Essential Apps, Gadgets, and Tools for Every Gamer

Hey gamers! Welcome to Installer No. 136, your go-to source for the coolest and quirkiest finds in the gaming universe. If you’re new here, welcome aboard! I hope your surroundings are less smoky than mine, and you can catch up on all the previous editions at the Installer homepage.

This week, I’ve been busy recording the next season of Version History (the season finale drops on Sunday!), diving into tales of data center heists, reminiscing about Backyard Baseball, and exploring the genius behind Calvin and Hobbes. I’ve also canceled my October plans to catch Digger multiple times, tackled the new Knockout Tour routes in Mario Kart World, and learned more about Staten Island than I ever expected thanks to Revisionist History. Plus, I’ve been setting up my Flipper Busy Bar, which I absolutely love, even if I’m still figuring out its best uses.

I’ve got some exciting stuff lined up for you, including the summer’s must-see movie, a fantastic update to a note-taking app, a new photo organization tool, and more. Let’s dive in!

The Drop
* The Odyssey. I’ll admit, I didn’t have high hopes for this film. A hot director taking on a massive story? Even Christopher Nolan can miss the mark sometimes, right? WRONG. The reviews are stellar, the film feels incredibly relevant, and I can’t wait to immerse myself in the epicness of this one on the big screen—multiple times, no less.
* Bear 2.9. Bear’s tag-based system always felt a bit restrictive, but the new Workspaces feature expands its capabilities without adding complexity. It’s smart, practical, and still one of the best writing apps across Apple devices.
* The World Cup final. This Sunday’s match is set to be the biggest event on TV until the next tournament rolls around in four years. This year’s competition has been thrilling, and whether you’re a soccer fan or not, the final is usually a spectacle worth watching. Treat it like the Super Bowl and throw a viewing party!
* “How Microtransactions (Almost) Ruined Gaming, with Dan Soder.” This episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out presents a compelling argument about how we’ve strayed from the essence of gaming. But there’s still hope for the future.
* Aphera. I’ve been hearing great things about this new Mac-based photo editor, which is fast, powerful, and designed to rival the ever-increasing costs of Adobe’s software. Ditching Lightroom is a big ask, but I’m eager to give this a shot.
* Parchment. Chris Lawley, a friend of Installer, launched his notes-and-tasks app for Apple devices this week, and it’s impressively crafted! It focuses on what’s important right now while keeping distractions at bay, which I really appreciate.
* The Loading Museum. What a fun concept: a collection of all the things that have made us wait on our computers. Relive the nostalgia of watching a photo load like it’s 1997, remember the anticipation of connecting to the internet, and discover what designers have always known about making slow experiences feel faster.
* The Codex Micro. I’m a fan of shortcut buttons, and while $230 seems steep for a set of buttons you could replicate with a Stream Deck or similar devices, these agent-controlling keys are undeniably delightful. Work Louder products just have a satisfying feel to them.

Group project
Quick note: Going forward, when we feature a special section like this, it will replace Screen Share for that week. I’ve heard from many of you that sometimes there’s too much content, and this feels like a good compromise that also simplifies things for me. Win-win!

They say reading is dead, but they’re wrong. A couple of weeks ago, I asked you to share your reading setups—the gadgets, apps, bookstores, bookmark brands, highlighter colors, and more. As always, you delivered! Before we dive into your awesome gear and tips, here’s my current setup:
* I primarily read on one of three devices: a Kindle Paperwhite, an iPad Mini, or a Boox Palma 2. The iPad is my go-to for extensive notes and highlights, the Palma is my travel companion, and the Paperwhite stays by my bedside. Most of my ebooks are in the Kindle ecosystem; I wish it were more open, but switching is tough.
* Consequently, I read most books in the Kindle app, while all my other digital reading happens in Readwise Reader. I occasionally use Instapaper and Matter, but Reader’s search and organization features, along with its ability to convert PDFs into a pleasant reading experience, are unmatched.
* For RSS reading, I use Feedbin. On my computer, I access it through the website, while on mobile, I prefer Unread.
* When I buy physical books, which I’m trying to do more now that I have a toddler who sees me glued to screens, I aim to purchase from Bookshop.org or my local library/bookstore. My book collection is finally growing again, and it’s a joy.

But enough about me! Here’s what I heard most from you:
* Libraries are thriving! Many of us are using Libby, Hoopla, MyLibro, Sora, and other tools to maximize our library cards. Love to see it!
* The Kindle and iPad Mini are the top choices for reading devices, which isn’t surprising. I also heard from Kobo fans (both Clara and Libra), devoted iPod Touch users, and plenty of supporters of the Xteink X4. And yes, the Boox Palma remains a favorite.
* The most popular reading apps are, unsurprisingly, Kindle and Apple Books. However, there are also dedicated BookFusion fans, and the Bookshop.org app seems to be gaining traction.
* Tracking our collections and progress is important to many of us. Both The StoryGraph and Book Tracker have a strong following, while most people are either quitting or looking to quit Goodreads.
* Audiobooks are popular, with Audible mentioned several times. Many of us are also enjoying the 15 hours of audio included with Spotify Premium.
* BookBub, a great resource for ebook deals, came up frequently, as did Chirp, its sister site for audiobooks.
* Saving and syncing highlights is an ongoing project for many. Numerous Readwise users are syncing to Notion, Craft, and Obsidian, while others are building their own apps to simplify the process.
* I heard about at least 50 different RSS readers. Unread and Reeder were the favorites, while Instapaper, Readwise Reader, and Wallabag are popular for saving content for later.

One last thing: I heard from many that keeping up with newsletters is a tricky issue. Do you send everything to a reading app? An RSS feed? Manage it in Gmail? It’s a challenge! Like many of you, I have newsletters I struggle to keep up with. If you have any tips, I’m all ears. Thanks to everyone who shared their reading setups!

Crowdsourced
Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to hear what you’re enjoying right now too! Email your recommendations to installer@theverge.com or message me on Signal — @davidpierce.11 — and we’ll feature some of our favorites here each week. For even more great suggestions, check out the replies to this post on Threads and this post on Bluesky.

“I’m transitioning from Google (Gmail) to a fantastic European alternative: Cirrux. With a sync service, you can break free from Big Tech without losing your emails.” — Olaf
“The Ghost in the Shell anime on Amazon is the best-looking thing on TV. It’s packed with lore, but if you can get past that, it’s absolutely worth watching.” — B Carzo
“Gravity is the best and simplest note-taking app. Unlike most note apps that lose relevance as you add more notes, Gravity lets you pin any note to the top of the page. Its simplicity is brilliant.” — Andrew
“Thanks to Rohit for the 4×3 suggestion in last week’s Installer. The other game on the site, Smush, is also fantastic. Both are fresh takes on games from the New York Times.” — Kurt
“I ordered the Pebble Index 01 ring. I really want to dictate little notes to myself, and opening an app on my phone feels like too much friction.” — Anna
“I just finished the book Seek Immediate Shelter by Vincent Yu. It follows several people in a small town as they receive an emergency ‘incoming missile’ text, followed by a ‘false alert’ message about 20 minutes later, and how each person reacts during and after the alert. It was fantastic.” — Matt
“I recently discovered Joon Lee’s YouTube channel. He offers fantastic deep dives into current sports and culture from an independent perspective. Spoiler: Most things have been ruined by gambling and private equity. In an age of hot takes and clickbait, he’s the breath of fresh air sports media fans need.” — Brett
“I’ve been experimenting with Hypertexting, a new app that treats RSS (and your personal blog) like an open social network. It’s really interesting and has a lot of potential.” — Chris
“This week, I’ve been reading The Interface Series, a sci-fi/horror web serial from about 10 years ago. Each chapter is posted as a comment in a random, unrelated Reddit thread, but it’s all been compiled at /r/9M9H9E9. It’s fascinating speculative fiction that makes the most of its medium.” — Andie

Signing off
I’ve always appreciated the size and power of an IMAX screen, but it wasn’t until I heard Matt Damon explain how strange it is to act in front of an IMAX camera that I truly grasped how remarkable and complex the technology is. So, of course, I loved this video on how IMAX is projected, this interview with Christopher Nolan about his thoughts on formats, this exploration of the dying art of 70mm, and this excellent overview of the technology. Fine, Chris, I’ll make the trek halfway across the state to see this movie properly. You win.

Catch you next week!