Atari announced THE 800XL on October 8, 2026: a full-size recreation of the classic Atari 8-bit computer that combines a nearly original 800XL footprint with modern conveniences. It includes a full-size mechanical keyboard, a working cartridge slot, HDMI output, and ships with THE CXSTICK 8-button USB joystick and 25 built-in games, all for $220 with availability expected in April 2027. The unit is an emulator under the hood, exposes only USB-A ports for controllers and USB drives, and boots disk images from USB; BASIC is built in. Marketing and box art show inconsistent naming compared with THE 400 Mini, which shares the same 25 games but lacks keyboard and cartridge port and retails near $84.
Key practical details matter for collectors and developers: native Atari peripherals are not supported - no 9‑pin joystick port and no SIO device support (so original disk drives and FujiNet won’t connect natively). Compatibility with OSS language carts, Sidecart, or memory expansion to 128K is not documented. The keyboard and cartridge port excite enthusiasts, while the lack of native peripheral support disappoints others. Hands-on videos by Jon at GenXGrownup from a retro expo provide early impressions. The writer is enthusiastic but plans to wait for reviews and possible post‑release price drops rather than pre-order.
Summary generated by AI from the linked article. hn.today is not affiliated with Hacker News or Y Combinator.
Tesla reports unexpected positive cash flow due to lower-than-anticipated AI spending. The company's revenue also exceeds estimates, with a rebound in deliveries and growth in energy storage. (reuters.com)
The CDC did not respond to requests from states to validate a new measles test. This has raised concerns about the testing process and public health response. (nytimes.com)
Plex laid off its entire player team amid ongoing issues with 4K HDR playback on Apple devices, causing frustration among users. The company has not confirmed when these problems will be fixed, leading some to consider switching to alternative media servers. (forums.plex.tv)
Despite Governor Abbott's order to halt data center permits in Texas, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality continued approving projects. The ongoing development highlights the rapid expansion of data centers and concerns over resource impacts in the state. (fractracker.org)
Elon Musk states that he will identify and confront those truly pulling the strings behind the scenes, not just their puppets. Critics interpret his words as a warning of potential retaliation against political or media adversaries. (twitter.com)
Anthropic is a public benefit corporation committed to developing safe and trustworthy AI that benefits humanity in the long term. Its principles focus on AI safety, regulation, democracy, prosperity, and equitable distribution of AI benefits. (anthropic.com)
Today's best Hacker News stories, summarized and screenshotted, one email a day.