Hello, buddies! Welcome to Installer No. 125, your information to the perfect and Verge-iest stuff on this planet. (If you happen to’re new right here, welcome, ship me cereal suggestions, and likewise you possibly can learn all of the outdated editions on the Installer homepage.)
This week, I’ve been studying about NASA seamstresses and friction and Muskism and scooters, highlighting the heck out of Jeff VanderMeer’s terrific new quick story, listening to the Dissect podcast’s new season about Daft Punk, giving Firefox one other run as my go-to browser, having my thoughts blown by wonderful music video administrators, and nodding alongside to John Oliver on prediction markets. I’ve additionally been coping with sick children and a bunch of emergency electrical work so my home doesn’t burn down. Enjoyable occasions! Additionally the explanation we’re gonna do Ruthless Self-Promotion Week subsequent week — nonetheless going by way of all of your emails, thanks once more to everybody who wrote in!
I even have for you some very thrilling new PC gear, the must-see film of the Spring, a few genuinely helpful new AI apps, a high-tech postcard, and far more. Let’s do it.
(As all the time, the perfect a part of Installer is your concepts and suggestions. What are you studying / watching / enjoying / listening to / dipping in hummus this week? Inform me all the pieces: installer@theverge.com. And if you realize another person who may take pleasure in Installer, ahead it to them and inform them to subscribe right here.)
- The Framework Laptop computer 13 Professional. I really like Framework’s entire thesis that computer systems needs to be extra upgradeable and repairable. For the primary time, it appears to have additionally made a laptop computer that’s simply actually, actually good. If this factor lives as much as its spec sheet, and our first impressions, it’s going to be an enormous winner for Linux and Home windows customers.
- The Framework Laptop computer Sleeve. I really like laptop computer service, and this one — particularly the silver mannequin, which isn’t duct tape however appears to be like identical to duct tape — is an superior one. It’s clearly designed for Framework gear, however ought to match a number of different laptops too.
- Stranger Issues: Tales from ‘85. I really feel obligated to let you know about this new animated Netflix present — as a result of, you realize, Stranger Issues — though by all accounts it’s actually not superb. If you happen to watch it anyway as a result of you possibly can’t get sufficient of the Hawkins gang, simply know that I get it.
- New Issues. Our good buddy Joanna Stern simply began her personal e-newsletter / YouTube channel / entire factor, and it’s already pleasant and very Joanna-y. Go subscribe! And hold a watch out, as a result of we’re gonna get Joanna again on this area a technique or one other.
- Further. As I worsen and worse at sustaining my e-mail inbox, I get an increasing number of enticed by the potential of managing it with AI. Utilizing Further requires an entire re-think of what your e-mail is even for, however I’m discovering it filled with intelligent organizational concepts.
- Memo AI. These good transcription apps are a dime a dozen now, however this one has a few issues going for it. One, it’s made by the developer of NotePlan, which implies it’s thoughtfully designed and actually intelligent. Two, it’s quick. Up to now, velocity has been the distinction between AI instruments I ditch rapidly and AI instruments I hold utilizing.
- Vampire Crawlers. Each now and again, all of my gamer buddies fall of the face of the Earth for a couple of days, as a result of they’re all obsessive about some new title. It’s occurring proper now, and it’s all due to this extraordinarily addictive, retro-styled deckbuilder. I most likely shouldn’t get into this recreation. I’m going to get into this recreation.
- The Govee Desk Lamp Traditional. Half the facility is at the moment out in my home, which has made this type of product – a sensible lamp that may both be plugged in or carried round — extremely helpful. Usually, I’m discovering Govee stuff to be nearly nearly as good as Hue, and means cheaper. Not a foul combo.
- Claude’s Spotify connector. If you happen to’ve been skeptical or nervous about attempting AI instruments, right here’s my recommendation: join one to Spotify. (ChatGPT has had a connector for some time, Claude bought it this week.) It’s such a enjoyable, helpful, shocking solution to manage and uncover music.
Each 25 points or so on this area, I wish to share my very own homescreen. Because the Installerverse’s self-appointed Head of Factor-Attempting, I’m endlessly experimenting with new methods, new apps, and new methods to do all the pieces. Plus it’s a enjoyable document for me of the place my very own considering is.
For the time being? My considering is outwardly… everywhere. That is about as unorganized as I’ve ever been, on a bunch of various ranges. My homescreen isn’t organized deliberately, a lot as it’s only a document of my telephone habits not too long ago. (I even have means too many unread everythings.) Right here it’s, as of this week:
Screenshot
The telephone: iPhone 17. I really like the sage shade, I’m kind of irritated that I’m nonetheless an iPhone consumer, however right here we’re.
The wallpaper: Blue. I had a stable black background for a very long time, so I assume this counts as sprucing issues up? Truthfully, it’s too vivid, particularly at evening — want to return to all black all the pieces.
The apps: Espresso Pool, RB School, Memo AI, Craft, DualShot Recorder, Todoist, Google Maps, MyMind, Obsidian, Readwise Reader, Telephone, Pocket CAsts, Spotify, Digicam, Messages, Notion Calendar, the app I’m vibe-coding, Arc.
A few of these are staples: Readwise Reader, Pocket Casts, MyMind, and Arc are all apps I’ve used for a very long time and am very pleased with. The remainder are all experimental in a technique or one other.
I’m a longtime fan of Retro Bowl, an primarily excellent cell recreation, so in fact I jumped on the school soccer recreation. I’m additionally a longtime fan of Espresso Golf, a enjoyable recreation to play for a few minutes a day, and the pool-shooting model is simply as satisfying. I don’t usually have homescreen video games, so these most likely gained’t stay right here endlessly.
As you possibly can most likely see, I’m in a little bit of a productiveness app disaster. Craft, Obsidian, Memo AI, Todoist, even Notion Calendar – I’ve been attempting all of them, and plenty of extra (like Workflowy, Twos, and NotePlan) to see if I can discover a new system that works. My life has much more deadlines proper now than it usually does, so I’m leaning into among the concepts behind time blocking to see if schedule-maxxing works for me. Up to now… kinda.
(Additionally, that app with the 9 dots? I hate the icon, thanks for nothing Claude Code, however it’s the beginnings of the instrument I’m attempting to construct bringing all these things collectively for me. Will probably be helpful to precisely nobody, however I’m enthusiastic about it. Extra on that subsequent week.)
Lastly, in case you shoot a whole lot of video and also you haven’t tried DualShot Recorder, change that ASAP. It captures horizontal and vertical video concurrently, and is straightforward and fabulous whether or not you’re a content material creator or simply attempting to get movies of your children on the proper facet ratio. It’s not fairly my default digital camera app but, however it may get there. Finest $10 I’ve spent on an app in a very long time.
Oh, and the widgets: Notion Calendar is, you realize, high-quality. Acme Climate is improbable. It’s made by the parents who constructed Darkish Sky, and it has the identical skill to inform me all the pieces I have to know — the climate, the possibility of rain, the possibility the forecast is improper and really it is going to rain — in about two seconds. Already my go-to climate app.
Right here’s what the Installer group is into this week. I wish to know what you’re into proper now as effectively! E mail installer@theverge.com or message me on Sign — @davidpierce.11 — along with your suggestions for something and all the pieces, and we’ll function a few of our favorites right here each week. For much more nice suggestions, try the replies to this put up on Threads and this put up on Bluesky.
“I’m loving the Earth.fm app. By no means felt like soundscape apps helped me focus or calm down, however these nature discipline recordings are the place it’s at for me. And it’s an attractive app too!” — Ben
“I do know I’m late to the social gathering, however I’ve began utilizing Nvidia GeForce Now — that factor is unimaginable on an iPad Professional.” — Jean-Francois
“Try the Aviate app for Android. It’s like Flighty however for Android. It’s in early entry — lovely design.” — Guarav
“Completely liked Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice. Considered one of my prime motion pictures this 12 months. Hilarious and nice motion. There’s a 5 minute argument between grown males over who the perfect boyfriend on Gilmore Ladies was. It’s Logan btw.” — Justin
“Simply picked up the Aune AC55 on-ear clip headphone not too long ago and needed to offer a shout out that this headphone fashion continues to be on the market rocking, didn’t really fade away after the 90s/00s together with American Hello-Fi, and gives a wonderful different (together with flathead earbuds) to massive over-ear units and IEMS. The Koss KSC75 is the venerable reasonably priced set of this fashion, however Aune is breaking new floor with some very high-end units.” — Brian
“Been enjoying enclose.horse for a couple of months now. All the time take pleasure in it because it’s a fast day by day recreation however not centered on phrases/letters.” — Peter
“Clayton Morris did a video on YouTube about nice video games for adults with no time. Actually nice suggestions. Vampire Survivors and Dredge specifically are nice and each are included in Apple Arcade.” — Witzke
“A brand new, totally native font supervisor referred to as Pica for macOS dropped this week and us design nerds are freaking out about it.” — Pedro
“Area Design Warehouse is an exceptional below the radar Mac YouTube Channel. The host Nicholas Johnson, will get as nerdy over specs and testing as you may need, whereas retaining it accessible and enjoyable. All people episode includes a Mac on hearth and Dunkin’ Donuts, so unsure what else you may need. He additionally does creative issues like having a secondary audio observe on sure movies the place he simply riffs what he’s eager about.” — Clinton
The funniest factor has occurred to my YouTube over the previous couple of months. In the middle of researching tales and Model Historical past episodes, I’ve spent a whole lot of time watching actually outdated YouTube movies — and this has evidently satisfied the YouTube algorithm to ship me extra actually outdated YouTube movies! Lately I’ve been reminded of among the nice Epic Rap Battles of Historical past, some top-notch Lonely Island shorts, an iconic clip of Jay Z and Timbaland within the studio, and even Charlie The Unicorn. Early YouTube was a time, y’all. Principally an excellent one.
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