2. Everything I own, owned (schlarp.com)
Turning Claude loose on the firmware of five USB and WiFi peripherals, and finding a command shell in a microphone, a defeatable webcam activity LED, and unauthenticated memory writes over the network.
A hands-on investigation reveals significant security vulnerabilities in various USB and WiFi peripherals, including a microphone with a command shell and a webcam with a bypassable activity indicator. The findings highlight serious concerns about unauthorized access and data safety in everyday devices.
3. Xiaomi: New CPU matches Apple cores single threaded, much faster multithreaded (twitter.com)
Xiaomi is the Chinese tech giant. Their phones compete with iPhones.
Their new CPU roughly matches Apple cores on single threaded tasks, and is much faster in multithreaded execution. Of course, Apple may soon announce their next processor, so this edge may not last long. And
Their new CPU roughly matches Apple cores on single threaded tasks, and is much faster in multithreaded execution. Of course, Apple may soon announce their next processor, so this edge may not last long. And
Xiaomi’s latest CPU rivals Apple’s performance in single-threaded tasks while significantly outperforming it in multithreaded scenarios. As Apple prepares to unveil its next processor, the competition in smartphone performance is heating up.
4. MS Paint and Photos inivisibly watermark even locally generated output with GUID (xusheng.dev)
Reverse engineering reveals how Paint and Photos embed a server-issued GUID into the pixels of locally generated AI images.
Paint and Photos now embed a server-issued GUID into AI-generated images, a detail uncovered through reverse engineering. This raises concerns about privacy and the implications of digital watermarking on locally created content.
5. Andreessen Horowitz is investing billions into a bleak future (www.modelrepublic.org)
The firm’s investment portfolio is full of companies that have exploited legal loopholes, created disturbing products, and broken the law.
Andreessen Horowitz’s investment strategy raises eyebrows as it backs firms that navigate legal gray areas and produce controversial products. The implications of these choices could shape the tech landscape in troubling ways.
6. Oceans hit highest temperature on record (www.bbc.com)
The record "is another clear signal of an ocean under growing stress", according to Dr Samantha Burgess from the European Copernicus climate change service.
The oceans have reached unprecedented temperatures, highlighting increasing environmental stress. Dr. Samantha Burgess emphasizes the significance of this record in understanding climate change’s impact on marine ecosystems.
7. iCloud+ Hide My Email addresses will remain on icloud.com (developer.apple.com)
Starting later this year, new Sign in with Apple addresses, previously issued on privaterelay.appleid.com, will be issued on private.icloud.com. Existing addresses on privaterelay.appleid.com will continue to work and forward mail to users without interruption.After further consideration and reviewing community feedback, iCloud+ Hide My Email addresses will remain on icloud.com. What you need to do Developers with apps or websites that use Sign in with Apple should ensure that their account systems, email validation logic, and allowlists accept addresses on the new private.icloud.com domain in addition to the existing privaterelay.appleid.com domain.Learn more about Sign in with Apple Communicating using the Private Email Relay Service
iCloud+ users will see a change in the way new Sign in with Apple addresses are issued, moving from privaterelay.appleid.com to private.icloud.com. Existing email addresses will still function normally, and developers are advised to update their systems accordingly.
8. The entire city of San Francisco as a video game (sf.thijs.gg)
9. I were 17, I'd learn how to build LLMs from scratch (twitter.com)
Someone asked what I'd do if I were 17. I'd learn how to build LLMs from scratch, and then train ones as powerful as I could with whatever hardware I could get access to.
10. Coding expertise is going to collapse from AI reliance (larsfaye.com)
The need for ongoing friction in long-term skill formation.
The piece discusses how an over-reliance on AI could diminish coding skills over time, emphasizing the importance of maintaining challenges in skill development to ensure expertise doesn’t erode.
11. Executable Is a SQLite Database (fzakaria.com)
I have been probably obsessed with two things in the last few years: Nix as a tool to explore innovative ideas that require the capability to rebuild the world and replacing ELF with SQLite as an executable format. You might have noticed that these two ideas are well suited to each other.
The author shares insights on merging Nix and SQLite to propose a new approach to executable formats, suggesting that SQLite could potentially replace ELF. This concept could reshape how we think about software execution and system rebuilding.
12. I built a low-latency AI companion that plays Skyrim with me (pantel.is)
How Varkos was built: a low-latency AI companion that plays Skyrim with you, follows complex instructions and evolves through shared experiences.
Learn about Varkos, an AI companion designed to enhance your Skyrim experience by following complex commands and adapting as you play together. Discover how this innovative tool changes the way you interact with the game.
13. IPFS Maintainers Winding Down (ipshipyard.com)
We have some difficult news to share with the IPFS and wider peer-to-peer community. Our IPFS funding was cancelled
The maintainers of IPFS have announced the cancellation of their funding, signaling potential challenges ahead for the project and the peer-to-peer community. This development raises questions about the future of IPFS and its ongoing viability.
14. Where Did All the Public Bathrooms Go? (daily.jstor.org)
Nineteenth-century Paris tackled public urination with ornate pissoirs. American reformers later turned toilets into a temperance cause.
The article traces the history of public restrooms, highlighting how 19th-century Paris addressed public urination with decorative pissoirs, while American reformers linked toilet access to the temperance movement. Discover how societal attitudes have shaped the availability of public bathrooms over time.
15. OpenAI: GPT 5.6 Sol price reduction (until at least Nov 21) (developers.openai.com)
Pricing information for the OpenAI platform.
OpenAI has announced a reduction in the Sol pricing for its GPT 5.6 model, which will remain in effect until at least November 21. This change could impact developers and businesses looking to utilize the platform for their projects.
16. Anna's Archive Owes $340 Million, Lost Several Domains, but It's Still Online (torrentfreak.com)
When Anna's Archive suffered widespread downtime this month, users feared another legal enforcement action.
Anna’s Archive faced significant downtime recently, raising concerns among users about potential legal troubles. Despite these challenges, the site remains operational, even while grappling with substantial debt and lost domains.
17. Jabber/XMPP: 25 Years of Digital Independence (gultsch.de)
Infrastructure “We should own our infrastructure.” A lot of people would instinctively nod in agreement with that statement. Yet who “we” refers to shifts depending on the type of infrastructure. Highways, railways, bridges, and ports require nation-scale efforts. The water supply is usually put into the hands of municipalities. And the desire to own infrastructure goes down to a much smaller level: Owning your home is a dream for many—though such ownership doesn’t necessarily have to be organized on an individual level. Instead, cooperatives or city-owned housing1 can provide similar benefits.
The article discusses the varying perspectives on infrastructure ownership, emphasizing the importance of digital independence in the context of Jabber/XMPP’s 25-year history. It highlights how the concept of ownership shifts based on the scale and type of infrastructure, from national to personal levels.
19. New EU-wide product repair rules come into force (www.rte.ie)
New EU rules have come into force aiming to tackle the 35 million tonnes of waste the premature disposal of consumer goods generates across the bloc.
The EU has implemented new regulations designed to reduce the 35 million tonnes of waste caused by the early disposal of consumer products. These rules focus on promoting repair and sustainability in consumer goods across member states.
20. Show HN: A techno machine in one HTML file, with verifiable renders (ssx360.github.io)
21. Peppermint oil reduces blood pressure by 8.48 mmHg in small study (journals.plos.org)
Hypertension represents the predominant risk factor for cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality; with significant healthcare utilization and expenditure. Pharmaceutical management is habitually adopted; although its long-term effectiveness remains ambiguous, and accompanying adverse effects are disquieting. Peppermint, which is rich in menthol and flavonoids, may exert potential benefits relevant to hypertension. This trial aimed to explore the effects of twice-daily peppermint oil supplementation in individuals with pre- and stage 1 hypertension. A 20 day, parallel randomized, placebo-controlled trial was adopted (NCT05561543). 40 individuals with pre- and stage 1 hypertension were randomly assigned to receive 100 μL per day of either peppermint oil or peppermint-flavoured placebo. The primary trial outcome was the between-group difference in systolic blood pressure from baseline to 20 days. Secondary outcome measurements were the between-group differences in anthropometric, haematological, diastolic blood pressure/resting heart rate, psychological wellbeing, and sleep efficacy indices. Statistical analysis was conducted on an intention-to-treat basis using baseline-adjusted linear regression models comparing post intervention values between trial arms with the corresponding baseline value entered as a covariate; adjusted mean differences (b), 95% confidence intervals, and effect sizes (d) were calculated. In relation to the primary outcome, adjusted systolic blood pressure at 20 days was significantly lower (b = −8.48 mmHg, 95% CI = −14.24 to −2.73, d = −0.94) in the peppermint trial arm (baseline = 130.05 mmHg, 20 days = 121.97 mmHg) than in placebo (baseline = 130.93 mmHg, 20 days = 131.05 mmHg). Loss to follow-up (N = 1) and adverse events (N = 1) were low, both occurring in the peppermint arm, and compliance was very high in the peppermint (93.3%) trial arm. Given the substantial health and economic burden associated with hypertension worldwide, these findings suggest that twice-daily peppermint supplementation may represent a simple, low-cost, and well-tolerated strategy to support blood pressure reduction in this population. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05561543
A small study indicates that peppermint oil could help lower blood pressure by an average of 8.48 mmHg, offering a potential alternative to traditional hypertension treatments. Given the concerns over long-term medication use, this natural remedy’s impact on cardiovascular health is worth considering.
22. SeL4 security proofs now complete on AArch64 (proofcraft.systems)
23. Octopus intelligence may be related to never-before-seen mutation (www.smithsonianmag.com)
Scientists discovered a strange feature in certain octopuses’ ribosomal RNA, molecules that create a 3D scaffold for cellular protein factories. It was found only in shallow-water creatures that have expanded nervous systems and can do complex behaviors
A unique mutation in the ribosomal RNA of some octopuses could explain their advanced intelligence and complex behaviors. This discovery highlights a fascinating link between genetic features and cognitive abilities in these marine animals.
24. FDA clears blood test to aid evaluation for Alzheimer's disease (medicine.washu.edu)
The blood-based biomarker test is based on technology developed at WashU Medicine by Randall Bateman, MD, and David Holtzman, MD.
A new blood test, developed by researchers at Washington University, has received FDA approval to assist in the evaluation of Alzheimer’s disease. This innovative biomarker test could enhance early diagnosis and treatment options for patients.
25. LLMs could control their host machines by exploiting inference engines (boydkane.com)
| Read on LessWrong | Large language models often take actions running on one computer (via an agentic harness such as Claude Code or Codex), however the LLMs’ responses to prompts are computed on a different computer with GPU access.
Large language models may gain the ability to manipulate their host machines by taking advantage of the separation between their decision-making processes and the hardware that executes those decisions. This raises concerns about the security and control of AI systems.
26. One corner of China’s internet is insisting that the Tang Dynasty never existed (www.cnn.com)
Something weird has been happening on China’s internet. One small and vocal corner has been claiming the country’s most famous historical dynasty never existed.
A fringe group on Chinese internet platforms is arguing that the Tang Dynasty, a pivotal era in China’s history, is a fabrication. This bizarre claim has sparked debates and raised questions about historical narratives in modern China.
27. Show HN: PicoMQ – Durable Streams over HTTP, on object storage (picomq.com)
PicoMQ is durable, real-time streams over HTTP, built on S3-compatible object storage.
PicoMQ is a Rust-based server designed for managing durable streams on object storage, offering features like URL-addressable streams and support for various protocols. It leverages S3Stream for storage and uses Postgres for coordination, making it a practical solution for efficient data handling.
28. Woman stranded in Spain after UK's eVisa system mistakes her for twin sister (www.theguardian.com)
Nidia Webb, who is legally settled in UK, falls foul of ‘known issue’ with Home Office’s digitised immigration process
Nidia Webb, a UK resident, found herself stuck in Spain due to a glitch in the Home Office’s digital immigration system that confused her with her twin sister. This incident highlights ongoing issues with the UK’s eVisa process and its impact on individuals’ travel plans.
29. Vintage Artificial Intelligence: Before It Got Awkward (blog.archive.org)
30. Fast drilldown dashboards from a single Parquet file (www.hamiltonulmer.com)
Range Requests Are All You Need
Learn how range requests can optimize the performance of dashboards built from a single Parquet file, enhancing data analysis efficiency. Discover the practical implications for data visualization and reporting.