News in one place via feeds.
Is there an alternative now?
The latest default weather from Google in Android (might only be Pixel?) is actually a decent substitute for the basics, although it's still not as reliable and well-thought-out as Dark Sky was.
explicit word that may displease amazon fanboys amazon!
OSNews - while Thom does well, there’s just not as much great content anymore, nor discussions.
Reddit/Slashdot - I think so many of these discussion sites died once Trump and MAGA came around, a bit of it started back with the Tea Party crazies too. So many discussions get overtaken by crazy political posts.
DeviantArt - I used to enjoy that site, now it’s just filled with AI crap.
I used to subscribe to a magazine called Computer Arts. They had a section where they showcased sites with amazing design and UX, lots of Flash fun. That died with Flash and every site being designed around a layout that allows the most ads that can be placed on it.
Long form content sites died too, or are hidden behind paywalls. Surfing the web just isn’t enjoyable anymore.
Incidentally after all the furore on here I'd assume reddit was largely dead now, but since starting playing console games this year I've realised how heavily used it is for gaming tips.