Hello, associates! Welcome to Installer No. 91, your information to one of the best and Verge-iest stuff on this planet. (In case you’re new right here, welcome, how is summer season greater than a month over already, and in addition you possibly can learn all of the previous editions on the Installer homepage.)
This week, I’m pondering the leaked Pixel 10 lineup, marveling at BYD’s leaping Yangwang U9 supercar, studying about why everybody’s reading Reddit, already wanting ahead to Ted Lasso’s fourth season, rewatching MKBHD’s movies in regards to the Escobar folding phone, melting with pleasure on the new Pokémon Concierge season 2 trailer, dreaming of shopping for the Lego Game Boy however not really doing so as a result of my toddler would destroy it, and listening to Lucius’ recently released self-titled album.
I even have for you some new betas from Apple, a retro-styled PC, some ideas about instances, and tips on how to play Dance Dance Revolution at house at this time.
(As at all times, one of the best a part of Installer is your concepts and suggestions. What do you wish to know extra about? What superior methods are you aware that everybody else ought to? What app ought to everybody be utilizing? Inform me every little thing: installer@theverge.com. And if you recognize another person who would possibly get pleasure from Installer, ahead it to them and inform them to subscribe here.)
- Apple’s public betas: Public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26 can be found now, supplying you with an opportunity to see Apple’s Liquid Glass design language in motion earlier than the updates are launched extensively this fall. I’ve been working the developer betas, and after some vital tweaks from Apple, I’m warming as much as Liquid Glass greater than I anticipated.
- Maingear’s Retro95 PC: This restricted launch places a retro shell over fashionable PC elements. Anybody have $1,599 (or extra) they will lend me?
- AppleCare One: This new $19.99-per-month subscription from Apple helps you to cowl as much as three gadgets directly with the identical advantages you’d get with particular person AppleCare Plus subscriptions. You’ll be able to add extra gadgets for $5.99 per 30 days every. I don’t often pay for guarantee protection, however AppleCare One might be a good deal for lots of people.
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps: It’s Marvel’s flip to launch a superhero film with some fairly excessive stakes for the corporate that makes it — and like DC and Superman, Marvel seems to have mostly pulled it off. As an enormous Michael Giacchino fan, about half the rationale I wish to see this film is for the score.
- Amazon’s Kindle Colorsoft (16GB): This new model of Amazon’s coloration Kindle comes with half the storage and is lacking just a few perks from the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Version, however at $249.99, it’s $30 cheaper than final 12 months’s mannequin. I’m going to carry on to my Tenth-generation Kindle Paperwhite so long as I can, however every time it’s time to improve that, I’m sorely tempted by a coloration ereader.
- Roomba Max 705 Combo: This new combo robot vacuum from iRobot has a “first-of-its-kind curler mop cowl that retains carpets dry.” If that cowl really works, it looks as if this might be an ideal dual-purpose robovacuum.
- Wheel World: It’s a cycling-themed open-world journey sport from Annapurna Interactive and the builders of Nidhogg. That seems like a profitable combo to me, and it would simply be the feel-good game of the summer.
- Acapulco season 4: I watched the primary two seasons of this Apple TV Plus collection set at a resort in Mexico and beloved them — the present is humorous and heartwarming. Like Ted Lasso, it may be a little bit saccharine, however I believe we should always all watch some lighter TV each on occasion. Could be time for me to catch up.
Due to everybody who replied to my quandary about whether or not or not I ought to hold utilizing a cellphone case. There have been a bunch of nice views and emotions, so I’m sharing just a few of them right here within the publication — a lot extra individuals go caseless than I anticipated!
As for my very own resolution? Properly, I haven’t reached one but, and truthfully, I’ll by no means decide one lane. Sometimes, my iPhone 16 Professional lives in this slim Torras case, however as I write this, it’s sitting on high of the case, not in it. Will I put the case on earlier than I stroll out the door? We’ll see!
“I, too, felt the urge to go caseless. I’m fairly cautious with my electronics, so I nonetheless didn’t love the thought of setting my cellphone down on tables and issues alike. I obtained the magnetic back from Nomad, and it has felt like the right meet-in-the-middle accent for me! Telephone feels virtually caseless, and I nonetheless get the again safety.” – Omesh
“I’m completely the identical with instances. I do know I’ll drop it annually and completely destroy the factor and I hate that. What I do is take the case off after I’m simply chilling at my desk or sofa or chair. That manner I get the enjoyment of the graceful cellphone, however when I’m at risk of dropping it on concrete or getting out of my truck, I’ve the safety it wants.” – Travis
“I ran my first gen Pixel Fold and not using a case (whereas dwelling in a beachy resort city) for 2 years! If the Fold can survive it, so can a 16 Professional. The Fold continues to be alive and nicely as a secondary gadget/backup cellphone. After all, it’s undoubtedly not pristine, so should you don’t need your cellphone to bear its scars, it’s best to in all probability hold a case on it.” – John
“I’ve the Peak Design GNAR case. Noticed some complaints on-line in regards to the safety being too minimal for the entrance of the cellphone, however it’s been stable for me. Does nicely being open air (I run outdoors on a regular basis). I’m rocking no display protector.” – airwr3ck6669
“I by no means used instances till I obtained my present cellphone (Pixel 6A) as a result of the Razer Kishi controller I used not match snuggly round it, so I discovered a case that allowed it to suit once more. I might say the case would finally come off, however I solely realized as I used to be studying this text that although I not use that controller, I hadn’t thought to take the case off.” – xPutNameHerex
Immediately, I’m that includes Keith Broni, the editor-in-chief of Emojipedia. I considered reaching out to him for this part after World Emoji Day on July 17th (the date proven on the calendar emoji), and he graciously replied. He initially obtained concerned with the positioning in 2018 and took on growing obligations “over time” earlier than taking the editor-in-chief job in 2022.
Along with every little thing about his homescreen, I wished to know what he’s wanting ahead to on this planet of emoji. “I’m excited to see what the following sudden emoji repurposing meme goes to be, particularly as Gen Alpha turns into increasingly on-line,” he tells me, like how Millennials repurposed the Eggplant and Peach and the way Gen Z repurposed the Cranium.
Emoji fascinate me — full disclosure, I submitted proposals that helped carry the Saluting Face, Bubbles, Waffle, and Yawning Face emoji into the world — so I’m to share extra of the emoji universe with Installer readers.
Right here’s Keith’s homescreen and his clarification of what’s on it.
The cellphone: Google Pixel 6. Like Molly final week, I’m an “till the wheels fall off” kind of particular person in relation to my private cellphone, although I exploit an iPhone 15 Professional for work.
The wallpaper: A 2019 image of me (I’m in all black, bar the white soles of my sneakers) wandering the grounds of the Zōjō-ji Temple in Tokyo, with the Tokyo Tower looming within the background.
- The highest row is my fitness-focused stuff, as I’m getting ready for a Hyrox-like competitors in October, so it’s all step counts (Garmin Join), protein objectives (MyFitnessPal), behavior monitoring (HabitShare — a free and easy tracker with some good friend-sharing parts for accountability), and gymnasium class bookings (Glofox).
- Since I’m European, WhatsApp is my major mode of texting / calling of us. And since I’m Irish, you’ve obtained my Irish banking app, AIB Cellular, ha.
- I’m a millennial, so Instagram is my major mode of social media lately, although I’m additionally on X / Bluesky / TikTok lots for work functions (that find yourself drifting into non-work functions if I’m not cautious).
- I’m a Letterboxd consumer, and do get pleasure from attending the cinema as a lot as I can (shoutout to the Lighthouse in Dublin — I used to be there final evening watching Friendship, which I completely loved). However actually, YouTube is the place I spend far an excessive amount of of my time (and to a lesser extent, Nebula, which is on the following web page of my house display).
I additionally requested Keith to share just a few issues he’s into proper now. Right here’s what he stated:
- Music-wise, I’ve been listening to plenty of Oasis on Spotify recently. I used to be one of many fortunate 2 % who managed to snag tickets for his or her present run of exhibits, and I’ve been using the excessive ever since their homecoming gig in Manchester on Sunday (the twentieth). I’ve additionally been having fun with a number of tracks from the new Wet Leg album — a band that famously workshopped their title utilizing varied emoji combos — in addition to two new songs from The Last Dinner Party and Nine Inch Nails.
- To tie in with the health app bit above, I’ve been enjoying the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters whereas strolling on a house treadmill. I’ve been an enormous old-school JRPG fan since I used to be a child, although I’d solely performed IV from this assortment earlier than.
- This Instagram account @theblack.lodge, who’s been doing restricted drops of T-shirts impressed by David Lynch movies (I’m an enormous fan, particularly of Twin Peaks, RIP). I’ve purchased no less than one merchandise from each drop to date.
- Ebook-wise, I’ve been listening to Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language by Adam Aleksic on Audible (sitting on the second web page of my house display). Earlier than this, I completed studying the bodily copy of Face with Tears of Joy: A Natural History of Emoji by Keith Houston, by which our work at Emojipedia is closely referenced (and I’m honored to have been straight name-dropped in).
- One other little bit of a self-serving one (particularly because you talked about it your self final week), however I’ve been having fun with dipping into the revived Emojitracker.com web site throughout spare moments to look at reside emoji utilization unfold.
Right here’s what the Installer group is into this week. I wish to know what you’re into proper now as nicely! E mail installer@theverge.com along with your suggestions for something and every little thing, and we’ll characteristic a few of our favorites right here each week. For much more nice suggestions, take a look at the replies to this post on The Verge, this post on Threads, and this post on Bluesky.
“I exploit Outplay on my Apple Watch to trace the soccer matches I play. It exhibits a warmth map of my motion throughout a match and has metrics particular to enjoying soccer like sprints. It really works higher for me than utilizing the built-in Apple Exercise app or Strava.” – Harry Tequila
“Been enjoying the macOS model of Cyberpunk 2077 on a base M4 Mac Mini. I’m impressed with the sport and graphic high quality of this model. Simply hoping that is the beginning for extra Mac-native variations of A & S tier video games.” – penguinchiller
“I simply accomplished the (not so) Limitless Tower in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and beat Clea… on an MSI Claw 8 with an Intel chip! Didn’t anticipate that after panning the primary Claw. It’s the one handheld I’ve actually loved this sport on to date!” – Sean
“I’ve change into obsessive about the Twos app and utilizing it continuously. Extremely suggest!” – Wealthy
“After steadfastly avoiding it due to its issue, I lately bought and have been dying time and again in Returnal. The setting actually does really feel like a hostile alien planet, and with headphones it seems like I can hear each drop of rain. And yeah, it’s actually tough.” – Aram
“Been enjoying Lushfoil Photography Sim and it’s so stress-free and wonderful.” – Allison
“I’ve been binging CityNerd on YouTube. The channel discusses cities, transportation, city design, walkability, and many others. Great things.” – low_light_mixes
Final week, I included a tidbit from a reader who has been enjoying Dance Dance Revolution lately. As somebody who performed a lot of DDR after I was a child (“Butterfly,” anyone?), I used to be curious to be taught extra about how he does it. Right here’s a few of what the reader, Tom, instructed me — he additionally pointed me to a starter guide on Reddit:
“I’ll begin with acknowledging I’m totally not an professional within the scene, however spent plenty of time within the native arcade and at house enjoying on a PS2 after I was rising up.
“I grabbed the Deluxe 1-inch thick foam pad from www.ddrpad.com, together with the extension wire and the preloaded Stepmania Flash drive. Stepmania is the open-source clone of DDR. Individuals make their very own stepcharts (the arrows that scroll up throughout a track) and make customized songs that you could obtain and cargo in, in addition to songs from the precise DDR video games.
“Somebody who is basically into enjoying might wish to finally spend money on a metallic pad, like what’s within the arcades. They’re tremendous sturdy and can final for years of use, whereas tender mats may probably tear over time. There are numerous producers on the market, and the value vary is often from $400 and up for the metallic pads. Individuals even purchase previous arcade cupboards for 1000’s of {dollars} and have them of their house.”
Thanks, Tom! See you subsequent week, everybody!