GoKawiilis 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.
Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 129, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, come on you Gunners, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)
This week, I’ve mostly been sick, which has meant nearly a full rewatch of Parks and Recreation while alternately napping and feeling bad for myself. But I’ve also been reading about Nick Fuentes and clowns, listening to old episodes of Short History Of, testing the NextSense Smartbuds while I sleep, writing in the Outerline Markdown app beta, and eagerly looking for things to do with the upcoming Flipper One.
Today’s issue is a little short since I’ve been out, but I didn’t want to leave you completely hanging. Plus, it’s a good week, including my favorite new browser in years, a new Star Wars movie, two great new tech books, a surprisingly great set of earbuds, and more. Let’s do it.
(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What are you reading / watching / listening to / playing / streaming over a hotspot from the beach 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
Crowdsourced
Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you’re into right now as well! Email [email protected] or message me on Signal — @davidpierce.11 — with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week. For even more great recommendations, check out the replies to this post on Threads and this post on Bluesky.
“Got an Oculus Go at a thrift store for $10. Most of the apps are nonexistent except for YouTube, and it’s surprisingly… fine? I wonder if the future AI wearables will be useful for a long time; Apple devices seem to be the only group that are still usable even after half a decade.” — Allen
... continue reading