Share this @internewscast.com
Hello, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 94, your go-to source for the coolest and most Verge-worthy things globally. (If you’re a first-time reader, great to have you, remember to drink water, and you can catch up with previous editions at the Installer homepage.)
I also have for you some durable cables, a great new Alien show, a strange RPG, and more.
(As usual, the highlight of Installer is your contributions and insights. What topics are you curious about? What amazing hacks do you know that should be shared with everyone? Which app is a must-have for all? Share it all: [email protected]. Know someone else who would love Installer? Pass it on and encourage them to subscribe here.)
- Teenage Engineering’s Computer-2 PC case: This small form factor PC case has some awesome Teenage Engineering flair. I love the hazy, semi-transparent look. Even better, the company is also giving it away for free — that is, when it’s back in stock again. At least you can sign up for a waitlist.
- Fairphone’s new cables and chargers: Fairphone says its new accessories are more durable than what it offered before and made with sustainability in mind. They seem like solid cables and chargers, too, so they could be a great option if you like Fairphone’s mission.
- Alien: Earth: FX’s new series set in the Alien universe is getting great reviews. My knowledge of the Alien franchise is limited to Alien and Aliens, but Alien: Earth looks really scary — and I’m overdue for a good scary show.
- GuliKit’s ES and ES Pro controllers: If you want a higher-end Switch 2 controller but don’t want to pay $89.99, GuliKit’s new $24.99 and $29.99 options are considerably more affordable and offer perks like anti-drift joysticks. The controllers work on PC, Android, iOS, and macOS, too.
- OFF: This surreal RPG, starring a baseball player on a mission to purify the world from ghosts, is now available in a modernized version on Steam and Nintendo Switch. I’ve played a little bit of it, and it’s quite strange — which I say in the most complimentary way.
- Enter the Gungeon and Exit the Gungeon on mobile: The hit roguelike Enter the Gungeon is now available on iOS and Android for the first time, while Exit the Gungeon is back on iOS and has arrived on Google Play. Watch out for bullets.
- Nobody 2: The sequel to 2021’s Nobody, starring Bob Odenkirk, as a former assassin is now in theaters. I never caught the first, but I love basically everything Odenkirk does, so I’m guessing I’d have a lot of fun with these.
This week, I’m spotlighting Soren Iverson. You might know him for his wild design ideas on social platforms, like an iOS app icon that expands based on notification counts. These always crack me up when I see them. I figured his homescreen would reflect that chaos, yet I was amazed to find it simpler than mine — which inspired me to declutter mine a bit too.
Image: Soren Iverson
The wallpaper: A plain black screen. I strive to be intentional with my phone use, mainly calling, texting, or jotting down notes. Other activities are tucked away, prompting a deliberate approach that helps me stay focused.
The apps: Phone, Messages, Notes
I also asked Soren to share a few things he’s into right now. Here’s what he said:
- I downloaded and started replaying Civilization III (yes, the one from 2001). It’s one of my favorite games, and I still love a lot of the choices they made with the interface design.
- I recently watched The Decline of Western Civilization II. Super interesting three-part series on punk, metal, and has many great interviews in it (RIP Ozzy 🖤).
- There’s this Instagram account called @furb_exotic, they make giant anthropomorphic Furbys that are equally disturbing and mesmerizing.
- Snack Wraps, not normally a McDonald’s fan but, wow, they are good.
Here’s what the Installer community is loving right now. I’d love to hear your current favorites too! Drop an email to [email protected] with your suggestions for anything and everything. We’ll highlight some reader favorites weekly. For more great picks, check out the discussions on this post on The Verge, this post on Threads, and this post on Bluesky.
“Buying a bunch of Ubiquiti gear for the new house that totally isn’t overkill.” — SorryAboutYourCat
“Model railroading. I’ve postponed switching to DCC from DC in hopes that a sleek, modern option would emerge, but it’s the same outdated and overpriced market as ever.” — RoboticsRob
“I’ve been playing Merge Maestro way too much. It’s a fun match game with Super Auto Pets-like emoji artwork. Free-to-start on mobile with a $2 price for the entire game.” — Dominick
“Reading: The Next Conversation by Jefferson Fisher. Playing: Dishonored for the first time. Watching: Mr. Robot and Murderbot (does this count as a theme?) Rabbit hole: Home Assistant and generally reducing my digital footprint (I say as making this public post).” — Omega86
“Just got to watching The Penguin, and it’s a really fun gangster romp set in Gotham. I’ve mostly tired of the superhero stuff, but I’m always a sucker for good origin tales, and this really delivers. And the secret is, it’s really about Sofia Falcone and her war with her patriarchal mob family. Cristin Milioti is fantastic in the role.” — verge_user_m573tv18
“UFO 50 just came out on the Nintendo Switch. I’ve been following the podcast Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Gamers, which is going through each of the 50 games in a book club-like format, with just one game a week.” — Wolf3d.exe -goobers
“I, like many other people, watched Barbarian recently on Netflix. It’s leaving on August 31st. The director’s new movie, Weapons, just came out. Highly, highly recommend Barbarian. It’s fun to go in blind, and even if you’ve seen the trailer, you’ll still be spared some of its great twists. There’s more humor in it than you might expect, and the gruesome aspects aren’t over-the-top.” — Cameron
Google is about to kick off the 2025 gadget season with its Pixel launch event on August 20th. I’d love to hear from you all: Are you planning to upgrade anything this year, and if so, why? What are you hoping Apple, Google, and others will announce? Or are you going to keep holding onto your gear?
