Hacker News with Generative AI: Computers

The VTech Socratic Method (leadedsolder.com)
We’ve had a lot of fun with VTech’s computers in the past on this blog. Usually, they’re relatively spartan computers with limited functionality, but they did make something very interesting in the late 80s. The Socrates is their hybrid video game console/computer design from 1988, and today we’ll start tearing into it.

Retro Computing, Video Games, Computers, Hardware

71 points by zdw 2 days ago | 9 comments

Smartphones and computers are now exempt from Trump's latest tariffs (cnn.com)

Smartphones, Computers, Trade, Politics, Tariffs

9 points by xnhbx 14 days ago | 0 comments

The Curious Case of Jupiter Ace (nemanjatrifunovic.substack.com)
On September 22, 1982, another small home computer was launched in the UK. Named Jupiter Ace, it was created by Jupiter Cantab Limited, a tiny startup founded by two engineers who had previously designed Sinclair ZX Spectrum: Steven Vickers1 and Richard Altwasser.

History, Technology, Computers

43 points by ibobev 16 days ago | 17 comments

US auto tariffs apply to all computers and hard disks (heise.de)
The US car tariffs have hit an unexpected victim: the PC market.

Trade, Tariffs, Computers, Hardware

16 points by nwellnhof 18 days ago | 0 comments

2025 Tariff Impacts at Puget Systems (pugetsystems.com)
One of the things I enjoy at Puget Systems is that transparency is one of our core principles.

Tariffs, Business, Computers, Technology

178 points by zdw 28 days ago | 139 comments

Mac Studio M3 Ultra can run Deepseek R1 671B in memory using <200W (techradar.com)

Mac, Computers, Deep Learning, Hardware, Power Consumption

7 points by mizzao 34 days ago | 1 comments

Amiga Zorro II (wikipedia.org)
Zorro II is the general purpose expansion bus used by the Amiga 2000 computer.

Amiga, Hardware, Computers, Expansion Bus

7 points by doener 39 days ago | 0 comments

Apple unveils new Mac Studio (apple.com)
Apple today announced the new Mac Studio, the most powerful Mac ever made, featuring M4 Max and the new M3 Ultra chip.

Apple, Mac, Hardware, New Releases, Computers

348 points by ksec 52 days ago | 288 comments

Apple M3 Ultra (apple.com)
Apple today announced M3 Ultra, the highest-performing chip it has ever created, offering the most powerful CPU and GPU in a Mac, double the Neural Engine cores, and the most unified memory ever in a personal computer.

Apple, Processors, Hardware, Computers

1077 points by ksec 52 days ago | 1029 comments

Resurrecting a Windows Laptop (both.org)
Recently, a friend gave me a recent model of a Hewlett-Packard Pavilion laptop. He said, “It turns on but goes off almost immediately. Maybe you could use it?” I gladly accepted the gift and took it home, and it performed as he described. I got CMOS battery errors from the BIOS and decided to take the computer apart.

Hardware Repair, Laptops, Computers

13 points by devonnull 54 days ago | 1 comments

Pocket386 Retro DOS Computer 386SX-40Mhz (tindie.com)
Pocket386 Retro DOSComputer 386SX-40 CPU DOS Computer Hand386 upgrade

Retrocomputing, Hardware, DOS, Computers, DIY

32 points by AlexeyBrin 70 days ago | 7 comments

Sorry, you're not getting Microsoft Edge off of your PC (techradar.com)

Microsoft Edge, Software, Operating Systems, Technology, Computers

13 points by this_weekend 77 days ago | 0 comments

A brief history of counting machines (2023) (lcamtuf.substack.com)
I find it difficult to talk about the history of the computer. The actual record is dreadfully short: almost nothing of consequence happened before the year 1935. We keep looking for a better story, but we inevitably end up grasping at straws.

History, Technology, Computers

4 points by gus_leonel 85 days ago | 1 comments

Showkey: Examine Keyboard Codes (cubiclenate.com)
I was having a peculiar issue with my computer where the “]” key kept getting pressed over and over again. It was very aggravating and I wasn’t sure where the problem was coming from. Neither my external keyboard nor the laptop keyboard would respond when I would press the “]” key and I was confused.

Troubleshooting, Hardware, Software, Computers

6 points by LorenDB 89 days ago | 0 comments

Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer [pdf] (2000) (matthewjbrown.net)

Computers, Technology, Personal Opinion, Essays

15 points by privong 108 days ago | 9 comments

Raspberry Pi 500 Delivers Great Performance, Convenient Upgrade to the RPi 400 (phoronix.com)
Four years ago already the Raspberry Pi 400 was announced as a Raspberry Pi keyboard computer built around the Raspberry Pi 4, passively-cooled, and all packaged up nicely in a keyboard form factor. Announced earlier this month was the Raspberry Pi 500 as the successor and now built around the Raspberry Pi 5. For $90 USD this keyboard computer is a very versatile and convenient compact Linux PC.

Raspberry Pi, Hardware, Linux, Computers, Technology

36 points by rbanffy 123 days ago | 29 comments

A new video captures a 1968 demo of IBM’s Executive Terminal (ieee.org)
A new video captures a remarkable 1968 demo of IBM’s Executive Terminal

Technology, History, IBM, Computers, Video

332 points by sohkamyung 134 days ago | 90 comments

4100 / 4200 Series Graphic Terminals (a.k.a. Unicorn) (vintagetek.org)
As the 401X and 411X family of DVST graphic terminals was winding down, and color displays and dynamic RAM prices were dropping, Tektronix chose to enter the low cost color terminal market with raster scan terminal terminals.

Vintage Technology, Computers, Hardware, Graphic Terminals

25 points by rbanffy 135 days ago | 6 comments

Raspberry Pi's new keyboard computer can power an optional $100 display (theverge.com)
Raspberry Pi has announced an upgraded version of its compact computer-in-a-keyboard, adding the new features and performance improvements of the Raspberry Pi 5 microcomputer it introduced last September.

Raspberry Pi, Hardware, Technology, Computers

6 points by ksec 137 days ago | 0 comments

This G15 is the Oldest Running Digital Computer in America [video] (youtube.com)

Computers, History, Technology, Vintage Technology, Video

88 points by hggh 153 days ago | 16 comments

Which M4 Chip and Model? (eclecticlight.co)
In the light of recent news, you might now be wondering whether you can afford to wait until next year in the hope that Apple then releases the M4 Mac of your dreams. To help guide you in your decision-making, this article explains what chip options are available in this month’s new M4 models, and how to choose between them.

Apple, Hardware, Computers, Technology, Consumer Electronics

6 points by tosh 167 days ago | 0 comments

What Is a Workstation? (coker.com.au)
I recently had someone describe a Mac Mini as a “workstation”, which I strongly disagree with.

Workstations, Computers, Hardware, Technology

16 points by LorenDB 175 days ago | 14 comments

Throbac: THrifty Roman numeral BAckwards-looking Computer (mitmuseum.mit.edu)
THrifty ROman numeral BAckwards-looking Computer: this calculator uses Roman numerals both externally and internally.

History, Computers, Design, Roman Numerals

23 points by rfarley04 176 days ago | 9 comments

New Mac Mini with M4 (apple.com)
Apple today unveiled the all-new Mac mini powered by the M4 and new M4 Pro chips, and redesigned around Apple silicon to pack an incredible amount of performance into an even smaller form of just 5 by 5 inches.

Hardware, Apple, Mac, New Releases, Computers

470 points by victorbjorklund 179 days ago | 770 comments

Refurb weekend: the Symbolics MacIvory Lisp machine I have hated (blogspot.com)
Every collector has that machine, the machine they sunk so much time and, often, money into that they would have defenestrated it years ago except for all the aforementioned time and money.

Retrocomputing, Computers, Personal Computing, History

29 points by zdw 194 days ago | 2 comments

First wave of M4 Macs, including smaller Mac mini, coming November 1 (arstechnica.com)
Reliable rumors have suggested that M4 Macs are right around the corner, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman is forecasting a specific launch date: November 1, following a late-October announcement that mirrors last year's Halloween-themed reveal for the first M3 Macs.

Hardware, Apple, Mac, Computers, Release Dates

37 points by rbanffy 200 days ago | 9 comments

Only Use Old Computers (lukesmith.xyz)
If there is a single point of advice I can offer novice computer users, it is stop using modern computers.

Technology, Advice, Computers

16 points by Tomte 206 days ago | 15 comments

My HP Warranty RMA Experience (ycombinator.com)
TL;DR: I bought a computer last year September, it broke down this year January. I have been working with HP since then, by waiting for parts to come in or having HP certified third party technicians come to my apartment 5 separate times. HP sent me 3 seperate computers, all downgrades that I returned except for the last one, and now HP has closed my case, despite me sending in timestamped photos and offering to video call.

Customer Service, Technical Support, HP, Warranty, Computers

4 points by banana-boat 210 days ago | 8 comments

IBM PC 5150 Model Numbers (os2museum.com)
Recently I came across a minor mystery—the model numbers of the original IBM PC. For such a pivotal product, there is remarkably little detailed original information from the early days.