The Tech Backlash Hits Hollywood
Hey gamers! Welcome to Installer No. 147, your go-to source for the coolest and quirkiest in the gaming and tech universe. If you’re new here, welcome aboard! You can catch up on all the previous editions at the Installer homepage.
I’m back from parental leave—part-time, at least! Huge thanks to everyone who sent their well wishes and parenting tips for juggling three kids. This week, I’ve been diving into topics like McMansions, data centers, sports cards, and ICANN, all while trying to manage my life on the Dell XPS Googlebook, testing out a vibrant new Kindle, and completely revamping my note-taking system now that Google Docs supports Markdown files. I’ve also been binging episodes of No Such Thing as a Fish and catching up on Shrinking during those late-night baby feedings.
I’ve got some exciting stuff lined up for you this week, including a new movie, a tech-themed procedural, some awesome gadgets, a Star Wars game that’s bound to eat into my free time, a fantastic book about the AI industry, and more. Let’s jump in!
The Drop
* The Social Reckoning. I didn’t have high expectations for this film, and early reactions suggest it’s decent but not quite on par with The Social Network (which I recently rewatched and still love). However, with Aaron Sorkin and Jeremy Strong involved, it’s definitely worth a watch.
* The Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro. Amazon has finally decided to create a genuinely impressive tablet, and it looks like they might have succeeded! I’m eager to test this high-end model with its fancy screen, hoping it’s the “iPad but cheaper” we’ve all been waiting for.
* The AGI Chronicles. If you think the AI industry is strange, Kevin Roose’s book will take you even deeper. He’s spent years in AI labs and reveals how a handful of executives and their relationships are shaping the future of technology.
* Star Wars: Galactic Racer. This high-fidelity racing game lets you pilot a podracer, and that’s all I needed to hear! Plus, if you’re a Prime member, you can play it for free on Amazon’s Luna service.
* Cupertino. From the creators of The Good Wife comes a tech-focused show that’s exactly what you’d expect. I’m really enjoying it so far; it thoughtfully tackles complex legal issues in tech and AI, providing a refreshing break from the usual miniseries and lengthy documentaries.
* The Surface Laptop Ultra. Microsoft has unveiled its most impressive laptop yet, and while it comes with a hefty price tag of $2,600, it looks and sounds incredible. With a focus on AI capabilities, it seems to be a strong competitor to the MacBook Pro that many Windows users have been craving.
* Gears of War: E-Day. Known for its intense combat, Gears doesn’t disappoint here. This installment also delivers on story and exploration, which are often overlooked in the series. Fans have been eagerly awaiting this origin story, and it looks like it’s going to be a hit.
* Blockers. Michael Lewis dives into the story of Elon Musk and DOGE, focusing on the government employees who tried to rein them in. After enjoying his previous book, The Fifth Risk, I’m looking forward to this one as well.
Screen Share
One thing about parental leave is that it gives you a lot of time with one hand free. Over the past seven weeks, I’ve spent countless hours on the couch while my little one sleeps or cries. So, what did I do with all that time? Mostly, I messed around on my phone—too much Reddit, too much TikTok, but thankfully a bit of reading and crossword puzzles too.
I also revamped my entire homescreen, and I thought I’d share my current setup:
The phone: iPhone 17. I’m not looking to upgrade to the 18 just yet, but I can’t help but covet a Duo. Must resist!
The wallpaper: Black. I’m on a mission to make my phone less visually distracting, and this helps, especially in low light.
The apps: Unread, Instapaper, Google Maps, Capacities, Daygame, Flora, Phone, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Camera, Prism, Mimestream, Arc.
A few highlights:
* The top widgets are Calendars and Acme Weather. Acme is a fantastic weather app, and I love the hourly widget; Calendars is just okay. I often switch between it and Fantastical, but I haven’t found a calendar app I truly love.
* The new additions to my homescreen are Flora and Prism. Flora is a journaling app currently in TestFlight for Apple devices, and it’s fantastic. It’s simple yet pulls in workout data and photos for a cool daily snapshot. Prism is a note-taking app that’s as quick as texting but offers way more organization. I’ve been searching for a fast way to jot things down and organize them later, and Prism might be the answer.
* For those following my quest for the perfect notes app: I’m back on Capacities, which finally clicked for me. It’s a project to customize it fully, but it aligns perfectly with how my brain works.
* I switched from Readwise Reader to Instapaper since I recently got a Kobo, and Instapaper integrates beautifully with it. I’m enjoying the setup, but with the Boox Palma 3 on the horizon, my reading setup might change again soon.
* Daygame, which I created for myself, helps me manage all the daily games I play—it’s just a page full of links to games that open in various apps and tabs. I might spruce it up and share it more widely, so send me any games I should include!
Before I forget, here are a few more recommendations from my parental leave:
* Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die. This might be the strangest movie I watched recently, but it really made me think about tech, AI, and the future we’re heading toward.
* Tuner. A film about a piano tuner who gets caught up in a world of safecracking. It might not sound compelling, but trust me, it’s great.
* Furious. One of the most intense crime shows I’ve seen in a long time. I could hardly put it down.
* Footnotes. A unique journaling and notes app (Apple-only) that emphasizes taking pictures and videos alongside your notes. It’s one of the most creatively designed mobile apps I’ve ever used.
* Podcast Shuffle. I didn’t know I needed this app until I tried it. Just press a button, and it randomly plays an episode from your selected podcasts. It’s perfect for falling asleep or long drives, and I love not having to scroll to find something to listen to.
Crowdsourced
Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to hear what you’re enjoying too! Email me or message me on Signal with your recommendations, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here each week.
“Playing StarCraft II since the announcement of a new StarCraft in 2030. Just learned that macOS will drop support for Rosetta 2 in 2028, so no more StarCraft for Mac.” — Christian
“I’m going on a 13-hour road trip, guided solely by an old-school Garmin GPS. I love that it’s a single-purpose device with no ads or subscriptions, and it still gets map updates.” — sringsmuth
“The recent Hyperfixed podcast episode about the microwave popcorn button is one of the most entertaining non-gaming podcasts I’ve heard in a while. A BUTTON IS A PROMISE.” — MrEnthusiasm
“I just finished playing Wolverine on PS5, and I’m blown away by the story and graphics. Insomniac really delivered on the promise of slashing through bad guys—it feels like a whole new level for the character and fans.” — Josue
“Just saw Other Mommy. It’s like a fun amusement park ride in the form of a campy horror film.” — Kevin
“I’m building a shed. The tech angle is learning new things through YouTube, online library books, and AI reviews of local building codes to make sure I’m not missing anything. I’m probably doing it all wrong, but that’s what the fire pit is for.” — Tim
“I’ve dived headfirst into retro gaming on a Nintendo 3DS XL. The library of DS & 3DS games is massive, and with easily reparable hardware, it’s hard to beat in terms of performance and cost. Okay… back to Picross 3D.” — Jacob
“The Ezra Klein interview with the ex-OpenAI guy and the Jon Stewart interview with another ex-OpenAI guy.” — Chung
“I’ve been listening to World War II by Tom Hanks from the History Channel.” — Michael
Signing Off
If you haven’t checked out the HTX Studio YouTube channel yet, you’re missing out. This team of creators from China is producing some of the most innovative tech videos I’ve seen in years. I’ve watched their video about AirDesk around 25 times, and I want that desk more every time! The channel is just over a year old, and I haven’t found a single HTX video that isn’t worth watching—even the one about the cow.
Catch you next week!
