hackernews

1. Exploiting the IKKO Activebuds “AI powered” earbuds (2024) Total comment counts : 31 Summary The author details their experience with a pair of earbuds that run Android and feature ChatGPT. Despite the appealing packaging, they note poor audio quality, which can be improved with custom EQ settings. The device has limited app options and lacks a browser for downloading additional software. However, it surprisingly maintains ADB accessibility, allowing sideloading of apps....

1. The Fed says this is a cube of $1M. They’re off by half a million Total comment counts : 105 Summary At the Federal Reserve Bank’s Money Museum, a cube claims to contain $1,000,000 in $1 bills. The author, skeptical of such displays, attempts to count the bills but struggles. In response, they created Dot Counter, a simple tool for counting items in photos. Upon evaluating the cube, the author finds it may actually contain $1,550,400 due to bundling inconsistencies....

1. The new skill in AI is not prompting, it’s context engineering Total comment counts : 113 Summary Context Engineering is an emerging concept in AI, shifting the focus from “prompt engineering” to a broader framework that emphasizes the quality of information provided to language models (LLMs). Tobi Lutke defines it as the art of supplying the necessary context for LLMs to solve tasks effectively. Success in AI agents increasingly depends not just on code complexity, but on the quality of context supplied, as agent failures often stem from inadequate context....

1. I made my VM think it has a CPU fan Total comment counts : 32 Summary Malware often checks for virtual machines by examining hardware components like the CPU fan, particularly through the Win32_Fan class in WMI. These checks complicate analysis for security researchers. The CPU fan presence is determined via SMBIOS data. To simulate a CPU fan in a virtual machine using Xen, users can set custom SMBIOS data but must adhere to specific documentation regarding which structures can be overridden....

1. MCP: An (Accidentally) Universal Plugin System Total comment counts : 61 Summary The article humorously explores the versatility of USB-C technology and compares it to the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for AI. It highlights how USB-C facilitates various functions beyond its intended use, similar to how MCP can connect AI models to diverse data sources. The author suggests that MCP is creating a universal plugin ecosystem, enabling apps to access features without prior coding....

1. Show HN: I’m an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flights Total comment counts : 90 Summary Since 2023, I have served as a First Officer on the Airbus A350 with British Airways at London Heathrow, after flying the A320 family since 2016. I began my aviation journey in Canada, earning my Glider Pilot License and PPL through Air Cadet scholarships. I track my flights digitally using LogTen Pro, creating 3D visualizations of my logbook and flight patterns....

1. Gemini CLI Total comment counts : 130 Summary Gemini CLI is a free and open-source command-line interface that integrates AI assistance into developers’ terminals, enhancing the coding experience. It enables a wide range of tasks, from coding and content generation to problem-solving. Users can access Gemini 2.5 Pro, with generous limits of 60 requests per minute and 1,000 per day at no charge, by logging in with a Google account....

1. Writing toy software is a joy Total comment counts : 60 Summary The article emphasizes the value of creating toy programs, inspired by Richard Feynman’s quote, “What I cannot create, I do not understand.” It argues that building these small projects helps developers understand software mechanics better than theoretical study. Amidst increasing commodification in software development, toy programs revive the joy of coding and enhance problem-solving skills. The author lists various suggested projects, like a regex engine, a simple OS kernel, and a JavaScript interpreter, encouraging programmers to embrace toy projects for personal growth and development in their primary work....