First things first
Some big shifts are happening online, from Google dropping old Chrome extensions to AI's surprising demand for Macs. Meanwhile, creative projects like ASCII cities and bird ID systems show tech getting more playful and weird.
And a bunch of stories highlight how even our digital tools and communities are evolving, for better or worse. It’s a wild mix of innovation, nostalgia, and just weird stuff.
The top 6
Google has removed all remaining Manifest V2 extensions, including uBlock Origin, from the Chrome Web Store as part of a transition to Manifest V3 for better security and performance. The removal affects Chromium-based browsers beyond Chrome, but Brave is hosting some MV2 extensions itself to maintain compatibility.
Apple released new Mac mini and Mac Studio models earlier than planned due to unexpectedly high demand for AI hardware from enterprise customers. The company promoted these models for business use, focusing on linking multiple units for large AI models, despite not having a dedicated enterprise AI strategy.
The Playa Phone is a free-to-use phone booth at Burning Man that allows people to call almost anywhere in the world for five minutes. It operates over the internet and encourages spontaneous conversations among festival attendees.
Fastpotify is a lightweight, open-source Spotify client for Linux, macOS, and Windows that offers local playback, library browsing, and Spotify Connect controls. It features a mini Winamp player mode with customizable skins and uses minimal memory, built with Rust and egui.
Security cameras were transformed into a bird identification system using BirdNet-Go, which analyzes audio in real-time to identify bird and bat species. The system runs locally on hardware, provides instant alerts, and tracks new species visiting the yard.
A recent investigation found evidence suggesting that the data in an influential 2002 study on procrastination may have been tampered with. The study, which has been widely cited, failed to replicate and is now under scrutiny for potential fraud.
Support our sponsor
beehiiv handles the unglamorous parts of running a newsletter - deliverability, referrals, ad revenue, subscriber growth - so you can spend your time writing. Built by people who scaled Morning Brew. Free to start, no card required. 14-days free, then save 20% for 3 months.
Quote of the day
I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.
Vincent Van Gogh
Also big today
GPU World is a website dedicated to news, reviews, and information about graphics processing units. It serves as a resource for enthusiasts and professionals interested in GPU technology.
![A walkable ASCII cyberpunk city in one HTML file [video]](https://hntoday.pixelshot.io/screenshots/20260831/76c3b939fa13447f_tn.jpeg)
A video showcases a walkable ASCII cyberpunk city created entirely in a single HTML file. The project demonstrates innovative use of HTML for interactive, stylized digital environments.
ravynOS is an early-stage open-source operating system based on Darwin and FreeBSD, aiming to be compatible with macOS applications without hardware restrictions. It offers a clean design, global menus, and native Cocoa support, targeting developers and enthusiasts.
Darling is an open-source translation layer that allows Linux users to run macOS software directly without emulation. It offers compatibility with Darwin components and aims to integrate macOS apps seamlessly into the Linux desktop.
Writing remains relatively safe from AI because current language models struggle to produce authentic, insightful prose due to the complex, subjective nature of writing. Unlike code or math, writing is a wicked problem with shifting contexts and no definitive solution, making it difficult for AI to fully replace human authors.
A comprehensive reference details callable tool interfaces and reusable skills available for automation and workflows, including 232 tools and 44 skills. It covers categories like document creation, image generation, data analysis, and integrations with services such as Gmail, Google Calendar, and GitHub.
242 points · 62 comments · codex-tool-reference.simonw.chatgpt.site
Pass it on
Enjoying the digest?
Forward it to someone who'd like it, or send them the link to subscribe.
Share hn.todayOne for the road
I made a pencil with two erasers.
It was pointless.
Worth a look
The Konrad Zuse Museum in Hoyerswerda will close at the end of the year due to lack of funding, despite its significance in computing history. Efforts to save the museum have been unsuccessful, and it will be dismantled and sold off.
Kobo expects to double its U.S. sales in both 2025 and 2026, driven by increased demand. Seventy percent of its U.S. customers are women.
AI has accelerated software development but has not produced the revolutionary companies expected, instead mainly disrupting the economy and internet culture. Skilled developers still face significant challenges in creating secure, persistent applications, despite the hype around AI tools.
The Restroom Archive documents various public and restaurant restrooms across New York and other locations, highlighting their design and features. It serves as a visual record of restroom conditions and aesthetics in different settings.
RuneScape in 2004 used highly optimized data transmission to run a multiplayer RPG over a 56k dial-up connection, with only about 5 KB/s bandwidth. The game achieved this by minimizing byte usage, relying on TCP, and working within strict server cycle times of 600 milliseconds.
AnkiDroid's open collective donation link was removed from Google Play due to policy changes. Developers are seeking community assistance to address the issue.
Song of the day
Deep cuts
1Password and 37signals have become the first Distinguished Corporate Patrons of the Omacom Foundation, pledging $100,000 annually for three years. Their support helps fund the development of a flexible, personalized operating system, with no quid pro quo involved.
Many suburban commercial properties, like a 7-Eleven in Williamsburg, are owned by real estate investment trusts, making individual owners unaware of their holdings. This passive ownership contributes to bland, disconnected landscapes that lack community care or distinct character.
Olaf Alders moved his hosting from DigitalOcean to Hetzner due to cost and other reasons, paralleling his frustration with political name changes like Lake Ontario. He also plans to reduce dependence on Google services and is working on migrating MetaCPAN to avoid tied-in infrastructure.
Snapchat's automated system flagged a private message from a student teacher, triggering an FBI alert within an hour. The incident highlights Snapchat's ability to scan private messages server-side without end-to-end encryption.
Children and adolescents today have better access to education, safety, and technology than previous generations, making it a generally better time to be young. However, they also face increased mental health issues, loneliness, and less physical activity, raising concerns about their well-being.
Tcl/Tk is a powerful, open-source toolkit used for creating cross-platform CLI and GUI applications that look native on Windows, Linux, and macOS. It supports threading, non-blocking I/O, and can produce compact, single-file apps, with a history of use by major corporations for over 30 years.
Today's best Hacker News stories, summarized and screenshotted, one email a day.