The game that motivates me to get moving

Hey gamers! Welcome to Installer No. 127, your go-to source for the coolest and quirkiest finds in the gaming universe. If you’re new here, welcome! My Scorpion is ready to challenge your Sub-Zero, and you can catch up on all the previous editions at the Installer homepage.

This week, I’ve been diving into the world of Hasan Piker and David Sacks, exploring sleep learning, catching up on Andor (for myself) and Young Jedi Adventures (for my little one), sifting through a ton of new Artemis II photos, and listening to what might be the longest YouTube video ever. I’ve also been taking more walks thanks to Pedometer++ 8.0, losing my mind during every Arsenal match, and spending way too much time setting up scenes with the Hue lights in my basement.

I’ve got some exciting updates for you, including a fantastic comeback for a workout app, a must-see concert documentary, a fun new board game, a book on creativity, and more. Let’s jump in!

The Drop
* Zombies, Run! This beloved fitness app and adventure game is back with fresh stories after a long hiatus. The tale of its revival is inspiring, and I can’t wait to lace up my shoes and hit the ground running again. (Seriously, I mean it!)
* Boox Tappy. This handy accessory for your e-reader allows for easy tapping and scrolling, similar to the Kobo Remote but with way more features (and likely some hackable potential). Once you have one, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.
* Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour. The latest James Cameron project is… wait for it… a concert documentary? Odd, but apparently fantastic! Shot in 3D, it delivers an immersive experience that rivals what we thought we could only get in VR. I might just have to catch this one in theaters.
* The Remarkable Paper Pure. This could be the most exciting E Ink notepad available. At $399, it’s a solid deal for this category, and Remarkable has made all the right choices—more memory, more storage, and no overpriced or subpar color screen. I can see myself picking one of these up soon.
* The Bose Lifestyle Ultra. Did I forget about Bose? They make great headphones, but the brand seems to have lost some of its luster. This new speaker lineup looks impressive, designed to work seamlessly with the streaming apps you already use, rather than adding another one to your phone.
* Mortal Kombat II. Honestly, what more could you want from this movie than epic action scenes, mediocre dialogue, and an over-the-top storyline? Is it a good film? Probably not. Will I cheer when someone shouts “FINISH HIM!”? Absolutely.
* Mixtape. This genre-blending game—part video game, part movie, mostly a chill experience—can be tricky to pull off. I often lose interest quickly, but so far, Mixtape has captivated me with its fantastic music and writing.
* Game Changer: Home Edition. It’s a big week for aspiring Dropout contestants! This new board game has a fun, Cranium-style vibe with a unique structure that should fit right into family game nights. It’s a Kickstarter project, which comes with its own risks, but I’m already clearing space in my game cabinet for it.
* Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better. David Epstein’s books are always a treat, and this collection of stories about the value of limits (and the dangers of having none) is packed with fascinating insights. There’s even a great excerpt in Wired about the team at General Magic, who essentially invented the iPhone a decade too early.

Screen Share
Adam Molina has impeccable taste in just about everything. He’s the productivity guru I nod along with during the Waveform podcast (which he produces), always sharing cool finds in his Cool Supply newsletter, and he seems to have the exact watch collection I aspire to. In short, he’s perfect for Installer.

I’ve had Adam on my Screen Share list for ages, but this week felt right—he just launched an app called Color Snap, which challenges you to photograph a specific color in the real world each day. It’s a super cool concept and a fun app that I think you’ll enjoy. Plus, it’s a great excuse for Adam to share what he’s into right now.

Here’s Adam’s homescreen, along with some info on the apps he uses and why:
The phone: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
The wallpaper: A photo someone posted on Threads of the ceiling of Sant’Ignazio di Loyola in Rome.
The apps: Signal, WhatsApp, Pocket Casts, Color Snap, Gradient Weather, Google Translate, Spotify, and YouTube.

My phone philosophy is that everything should be just one swipe and one tap away. The first page is all about quick access to my most-used apps, while the second page focuses on quick information. I also use an app called Button Mapper to turn my phone’s physical buttons into action buttons, allowing me to access even more features with a hold or double-tap. For instance, long-pressing the volume up button launches my home note in Obsidian. I clearly spend too much time thinking about this when I have no service on the subway.

The first page is dedicated to my most-used apps, including the usual suspects like YouTube, Spotify, and Pocket Casts. I’ve also been enjoying the new Gradient Weather app featured in Installer a few weeks back. Then there’s WhatsApp and Signal for messaging, Google Translate—which now has a built-in Duolingo competitor I’ve been using—and my own app, Color Snap (shameless plug). Color Snap is why there’s a small white widget on my homescreen: every day, the color changes, and I need to find that color in the real world and snap a picture. I wanted to challenge myself to take more photos, and this seemed like a fun way to do it. (It’s Android-only for now, but I promise the iOS version is on the way.)

The second page is all about quick, glanceable information and controls, like changing songs, switching podcasts, or checking my calendar for the day.

I also asked Adam to share a few things he’s into right now. Here’s what he sent back:
* I used to be really into anime in high school, and I’m trying to get back into it. Right now, I’m obsessed with Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. I just finished it last week and am already halfway through a rewatch. Highly recommend it if you’re into fantasy/anime.
* I recently discovered a podcast called Simple and Clean, which dives deep into the Kingdom Hearts games. It’s become my go-to podcast for walking the dog.
* A YouTuber I’m currently obsessed with is @halfof8. He’s a designer who turns his beautifully crafted journal entries into stunning Blender videos that are under 5 minutes long. He doesn’t post often, but when he does, they’re all fantastic.

Crowdsourced
Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to hear what you’re into as well! Email me or message me on Signal with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week. For even more great suggestions, check out the replies to this post on Threads and Bluesky.

“I recently picked up an M5 MacBook Air—my first Mac laptop! One transition hurdle from Windows was the lack of a native ‘Always on Top’ feature, which I relied on heavily via Microsoft PowerToys. After searching for a macOS alternative, I found Floaty. It allows me to focus on my primary tasks while keeping video feeds or conversations readily accessible.” —Travis

“I don’t know how I missed Halt and Catch Fire, but we just finished the last episode, and wow. I wish there was more like this: the character development, not to mention the various awesome camera angles and shots. Amazing all around.” —Mark

“Check out the app Blockit on Android. It’s like Brick on iOS, completely blocks you out of your phone until the timer is done.” —Gaurav

“I’ve been really enjoying the new season of Hacks, and the weird combination of cozy/secondhand embarrassment that is Rooster, both on HBO Max.” —Pegasusisme

“I’ve placed several campaigns’ worth of D&D characters into Tomadachi Life: Living the Dream, and now I’m obligated to let the players know about all the drama that has since unfolded.” —Nicholas

“Playing the hell out of MapTap.” —JD

“I have unfortunately stumbled back into playing Timberborn, an adorable beaver-themed survival city builder (which had its 1.0 release recently!), that runs the gamut from cute little farms to massive infrastructure projects with water physics. It’s very addictive, and those beavers are so dang cute.” —Olof

“Just got the GameSir Pocket Taco and have been rediscovering a ton of amazing GBA games. Right now, I’m really into Metroid Fusion!” —Sajishnu

“I’m messing with Wirken, a project by Davi Ottenheimer (formerly of Inrupt). It’s a kind of private by design OpenClaw-style LLM portal. Cool project!” —Rich

“I hacked my Nintendo Switch (you’ll definitely need some comfort with tearing it apart to do so) a couple of months ago, and I’ve been catching up on some old 3DS games thanks to RetroArch, perfect for the Switch format.” —Gabriel

Signing off
I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve been having trouble falling asleep lately and have turned to various methods to help me drift off. An episode of The Office in the background often helps quiet my mind; podcasts like Sleeping With Celebrities do the trick too. The issue is, I share a bed with someone who isn’t as keen on these late-night sounds as I am. So, I often go to sleep with AirPods in, only to wake up with one squished in my ear or lost somewhere in the covers. Am I the only one dealing with this? Should I invest in dedicated sleep headphones? One of those odd speaker-pillow things? Maybe I just need to convince my partner to love the folks at Dunder Mifflin as much as I do. That’s probably the easiest solution. If you have a better idea, I’m all ears.

Catch you next week!