Meta’s finest good glasses received just a little higher this yr

Hi, mates! Welcome to Installer No. 98, your information to the very best and Verge-iest stuff on the earth. (If you’re new right here, welcome, please inform me in the event you purchased an orange iPhone, and likewise you’ll be able to learn all of the previous editions on the Installer homepage.)

This week, I’ve been studying about competitive massage and space soda and how people really use AI, trying out Adolescence now that it gained all these Emmys, enjoying The New York Times’ new domino game, lastly listening to The Lazarus Heist, doing a bunch of writing in Ulysses, utilizing Remind Me Faster for all my task-writing wants, and taking copious notes on Federico Viticci’s iOS 26 review.

I even have for you a brand new set of good glasses, a browser it’s best to try, an attention-grabbing new AI product from Google, and a few vital viewing and listening concerning the web.

And I’ve a query for you: what lists do you retain, and the way do you retain them? I wish to know all about your to-do lists, your bucket lists, your grocery lists, your films to observe, your favourite locations to eat pasta, all of the lists you retain. Why do you retain them, and the way do you keep them? I’m a enormous list-maker, and I’ll share mine in the event you share yours.

(As at all times, the very best a part of Installer is your concepts and ideas. What are you watching / studying / listening to / enjoying / constructing out of toothpicks this week? Tell me all the pieces: [email protected]. And if you already know another person who may get pleasure from Installer, inform them to subscribe right here.)

If you’ve ever listened to The Vergecast, you already know I’m not an individual who is aware of issues about TVs. Generally talking, I’ve at all times simply stolen opinions and theories from Caleb Denison, who labored at Digital Trends for a very long time earlier than beginning his personal YouTube channel this yr referred to as CalebRated. You ought to subscribe! It’s nice!

I initially requested Caleb to share his homescreen earlier this yr, across the authentic launch of his channel, however then he received embroiled in a authorized dispute about all of it. Now it’s settled, and he’s again making nice stuff! So, to mark the relaunch, I requested Caleb once more. And he agreed.

Here’s Caleb’s homescreen, plus some information on the apps he makes use of and why:

The telephone: iPhone 16 Pro Max — I gotta have the very best video seize and largest display!

The wallpaper: It’s inventory. Call me boring, however the extra distracting the wallpaper is, the much less I like trying on the telephone. I get pleasure from trying on the a part of the globe I’m at present in — it’s enjoyable to have that little reminder once I’m touring, which is usually. It’s additionally mortifying once I understand the solar’s about to come back up and I haven’t but slept.

The apps: Mail, YouTube, YouTube Studio, Instagram, X, The Weather Channel, Messenger, Waze, Google Maps, Photos, Google Calendar, Calendar, Google Photos, Podcasts, Wallet, FaceTime, Camera, Clock, Settings, Premiere Rush, Instacart, Peacock, Phone, Chrome, Messages, Starbucks.

Look, I seek for my apps as a result of I don’t have time to recollect what folder I put one thing in. Consequently I’ve stopped placing issues in folders. The solely apps I faucet are The Weather Channel, as a result of it’s constantly essentially the most correct of any of the climate apps, although I despise the app itself; the Camera app, as a result of I can’t be bothered to arrange a shortcut; and the Google Calendar app, which I exploit religiously. Oh, and the Settings app. I exploit {that a} good bit.

I don’t know why Peacock is there — I don’t know the way it received there or why I haven’t moved it. I don’t at present subscribe, even. It simply sits there… mocking me. Mocked by the ’Cock. Dammit.

I additionally requested Caleb to share a number of issues he’s into proper now. Here’s what he despatched again:

Here’s what the Installer group is into this week. I wish to know what you’re into proper now as properly! Email [email protected] or message me on Signal — @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 post on Threads, this post on Bluesky, and this put up on The Verge.

“After enjoying KPop Demon Hunters, I worked through Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE. I had no knowledge of the competition before diving in. I still haven’t watched the YouTube portion of the competition. You get to sort of see what it takes to make your way into a K-Pop band with a constantly changing competition.” — Sean

“After getting really tired of cheaters in Fortnite, I’ve started learning Overwatch 2, and I’m having a blast. I mean, it’s like trying to play pickup basketball where every player has five different roles, but when it works, it’s magic!” — Laszlo

“New Spotlight in MacOS Tahoe is a game changer for running Shortcuts and other automation.” — Jack

“Folks, if you’re not into comics, now is a great time to get into them. DC Comics just renewed the Batman series with Batman 1 written by Matt Fraction, art by Jorge Jimenez, letters by Clayton Cowles, and color by Tomeu Morey. It’s a familiar yet different take on Batman with excellent art every panel.” — John

“Burning thru seasons of Taskmaster NZ in order to laugh rather than cry — highly recommend (it’s on YouTube!)” — Amaro

“The DJI Mini Pro 5 is prrreeeety nice with the after dark safety upgrades (tempting me to trade in the 4). Great breakdown video here. “ — Jonny

“I’ve spent every morning this week in the company of NTS Radio. I really like the variety of the music the hosts play — anything from Wilco, latin jazz, and ambient music to obscure 80s meditation tapes and video game soundtracks. It’s 24/7, ad-free, and listener-supported!” — tobysaurus99

“I’m into reading this book Apple In China by Patrick McGee, and it’s a doozy. Lots of learning, gossip and drama. The perfect mix for a book to keep me glued to it.” — Sencion

“I’ve been unwinding with Hindsight, a low-stress, no FOMO RSS reader. Instead of real-time feeds, it shows you yesterday’s news. It’s become a welcome part of my morning routine!” — Kyle

It’s been every week, y’all. Life’s busy, information is nuts, only a lot taking place! For some motive, the factor that has made me really feel higher time and again this week has been Smartypants, the really genius Dropout present wherein very good folks give completely unhinged shows about deeply weird topics. You might need seen Hank Green fixing grocery stores or Alexis Rhiannon instructing you how to email like a white lady, however nothing has made me chuckle like Zach Reino’s argument against the ocean. I’ve since used the phrase “per period of time” at the very least 500 occasions per time frame.