaco 84 is definitely a highlight. During the final grading period, Vero and I flew to LA to be with Vicente and help finish. There was a moment when we had a chance to watch a WIP grade of Monaco 84 on a large screen in Netflixs Epic building. Even the sound mix was still in progress at that time.It played down, streaming directly from the Netflix service to the theater. Everything looked and sounded awesome. And even though we werent finished, I remember Vicente smiling at me at the end and saying Were going to be ok.I think, though, the most rewarding moment for me on the show happened very recently, at a tech demo in So Paulo, held at Quanta and moderated by Netflix Brazil. I had the pleasure of being a participant, but also a spectator for a vendor panel, and hearing and seeing how proud our Brazilian partners were of their significant contributions to the project brought me almost to tears. It was so beautiful for them, and amazing for Brazil.What were the key emotional tones you wanted to achieve with these visual effects, and how did they influence your creative process?Marcelo Siqueira // Throughout the series conception process, our primary goal was realism. We couldnt exaggerate or downplay the eventsthey had to be portrayed exactly as they happened. This technical balance was crucial: the less perceptible the visual effects, the closer we were to achieving our goal.Another key focus was how closely we needed to stay connected to Sennato feel what he felt, whether at home with his family, in a kart, or behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car. We wanted to convey what went through his mind at 300 km/h, what he saw, how he saw it, and what made him so uniquehis superpower.These principles guided us throughout the project: to bring the audience close enough to feel these experiences without making them seem fake or electronic, as Senna himself referred to Pure Racing.The VFX had to capture these sensationssuch as near-zero visibility in the rain or the view of an opponent through a shaky rearview mirror. Our challenge was to translate this experience for the audience, delivering authenticity and emotion in every moment.Craig Wentworth // I think the driving force behind every decision made on the show, not just the VFX, was Senna himself, his legacy in particular. At all times we wanted to honor that, honor him, and I believe everyone who worked on the VFX brought a little bit more of themselves to the project just because of what we were making. It shows in the results.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?Marcelo Siqueira // Leading the VFX team of the largest and most challenging project ever undertaken in Latin America is, in itself, a tremendous source of pride. This isnt the type of project, in terms of VFX, that were accustomed to doing here. However, Brazil has a unique and valuable characteristic: the natural ability to solve big problems creatively, with ease, and at a competitive cost that few places in the world can match.Historically, major companies have sought vendors in countries like India, Korea, and China, but Brazil has rarely been considered an option for VFX. Even so, we have the talent, capability, quality, and ability to deliver projects with excellence. Bringing Brazilian companies into this project, delivering at the same level as any major international vendor, is, for me, the greatest source of pride. Senna was aman who was passionate and obsessed with what he did, deeply in love with Brazil. He is a major inspiration for me. In many ways, I feel I share that same spiritdedication, passion, and love for what I do.Craig Wentworth // Same here. I am so proud of all of it. I am proud of the simplest, throw-away insert burn-ins that were so lovingly and carefully composited to the most complex high-wide aerial all-CG establishing shots of Suzuka. I am proud of how the teams at Scanline and Eyeline were able to share their knowledge and expertise with our Brazilian partners early on, support such an ambitious project from an emerging market, and give it the chance to really shine.I am especially proud of how willing everyone at Miagui, Quanta, and Picma Post was to learn and adapt to different managerial methodologies and how much they grew during our time together. I am also very proud of the friendships we made on this one. This was a very special experience.How long have you worked on this show?Marcelo Siqueira // 2y and 4 months.Craig Wentworth // In total I spent 20 months on the show.Whats the VFX shots count?Craig Wentworth // We had a total of 2089 official VFX shots.What is your next project?Marcelo Siqueira // I have been invited to direct two major action sequences for a period series, scheduled for delivery in March 2025. Additionally, Im working with Vicente Amorim on another upcoming project, however its too soon to share additional details.Craig Wentworth // Currently I am helping out on El Eternauta, for Netflix LATAM. And were spinning up whats next, which I cant talk about yet, but might involve Vicente too A big thanks for your time. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

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Welcome to Twenty to Watch! With this list, ANs editors recognize rising residential architecture design talent in New York. The Big Apple offers all manner of opportunities, but it can be difficult to find ones way: From landing commissions to surviving permitting drama to preserving design vision to documenting the space and telling its storyits a lot! The following small firms show us where to look for inspiration and fresh design sensibilities. Some have previously appeared on AN Interiors Top 50 list or have been in business for a bit, while others are relative newcomers to the scene. They are talented architects, so be sure to follow along. Congratulations to all. Architecture and design industry professionals are invited to join us at the A&D Building in Manhattan on March 6 to celebrate ANs inaugural Twenty to Watch list. This free special event is presented by The Architects Newspaper and the A&D Building. At participating showrooms, guests can enjoy food and drinks and get to know these architects and their work. Dont miss this chance to engage with New Yorks design community. RSVP here. (Michael Vahrenwald/ESTO)Abruzzo Bodziak ArchitectsNew York; ConnecticutPrincipals Emily Abruzzo and Gerald Bodziak lead this acclaimed New York and Connecticut-based office, which earned a 2024 AIA Connecticut Merit Award for a reimagined row house in Brooklyn.(Almost Studio)Almost StudioBrooklyn, New YorkCofounders Anthony Gagliardi and Dorian Booth established this design practice in 2018, bringing a mix of playfulness, innovation, and experimentation to urban and rural residential projects. (Nicholas Venezia)Bench ArchitectureNew York; Austin; Bilbao, SpainThis NYC-based architecture firm led by principal David Bench has executed a wide range of residential projects, from a glass encased Hamptons house to a contemporary transformation of a Brooklyn townhouse.(Chris Mottalini)BOND ArchitectureNew YorkPartners Noam Dvir and Daniel Rauchwerger founded this full-service design firm known for bold, eye-catching choices in its residential projects, whether a Fire Island beach house or a Manhattan loft.(Rendering by Kevin Pham)commoncraftBrooklyn, New YorkA Brooklyn-based architectural design practice from Tony-Saba Shiber and Zach Cohen, commoncraft creates imaginative single- and multifamily residential projects in urban and rural environments. (Hanna Grankvist)Future ExpansionBrooklyn, New YorkLed by partners Deirdre McDermott and Nicholas McDermott, Future Expansions residential work reflects a desire to reimagine spaces, resulting in thoughtful, envelope-pushing renovations.(Andrew Bui)Future ProjectsNew YorkJulie Tran and Khoi Nguyen cofounded this architecture and interior design firm, an AN Best of Design Editors Pick. Their residential work focuses on personality-driven design, leading to an eclectic and beguiling portfolio.(Read McKendree)Garnett.DePasqualeNew York; Long Island, New YorkThis boutique architecture, planning, and interior design practice headed by Rebecca Garnett and Peter DePasquale has become known for striking works on Long Islands North Fork and in the Hamptons, among a range of other projects. (Sean Davidson)Ideas of OrderNew YorkFounded in 2021 and based in New York Citys Chinatown, this studio from third-generation architect Jacob Esocoff and Henry Ng, a Yale-trained architect, has earned acclaim for its residential projects, including in AN Interior and The New York Times Style Magazine.(Nicholas Venezia)Ktisma StudioBrooklyn, New York; Ojai, CaliforniaTaking its name from the Greek word for thing founded, this practice from architectural principal Jonathan Chesley and Alexandra Donati, landscape principal, tackles diverse residential projects throughout the U.S. and in Europe.(Kevin Kustadt)Light and AirBrooklyn, New YorkLed by Shane Neufeld, this Brooklyn-based studio lives up to its name, with high-end residential projects that emphasize the interplay between natural light and the built environment, often to stunning effect. (NO Architecture)NO ARCHITECTURENew YorkFounded a decade ago by Andrew Heid, this critically acclaimed New York City practice aims to create harmony between nature and architecture. Its residential projects around the world demonstrate a firm commitment to this ideal.(Office JDY)Office JDYBrooklyn, New YorkA 2024 AN Best of Design winner for retail, Office JDYs residential practice excels at elegant minimalism, whether in a New York City apartment or townhouse renovation, or further afield in a rural new construction project.(Naho Kubota)O-NNew YorkThis New Yorkbased architecture studio is committed to an optimistic view of the world. Cofounders Davis Owen and Irene Chung, along with Francis Aguillard, put this into practice with playful designs and use of color and materials. (Michael Moran)ONeill Rose ArchitectsBrooklyn, New YorkDevin ONeill and Faith Rose lead this Brooklyn-based firm, which excels at connecting its architectural projects to the environment surrounding them, whether in an urban neighborhood or a rural setting.(Naho Kubota)Overhead ArchitectureNew YorkFounded by architect Matthew Ransom in 2018, Overhead took form under the same roof as an artist-led construction company. The firm is currently working on a range of Brooklyn townhouse projects with pragmatism and material intelligence.(Louisa and Fyodor)Sarah Jacoby ArchitectLong Island City, New YorkFounded in 2014 by Sarah Jacoby, this architecture and design firm has become known for its lovely brownstone and townhouse renovations in Brooklyn, among other projects that have earned acclaim in national media publications including AN and AN Interior. (Imagen Subliminal @imagensubliminal)SLO ArchitectureLong Island City, New YorkOriginally launched in Spain, this firm from partners Amanda Schachter and Alexander Levi is now based in the cofounders native New York City. SLO Architectures residential projects have been attention-grabbers. AN Interior called a recent project electrifying.(Eric Petschek)Starling ArchitectureBrooklyn, New YorkThe full-service architecture and design practice from principal Ian Starling brings an eloquent minimalist style to its residential projects, from a dark, wood-clad beach house to light-filled townhouse renovations in New York City, and others.(Alan Tansey)vonDALWIG ArchitectureBrooklyn, New YorkArchitects and partners Philipp von Dalwig and Kit von Dalwig bring a unique point of view to projects both in New York City and in rural areas to the north, with a stated goal to fully engage with the manifold aspects of architecture and spatial design. Hero image credits in columns from top left: Naho Kubota, Jonathan Hkklo, Nicholas Venezia, Chris Mottalini, Rendering by Kevin Pham, Hanna Grankvist, Andrew Bui, Nicholas Venezia, Blaine Davis, Nicholas Venezia, Cesar Bejar, Courtesy NO Architecture, Naho Kubota, Michael Moran,Courtesy Office JDY, Naho Kubota, Ty Cole, Imagen Subliminal @imagensubliminal, Eric Petschek, Alan Tansey

In 2025, ANs Facades+ conference series comes to 15 North American cities. This year marks the events 13th anniversary.Facades+ kicked off the beginning of the year with two successful events hosted in San Francisco and South Florida. The former was co-chaired by the Bay Area office of HOK, while the later was organized in collaboration with Glavovic Studio, a Fort Lauderdalebased practice. Facades+ Washington, D.C. will feature a presentation of the outback-inspired facade of the new Australian Embassy building. (Joe Fletcher)Next, the event comes to Washington, D.C. on March 12. AN worked with J. J. Rivers and Vaki Mawema of Gensler to assemble the program, which features a variety a projects in the Mid-Atlantic area, including the Under Armour Headquarters in Baltimore, the new Australian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia.Olson Kundigs Mail Chimp HQ will be presented at Facades+ Atlanta. (Nic Lehoux)On March 21, Facades+ returns to Atlanta, with a program co-chaired by Alex Briseno, studio practice leader and principal at HKS. The event will feature case studies of the Piedmont Marcus Heart and Cardiovascular Tower, as well as two new structures in Atlantas Fourth Ward, The Fourth Hotel by Morris Adjmi and Olson Kundigs corporate headquarters for Mail Chimp. OMA, Cooper Robertson, and Roschman will share the design of recently completed expansion of the AKG Museum in Buffalo, New York. (Marco Cappelletti)On April 3 and 4, Facades+ will be in New York City for its biggest event of the year. Working with co-chair SOM, AN has assembled a program that includes case studies. Hear about the work OMA did for the AKG Museum in Buffalo, New York, as well as SOMs Walt Disney Headquarters. This year, the keynote presentation will be delivered by Samuli Miettinen, founding partner of JKMM Architects, a leading Finnish firm. At the New York City the individuals, product, and project from our inaugural Faces of Our City awards will be recognized. As always, a second day of workshops will be held at the New York Law School.On April 24, Facades+ comes to Houston where AN has partnered with co-chairs Michelle Old and Gary Machicek, partners at Kirksey Architecture.In a special edition of the event, Facades+ will travel to Orlando to take part in the Coverings trade show on April 30. To complement North Americas largest tile and stone showcase, AN has put together a program featuring a few of the most exciting recent projects using stone. The conference then returns to Vancouver on May 6. Co-chaired by Venelin Kokalov and Amirali Javidan, design principal and director at Revery Architecture, respectively, the program will feature a presentation of the firms recently completed tower, the Butterfly, as well as other exciting local projects.To wrap up the spring, Facades+ comes to San Diego on May 22. Gensler, the events co-chair, will present the expansion of the San Diego Airport, and will be joined on stage by the renowned artist James Carpenter, whos work Luminous Wave will feature prominently at the new terminal.Over the summer, Facades+ travels to Kansas City for the first time. In the fall, the event returns to Chicago on September 12, Toronto on September 26, Boston on October 17, Seattle on November 20, and close out the year in Los Angeles for a two-day event on December 11 and 12.Click here to find more information and register for an event near you!

CLRCRMCKNewsMPs demand bank bosses come clean over IT outages following Barclays crashTreasury committee wants banks to provide details of how IT failures have affected their businesses over the past two yearsByKarl Flinders,Chief reporter and senior editor EMEAPublished: 11 Feb 2025 16:30 MPs have written to bosses at the UKs biggest banks to shed light on the impact of IT failures on their businesses, after a Barclays outage caused chaos on payday last month.The recent three-day outage at Barclays Bank has heightened concerns over the stability of the banking sector, and the Treasury Committee has written to bosses at nine banks and building societies requesting information about IT outages.CEOs at Barclays, Santander, NatWest, Danske Bank UK, Nationwide Building Society, Allied Irish Bank, HSBC, Bank of Ireland and Lloyds Banking Group were asked for information on the scale and impact of IT failures over the past two years. They have until 26 February to respond.Barclays suffered a three-day outage from 31 January to 2 February. This began on payday and clashed with the HMRCs self-assessment deadline.The committee asked Barclays 10 questions, while the other eight banks were asked the same four questions.The questions for Barclays included what caused the latest outage and how it affected customers, as well as how the bank intends to prevent such a failure happening again.Banks dont like to talk about IT failures, and while Barclays was quick to rule out a cyber security issue, it would not give details about the cause.Read more about banking IT outagesThe other eight bank bosses were asked to provide an overview of the number of instances and amount of time in total services have been unavailable to customers due to IT failure over the past two years, how many customers have been affected, the amount of compensation that has been paid to their customers, and a description of the reason for the failures. You can read the letters to the bank CEOs here.When a banks IT system goes down, it can be a real problem for our constituents, who were relying on accessing certain services so they can buy food or pay bills, said Treasury Committee chair Meg Hillier MP. For it to happen at a major bank such as Barclays at such a crucial time of year is either bad luck or bad planning. Either way, its important to learn what has happened and what will be done about it.She said the closure of high street branches in favour of online banking means bank crashes hit customers harder. The rapidly declining number of high street bank branches makes the impact of IT outages even more painful; thats why Ive decided to write to some of our biggest banks and building societies, said Hillier.One source in the IT sector who has worked at Barclays in the past said: It is quite a cautious firm, and it wont want to say anything that could have ramifications later if they say something wrong. I am sure theyre going to have to report this to the regulators, and they might get called in front of government.The Barclays outage sounds like somebody has probably changed or tweaked something and thats caused the problem, which has obviously affected multiple systems, they added. My guess would be its something shared which could be a software component, or it could be some infrastructure.In The Current Issue:Digging into the CMAs provisional take on AWS and Microsofts hold on UK cloud marketInterview: Digital tech fuels AutoTraders drive into the futureDownload Current IssueThe journey to Agentic AI impact in 2025 Data MattersYour three point plan for Safer Internet Day When IT Meets PoliticsView All Blogs

Fujitsu is targeting a lucrative contract renewal with HMRC worth over 200m despite reports that the government department planned to replace the scandal-tainted IT supplier, leaked details of an internal meeting haverevealed.During the meeting, staff at the Japanese suppliers UK operation were told by the companys public sector lead that reports it was being replaced on the HMRC Trader Support Services (TSS) contract were inaccurate.HMRC recently extended its TSS contract with Fujitsu for 67m. According to reports, the extension is for one year until Fujitsu is replaced.The TSS is a free support service for businesses moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Fujitsus head of UK public sector, Dave Riley, confidently told staff at an internal meeting that the supplier intended to bid for the TSS contract and would be bidding to win. There is a great deal of public anger at the government for continuing to award contracts to Fujitsu despite its involvement in thePost Office scandal.In September 2024, HMRC announced a competitive procurement exercise for the next phase of TSS, which will run from 2026. According to sources, Fujitsu staff were told that reports that the supplier was being replaced on the TSS project were inaccurate. The contract was worth 241m when it was originally signed in 2020, and Riley is said to have emphasised Fujitsus advantage as the incumbent supplier. The broadcast of ITVs dramatisation of the Post Office scandal in January 2024 drew attention to Fujitsus role in the scandal, after which the supplier promised not to bid for new government contracts as an olive branch. However, it has controversially continued to win contracts worth hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayer money.Describing reports that HMRC was planning to replace Fujitsu on the contract, Riley told Fujitsu staff: The quote in the article that HMRC allegedly made is a slight misquote. So, what they have said is they have promised to run a competitive tender to replace the current TSS contract and Fujitsu have been invited to partake in that.Government are aware that we are going to bid for this work, and I think we have a unique point of view, given that were the current incumbent, in how we approach the next generation.Computer Weekly asked HMRC whether Fujitsu could bid for the next phase of the TSS contract, but it had not responded by the time this article was published.Sources told Computer Weekly that HMRC is also due to sign off another contract with Fujitsu as part of an arrangement known internally as North Star. The contract worth hundreds of millions of pounds with no competitive tender includes hardware and cloud procurement.When Computer Weekly asked HMRC for details of the North Star deal, a spokesperson at the government department said: We follow government procurement rules when awarding contracts and, once contracts are approved, we publish details on Contracts Finder irrespective of the award route or supplier.According to government figures on spending, which take into account all deals worth over 25,000, HMRC spent over 240m with Fujitsu in 2024.This could be much higher and even exceed 500m in 2025, according to sources, with a potential TSS renewal, an extension to the Computer Environment for Self Assessment (CESA) service and the North Star deal.Fujitsu had not responded to a request for comment about the North Star deal when this article was published.Separately, hundreds of Fujitsu staff working on the HMRC contract went on strike at the end of last month in a dispute over pay. Staff employed by HMRC, but doing similar jobs to Fujitsu colleagues working alongside them as part of an outsourcing deal, received a much larger pay rise, according to the union representing the Fujitsu employees.In January last year,Fujitsus head of Europe, Paul Patterson,promised to pause bidding for government workuntil after the completion of the statutory public inquiry into the Post Office scandal.During questioning by MPsat a business and trade select committee hearing in January, Patterson acknowledged Fujitsus part in the scandal, telling MPs and victims: We were involved from the start; we did have bugs and errors in the system, and we did help the Post Office in their prosecutions of subpostmasters. For that, we are truly sorry.But the bidding pause, described as hollow by former MP, now peer Kevan Jones, did not include deals with existing customers in the public sector, of which there are many. Last March, Computer Weekly revealed leaked internal communicationsthat showed Fujitsu was still targeting about 1.3bn worth of UK government contracts over 12 months. Further leaked documents revealed that Fujitsu instructed staffhow to get around its self-imposed ban.2024 was a year Fujitsu would like to forget

ZDNETThough we're well past the holiday deals season, don't worry. Major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart are still dishing out some serious savings on top tech, even a week before Presidents' Day 2024.Also:The best early Amazon Presidents' Day tech deals live nowFrom AirPods to the Oura Ring to Samsung's popular The Terrace TV, now's your chance to snag savings that are near or equal to those we saw during Cyber Week 2024 on flagship Amazon devices, Apple products and more. I scoured the sales to bring you the best early Presidents' Day deals live now, so you can shop savings starting right now.Shop more deals at AmazonThe best Presidents' Day dealsOura Ring Gen3: Starting at $299 (save up to $100 at Oura): The Oura Ring Gen4 is here, but the Gen3 model is still a great pick if you're looking for insightful sleep and fitness tracking that's still stylish. Oura is offering several finishes of the Horizon Gen3 model for up to $100 off.Apple Watch Ultra 2: $680 (save $119 at Amazon): For the first time since Cyber Week, Amazon hasdropped the price of Apple's best watch, theUltra 2by 15%. This sold out quick during the holiday season, so don't miss out if you're eyeing the Ultra 2.Buy the OnePlus Open smartphone and get the Nord N30 phone and Buds Pro 3 earbuds for free: Starting at $1,700 (Get $480 worth of tech for free): One Plus is offering a sweet freebie offer if you purchase their OnePlus Open through Feb. 17. You'll get a Nord N30 phone ($300 value) and a pair of the Buds Pro 3 ($180 value) for free with the purchase of a OnePlus, which expert Kerry Wan says is one of the sleekest foldable phones on the market in his review.Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra + Free $200 Amazon Gift Card: $1,420 (save $200 at Amazon): You can still snag this free $200Amazon gift card offerwhen you purchase the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, which expert Kerry Wan says is Samsung'sbest phone yet.Dyson Airwrap Hair Styler: $500 (save $100 at Amazon): Dyson's popularAirwrap stylerbundle is available for $100 off for the first time since Black Friday. Plus, this deal is on the limited edition strawberry pink model, and expert Sabrina Ortiz says it's well worth the investment.Roborock Saros 10R Robot Vacuum: $1,400 (save $200 at Amazon): The Roborock Saros 10 and Roborock Saros 10R vacuums, which just recently launched after being unveiled at CES 2025, are on sale for the first time at Amazon and Roborock. These machines feature 22,000Pa of suction power (the most on the market) and are packed with AI features.Sony Bravia X90L TV: Save up to $2,000 at Best Buy: Sony's Bravia X90L TV is editor-in-chief Jason Hiner'spick for the best TV for the money, and right now every display size is on sale at Best Buy, starting with the 65-inch model for $1,000.Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen): $169 (save $80 at Best Buy): Apple's Watch SE (2nd Gen) is finallyseeing a decent discountfor 2025, and is back down to $169. Right now, it's still the most affordableApple Watchout of the whole lineup, and is a great options for kids, elderly users, or first-time watch owners.Apple AirPods Pro 2: $169 (save $80 at Walmart): TheAirPods Pro 2are our pick for the best AirPods you can buy, and can turn into a hearing aid -- and they'reon saleahead right now at the lowest price we've seen since Black Friday. Plus, the newest AirPods 4 are down to $100 (save $30) for the first time ever.Apple AirTag 4-Pack: $70 (save $29 at Amazon): Perhaps one of ZDNET's favorite recurring deals of all-time, right now you cansave 29% on a four pack of Apple's handy AirTag trackers, which make finding your keys, wallet, purse, and more easier. Plus, this offer matches the lowest price this bundle typically sells for throughout the year, so you can't go wrong.Dreame X40 Ultra Robot Vacuum + Mop: $1,000 (save $900 at Dreame): ZDNET's pick for the best robot vacuum is on sale for nearly half off right now, andexpert Maria Diaz loves itfor its great mapping capabilities and 12,000Pa suction.The best Presidents' Day tech deals Kerry Wan/ZDNETApple Watch Series 10 GPS, 46mm: $359 (save $70 at Best Buy): The newestbase model Apple Watchis discounted by almost 20%, matching the offers available during Black Friday. This model is equipped with GPS and an always-on retina display, and is available in three colors. Shop the42mm modelfor $70 off, too.Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024): $135 (save $25 at Amazon): The newestKindle Paperwhitemodel is on sale for 16% off, snagging you a few dollars off, 25% faster page turns than the previous iteration, and a higher contrast ratio.Amazon Kindle Colorsoft: $230 (save $50 at Amazon): If you're not eyeing the Paperwhite, the newKindle Colorsoftis also on sale for 18% off. The Colorsoft features a bright display (even in direct sunlight), customizable color settings, and a "zippy performance" while browsing titles and turning pages, per ZDNET expert Allison Murray.Shark FlexStyle Hair Styler: $250 (save $50 at Best Buy): If you're not convinced of the Dyson Airwrap's price even with a discount, Shark's flagship competitor is on sale for under $300.Owlet Dream Sock: $239 (save $60 at Amazon): This FDA-cleared smart baby monitor can track pulse, sleep sessions, oxygen, and more in babies, and it's 20% off for a limited-time. Expert Maria Diaz says this was one of thebest purchases she madeas a new parent.Apple AirPods Max (Lightning): $500 (save $50 at Best Buy): The lightning iteration of Apple's popular AirPods Max headphones are on sale at Best Buy for $50 off. Plus, swipe up theUSB-C model for $480 (save $70).Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen): $169 (save $80 at Best Buy): The SE (2nd Gen) did not get an upgrade this year as rumored, but it's still the most affordable Apple Watch on the market, and it's finally back down to its lowest price ever at Best Buy.Peak Design Mobile Everyday Loop Case for iPhone 15 Pro: $24 (save $36): Now until March 10, Peak Design (one of ZDNET's favorite case brands) is offering up to 60% off select products (like this iPhone 15 Pro case) at Amazon, Peak Design, and participating retailers during the Legacy Phone Case Sale.Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro Tablet: $140 (save $40 at Amazon): Expert Maria Diaz loves Amazon's kids tablets for their affordability and great features, and the HD 10 Pro is no difference. In fact, shesays its a better buy than an iPadfor her kids, and it's 26% off now.Apple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3: $1,099 (save $200 at Amazon): Apple's MacBook series are pretty pricey, but right now you can grab the 15-inch M3 Air model for $200 off.Apple iPad Pro 13-inch M4: $1,099 (save $200 at Amazon): The most powerful iPad on the market is on sale for 15% off right now, and expert Kerry Wan was pleasantlysurprised with its performancecompared to his MacBook.Blink Mini 2 Indoor Cam: $20 (save $20 at Best Buy):Blink's Mini 2cams feature two-way audio, motion detection, HD night view in color and more, and they're great for watching your home, kids, pets and more.Renpho Eye Massager: $52 (save $48 at Amazon): ZDNET's expert Allison Murrayloves this Renpho eye massagerto help her migraines, and right now it's on sale for 48% off.Apple Pencil Pro: $99 (save $20 at Best Buy): The newest ApplePencil Prois on sale for $30 off, but Apple products don't see discounts often, and this is the best price you can nab right now for this model, especially if you're looking to pair it with a 2024 iPad Pro.iPad 10th Gen: $279 (save $70 at Best Buy): This $279 iPad deal is the model editor-in-chief Jason Hinerrecommends to most people, and it's 20% off.The best Presidents' Day headphones deals Jada Jones/ZDNETSony WH-1000XM4 Headphones: $250 (save $100 at Best Buy): TheSony XM4headphones are not the newest model to hit the market, but they're still a great purchase if you're looking for premium sound. Right now you can save 29%.Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro Headphones: $370 (save $60 at Amazon): ZDNET expert Jack Wallen reviewed the second-generation version of these headphones in 2024, and he says "you'd be hard-pressed to find a smoother, more agile-sounding pair of headphones at this price." Plus, right now they're $60 off.Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: $200 (save $50 at Best Buy): If you prefer Android gear, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are also on sale. Swipe up this pair for 20% off and grab top features like noise cancellation, real time interpretation, sound optimization and more.Beats Solo Buds: $50 (save $40 at Amazon): Save 38% on this already great budget pair of Beats earbuds. These feature a built-in mic and are Apple or Android compatible, so you'll be able to use them with any of your favorite devices.Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: $349 (save $80 at Bose): Expert reviewer Prakhar Khannaprefers the QuietComfort Ultraheadphones over the popular Sony XM5's for traveling, and right now they're $100 off, selling for the same price we saw during Black Friday.Beats Solo4 Headphones: $100 (save $100 at Best Buy): The upgraded model of Beats' classic Solo headphone are 50% off now, andexpert Jada Jones saysthe pair got some nice upgrades while still retaining all the nostalgia.Sony Ult Headphones: $148 (save $52 at Amazon): Headphone expert JadaJones saysthese eased her Sony XM5 envy with all-day comfort and plenty of bass. Right now, they're on sale for 26% off.Sony WH-CH720N: $88 (save $62 at Amazon): Expert JadaJones saysthese Sony headphones are almost as good as the XM5 model, but will cost you under $100 right now.Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen): $55 (save $85 at Amazon): These budget buds are worth a mention thanks to their handy Alexa compatibility and their 71% off price.Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: $249 (save $50 at Amazon): ZDNET readers snag these Bose earbuds quick when they go on sale, and for good reason. Expert Nina Raemont calls these "the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market," and right now they're $70 off.Beats Studio Pro Headphones: $180 (save $170 at Best Buy): Audio expert Jada Jones says the Beats Studio Pro headphones are the perfect middle-ground pair for most listeners, and right now, they're nearly half off.The best Presidents' Day TV deals Maria Diaz/ZDNETAmazon Fire TV Stick 4K: $30 (save $20 at Amazon): Amazon's newest flagship Fire TV Stick 4K model is 40% off now. Streamline your viewing experience and maximize your favorite shows and movies at home. TheMax modelof the Fire Stick is also on sale.Sonos Beam Gen 2 Soundbar: $399 (save $100 at Amazon): The Sonos Beam Gen 2soundbarwill hook you up with Dolby Atmos for an immersive sound experience, and right now it's only 20% off. TheSonos Era 100smart speaker is also on sale for 20% off, and it's one ofexpert Maria Diaz's favorites.Sony 85-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart Google TV: $1,098 (save $300 at Amazon): This Sony smart Google TV is packed with features like Google Assistant, Apple Airplay, Motionflow XR technology, 4K picture quality and more.Amazon Fire TV 50-inch Omni Series 4K Smart TV: $310 (save $170 at Amazon): There's plenty of budget TV picks on sale, too, like this 50-inch hands-free smart TV that's Alexa compatible and 35% off.Roku Smart TV 32-inch TV: $128 (save $42 at Amazon): This Roku TV is equipped with Roku Voice and a customizable home screen. Right now it's 25% off, making it a great budget buy for a dorm room, kids' room and more.Samsung The Terrace Partial Sun 75-inch Class QLED 4K TV: $5,000 (save $1,500 at Best Buy): Samsung's popular The Terrace TV is $1,500 off right now, and is the perfect pick for an outdoor setting thanks to its weatherproof design.Insignia 32-inch Smart HD Fire TV: $80 (save $70 at Amazon): This frugal Insignia 32-inch TV deal is back again. Grab a smart Fire TV for under $100 that's perfect for a dorm and more.Samsung 65-inch The Frame 4K Smart TV: $1,285 (save $713 at Walmart): Samsung's popular The Frame TV is on sale, too. Grab the 65-inch model for under $1,300, and enjoy crisp viewing with beautiful aesthetics.Amazon Fire TV 50-inch: $300 (save $150 at Amazon): This TV has just about 40,000 reviews and a 4.5/5 star rating on Amazon, and it's 33% off now. You can't go wrong with a classic Fire TV packed with features like Alexa, 4K viewing, and live TV without cable.The best Presidents' Day robot vacuum deals Maria Diaz/ZDNETiRobot Roomba j7: $300 (save $300 at Amazon): If you're like expert Maria Diaz and love the idea of your floors being cleaned by someone, orsomethingelse, you can't go wrong with this deal. The Roomba j7 is a robot vacuum that intelligently maps and navigates your home, avoiding obstacles like cords and pet waste. This 50% discount is available for a limited time, resulting in a $300 discount.Dreame X30 Ultra Robot Vacuum + Mop: $750 (save $950 at Dreame): The Dreame X30 Ultra was ZDNET's top pick for the best 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop, dethroned only by its successor,the X40 Ultra. The Dreame X30 Ultra features 8,300Pa of suction power, dual oscillating mop pads with an extendable function, and a hands-free charging station with self-emptying and self-washing capabilities.Roborock Q7 Max+ Robot Vacuum + Mop: $360 (save $510 at Roborock): For a limited time, you can snag the Roborock Q7 Max+ for $360. As a vacuum mop combo, this machine features 4,200Pa suction power and 300g mopping pressures, promising a smooth and efficient clean. With its self-empty dock, you can have hands-free vacuuming for up to seven weeks. Thanks to Roborock's PreciSense LiDAR Navigation, you can rest assured that this robot vacuum will clean where it's supposed to and when it's supposed to.Roborock S8 Max Ultra Robot Vacuum + Mop: $1,000 (save $600 at Roborock): One of the best two-in-one machines on the market, the Roborock S8 Max Ultra is now $1,000. It's a pretty penny, but expert Maria Diaz says the simplicity and efficiency make this robot worth the money. You could fill the clean water tank, empty the dirty water tank, and set a schedule to tackle your home without having to do anything for a couple of days.Ecovacs Deebot T20 Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop: $441 (save $649 at Best Buy): This Ecovas robot vacuum and mop combo is on clearance, available for nearly $700 off as Best Buy clears shelves for newer models. And this model isn't lacking features either -- it features its own self-washing auto emptying capabilities.Roborock S8 Pro Vacuum and Mop: $900 (save $700 at Roborock): Another great offer at Roborock, this S8 Pro combo model comes with its RockDock and offers 6,000Pa of suction to clean up messy floors with ease.The best Presidents' Day home deals Maria Diaz/ZDNETRing Battery Doorbell: $60 (save $40 at Best Buy): The newest 2024 Ring battery doorbell is 40% off now, and features head-to-toe video, two-way talk, and full motion detection.Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum: $599 (save $151): The Dyson V15 is managing editor Alison DeNisco Rayome'sfavorite vacuum cleaner, and the popular model is 20% off now.Anker Solix C1000 Power Station: $429 (save $570 at Amazon with lightning deal): This Anker power station can fully charge in 48 minutes and is perfect for power outages, home backups, and camping.Anker Solix C200 Power Station: $100 (save $70 at Amazon with coupon): Need a smaller power option? The Anker Solix C200 is 41% off and is perfect for emergencies, camping, car travel, and more.Blink Video Doorbell: $33 (save $27 at Amazon): Blink's video doorbell features two-way audio, HD video, motion and chime alerts, and more, and right now it's 45% off.Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus: $150 (save $50 at Amazon): This outdoor cam from Ring offers 1080p HD video and is great for equipping your home with added security. Right now, it's 25% off. TheRing Spotlight CamandSpotlight Cam Pro, which expert Maria Diaz loves forher home, is also on sale for 24% off.Ring Wired Doorbell Pro: $180 (save $50 at Best Buy): This Ring wired doorbell option is 22% off right now, and it's ZDNET's top pick for the best wired Ring doorbell. When is Presidents' Day? Presidents' Day is always celebrated on the third Monday of February. This year, it falls on Feb. 17, just a few days after Valentine's Day. Show more How did we choose these deals? ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy -- devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops.We also looked over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we're recommending. Our recommendations may also be based on our own testing -- in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. Show more When will these deals expire? Deals are subject to sell out or expire at any time, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We're sorry if you've missed out on a deal, but don't fret -- we're constantly finding new chances to save and sharing them with you atZDNET.com. Show more Does Amazon have a Presidents' Day sale? Yes, Amazon does offer significantsales and discountsahead of Presidents' Day 2024. In fact, many of the retail giant's Presidents' Day deals are already live with sales underway, overlapping with the Amazon Valentine's Day discounts. With less than a week between the two holidays, there's lots of savings to be had for consumers. Show more ZDNET Recommends