Hello, pals! Welcome to Installer No. 96, your information to the perfect and Verge-iest stuff on the planet. (For those who’re new right here, welcome, has your inbox been as busy as mine the previous few days?, and in addition you possibly can learn all of the previous editions on the Installer homepage.)
This week, I even have for you Hole Knight: Silksong (lastly!), Instagram on iPad (additionally lastly!), a derivative for The Workplace, and extra.
And a programming notice: David’s taking on Installer once more subsequent week! It’s been a blast writing the e-newsletter whereas he’s been away. Due to everybody for sharing their suggestions and good notes whereas I’ve been steering the ship!
(As all the time, the perfect a part of Installer is your concepts and suggestions. What do you need to know extra about? What superior tips are you aware that everybody else ought to? What app ought to everybody be utilizing? Drop a line to [email protected]. And if you realize another person who would possibly get pleasure from Installer, ahead it to them and inform them to subscribe right here.)
- Hue Necessities. Philips Hue has a brand new lineup of cheaper sensible lightbulbs beginning at $25 per bulb (or $15 every as a part of a four-pack), making them less expensive than its flagship color-changing bulbs. Guardian firm Signify additionally introduced a brand new bridge, extra new lights, and a wired video doorbell.
- Hole Knight: Silksong. Workforce Cherry’s years-in-the-making Hole Knight sequel is lastly right here, and early indications all level to it being a worthy follow-up. There’s nonetheless so much to find about it, but when you determine who Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone voices within the sport, are you able to let me know?
- Instagram for iPad. Practically 15 years after Instagram initially launched for iOS, the social community now has an official iPad app. However the app has a video-focused twist: once you open it up, the app reveals you a feed of short-form Reels. Android tablets will probably be getting the brand new design quickly, Meta says.
- The Paper. Peacock’s spinoff of The Workplace debuted in a giant batch drop this week, and apparently it’s really good, even when it takes a couple of episodes to hit its stride. It’s already been renewed for a second season, too.
- Samsung Galaxy S25 FE. Samsung has a brand new mannequin in its extra inexpensive FE line, with the S25 FE taking some inspiration from the S25 Edge by being thinner and lighter than its predecessor. The corporate additionally launched new S11 and S11 Extremely tablets with a redesigned S Pen.
- Outstanding Paper Professional Transfer. Outstanding has a brand new E Ink digital notepad, and with a thin 7.3-inch display screen, it’s one you possibly can theoretically drop into your pocket. I’m a giant fan of small paper notebooks, so the concept of utilizing an E Ink one appears actually enjoyable to me.
- Chipolo’s Loop. This merchandise tracker and Chipolo’s new Card tracker each have rechargeable batteries as an alternative of requiring replacements. They’ll last as long as six months on a cost and work with Apple’s Discover My and Google’s Discover Hub networks.
- Mophie Max Headphones Charging Stand. Mophie’s new charging stand is designed to cost your AirPods Max and AirPods Professional (or one other Qi-compatible gadget) concurrently. To cost the AirPods Max, you’ll plug in a USB-C dongle and plop the headphones into the stand, which is able to robotically put them into sleep mode. Appears tremendous useful, although it’s somewhat costly at $150.
In the present day I’m that includes Paulus Schoutsen, founding father of the favored open-source sensible residence automation platform House Assistant and president of the Open House Basis. With a lot sensible residence information popping out of the IFA 2025 convention this week, I figured this could be the right time to characteristic his homescreen. I used to be very curious how somebody so concerned within the sensible residence world really makes use of their telephone daily — unsurprisingly, Paulus has put loads of thought into his homescreen setup.
Aspect notice: I initially bought these responses from Paulus about his iOS homescreen in August, however he informed me this week that he’s since converted to a Google Pixel. He says the setup is basically the identical, with one notable change to make use of extra internet apps.
Picture: Paulus Schoutsen
The telephone: I’ve an iPhone 15 Professional.
The wallpaper: The background is the blurred model of my Lock Display screen wallpaper, which is a graphic of House Assistant. I by no means favored busy wallpapers as a result of it makes it exhausting to learn the letters.
The apps: The icons on my homescreen are restricted as I attempt to restrict my display screen utilization.
- The widget on the prime is a Sensible Stack exhibiting battery, calendar, climate, photographs. I needed to disable advised widgets as a result of Apple was exhibiting me adverts for McDonald’s powered by Yelp and DoorDash.
- House Assistant is on my homescreen as a result of it’s the perfect sensible residence platform on the planet.
- I’ve no social media apps on my telephone, and solely use Bluesky and Mastodon by way of web site. That manner it’s a poor expertise and I’m extra more likely to cease utilizing it.
- I used to make use of Quiche browser (found by way of Installer!). I had it configured with the few web sites I frequent and set the UI to have the ability to rapidly (see second screenshot) open them. After the change to Pixel, I dropped the Quiche browser and put in my favourite web sites as apps on my telephone.
- For AI I at the moment use Claude. I used to be utilizing ChatGPT earlier than, however these days use the Claude Max subscription to have the ability to leverage Claude Code for programming, so switched my private AI use to Claude too.
- Arc is on my homescreen as a result of the iOS app is wonderful: it’s not a browser. As an alternative, it reveals all my bookmarks from my desktop. When opening a bookmark on my telephone, and it’s supported by a local app (e.g., Google Docs), it can really open that app. Extraordinarily helpful as my approach to arrange information throughout totally different platforms. I additionally use Arc on the desktop and am already mourning the day that The Browser Firm goes to cease updating it.
- Obsidian I exploit for notes. I solely not too long ago began to make use of it, and that’s really due to the relaunch of the Pebble watches and the rise of AI. Pebble watches don’t work nicely on iOS due to the restricted entry third-party apps have. And it made me notice that Apple Notes has the identical limitations. I would like open techniques so I don’t have to attend for the maker of my {hardware}/software program to do cool issues. So I switched to Obsidian, which shops all my notes in folders with Markdown information. The motion button is mapped to permit me to rapidly write down a notice with out seeing all my different notes. I wrote a small script that permits me so as to add AI directions inside folders in my notes, and at any time when I replace a notice, it can robotically run Claude Code to comply with my directions. For instance, my procuring record is robotically categorized and motion objects are gathered on the prime of my private assembly notes.
I additionally requested Paulus to share a couple of issues he’s into proper now. Right here’s what he stated:
- AI! Claude Code is wonderful. With the ability to have it work on a problem whereas I’m in conferences and rapidly giving it some suggestions between conferences has made me end issues I wouldn’t have had time for in any other case. I additionally love utilizing Claude Code with my 7-year-old, pushing our creativeness to see what Claude comes up with. The opposite day we made a pong sport that may change the colour of the sunshine by way of House Assistant on each ball bounce.
- Z-Wave. We simply launched the House Assistant Join ZWA-2, our tackle making the perfect antenna for this sensible residence normal. It’s big, over a foot, and it might probably attain all of the gadgets in all places.
- Catching up with family and friends. We stay in Brooklyn however spend our summers in Europe, taking full benefit of distant working. Spend time within the Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, and Denmark.
- Season three of Basis on Apple TV Plus is once more glorious.
Right here’s what the Installer group is into this week. I need to know what you’re into proper now as nicely! E mail [email protected] together with your suggestions for something and all the pieces, and we’ll characteristic a few of our favorites right here each week. For much more nice suggestions, try the replies to this submit on The Verge, this submit on Threads, and this submit on Bluesky.
“Some sequel to an indie sport a couple of bug.” — DuckInAPond
“I bought bored with streaming music and all of the ephemeral features of it so I purchased a semi-janky MP3 participant (they name them DAPs now, I assume) and I’m constructing a FLAC assortment (shoutout to Bandcamp and my vinyl assortment). I’m again to organizing id3 tags 🤘” — William
“I got here throughout a documentary over the weekend about Python, the programming language, and thought it was price sharing. I’m not a developer myself, however I discovered it actually partaking. It tells the story of how this small, quiet language grew to form areas like local weather science, astrophysics, crypto, and AI. The movie additionally touches on some severe conflicts locally that nearly prompted it to fracture, and it made me replicate on how totally different the tech world may be at the moment if that had occurred. Even for those who’re not a developer, it’s surprisingly compelling.” — Hayley
“This week I wasted time making an attempt out a brand new RSS app. It was not fairly working so I ended up including a load of aspect providers till I realised that my current answer does all this stuff higher. So I simply need to give some further like to Reeder. Every part I would like in an RSS reader app.” — Chris
“I’ve develop into a giant fan of structure and inside design movies. It’s so fascinating seeing the walk-throughs and listening to commentary of the architects and designers about their very own works and of notable works from others. Favourite channels embrace Archimarathon, Architectural Digest, Design Anthology, Design Seed, and Open Area.” — Daylight Specific
“I’m not a birdwatcher however I do love an ideal movie. This one about birdwatching is the movie of the yr.” — Michael
“You would possibly dig this humorous and never tremendous severe, very nicely carried out birdwatching documentary.” — Andrew
“Tremendous into this (comparatively) new post-hardcore band Static Costume. Significantly their latest music ‘face.’ It’s simply peak 2000’s screamy music with trendy manufacturing and sensibilities. Actually nice throughout.” — cowboyxboombap
“Listening to NTS Radio these days. Nice DJ combine reveals. Unbelievable, by no means paid for one thing quicker. App is strong. The NTS Breakfast Present w/ Flo may be very fashionable and that appears earned!” — yatrik
I’ve touched on it a bit already, however there was loads of fascinating stuff introduced on the IFA present in Berlin this yr, together with robotic vacuums that may climb stairs, a bunch of recent sensible lights, and even a couple of celebration audio system. The present type of appears like a midyear CES. We rounded up a number of the coolest stuff, however if you wish to learn all of our protection, you’ll find that right here.
David will see you all subsequent week!
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