I copied over most of what I built for the /reading page to keep the two pages consistent. Filling this "database" will be a bit trickier, though, especially for games that aren't played through Steam. For Steam games, I hook into the Steam API, so most of the backend data is populated automatically. Everything else I have to enter by hand.
Even so, it's still a big improvement over the previous version, where everything had to be entered manually.
The data will really become useful going forward. I have a script running every night that pulls the deltas since the previous sync to update playtime, streaks, and other statistics automatically.
I write about what I find interesting.
If that sounds like something you’re into, get the posts by email.
To Manuel's dismay1, who originally coded this website, I updated the /reading page with Codex. I wanted to play around with the new GPT-5.6 models and went ham with Sol. They're better than their predecessors, but I still believe coding is one of the few genuinely useful applications for LLMs.
As for the new features on the /reading page:
Automatic daily syncing from Readwise and Audiobookshelf, the two services I use for reading and listening to books.
New books and audiobooks automatically create Kirby drafts with metadata and covers.
/reading now shows current books and audiobooks with live progress percentages.
Automatic reading/listening streaks, active-day counts, monthly time totals, and 2026 completion counts. If you like stats, you'll like this. I certainly do.
A rolling daily activity calendar that grows into a 365-day history.
Clear Read, Listened, and Both labels for books.
I know enough about coding to read code, and I technically still write quite a bit of Python for my job-job (used to do that more in the past). I looked through what Codex generated and, well... there was a lot of spaghetti. Sorry, Manuel! ↩
Slow plot. It took me a while to read this. Not a lot happens, and there is barely any world building. The characters shine, however. Especially Rainy and Lark.
Pivoting back to the Android side of things, a few of the more important changes in EmuDeck aren’t actually user-facing. Instead, the developer has implemented the necessary fixes to the various CloudSync-compatible forks, such as RetroArch, Dolphin, and Cemu.
Good update. I tested this before it went live, and it slowly brings the Android version closer to the Linux and Windows versions. The update also introduces a new launcher called Rift, which is the biggest highlight of the release.
I am done building my new home-brewed "Steam Machine" (the tower on the right of the TV). I still need to add Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas, but they haven't shipped yet. That's an easy fix. In the meantime, I am using an ASUS BT500 Bluetooth dongle and connected the device via Ethernet. The only reason I care about this in the first place is to connect my AirPods while gaming. I'm also still waiting for my FLIRC TV receiver, which will get here tomorrow.
I will write more in the coming days, but so far, everything seems to work just fine. I use the machine to watch YouTube and Plex, and have been playing a couple of hours of Crimson Desert (despite what Valve writes on Steam, the game runs on Linux if you enable Proton Experimental). With this rig, and FSR 3.1 enabled, I can reach 4K Ultra at around 70-ish FPS.
Also, the NCASE M3 is a beauty. And surprisingly easy to build in, despite being a 19 L case.
Fuck you, Polygon, for spoiling the latest six-hour episode of Critical Role less than 24 hours after its release. Kicked you out of my RSS reader, what a dick move!
dbrand has officially released the Companion Cube for Valve's upcoming (very soon!) Steam Machine. It is basically a protective enclosure for the Steam Machine in the design of arguably Valve's most beloved inanimate object from the Portal series. I have no clue how dbrand can continuously steal designs like these and not get sued?
The cube has vents for what dbrand calls uninhibited airflow, because apparently there is still some uncertainty over whether the Companion Cube is alive and therefore requires oxygen. The front panel attaches magnetically for easier cleaning, and the front-facing ports are hidden behind removable covers, while all rear I/O connections and exhaust ventilation remain unobstructed. It also ships with a Test Chamber skin for the Steam Controller.
There are two versions. The full Companion Cube costs $129.95 and ships in premium collectible packaging that doubles as a Test Chamber diorama, including a replica Heavy Duty Super-Colliding Super Button stand and a fancy microfiber cloth (did they find inspiration in Cupertino?). The Poverty Cube version knocks $30 off the price and ships in a plain cardboard box, but the enclosure itself is otherwise identical. The fancy one ships at the end of July, and the Poverty Cube version ships in October.
My first Lovecraftian story, and quite a decent one. It took me a while to understand what the plot was trying to do, and since I had never read a “Cthulhu & friends” story before, some things didn’t ring a bell. But then it became fun.
My biggest criticism is that it might have been a bit too short. A couple more chapters wouldn’t have hurt.
