Users of Humble Bundle—the pay-what-you-want game-bundle storefront that will also sell you books and software—have been alarmed by a new redesign that seems to have axed a foundational piece of login security tech.
The just-released new Humble Bundle website has no support for two-factor authentication whatsoever: users are unable to add it to their accounts, while those who had previously set it up on the old site design (including yours truly) are able to log in with just an email and password. At no point in the login process does the site ask you to input a 2FA code.
Humble Bundle does not address the removal of 2FA anywhere on its new site. In fact, the site’s FAQs still feature articles encouraging users to make use of it to keep their accounts secure, which is currently impossible. I have reached out to Humble Bundle to ask if the change was intentional and if it will be reversed, and will update this piece if I hear back.
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This is, to put it mildly, concerning. The point of two-factor (or multi-factor) authentication is to make user accounts—which, on Humble Bundle, may well have credit card info saved to them—more secure. Even in the event your account password became compromised, your attacker would be unable to get into your account without also having access to your 2FA codes, which are constantly regenerated and only valid for short periods of time. In a world where too many people have bad password hygiene, it’s a vital bit of security tech.
Unsurprisingly, Humble Bundle users are aghast at the uncommunicated weakening of their account security. “This is insanely bad, they need to take down password changes entirely until this is fixed”, wrote one user in the Humble Bundle subreddit. “I can’t even see a way to remove saved payment details anymore, this is seriously dangerous and the site should be taken offline until fixed ASAP”, wrote another. They all, uh, they all pretty much go like that. No one is happy about this.
I have to imagine this was not an intentional change. Indeed, I can’t fathom the circumstances under which it would be intentional. Either way, while 2FA’s absence endures, you might want to play it safe and remove any saved payment details you have tied to your account, though some users report having trouble doing that, too.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
Why Taisei Corporation Chose ARCADE NEO for Building Services CAD
Customer Story | Taisei Corporation, Kyoshin Giken and ARES Commander
For large construction companies, changing CAD software is rarely as simple as replacing one application with another. Years of investment in specialized software, established design processes, and employee expertise can make even a relatively straightforward migration challenging.
But what happens when a major construction company decides that its preferred CAD platform should support the specialized applications it already relies on?
That was the challenge facing Taisei Corporation, one of Japan’s five largest construction companies, when it decided to move its specialized building services CAD solution from AutoCAD to ARES Commander.
Rather than abandoning the tools and workflows its designers had relied on for years, Taisei asked its long-standing technology partner, Kyoshin Giken, to redevelop its existing AutoCAD-based application for ARES Commander.
The result was ARCADE NEO, a specialized CAD solution built on approximately two decades of collaboration between the two companies.
Their experience demonstrates that moving away from AutoCAD does not necessarily mean giving up the specialized applications, familiar workflows, or DWG files that organizations depend on.
Why did Taisei reconsider its AutoCAD-based CAD environment?
Taisei had worked with Kyoshin Giken for many years, using Brain Gear Supra, a specialized building services CAD application developed to operate on AutoCAD.
The application supported the technical requirements of building services design, where drawings must represent complex systems such as electrical installations, ductwork, water supply, and drainage.
Over time, however, the licensing conditions and costs associated with the underlying CAD platform, AutoCAD, became an important consideration.
In an interview published by Kyoshin Giken, a representative from Taisei’s BIM Promotion Office explained that changes to AutoCAD licensing, restrictions on older software versions, and subscription pricing contributed to the company’s interest in ARES Commander.
For an organization relying on specialized CAD workflows, such changes can affect more than software purchasing decisions. The CAD platform also needs to support applications and processes that have been refined over many years.
Taisei therefore explored moving the underlying CAD environment to ARES Commander while retaining the building services functionality its designers needed.
From Brain Gear Supra to ARCADE NEO: A customer-driven redevelopment project
The transition was not simply a case of installing the same application on different CAD software.
Taisei approached Kyoshin Giken with a request: could the existing AutoCAD-based Brain Gear Supra application be redeveloped for ARES Commander?
Kyoshin Giken undertook the project, using the established application as the basis for a new implementation.
The result was ARCADE NEO, designed to operate on ARES Commander while continuing to address the specialized requirements of building services design.
In many CAD migration projects, the availability of third-party applications is a major consideration. Organizations may depend on specialized tools for tasks that standard CAD software does not address directly.
Taisei’s experience illustrates another approach: working with a software development partner to bring established industry-specific functionality to a different DWG-based CAD platform.
For companies evaluating alternatives to AutoCAD, this raises an important question: could the applications they depend on be adapted to operate within a different CAD environment?
What does ARCADE NEO add to ARES Commander?
ARES Commander is much more than a cost-effective alternative to AutoCAD. It combines powerful professional 2D and 3D CAD capabilities with native DWG support, a familiar interface, and advanced productivity tools designed to help users work efficiently.
Beyond traditional desktop CAD, ARES Commander also offers AI-assisted workflows, BIM-to-DWG drawing automation, and cloud-based collaboration through ARES Trinity, helping organizations modernize the way they create, manage, and share technical drawings.
For Taisei, an important advantage was the opportunity to combine this DWG-based platform with the specialized functionality developed by Kyoshin Giken.
ARCADE NEO extends ARES Commander with dedicated tools for building services design, including equipment placement, drawing routes for electrical conduits, wiring, ductwork and piping, and generating material quantity reports.
In conventional 2D drafting, a designer may need to manually represent different types of pipes through line styles, annotations, or symbols.
A specialized building services application can simplify this process by allowing the designer to specify the type of system being drawn, such as water supply or drainage, and apply the corresponding graphical representation automatically.
Instead of repeatedly constructing the same technical conventions through generic CAD commands, designers can work with tools that reflect the systems they are actually designing.
This is where the combination becomes particularly valuable: ARES Commander provides a modern, flexible CAD foundation, while ARCADE NEO delivers the industry-specific tools that building services designers need.
Introducing a new generation of designers to ARES Commander
One of the most interesting aspects of Taisei’s experience concerns employee training and the adoption of new CAD technology.
The company’s building services design department recruits graduates from different academic backgrounds, including architecture, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and environmental engineering.
Not everyone begins their career with previous CAD experience.
Rather than requiring new employees to learn AutoCAD first, Taisei has introduced an approach in which some younger designers begin their CAD experience directly with ARES Commander.
In the original interview, Taisei described this approach through a simple association: “CAD = ARES Commander.”
ARCADE NEO is consequently used predominantly by younger staff within the building services design department.
But what about experienced AutoCAD users?
One of ARES Commander’s key advantages is its familiar CAD environment. With native DWG compatibility, similar commands, keyboard shortcuts, and an intuitive interface, experienced AutoCAD users can make the transition with minimal disruption.
In fact, some customers have reported becoming comfortable with ARES Commander in less than an hour. This makes switching particularly attractive for organizations concerned about retraining costs, productivity, and business continuity.
An even more striking example comes from another Graebert customer, Metrica, which reported that employees who had previously worked with AutoCAD took approximately 15 minutes to learn ARES CAD software.
Although these are experiences reported by other customers rather than measured results from Taisei, they demonstrate why the learning curve can be an important advantage for organizations evaluating an AutoCAD alternative.
For Taisei, the approach also illustrates a broader opportunity: instead of considering CAD migration solely as a retraining challenge, organizations can introduce new employees directly to their preferred CAD environment.
Why specialized 2D CAD still matters in the BIM era
Taisei has also invested in the organizational development of Building Information Modeling (BIM).
In December 2021, the company established a BIM Promotion Office for building services design, complementing existing BIM support organizations for architectural and structural design.
These specialist teams help designers manage BIM-related workflows and maintain the consistency of design information.
The continued use of ARCADE NEO illustrates an important principle: the adoption of BIM does not necessarily eliminate the need for specialized 2D CAD applications.
Building services designers still work with detailed technical drawings, established DWG workflows, and industry-specific documentation requirements.
In this environment, BIM and 2D CAD can fulfill different but complementary roles.
ARCADE NEO is not presented as a replacement for BIM authoring software. Its value lies in supporting the specialized drafting processes required by building services designers.
This approach also helps explain why Taisei has continued working with Kyoshin Giken to refine its CAD tools while developing its broader BIM capabilities.
20 years of collaboration between Taisei and Kyoshin Giken
Perhaps the strongest aspect of this customer story is the partnership behind the technology.
Taisei and Kyoshin Giken have worked together for approximately two decades, beginning with the earlier AutoCAD-based Brain Gear Supra application.
Over the years, both organizations held regular discussions about operational issues, functionality requests, and software improvements.
Kyoshin Giken responded to customer feedback through bug fixes, workflow improvements, and continuing technical support.
The relationship was not without challenges. The original interview describes problems encountered during earlier software updates and the effort required to investigate and resolve them.
Rather than presenting the software as a finished product that required no further attention, the customer representatives emphasized the value of having a development partner that listened to users and continued improving the application.
The redevelopment of Brain Gear Supra into ARCADE NEO represents another stage in that relationship.
It demonstrates that successful enterprise CAD implementations depend not only on software capabilities, but also on the willingness of customers and developers to adapt technology to changing business requirements.
A broader relationship with ARES: Taisei’s mobile CAD deployment
Taisei’s experience with ARES extends beyond ARES Commander and ARCADE NEO.
In a separate customer story published by Graebert in 2021, Taisei described its deployment of ARES Touch on more than 4,000 iPads, helping construction teams access and work with DWG drawings on mobile devices.
The project integrated Microsoft OneDrive for Business and enterprise requirements including Mobile Device Management (MDM), Mobile Application Management (MAM), and Single Sign-On (SSO).
This deployment addressed a different challenge: enabling construction teams to access drawing information in the field while maintaining enterprise security and administration requirements.
Although separate from the ARCADE NEO redevelopment, it provides additional context for Taisei’s use of ARES across different working environments.
What can other enterprises learn from Taisei’s experience?
Taisei’s story highlights a challenge faced by many organizations considering an alternative to AutoCAD.
The issue is not simply whether another CAD application can open and edit DWG files. It is whether the organization can continue using the specialized workflows and applications on which its operations depend.
In Taisei’s case, the solution involved an established software development partner, a clear customer requirement, and the redevelopment of industry-specific software for ARES Commander.
The result was ARCADE NEO, which continues the development history of Brain Gear Supra on a different CAD platform.
For enterprise customers, the case illustrates the importance of evaluating the entire CAD ecosystem rather than the drafting application alone.
For software developers, it highlights another important opportunity: ARES Commander is not just an alternative to AutoCAD, but also a powerful CAD development platform.
Through its extensive APIs and SDKs, Graebert enables third-party developers to extend ARES Commander, migrate existing applications, and build new industry-specific CAD solutions. From specialized plugins to fully branded OEM applications, the ARES CAD Development Platform offers developers the flexibility to build on a modern, DWG-native CAD foundation.
And for organizations navigating the transition toward BIM, Taisei’s experience is a reminder that modernizing CAD workflows does not necessarily mean abandoning the tools and expertise that continue to support everyday design work.
Taisei’s experience demonstrates that organizations can choose a CAD platform that better meets their business requirements, while working with software partners to preserve and evolve the specialized applications they depend on.
Editorial note: This article is based on publicly available interviews and customer stories. References to additional ARES Commander capabilities and experiences from other Graebert customers are provided as separate context and should not be interpreted as features or measured outcomes specifically reported by Taisei.
See how ARES Commander, ARES Trinity and ARES Kudo could work for your team. Start the 30-day free trial at graebert.com and work with your DWG files in a CAD tool built around full DWG compatibility.
Hello, XBOX community! We’re Feel Free Games, an independent videogame development team based in the Netherlands. We’d like to introduce you to Luma Island, our debut title, launched on PC in 2024. Reception and positive review scores from fans around the globe blew us away, to date more than 800,000 PC players have set foot on our shores and now, we’re thrilled to be bringing Luma Island to XBOX Series X|S on December 2, complete with full cross-platform multiplayer.
Our studio background isn’t typical for the games industry. Many of us built our careers in 3D software, most recently in architectural visualization, but games have always been our passion. Having a game studio of our own is a lifelong dream come true. That background naturally shaped our approach to rich environmental detail, tactile building systems, and lighting. But when it came to designing the core gameplay loop of Luma Island, our guiding light wasn’t just industry conventions, it was the people in our lives.
From the very beginning, we wanted to create an adventure we could share not only with seasoned gaming friends, but also with our kids, our parents, and family members who rarely pick up a controller. Every major design decision came back to a simple question: Would they enjoy this, too?
Traditional simulation and survival gameplay mechanics often include barriers for casual players. When an inventory fills up, or when a stamina meter drains after chopping three trees, momentum grinds to a halt. We decided to strip those blockers away.
In Luma Island, there are no stamina bars, no inventory limits, and no ticking clocks forcing you into bed. If someone in your party wants to spend the afternoon tending crops and decorating the homestead, they can do so uninterrupted. If someone else wants to plunge into deep cavern networks, dodge ancient temple traps, and solve environmental puzzles, they have complete freedom to do so.
To make sure everyone can play at their own comfort level, we built three tailored game modes:
Cozy Mode: Completely peaceful exploration where combat only happens if you actively choose it.
Adventure Mode: A balanced blend of discovery, light peril, and rewarding puzzle-solving.
Hero Mode: Faster, tougher enemies and demanding encounters designed specifically for seasoned gamers.
While the cozy farmstead is your anchor, Luma Island quickly opens into a sprawling, mysterious wilderness across four biomes: Farm, Forest, Mountain, Jungle and Pirate Cove. Each biome features its own temples.
Instead of heavy tutorials, the game invites you to follow your curiosity through the mastering of distinct professions. Players can specialize in jobs like Archaeologist, Blacksmith, Brewer, Cook, Fisherman, Jeweler, Shipwright, or Treasure Hunter. Each profession brings unique recipes, specialized tools, and distinct goals, meaning every player in your group can carve out an essential role in your shared community.
And, of course, there are the island’s namesakes: the Lumas. These magical companions are hatched from mysterious eggs found scattered across the wilderness. Beyond being undeniably adorable, your bonded Luma accompanies you on your expeditions, fighting nearby enemies or alerting you to hidden artifacts buried beneath the soil.
Seeing parents, kids, and friends of entirely different gaming backgrounds team up to play Luma Island has been the most rewarding part of this journey. Bringing that experience to Xbox felt like the natural next step.
We have fully tailored Luma Island for the XBOX Series X|S experience, featuring responsive controller layouts, a full suite of Xbox Achievements to hunt, and, most importantly, seamless day-one cross-platform play. Up to four players can explore, build, and venture into the depths together across all available platforms.
Whether you’re organizing a four-player squad expedition or looking for an inviting world to explore with someone who has never touched a controller before, Luma Island is ready to welcome you when it launches on XBOX Series X|S on December 2.
Store pages are live now – add Luma Island to your XBOX wishlist now, and we’ll see you on the island!
Luma Island
Feel Free Games B.V.
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
THERE’S MORE TO FIND AROUND EVERY CORNER
Make Luma Island your home as you build your dream farm and raise magical Lumas, then venture beyond it to discover everything the island has to offer. Explore forests, mountains, jungles, temples and Pirate Cove. Outsmart traps, conquer pirate-themed minigames and uncover secrets along the way.
With no stamina bars, no inventory limits and no checks on your creativity, you’re free to explore, build and discover at your own pace.
EXPLORE TOGETHER
Explore alone or play together with up to 4 players in cross-platform multiplayer. Share resources, tackle challenges and build side-by-side, whether your friends are on Xbox Series X|S, PS5 or PC.
Build, discover or simply spend time together; everything’s better with friends.
RAISE LUMAS AND BUILD YOUR DREAM FARM
The island is home to magical creatures called Lumas. Track down mysterious eggs, hatch them and gain unique companions with special abilities to help you explore and uncover treasure.
Turn your rundown farm into a thriving homestead. Grow crops, raise animals and build decorative items, from quaint cottages to sprawling estates.
EMBRACE ISLAND LIFE
Choose your profession and fish in crystal waters, mine for rare materials, cook hearty meals and craft gear to sell in town. Meet the island’s quirky locals, complete their quests and uncover their stories.
Express yourself with outfits and accessories you can swap at any time via your wardrobe.
PLAY YOUR WAY
Choose your pace and playstyle:
• Cozy Mode: no combat unless you choose
• Adventure Mode: a balanced mix of challenge and chill
• Hero Mode: crank up the difficulty with stronger enemies
You’re always free to roam, guided by a full-screen map.
As of October 2026, 43.6% of active Android devices still run Android 13 or older, while Android 16, now the most common version, sits at 25.4% and Android 17 has crawled to 1% since its June release. Even Android 8.1 still has a bigger slice than the newest release. That spread is the job. On Android, launch day is the easy part, and the partner you choose shows its quality in month six, not week one.
I’ve shipped and maintained Android apps long enough to stop judging builds by their first week in the Play Store. Week one looks fine almost every time. The install curve climbs, the screenshots look sharp, the founder posts a launch thread on LinkedIn. Then the real users arrive, on phones nobody at the agency owned, running OEM skins nobody tested, and the app starts collecting one-star reviews that all say some version of “it just stopped working.”
So I use a simple filter now. I call it the month-six test: ignore the demo, ignore the launch, and ask what the app looks like half a year later. By then it has lived through at least one Android release, one target API deadline, a couple of Play policy emails and a few million background tasks killed by battery savers. A weak partner passes week one and fails that. A good one planned for it before anyone drew the first screen.
Porting the iOS app is how Android projects get into trouble
“An Android app is just the iOS app ported over.”
You hear some version of this in nearly every scoping call, usually from someone trying to cut the estimate in half. It’s half true for the UI layer, and that’s the dangerous half. Shared business logic through Kotlin Multiplatform or Flutter can save real money, and I’ve recommended both. The problem is everything under the UI, which is where Android apps actually live or die, and where the estimate quietly assumes nothing will happen.
Apple ships its OS to a few dozen device models from one manufacturer, and most of them update within months. Android ships to thousands of models from Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, vivo, Motorola, Google and a long tail of brands you’ve never heard of, each with its own skin, its own battery manager and its own opinion about what “background” means. Notifications. Background sync. Runtime permissions. Predictive back. Foldable hinges and split-screen. None of that ports. It has to be designed for, and then tested on hardware that behaves badly. An iPhone build that passes QA on three devices has covered a meaningful share of its audience. An Android build that passes QA on three devices has covered three devices.
That’s why I don’t start partner evaluations with the portfolio. Portfolios show launches. When I review proposals, from solo freelancers and from firms that sell full Android app development services alike, I ask one question first: what broke in your last Android app after launch, and how did you find out? A team that has maintained apps for years has a specific, slightly embarrassing answer ready. A team that only builds them talks about the launch party.
Here’s what the first year actually looks like, month by month.
Month 1: Android vitals grades you on phones your partner never touched
The first month is when Play Console starts filling Android vitals with real data, and Google doesn’t grade on a curve. The published bad-behavior thresholds are a 1.09% user-perceived crash rate and a 0.47% user-perceived ANR rate across all devices, plus 8% for either metric on any single phone model. Cross them and Google Play may reduce the app’s visibility and show users a warning on the store listing. Play judges the trailing 28 days, so one bad release lingers for a month.
The per-model threshold is the one that catches weak partners. An app can look healthy overall and still be falling over on one popular budget Galaxy or a Redmi running HyperOS, because the agency tested on two Pixels and the founder’s own phone. I’ve watched exactly this play out. The overall crash rate was clean. The ANRs clustered on one chipset family, and the cause turned out to be a database read on the main thread that only got slow on cheaper storage. Nobody on the team owned a phone with that storage.
A good partner handled month one before launch. They pulled the Play Console device catalog to see which models the target market really uses. They ran the pre-launch report and Firebase Test Lab across a spread of API levels, not just the latest two. They turned on StrictMode in debug builds, so disk and network calls on the main thread fail loudly in development instead of quietly in production. And they wired up crash reporting with mapping files uploaded, so a stack trace from a Xiaomi in Jakarta points to a real line of code instead of obfuscated noise.
The weak partner finds out about ANRs from the reviews.
Month 3: OEM battery savers are quietly killing your background work
By month three, the support inbox has a theme. Reminders arrive late. Step counts reset overnight. Chat messages appear only when the app is opened. Users blame the app, and honestly they’re right to, even though the cause lives in the phone’s firmware.
Don’t kill my app, the community-run tracker for this exact problem, puts it bluntly: many manufacturers “prefer battery life over proper functionality of your apps.” Its ranking gives Huawei, Xiaomi, OnePlus and Samsung the worst possible score, with Meizu, Asus and Oppo one notch better. Pixel and Android One devices score zero. Your users don’t buy Pixels in the proportions your developers do.
A weak partner writes background code that works on stock Android, ships it, and bills the fix as a change request in month three. A good partner treats OEM behavior as a requirement from day one. That means WorkManager for deferrable jobs, high-priority FCM messages only for things the user is actually waiting on, foreground services declared with the right foregroundServiceType (mandatory for apps targeting Android 14 and up), and an onboarding screen that walks Samsung and Xiaomi owners through the battery exemption with brand-specific steps. That last screen looks unglamorous in a design review. It also saves a support person a good chunk of every week.
Not a bug. Not a crash. A silent failure, which is worse, because vitals won’t flag it and your dashboards will say everything is fine.
Month 6: the target API deadline finds every shortcut
Month six is where the test earns its name, because for a lot of apps it overlaps with Google Play’s yearly target API bump. This year’s rules sit on Google’s target API level requirements page, and they’re stricter than most founders realize.
The dated numbers worth taping to a monitor:
Since August 31, 2026, new apps and app updates must target Android 16 (API level 36) or higher to be submitted to Google Play.
Existing apps must target at least API level 35 to stay available to new users on devices running a newer Android version than the app targets.
November 1, 2026 was the latest an approved extension could push the deadline, so there is no more room to wait.
Raising targetSdkVersion is never just changing a number in Gradle. Each level changes platform behavior for your app, and API 36 carries a big one for large screens. According to Google’s adaptive apps guidance, on any display with a smallest width of 600dp or more, which covers tablets and the inner screens of book-style foldables, Android 16 ignores an app’s portrait lock, its resizeableActivity flag and its aspect ratio limits. There’s a manifest opt-out for now. The same guidance says it disappears at API level 37.
Picture the portrait-only app a cheap partner built. It looked great on phones. After the target bump, it opens on a Galaxy Z Fold’s inner display stretched across a nearly square screen, with a bottom sheet floating in the middle and a camera preview rotated the wrong way. Nobody wrote new code. The platform just stopped covering for the old shortcut.
A good partner built with window size classes and adaptive layouts from the start, so the bump costs a week of testing instead of a redesign. They also kept dependencies current through the year. That matters more than people expect, since an ad SDK or payments library pinned to a two-year-old version is often the thing that blocks the upgrade, and you can’t ship your fix until the vendor ships theirs.
Month 12: policy emails and ownership gaps show up together
At the one-year mark, the problems stop being technical and start being administrative, which is somehow worse. Play policy deadlines keep arriving on their own schedule. On September 30, 2026, Android developer verification began rolling out on certified devices for apps from participating stores in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, and Play Console started asking developers to register any apps that weren’t registered automatically. On January 27, 2027, Play’s SMS and Call Log policy stops accepting phone-call account verification as a reason to request READ_CALL_LOG. Each change is small. Each one needs someone who reads the email, understands what it means for this specific codebase, and ships before the date.
Then there’s ownership. I’ve helped founders recover apps where the agency held the upload key, registered the Play Console account under its own name and kept the Firebase project inside its own organization. Nobody acted in bad faith. It’s just what happens when nobody writes the setup down. When the contract ended, the founder owned a store listing they couldn’t update.
A good partner set up Play App Signing on day one, created every account under the client’s organization, documented the release pipeline and left a runbook a new developer can follow on a Monday morning. They also plan the next bump before anyone asks. Google has raised the target requirement every year so far, so I expect API 37 to become mandatory for updates sometime in 2027, which would also end the large-screen opt-out for good. That last part is my inference, not Google’s published schedule.
The difference between a partner and a vendor fits in one table
Partner capability
Failure it prevents
How to check it before signing
Device matrix built from real market data
Crash or ANR rates above 8% on a single phone model
Ask for the device list from their last project and where it came from
Android vitals monitoring with alerts
Reduced visibility on Google Play and store-listing warnings
Ask to see a vitals dashboard they maintained, with the ANR trend over several months
OEM-aware background work
Late notifications and broken sync on Samsung and Xiaomi phones
Ask how they handle battery exemptions and which brands they test on
Yearly targetSdkVersion planning
Blocked updates after the August deadline
Ask what broke when they last moved an app to API 36
Adaptive layouts for large screens
Stretched or broken UI on foldables and tablets
Ask for a demo of their latest app on a tablet or an sw600dp emulator
Client-owned accounts and signing keys
Losing the ability to update your own app
Ask who owns the Play Console account and upload key under their standard contract
Notice that not one row asks about the launch.
Score your shortlist before you sign anything
Use this as a 0 to 2 scorecard for each candidate, 14 points in total. Anything under 10 means you’ll end up paying for month six twice.
They answer the post-launch question with specifics. Score 2 if they name a real bug, the device it hit and how they caught it. Score 0 for “we test thoroughly.”
Their device matrix comes from data. Full marks if it was built from the Play Console device catalog or analytics for your market. Zero if it’s whatever phones are on the office desk.
They know the vitals thresholds cold. A partner who quotes 1.09% and 0.47% from memory has been burned by them at least once. Give 1 point if they know vitals exist but not the numbers.
They’ve shipped a target API bump recently. Ask about the move to API 36 and what it broke. A clear story about specific behavior changes scores 2.
Background work comes with an OEM plan. Score 2 if they bring up dontkillmyapp.com or brand-specific battery settings without prompting.
Large screens are in the estimate. Foldables and tablets should appear as line items with hours attached, not as “phase two.”
You own everything from day one. Play Console account, upload key, Firebase project, repository, CI. Anything held in their name scores 0, no matter how friendly the sales call was.
Launch day tells you who can build an Android app, and month six tells you who can keep one alive.
Picking the right claims management software ranks among the most consequential technology choices an American adjusting firm will ever make. Nail it, and handlers clear files faster, reporting sharpens, and clients take notice. Miss it, and the system battles the workflow at every turn. This roundup covers the leading claims management platforms for American insurance adjusting firms in 2026, ordered by how well each one fits the way adjusting operations actually work.
What Adjusters Need from Claims Management Software
Adjusters work across dozens of open files at once, so the platform they use needs to reduce switching time, not add to it. The best claims management software for self-insured businesses and adjusting firms shares a few defining traits: fast triage and assignment, document and diary management in one place, configurable workflows that match how the operation runs, and reporting that doesn’t require exporting data by hand.
Lloyd’s market work adds another layer. Bordereau reporting is time-intensive when done manually, and firms without a native module routinely spend two to three days per cycle on spreadsheet work that a dedicated claims system handles automatically.
1. VCA Software
VCA Software (vcasoftware.com), formerly known as Virtual Claims Adjuster, is a claims management platform serving TPAs, independent adjusting firms, carriers, MGAs, captives, and self-insured organizations. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, the company was among the early providers to introduce a SaaS model to the claims industry. Its platform supports the entire claims lifecycle, from initial intake to final resolution, with built-in tools that help adjusters manage files, track communications, and generate reports without switching between multiple systems. For organizations managing their own claims, VCA Software also provides claims management software for self-insured businesses, helping teams streamline workflows, maintain accurate records, and manage high claim volumes more efficiently. By keeping claims information and daily tasks in one system, the platform also helps teams improve coordination, reduce administrative work, and maintain better visibility into claim progress.
Its Lloyd’s module is a standout. Bordereaux are generated with 130+ required data fields, UMR contracts are set up once and flow into claims automatically, and one TPA case study cut bordereau turnaround from three days to under one day. ClaimsCore handles triage, assignment, diaries, reserves, payments, and document management in a single file. The ClaimPay module can settle approved claims in as little as 15 seconds by virtual card or bank transfer. Handlers typically reach full productivity within two hours of training, and Premier clients can go live in as little as two to three weeks.
Features:
Native Lloyd’s bordereau reporting with 130+ data fields
Assignment, diaries, reserves, payments, and documents in one file
ClaimPay digital payments, virtual card, bank transfer, or check
Low-code and no-code configuration by business users
ClaimsAI for file summaries, document review, and drafting
SOC 2 Type 2 examination completed May 2026
Pros:
9 out of 5 on Capterra from 26 reviews; ease of use rated 5.0
Unity Claims cut per-claim time from 45 minutes to 10 and saved about 18,000 hours per year
AM Best Recommended seal; 99.9% availability guarantee
Starts at $299 per month (Capterra); custom quotes for larger teams
2. Origami Risk
Origami Risk is a Chicago-based platform founded in 2009 that covers risk management, compliance, safety, healthcare, and P&C insurance operations from a single unified system. It serves carriers, TPAs, brokers, MGAs, risk pools, government, healthcare, construction, and manufacturing sectors.
The platform spans policy administration, billing, and claims alongside full RMIS and EHS modules, which makes it a reasonable option for firms that need claims, compliance, and risk operations under one roof rather than separate tools.
Features:
Unified platform: P&C core, RMIS, EHS, and GRC
Claims module within a full P&C suite
Web and mobile access
Serves government, healthcare, construction, and manufacturing sectors
Pros:
Recognized in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for SaaS P&C Core Platforms, North America
Named a P&C Claims System Luminary in consecutive Celent reports
RMIS Leader recognition for eight consecutive years
About 981 employees globally; strong North American presence
3. Sapiens
Sapiens International Corporation is a global insurance software provider founded in 1982 and headquartered in London, with more than 600 insurers across 30+ countries running on its platform. The company went private in December 2025 after trading on NASDAQ under SPNS.
Its main differentiator is an AI-centric, SaaS-based architecture with embedded agentic workflows spanning policy, underwriting, claims, reinsurance, decisioning, finance, and compliance. Sapiens describes its approach as “last-inch functionality” created to push outcomes across the full insurance lifecycle rather than just storing data.
Features:
IDITSuite for P&C; CoreSuite for Life & Pensions
Agentic AI workflows across claims, underwriting, and compliance
DataSuite and Decision Management tools
DigitalSuite for digital engagement
Pros:
Celent XCelent Awards for P&C Claims
Over 600 insurer clients across 30+ countries
Embedded AI built into core insurance workflows
5,265 employees supporting a global deployment base
4. Majesco
Majesco is a Morristown, New Jersey-based insurance software provider founded in 1982 and now a subsidiary of Thoma Bravo LLC. It serves carriers, MGAs, reinsurers, brokers, and greenfield startups with SaaS-based insurance software.
The platform spans property, annuities, pension, general insurance, life insurance, and group and voluntary benefits. Majesco Copilot, introduced in the Spring ’25 Release, brings GenAI-powered features straight into core workflows. It’s proven. With 350 customers and 900 successful implementations behind it, it’s a credible path for insurers ready to move off legacy systems.
Features:
Insurance software for P&C, life and annuity, and group benefits
GenAI-powered Majesco Copilot
Ecosystem, analytics, and distribution software
Risk and compliance and digital solution modules
Pros:
Recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant, IDC MarketScape, and SPARK Matrix
Ranks 23rd on the Top 100 Software Companies List
Over 65% of customers on the cloud; strong SaaS track record
2,347 employees; subsidiary of Thoma Bravo provides financial backing
5. Guidewire
Guidewire Software, founded in 2001 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, is one of the most recognized names in P&C insurance technology. It trades on the NYSE as GWRE and had approximately 3,772 employees as of mid-2025.
More than 570 insurers across 43 countries run on Guidewire, and its InsuranceSuite – comprising PolicyCenter, ClaimCenter, and BillingCenter – is the platform most large Tier 1 carriers depend on. Mid-market firms frequently treat it as the benchmark everything else gets measured against. Velocity Risk cut costs by 60% and doubled operating margins after moving to Guidewire Cloud; Orion180 brought quoting time down from five minutes to two.
Features:
InsuranceSuite: PolicyCenter, ClaimCenter, and BillingCenter
AI via ProNavigator embedded across core applications
HazardHub, Cyence, Canvas, and PricingCenter
1,700+ successful implementations; largest SI partner ecosystem in the industry
Pros:
Named a Leader in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for P&C Core Insurance Platforms, North America
PolicyCenter won six Celent XCelent awards, named Luminary in three regional reports
Proven at global scale across 43 countries
Guidewire Cloud enables faster deployment than traditional on-premises builds
How to Evaluate Claims Software for Your Firm
Start with line of business. Not every platform handles the same claim types. A firm focused on property, auto, marine, and CAT needs different depth than one with heavy casualty or specialty work, and workers’ compensation and health require their own dedicated systems.
Then consider implementation. A platform that takes 18 to 24 months to go live has a different risk profile than one that can stand up for clients in two to three weeks. For smaller and mid-sized adjusting firms, a long implementation window can consume resources the operation doesn’t have.
Finally, price the full picture. Starting rates matter, but optional modules, API access, and implementation services can change the total cost. Get a line-item quote before comparing platforms on cost.
Bottom Line
The top claims management platforms for American insurance adjusting firms don’t all chase the same market. Guidewire and Sapiens are built for carrier scale, while Origami Risk and Majesco shine where risk management and core insurance functions need to live in a single platform. For TPAs and independent adjusting firms that want fast implementation, native Lloyd’s reporting, and a system shaped by claims professionals rather than IT departments, mid-market options carry genuine advantages. The right choice comes down to claim types, Lloyd’s exposure, team size, and how much implementation lift the operation can realistically take on.
Under a new “Logi Game Day” initiative, Logitech is giving all 7,000 of its employees an extra paid day off to play GTA 6 when it is released on November 19th. Employees, as well as interns, can use the day anytime over the next year. Tom’s Hardware reports: As for Logitech, the company believes that it’s time for people to move away from the belief that playing games is a waste of time, hence its new initiative. It makes sense for a company that makes gaming accessories to say that, of course, but CEO Hanneke Faber argues that the company sees “how engagement in one sphere supports performance in the other.” The hope will be that, by allowing employees to play games, a productivity boost will follow.
Malware may be stealing your personal information if you notice unfamiliar account logins, unexpected password resets, unauthorized transactions, disabled security software, or suspicious browser activity. These warning signs can indicate spyware, keyloggers, or information-stealing malware. If you suspect an infection, disconnect the affected computer from the internet, secure your accounts using a trusted device, and seek professional malware removal.
Your computer holds more personal information than you might realize. From saved passwords and banking details to tax documents and family photos, cybercriminals have plenty of reasons to target your device. Unfortunately, malware designed to steal sensitive information often operates quietly, making it difficult to recognize until damage has occurred.
At PC Geeks in Frisco, TX, we understand how stressful it can be when your computer starts behaving suspiciously or your personal information may be compromised. Our team helps local residents and businesses identify computer problems, address malware infections, and improve their digital security. Whether you work remotely from home, manage a small business near the Frisco business corridor, or simply use your computer for everyday tasks, knowing the warning signs can help you respond quickly and protect what matters most.
7 Warning Signs of Spyware and Information-Stealing Malware
Information-stealing malware, sometimes called an infostealer, is designed to collect sensitive data from infected devices. Depending on the malware, this may include passwords, browser cookies, financial information, or personal documents.
Unlike ransomware, which often announces itself by locking files, spyware and infostealers may operate without obvious symptoms.
Here are seven warning signs worth investigating.
1. Are You Receiving Login Alerts You Don’t Recognize?
Unexpected login notifications can indicate that someone has obtained your account credentials.
If Google, Microsoft, your bank, or another service reports a login from an unfamiliar device or location, take the alert seriously.
Watch for:
Login attempts from unfamiliar locations or devices
Password reset emails you didn’t request
Unexpected multifactor authentication prompts
Notifications that your account recovery information has changed
Not every unusual login means your computer is infected. Passwords can also be exposed through phishing attacks or third-party data breaches.
However, repeated suspicious activity across several accounts may indicate that malware has captured saved credentials or active browser sessions.
2. Why Are Your Passwords Suddenly Not Working?
An unexpected password change can be a sign that someone has gained access to your account.
Cybercriminals sometimes use stolen credentials to take control of email, shopping, social media, or financial accounts. Once inside, they may change passwords or recovery settings to prevent you from regaining access.
If several accounts become inaccessible around the same time, investigate immediately.
What to do: Use a separate, trusted device to begin account recovery. Prioritize your primary email account because it may provide access to password resets for other services.
3. Is Your Computer Running Slowly or Acting Strangely?
Unexplained performance problems can accompany malware infections, although they do not prove that information is being stolen.
Some malicious programs run background processes, communicate with external servers, or interfere with normal computer operations.
Potential symptoms include:
Sudden slowdowns without an obvious cause
Unusual CPU or memory usage
Unknown programs launching automatically
Unexpected browser extensions or settings changes
Security software shutting down without permission
These symptoms can also result from legitimate software updates, hardware problems, or ordinary system maintenance.
A professional malware scan can help determine whether malicious software is responsible.
4. Are You Seeing Unauthorized Bank Charges or Account Activity?
Unrecognized financial transactions are a serious warning that your personal information may have been compromised.
Some malware targets online banking credentials, payment information, and browser sessions. Criminals may use stolen information to attempt purchases or access financial accounts.
According to the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, the Internet Crime Complaint Center received 859,532 complaints involving reported losses exceeding $16 billion. While these losses involve many types of cybercrime, they demonstrate the financial risks associated with compromised accounts and online fraud.
If you notice suspicious transactions, contact your financial institution immediately.
Ask about freezing affected cards, disputing unauthorized charges, and securing your account.
5. Can Malware Steal Information Without You Noticing?
Yes. Information-stealing malware can collect sensitive data without displaying pop-ups, slowing your computer, or creating other noticeable symptoms.
Some threats specifically target:
Passwords stored in web browsers
Authentication cookies and active sessions
Cryptocurrency wallet information
Personal files and documents
Information entered through the keyboard
This makes silent infections particularly concerning.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recommends protective measures such as updated software, multifactor authentication, and recognizing phishing attempts to reduce cyber risks.
Even if your computer appears normal, suspicious account activity may justify a security investigation.
6. Why Is Your Antivirus Software Suddenly Disabled?
Security software that unexpectedly stops working may indicate malware interference.
Some malicious programs attempt to disable antivirus protection, change security settings, or prevent updates to avoid detection.
Check whether:
Real-time protection has been turned off
Antivirus updates repeatedly fail
Security settings change without your permission
Unknown exclusions have appeared in your antivirus configuration
Occasional software conflicts can cause similar problems, so these symptoms are not definitive proof of infection.
However, unexplained security changes should never be ignored, especially when combined with suspicious account activity.
7. Are Friends Receiving Strange Messages From Your Accounts?
Unexpected messages sent from your email or social media accounts may indicate account compromise.
Cybercriminals sometimes use stolen credentials or browser sessions to send phishing links, fraudulent requests, or malicious attachments to your contacts.
You might discover that:
Friends receive messages you never sent
Your email account contains unfamiliar forwarding rules
Messages disappear or are marked as read unexpectedly
Your social media account posts suspicious links
These signs do not necessarily mean malware is installed on your computer, but they do suggest that your account security needs immediate attention.
What Should You Do If You Suspect Malware Is Stealing Your Data?
Act quickly, but avoid making changes that could expose additional information.
Follow these steps:
Disconnect the affected computer from the internet. This may interrupt ongoing malware communication, although it cannot reverse data already stolen.
Use a trusted device to change important passwords. Start with your email, banking, and other sensitive accounts.
Enable multifactor authentication. Use an authenticator app or another phishing-resistant method when available.
Contact financial institutions. Report suspicious activity and ask about additional account protections.
Run a reputable security scan. Avoid downloading unfamiliar cleanup programs advertised through pop-ups.
Seek professional assistance. A computer repair specialist can help investigate the infection and determine appropriate remediation steps.
For Frisco residents who rely on their computers for remote work, school, or managing household finances, addressing a suspected infection promptly can reduce the risk of further exposure.
If sensitive business information may have been compromised, notify the appropriate IT or security contact as well.
Frequently Asked Questions About Malware and Identity Theft
Can malware steal passwords saved in Chrome or Edge?
Yes. Certain infostealers can target passwords, browser cookies, and other sensitive information stored in web browsers. If your computer is infected, change affected passwords from a trusted device and revoke suspicious account sessions.
How do I know if someone is monitoring my computer?
Warning signs may include unfamiliar remote-access software, unexpected webcam activity, unknown accounts, or suspicious security changes. However, monitoring software can operate without visible symptoms, so a professional security inspection may be necessary.
Will resetting my computer remove information-stealing malware?
A properly performed clean operating system installation can remove many malware infections, but it does not recover stolen information or secure compromised online accounts. Important passwords and active sessions must also be addressed.
Can antivirus software detect every type of spyware?
No. Antivirus software can detect many known threats, but no security product guarantees detection of every malware infection. Updated protection, safe browsing practices, multifactor authentication, and regular security checks provide stronger overall protection.
Worried Malware Is Stealing Your Personal Information? Contact PC Geeks in Frisco!
You shouldn’t have to wonder whether your personal information is safe every time you turn on your computer.
At PC Geeks, we help Frisco-area residents and businesses address suspicious computer behavior, malware infections, and security concerns. Whether you’re experiencing unexpected login alerts, unusual system activity, or signs of compromised accounts, our team can help you understand your next steps.
Protect your computer and your personal information. Contact PC Geeks today to get professional computer security assistance in Frisco, TX.
Gone are the days when building plans can only be seen in a static floor plan or rendering. Architectural animation brings building plans to life by turning them into three dimensions, giving clients a real glimpse of what the finished product will look and feel like before anything is built. It usually involves a 3D model, camera motion, lighting, materials, rendering, and video editing.
Nowadays, artists can use real-time engines and cloud rendering to come up with detailed flythroughs that are faster than traditional workflows. No doubt that these videos are useful for architects, developers, contractors, and property managers. Cad Crowd experts can help you with architectural animation and 3D walkthrough services without any hassle at all.
Where the 3D walkthrough is concerned, buildings will be depicted from the perspective of a person. This means that the camera can move around different rooms such as bedrooms, hallways, lobbies, among others. This is especially useful in depicting floor plans, furniture, finishes, and the connection of one room to another.
Flythrough
However, when looking at the broader way of depicting something, you might want to look into 3D flythrough. In the case of a 3D flythrough, the camera may move around the exterior of the building and rise above the property to view the entire building. This is useful in depicting landscapes, roads, other buildings, parking, among others.
Virtual tour
And finally, the virtual tour gives control to the viewer. You will not watch a fixed video; rather, you can look around and move between different locations with the use of a computer, phone, or VR headset.
To create an architectural animation, there are a number of stages, and planning is particularly important since it would take a lot of time and money to alter a scene after it has been rendered.
Planning and storyboarding
This process starts with an initial design. Here, the team determines what elements are to be captured in the video, the course that the camera takes, the duration of each scene, and the focal point of the viewer. In this step, rough sketches or animations can be used. This ensures that the direction is approved by the clients before any further modeling and rendering.
Building the 3D model
The drawings that are made by architects are created into a 3D world, and depending on the project, artists work on CAD drawing services, BIM models, floor plans, elevations, and many more references. The building, together with certain key parts of the surrounding area, has been modeled. Although a still picture can only show the building from one point of view, an animation is capable of displaying it from a number of different directions, which means that some hidden areas also have to be modeled.
The path of the camera decides what the viewers see, and the artists choose the height of the camera, how quickly it moves, the lens used, and the direction it takes. Normally, interior cameras remain at a level close to that of a person’s eyes, while exterior cameras are capable of moving around the building or of producing footage similar to that of a drone. It is important for the movement to be smooth since abrupt changes in direction or unreasonable speeds can make the video unpleasant to watch. Usually, before the final rendering, artists produce a low-resolution preview known as an animatic, so that everybody can check the timing and camera movement.
Adding materials and lighting
Upon completion of the model, different elements are added to the structure such as concrete, glass, wood, stone, fabrics, and metals. This is because the new PBR materials allow them to interact with light more realistically. The lighting is also thought out carefully, with the scene making use of natural sunlight, HDRI environments, interior design services, exterior fixtures, or a combination of several of these sources. For any projects in which daylight is a consideration, the artists could even reproduce the sun’s position for a given location and time of day.
Rendering the frames
A video differs from a still image in that it consists of hundreds or even thousands of separate frames, each of which has to be calculated and rendered. For example, a 30-second video at 30 frames per second needs 900 frames. A 90-second video at the same frame rate needs 2,700 frames. Rendering one frame of a scene may take a few minutes to much longer, which explains why movie companies make use of workstations, render farms, or even cloud computing for rendering multiple frames at the same time.
The frames are then stitched together to create a video, whereupon the editors adjust the color, contrast, motion blur, depth of field, reflections, and other visual effects. Further sound can be included. For example, the sound of footsteps, traffic, the wind, birds, city noise, or background music can make the final animation seem more natural.
Why does frame count affect cost?
One of the primary factors influencing the time and cost of an 3D architectural animation services is the frame count. A 60-second video recorded at 30 frames per second consists of 1,800 frames; if each frame takes 10 minutes to render, then the total time required would be 18,000 minutes, that is 300 hours, provided that a single computer carries out the entire process continuously.
That is the reason why a short architectural animation can require a lot of computing power, since cloud rendering and real-time engines enable many calculations to be carried out simultaneously. The importance of the scene’s complexity should also be noted. A scene with a simple exterior and made up of basic materials will usually render more quickly than one which is highly detailed and includes glass, reflective surfaces, furniture, lighting effects, vegetation, and moving people.
It is one of the most important matters to decide on at an early stage: the camera path. When a camera is changed after rendering has already started, a number of the frames which had previously been rendered may become useless. The sequence would then have to be rendered once more from the start. This is the very reason why professional experts always spend time reviewing the initial previews before they opt for high-quality 3D rendering services, because approval of the camera movement at an earlier stage helps them save costs.
Architectural animation cost guide
Architectural Animation Service
Typical U.S. Price
Basic 3D walkthrough, 15–30 seconds
$1,500–$3,500
Standard 3D walkthrough, 30–60 seconds
$3,500–$7,500
Detailed architectural animation, 1 minute
$5,000–$10,000
High-end architectural animation, 1–2 minutes
$10,000–$20,000+
3D exterior flythrough
$4,000–$10,000+
360° architectural panorama
$750–$2,500 per view
Interactive 360° virtual tour
$2,000–$6,000+
VR architectural experience
$5,000–$20,000+
How can 3D scenes be used for VR and 360-degree tours?
A benefit of creating a detailed 3D scene is that the same assets can usually be reused. As opposed to creating a predefined path for the camera, artists can also place cameras in different rooms and locations. This will allow them to create panoramic photos that can be linked in order to create an interactive virtual tour.
In more advanced projects, the entire scene can be imported into Unreal Engine or some other real-time platform, and then the users will be able to explore the space using a VR headset rather than just watching a pre-determined video. It is particularly useful when promoting property, in design presentations, in construction planning, and for projects which have not yet been built.
Important techniques used in architectural animation
There are a number of techniques which make an architectural animation more realistic and simpler to watch.
Storyboarding
A storyboard is created before production starts to show the sequence of scenes, the camera angles, and the pacing.
BIM model preparation
Revit, ArchiCAD, and a number of other BIM modeling services usually have to be cleaned up and simplified before they are used for animation since excess geometry can slow down the scene.
Site and landscape modeling
The building can be situated in a realistic environment because of features such as the terrain, the roads, the adjacent buildings, the trees, the parking spaces, and other surrounding elements.
Furniture, appliances, decorations, and lighting fittings give rooms an idea of their size and help people to understand how the space might be put to use.
Realistic materials
The materials for PBR can make the surface behave in a realistic way, and even small flaws such as scratches and roughness on the surface can help create realism in the materials.
Natural lighting
The amount of sunlight can be changed in accordance with the real location of the project. This is useful for demonstrating how the building appears in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, or at various times of the year.
Interior lighting and exterior lighting can be added to create realistic scenes at night time, while proper lighting design services is essential in highlighting the significant architecture.
Camera and lens control
An appropriate focal length will stop rooms from appearing either unnaturally wide or unnaturally narrow. Interior cameras generally make use of moderate wide-angle lenses so as to give a natural view without causing excessive distortion.
Smooth camera movement
Curved camera paths give rise to smoother transitions than abrupt changes in direction, and the movement should have the same effect as that found in professional handheld, steady-cam, or drone footage.
When the camera is kept at a level corresponding to a normal human eye, viewers are given a more realistic impression of the space and the proportions of the room.
Aerial flythroughs
Aerial views can display the entire property, together with the roads, thelandscaping design services, the parking areas, the adjacent buildings, and the nearby landmarks.
Animatic reviews
Clients are able to approve the camera movement and the order of the scenes before the costly rendering process starts with low-quality previews.
Real-time rendering
With real-time engines, there is immediate visual feedback, and hence artists do not have to wait for rendering after each modification to the light, material, landscape, and camera motion.
Cloud render service farms are able to work on multiple frames simultaneously, which is useful for large projects involving long videos or highly detailed scenes.
Render passes
Artists are able to handle things like reflections, shadows, depth, and lighting individually. This allows for greater control when editing.
Motion blur and depth of field
The camera movement may be more fluid when there is some degree of motion blur present, as well as depth of field that focuses on one element of the design.
Color grading
It mixes different images through changes in brightness, contrast, temperature, and shadows.
The inclusion of people, vehicles, animals, and so forth provides an element of realism to the development, as well as enabling viewers to determine the scale of things.
Weather and atmosphere
The mood of a scene can be altered by rain, fog, sunlight, puddles, and other environmental effects, and the appearance of a property can be shown under different conditions.
Sound design
Good sound can make an animation more believable, and background music can be mixed with environmental sounds such as footsteps, the wind, traffic, or birds.
Construction sequences
3D walkthrough animation services can likewise illustrate the progress of a building from the foundation stage to the final structure; they are useful for use in construction presentations and when addressing investors.
The same animation can display different types of flooring, wall finishes, furniture, or color schemes. This helps clients compare the various design options.
Photogrammetry
Drone surveys and photogrammetry can be used to record the current ground level and the surrounding area, after which new buildings can be inserted into a digital model of the actual site.
Interactive hotspots
With virtual tours, users are able to go from one room or location to another by using clickable hotspots.
For VR scenes to offer a comfortable experience, they need to run smoothly, and the models, textures, lighting, and other assets have to be optimized for the target headset.
HDRI environments
It is possible to obtain realistic skies, backgrounds, and environmental lighting using HDRI images without the need to model every surrounding detail.
Multiple video formats
The final animation can be saved in various formats, with a horizontal 16:9 version being suitable for use on websites and in presentations, and a vertical 9:16 version being more appropriate for mobile devices and social media platforms.
What kind of files are required in order to start a 3D architectural animation?
Usually, artists require CAD drawings, BIM models,floor plan design services, elevations, details regarding materials, and landscape plans. They can also make use of interior references, choices concerning furniture, and photographs in order to get an understanding of the design they are aiming for. The more clearly the information is given at the start, the less time will usually be spent on making corrections later.
How long does it take to produce a 60-second architectural animation?
The time it takes to produce a 60-second animation can vary from a couple of weeks to several weeks. The exact timeline will depend on the size of the project, the degree of detail, the number of scenes, the rendering method, and the number of revisions requested by the client. A small project can progress rapidly, whereas a big one involving detailed interiors and landscaping can take a great deal of time.
Can a 3D animation be turned into a VR experience?
Certainly, a 3D scene that has been properly prepared can usually be transferred into a real-time engine and modified for use in VR. The main difference lies in the fact that ordinary animation uses a fixed camera path, whereas in VR the users are able to decide where to look and, according to the setup, where to move.
What is the difference between offline rendering and real-time rendering?
The focus of offline rendering is on generating high-quality single frames; it is capable of calculating complex lighting, reflections, shadows, and other effects, but can take several minutes or longer for each frame. Images are produced rapidly by using the computer’s GPU, typically at interactive frame rates. This technique is especially useful for design reviews, interactive walkthroughs, and virtual reality.
Conclusion
Architectural animation is now a useful way to showcase buildings before construction begins. Whether it is a basic walkthrough, a detailed aerial flythrough, or an interactive VR tour, these visualizations can help freelance architects, developers, clients, and buyers gain a clearer understanding of the proposed design, layout, and overall experience of a space.
If you need professional assistance with your next architectural visualization project, Cad Crowd can connect you with freelance 3D artists and architectural visualization specialists. You can also find experts in CAD drafting, product design, and other technical design services to support your project from concept to completion.
Cad Crowd connects architects, developers, contractors, and property professionals with experienced 3D artists and architectural visualization specialists who can turn CAD drawings, BIM models, floor plans, and other design references into detailed 3D animations, walkthroughs, flythroughs, and virtual tours. Whether you need to showcase an interior, present an exterior design, create an aerial flythrough, or prepare a 3D scene for VR, Cad Crowd can help you find the right freelancer for your project. Contact Cad Crowd today for a free quote and bring your architectural designs to life with professional 3D visualization.
MacKenzie Brown is the founder and CEO of Cad Crowd. With over 18 years of experience in launching and scaling platforms specializing in CAD services, product design, manufacturing, hardware, and software development, MacKenzie is a recognized authority in the engineering industry. Under his leadership, Cad Crowd serves esteemed clients like NASA, JPL, the U.S. Navy, and Fortune 500 companies, empowering innovators with access to high-quality design and engineering talent.
As world leaders gather for COP31 in Türkiye, the event’s emphasis on zero waste puts a practical challenge in focus: how to keep products and materials in use for longer. Globally, less than 7% of the materials entering the economy come from recycled or reused sources. Municipal solid waste generation accounts for over 2 billion tons of trash per year — a figure that could nearly double by 2050.
AI and robotics are helping change this trajectory, as innovators around the globe improve sorting to recover resources that would otherwise end up in landfills.
“A more circular economy relies on making better use of what we already have,” said Josh Parker, head of sustainability at NVIDIA. “AI can help us understand what’s in a waste stream, identify what can be recovered and automate the work of sorting it. We’re giving innovators the computing tools to make those processes more effective and bring them to more places.”
See how four members of the NVIDIA Inception program for startups are applying AI to keep valuable materials in circulation.
AIRECO Gives Plastic Waste New Life
Recycled plastic is only used if its cost and quality can compete with new material. Too often it can’t: Incoming waste is of inconsistent quality, sorting depends on hard-to-find manual labor and mixed scrap ends up downcycled into low-grade products.
The founders of AIRECO, a Taiwan-based startup, believe that AI sorting can cut down the cost and improve the quality of recycling to make these materials more commercially useful. The company uses vision AI to sort plastics more finely, enabling materials to be plucked out of mixed scrap piles for closed-loop recycling, where used items are reprocessed into new versions of the same product.
“The finer you sort, the more you can recycle,” said Chun-Feng Liu, founder and CEO of AIRECO. “With finely sorted material, it’s more likely that an item can stay in the loop — a plastic bottle recycled back into a bottle again and again, rather than ending up in other products that are hard to recycle further.”
The company uses NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX modules to run inference across its pilot line at a recycling plant in Tainan, including to drive robotic arms that pick targets off a conveyor belt. Recognition accuracy on the test line tops 95%.
In a full production line planned for next year, the team aims to nearly triple annual waste processing capacity from 18,000 to 48,000 tons while cutting operating costs by 85%.
EverestLabs AI Puts Robotics on the Recycling Line
At material recovery facilities, the plants that separate household recyclables, sorting must be done in real time at fast-moving conveyor belts — requiring rapid analysis to identify and sort items.
EverestLabs AI, a U.S. startup, deploys computer vision-guided robots on those sorting lines. About 150 robots are currently deployed in facilities across North America and Australia.
“Other robots have infinite time to finish their tasks,” said R. Paul Singh, CEO of EverestLabs AI. “We don’t have that luxury because our conveyor belts are going to come in at a certain speed, and we have to act at a fast clip before the material moves. It’s a real-time game.”
EverestLabs runs AI inference on NVIDIA RTX GPUs at the edge and trains its models on NVIDIA data center GPUs, optimized using NVIDIA CUDA. The company estimates its deployed systems have so far identified about 40 billion objects, recycled roughly 25,000 tons of material and avoided about 30,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Their team is constantly working to improve its models to correctly classify and pick every kind of object while capturing metadata about the material type, brand and packaging of each. They’re also shipping agentic AI tools to provide actionable data to recycling facility staff, from floor managers to executives responsible for multiple facilities — and are looking to extend that capability to adjacent industries.
Greyparrot Gives Recyclers a Clear View of the Waste Stream
Recycling plants can process tens of thousands of tons of waste a day, yet operators have long judged what’s on the belt by manually sampling less than 1% of it.
U.K. startup Greyparrot built its Analyzer platform to change that. Mounted above conveyor belts, it uses computer vision to identify each passing object by material and brand, even in dusty environments or poor lighting on belts moving up to 4 meters a second.
“Waste changes all the time. It shifts by hour, by season, by supplier,” said Ambarish Mitra, cofounder of Greyparrot. “Before, operators guessed based on a tiny sample, and now they can see exactly what’s on the belt.”
Greyparrot uses NVIDIA GPUs to train AI models on billions of objects, while NVIDIA Jetson modules run rapid detection at the edge. More than 300 Analyzer systems, operating in over 20 countries, have made over a trillion bounding box detections to date — reducing the time needed to check 15 tons of waste from 375 hours to just six.
Facilities using the real-time data from Analyzer report efficiency gains of 10% to 30%. At global packaging company Amcor, the solution helped increase the yield of food-grade plastics by 12%. Brands including Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive and Kenvue also use Greyparrot technology to measure how their packaging is recycled in real sorting plants.
reverse.fashion Gives Discarded Garments a Second Look
Europe generates nearly 7 million tons of used textiles a year. About a quarter of these textiles are collected separately and sorted by hand into hundreds of categories, destined for uses ranging from vintage resale to downcycling as furniture filling or cleaning cloths. The work is slow, costly and hard to staff, which keeps the value of reusable garments buried.
reverse.fashion, a Berlin-based startup, is helping automate the job with high-resolution computer vision. Its system identifies product type, defects, color, size, brand, fabric construction, season and style and assigns each garment to its most valuable category.
“Compared to classical waste sorting, our AI models have to run at very high resolution because humans are picky with textiles,” said Karsten Pufahl, cofounder and chief technology officer of reverse.fashion. “The computer vision pipeline needs to spot small defects to determine the quality and potential value of each garment.”
As it moves across a conveyor belt at 3 meters a second, each textile analyzed by Reverse Fashion passes through over a dozen vision AI models optimized with NVIDIA TensorRT software and running on NVIDIA Jetson modules at the edge. The models are trained on NVIDIA GPUs in workstations and the cloud.
The system sorts in an hour what would’ve previously taken a week to sort, Pufahl estimates, and is currently rolling out to facilities in Europe.
Save on professional video production equipment with the Atomos Black Friday 2026 sale, running now through December 20, 2026. Get a free Creator Kit with select Atomos Ninja monitor-recorders, receive a free Atomos TX wireless transmitter with a Shinobi 7 RX purchase, and save up to 50% on select Atomos monitors, headphones, PTZ cameras, controllers, and lighting accessories.
Whether you’re upgrading your video production setup, building a mobile recording workflow, or adding professional monitoring and camera control, these limited-time Atomos deals offer savings on gear for broadcast, live production, filmmaking, and content creation.
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Offer expires 12/20/26
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Shop Atomos Black Friday Deals at Videoguys
Atomos Black Friday 2026 promotions run through December 20, 2026, while supplies last. Take advantage of free Creator Kits, complimentary wireless video transmitters, and discounts of up to 50% on select Atomos production equipment.
Need help choosing the right Atomos monitor-recorder, PTZ camera, headphones, or production accessories? Contact Videoguys for free tech advice.
Call Videoguys at 800-323-2325 for product recommendations and help finding the right equipment for your production workflow.
