is editor-at-large and Vergecast co-host with over a decade of experience covering consumer tech. Previously, at Protocol, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired.
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Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 108, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, hope your holiday shopping is going well, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)
I also have for you a 15-year-old game that feels as good as new, a great new entrant in the Wrapped Wars, a couple of fun productivity tools, and much more. Year’s almost over, but the new stuff keeps coming! Let’s dig in.
(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What are you watching / reading / listening to / playing / wrapping with a bow this week? Tell me everything: [email protected]. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, forward it to them and tell them to subscribe here.)
The Drop
Red Dead Redemption . If you just off-handedly asked me my favorite modern video games, without thinking about it I’d probably say Red Dead and the Arkham Batman series. Cool to see the 2010 game come to mobile (though for Netflix subscribers only), even cooler to see it updated for modern consoles, including my beloved Switch 2. I haven’t checked in with John Martson in a while, but I’m confident this one has held up. If you just off-handedly asked me my favorite modern video games, without thinking about it I’d probably say Red Dead and the Arkham Batman series. Cool to see the 2010 game come to mobile (though for Netflix subscribers only), even cooler to see it updated for modern consoles, including my beloved Switch 2. I haven’t checked in with John Martson in a while, but I’m confident this one has held up.
Fizzy . From the folks behind Hey and Basecamp, a really nifty new kanban tool that reminds me of Trello, only both more chaotic and much cleaner. It’s really fast, and my brain loves a good project-management board… plus, it’s open-source, so it might spawn some other really fun stuff. From the folks behind Hey and Basecamp, a really nifty new kanban tool that reminds me of Trello, only both more chaotic and much cleaner. It’s really fast, and my brain loves a good project-management board… plus, it’s open-source, so it might spawn some other really fun stuff.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond . I know at least a few folks who have been waiting for this game to see if it completes the appeal of the Switch 2. By all accounts, it seems to be handily worth the price of admission, even if there’s some “modern games!” cruft in the mix. I know at least a few folks who have been waiting for this game to see if it completes the appeal of the Switch 2. By all accounts, it seems to be handily worth the price of admission, even if there’s some “modern games!” cruft in the mix.
It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley . I keep hearing things about this doc, about Buckley’s life and the remarkable album he made, Grace. This will not be a joyful watch, I suspect, but for anyone who loves even just his version of “Hallelujah,” it’s worth the watch. I keep hearing things about this doc, about Buckley’s life and the remarkable album he made, Grace. This will not be a joyful watch, I suspect, but for anyone who loves even just his version of “Hallelujah,” it’s worth the watch.
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