The Essential App for Optimizing Your Computer
Hey gamers! Welcome to Installer No. 128, your go-to source for the coolest and quirkiest tech in the gaming universe. If you’re new here, welcome aboard! Apologies for the Mac-centric focus this time around, but you can catch up on all the previous editions at the Installer homepage.
This week, I’ve been diving into the world of David Attenborough, exploring the fascinating realm of screenwriters turned AI trainers, and enjoying some mixes from Productivity FM while I grind through work. I’ve also been busy writing my vibe-coding masterpiece, testing out the Poppy AI assistant (and probably sharing more data than I should), tracking my less-than-stellar step counts with the new Fitbit Air, and picking up more from The Atlantic’s summer reading list than I can realistically tackle. Plus, I’ve been binge-watching Maxinomics videos after the quartz episode blew up, reliving the nostalgia of my all-time Spotify Wrapped playlist, and finally switching browsers after ages. More on that next week!
I’ve got some fantastic Mac utilities to share, a new addition to our favorite book series, a fresh tool for navigating the fediverse, and a lot more. Let’s jump in!
The Drop
* Mole. I’ve been keeping an eye on this Mac app for a while, and I’m a huge fan. It excels at finding large files, unnecessary apps, memory-hogging processes, and other clutter without being overly aggressive or constantly pushing for upgrades. At just $9, it’s a must-have.
* A Parade of Horribles. Dungeon Crawler Carl is back! I’m still catching up on the series, but I’m sure the eighth installment brings even more chaos for Carl and Donut. DCC has been one of the most recommended series in Installer history, so this release is a big deal. I can’t wait to dive in!
* The Twelve South PowerClip. I’m a firm believer in carrying a backup battery, but this tiny $40 dongle has charmed me. It’s not meant to fully charge your phone but to keep it alive, and it cleverly doubles as a USB-C cable.
* Bartender Pro. A classic for power users, Bartender helps tidy up your menu bar. For $15 a year, Bartender Pro adds a bunch of handy utilities, like audio controls and calendar access, right in your Mac’s screen notch (or menu bar). My favorite feature? Zero-click AirDrop from my computer to my phone—just drag and drop a file.
* Subnautica 2. This underwater adventure game skyrocketed to the top of Steam overnight, which is amusing considering many reviews mention its early access bugs and quirks. But that hasn’t stopped players from diving in!
* Indigo. A combined Bluesky and Mastodon app that presents a single timeline in a sleek way. The same developers also created Croissant, a great app for posting to both platforms. Tools like this keep my excitement for the fediverse alive.
* “We aren’t ready for Meta glasses.” A fantastic video from Christophe discussing the cultural implications of smart glasses—an area my colleague has also explored extensively—highlighting why these devices are both exciting and a bit unsettling.
* Snapseed 4.0. Google surprised us by revamping this photo editing app, making it a standout in a market where such features are hard to find. It’s packed with tools but maintains a user-friendly interface. The new design might not be for everyone, but I’m a fan.
* The Punisher: One Last Kill. This Disney Plus special has gone viral for some not-so-great reasons, but I’m always up for a gritty superhero story, and it seems to deliver on that front.
Screen Share
Today, Joanna Stern achieves a major milestone in her career. No, it’s not the Emmy she won or her new book, I Am Not a Robot, which just hit the shelves and is a must-read. It’s not even her new media company, newsletter, or YouTube channel. Today, Joanna becomes the first-ever repeat guest in Installer history. What a day for her!
Over the past year, Joanna has been experimenting with AI in every possible way to discover its true utility. If you want to hear her stories, she’s been featured on nearly every podcast lately. After all her trials, I asked her to share some of the tools that genuinely worked for her. Here’s what she had to say:
What’s your day-to-day AI setup like? I’m a fan of Claude and ChatGPT. I use Claude Code and Claude Cowork for multi-step tasks and integration with my Google tools. ChatGPT is my go-to for editing and brainstorming, mainly because its voice and live video features are top-notch.
What are some surprising tools that have worked for you? I love using Projects in ChatGPT and Claude. They saved me tons of time while writing my book. And yes, “book making” does sound like “baby making.” Just to clarify, I wrote the entire book myself, using AI for organization, reporting, and research assistance, which I discuss in detail in the book.
Back to Projects: I created my “BookBots” using these tools. I uploaded research notes, academic papers, transcripts, deadlines, and editor notes. Those BookBots kept me organized and made it easy to find information while writing. If I had questions about deadlines or which experts to consult, I just asked the BookBots.
Have you vibe-coded anything cool recently? Only the greatest website ever: joannastern.com. Seriously, I ran a pin promotion where people who pre-ordered the book could get a free pin. I vibe-coded the entire process: an order form on the site, and a backend workflow that automatically added submissions with receipts to a spreadsheet and emailed confirmations to me and the publisher.
After a year of AI experiments, what’s stuck with you? I often chat with ChatGPT in the car using voice mode, and I also use Meta AI in my Meta Ray-Bans. So yeah, I talk to AI a lot—mostly because you don’t pick up my calls.
I also asked Joanna to share a few things she’s currently into, but she didn’t follow through. Instead, she said:
Well, David, once you write and release a book, you’ll find there’s no time for anything else. I look forward to that day for you and supporting you through it. There’s no time for other books, movies, podcasts, or even recipes. So here are six podcasts I recommend because I’m on all of them, and that’s what I’ve been doing with my time lately.
Also, sorry to all the tech podcast listeners whose feeds I’ve completely taken over this week. If you buy the book, I hear they’ll automatically be removed from your feed. Love you all.
* Decoder with Nilay Patel
* Fresh Air with Terry Gross
* Hard Fork with Casey Newton and Kevin Roose
* Pioneers of AI
* Stratechery with Ben Thompson
* The Journal
Crowdsourced
Here’s what the Installer community is enjoying this week. I want to hear what you’re into as well! Shoot me an email with your recommendations for anything and everything, 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 Bluesky.
“Like Lego and robots? Play Mars First Logistics. Build rovers to deliver increasingly complex objects across the Martian landscape. The tinkering is rewarding, and it’s surprisingly funny when your creation spectacularly fails and you have to start over.” — astanush
“We recently discovered Trash Truck on Netflix, and it’s one of those rare kids’ shows that’s entertaining for both me and a four-year-old. It’s sweet and low-key but has enough hijinks to keep Lennox engaged. 10/10.” — Allison
“I’m documenting our weekly D&D adventures from the last five years and adding past adventures from before I joined the group. I’m keeping these notes in a Google Doc and adding them to NotebookLM so the whole group can ask questions about past characters, places, maps, and important organizations. NotebookLM is perfect for this, but going through old notes is exhausting.” — Michiel
“Really enjoying Devil May Cry 5 and the new season of the series on Netflix.” — Aron
“I recently learned about Blento, a website maker that’s an AT Protocol alternative for Bento (RIP) and pulls in information from apps in the ATmosphere.” — Oscar
“Reading Mason & Dixon. And it will continue to be Mason & Dixon for a very long time.” — Scott
“I’m not usually into horror, but I made an exception for Widow’s Bay on Apple TV. It blends comedy with horror really well and subverts typical horror expectations. I usually cover my eyes for jump scares, but not for this show.” — John
“Graveyard Keeper was free on Steam a few weeks back, and I’m obsessed. It’s like Stardew Valley but with sandwiches and zombies made from dead bodies.” — Rob
“I’m listening to the audiobook, Apple: The First 50 Years by David Pogue on Everand. Great book, great audiobook, a solid alternative to Audible.” — Ryan
Signing Off
I took a sort of half-vacation this week, which mostly meant I skipped meetings (and took a break from podcasting) but was still available for urgent matters. I spent a lot of my free time organizing my home office, which had turned into a bit of a mess. I added two items that solved many issues: an Anker power strip that clamps to my desk, offering the best mix of minimalism and accessibility I’ve found, and a couple of 10-foot USB-C cables that make setting up a charging and power system much easier. I got mine from Anker, but you can find good long cables anywhere—and I’m already considering upgrading to the Native Union Pop Cable, which is coiled and stretchy to avoid tangling. It’s probably for the best that I’m back to work on Monday.
Catch you next week!
