2026 Retrocomputing Challenge: NEC 286 Laptop Rides Again
https://hackaday.com/2026/10/09/2026-retrocomputing-challenge-nec-286-laptop-rides-again/

The sad reality is that all consumer electronics are going to be e-waste eventually. [Cory Whitesell] was determined his old NEC ProSpeed 286 Laptop wouldn’t meet that fate until absolutely …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/10/09/2026-retrocomputing-challenge-nec-286-laptop-rides-again/)

Super Mario 64 Comes to the Microsoft Zune
https://hackaday.com/2026/10/09/super-mario-64-comes-to-the-microsoft-zune/

As a portable media player, Microsoft’s Zune simply couldn’t compete with Apple’s juggernaut iPod — the latter essentially becoming the de facto personal media player until smartphones took over. But …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/10/09/super-mario-64-comes-to-the-microsoft-zune/)

Another IKEA Product Yields an LED Matrix
https://hackaday.com/2026/10/10/another-ikea-product-yields-an-led-matrix/

The IKEA Kortlinje is a digital clock that costs around 20 dollars, featuring a hygrometer and thermometer. It’s another cheap appliance, you might think, were it not that the display …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/10/10/another-ikea-product-yields-an-led-matrix/)

Why Every Microwave Has a “Popcorn” Button, But Every Bag Warns You Not to Use It
https://hackaday.com/2026/10/10/why-every-microwave-has-a-popcorn-button-but-every-bag-warns-you-not-to-use-it/

[Hyperfixed] has a podcast episode that does a deep dive into exactly why bags of microwave popcorn advise against using your microwave’s popcorn setting (in North America, anyway.) The answer …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/10/10/why-every-microwave-has-a-popcorn-button-but-every-bag-warns-you-not-to-use-it/)

The Weirdest Video Games were Hacks
https://hackaday.com/2026/10/10/the-weirdest-video-games-were-hacks/

We were looking into the marvelous recent project by [Throaty Mumbo] to recreate and reimagine the forgotten world of VHS-tape-based video games. Wait, what? Yes, back in the day, when …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/10/10/the-weirdest-video-games-were-hacks/)

Restoring an Altimeter Watch to Former Heights
https://hackaday.com/2026/10/10/restoring-an-altimeter-watch-to-former-heights/

Finding inexpensive broken hardware for sale, buying it, and restoring it to working condition is a long-standing tradition for hackers on a limited budge. But there are some devices that …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/10/10/restoring-an-altimeter-watch-to-former-heights/)

Valve Releases Hardware and CAD Reference For New VR Headset
https://hackaday.com/2026/10/10/valve-releases-hardware-and-cad-reference-for-new-vr-headset/

Valve recently began shipping its long-awaited VR headset, the Steam Frame. Now, there is a hardware reference repository that includes everything a budding modder might need, and then some. Want …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/10/10/valve-releases-hardware-and-cad-reference-for-new-vr-headset/)