Tips for Reducing Big Tech’s Influence in Your Online Life

Hey gamers! Welcome to Installer No. 116, your go-to source for the coolest and quirkiest finds in the gaming universe. If you’re new here, happy National Ferris Wheel Day to all celebrating, and feel free to check out past editions on the Installer homepage.

This week, I’ve been diving into Letterboxd, exploring the works of Mike Vrabel, and pondering the economics of daytime talk shows. I’ve taken extensive notes from Ezra Klein’s insightful podcast about the internet, snagged nearly every lamp featured in an awesome office tour, made Dot my primary Mac calendar app, and been raving about how great Steal is. I also revisited Tim Wu’s fantastic book, The Master Switch, in preparation for some Version History recordings, all while munching on an absurd amount of Siete tortilla chips.

I’ve got a fresh Switch game to share, a wild movie to catch this weekend, the latest top earbuds, a new AI model to keep an eye on, and much more.

Oh, and we still have a few copies of our amazing zine, Content Goblins, available for purchase. Use the code 30OFFZINEINSTAL at checkout for a 30% discount. Supplies are limited, so grab yours while you can!

Quick heads up: Installer will be taking a break next week to prepare some exciting new content. But don’t worry, we’ve got a packed edition this week to make up for it! Let’s dive in.

(As always, the best part of Installer is hearing from you. What are you watching, reading, playing, or listening to this week? Share your thoughts at installer@theverge.com. If you know someone who might enjoy Installer, pass it along and encourage them to subscribe!)

The Drop
* **Mario Tennis Fever**: The N64 version of Mario Tennis is my all-time favorite game—Luigi was my left-handed ace, and I was unbeatable! While this new game has a bit too much going on for my taste, the tennis gameplay is solid, and I can see myself logging countless hours into it.
* **Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die**: Initially skeptical about the trailer, this film has turned out to be a quirky, perfectly timed adventure about time travel and saving humanity. It gives off vibes reminiscent of the underrated gem, Safety Not Guaranteed.
* **“Wes Cook and The McDonald’s Mural”**: Remember that fantastic talk by Cabel Sasser a couple of years back? He’s finally shared the full story of saving the mural, complete with stunning photos from the process. Seriously, it’s a great excuse to revisit that talk.
* **Sony WF-1000XM6**: The battle for the title of “best earbuds” is a showdown between Sony and Apple. While I prefer the design of these over AirPods, it’s a bummer to hear that finding the right fit can be tricky. If I can get these to stay put, I might be $330 poorer soon!
* **The Interface**: A fun and insightful new podcast from the BBC, hosted by three tech journalists I admire. I’m curious to see if it maintains this blend of news and history, or if Karen Hao will keep her hilariously sharp wit aimed at her cohosts.
* **Fitbit’s Personal Health Coach**: Like many, I’m not a huge fan of AI coaches. However, Fitbit seems to be onto something interesting—creating a more interactive and user-friendly set of wellness tools, which I can definitely get behind. Plus, the new app looks fantastic.
* **Seedance 2.0**: I generally believe generative AI tools can be problematic, but if you’re into creative tech, this new model from ByteDance—capable of processing text, images, audio, and video—seems to be impressing a lot of people.
* **YouTube for Vision Pro**: Any Vision Pro users out there? If you’re still rocking that headset, a native YouTube app is a significant addition. I’m curious to see if this sparks a resurgence in immersive content creation.

Group Project
Over the years, many have attempted to navigate an online life free from Big Tech. Whether it’s due to concerns about advertising, data privacy, or a general mismatch of values, I always thought it was a daunting task. However, I’m starting to think differently. Nowadays, whether you need an email service, office suite, smartphone, or laptop, the options are broader than ever. This is great news, especially since I’ve been getting more requests for tips on embracing these alternatives.

I asked you all to share your favorite non-Big Tech tech, and as always, you delivered.

First up, here are the big four:
* **Proton**: Almost everyone who’s ditching Google is moving to Proton, and for good reason! They offer email, calendar, docs, file storage, and more—all with excellent functionality. This is where I’d recommend starting.
* **Signal**: The go-to messaging app, hands down. Like Proton, it prioritizes privacy while remaining user-friendly. I’m all in on Signal.
* **Nextcloud**: This one surprised me! It’s a suite of services with impressive features, and it’s open-source, allowing for self-hosting. For those on the non-Big Tech journey, this is a key player.
* **Home Assistant**: For smart home enthusiasts, this is the top choice.

Beyond that, here’s a roundup of other software:
* Many are swapping Google Search for Kagi or Ecosia, and Firefox is the browser of choice.
* Linux Mint is frequently mentioned as a user-friendly alternative to Big Tech operating systems. While escaping Android and iOS is tougher, GrapheneOS is a popular mobile alternative.
* Jellyfin is the preferred media platform, with some love for Plex as well.
* Obsidian, my favorite note-taking app, is also a hit. Built on text files, it’s future-proof compared to most software out there.

And here are some gadgets:
* Garmin smartwatches are a favorite among many! I’m still skeptical they’re for anyone but hardcore fitness fans, but they’re popular alternatives to Apple and Pixel Watches.
* The Sunbeam F1 flip phones have a dedicated fanbase for their clever features, appealing to those ditching smartphones.
* A few votes for the Playdate as a more casual gaming option.
* I received numerous recommendations for E Ink devices, especially Boox gear. The Xteink X4, a little e-reader that attaches to your phone, has captured some hearts. Many also suggested switching from Kindle to Kobo, though that’s a bit tricky since Kobo is owned by a larger tech company. The StoryGraph is also gaining traction as a new favorite reading platform.

If I were starting this journey today, I’d kick things off with Proton and Home Assistant. Securing your email, calendar, and files while taking control of your smart home is a solid way to reshape your tech relationship. Who knows? In six months, I might be self-hosting my entire digital life in my basement. Installer Web Services has a nice ring to it.

Screen Share
I’m not the ultimate authority on escaping Big Tech, so I recommend checking out Paris Marx, who has been on this path for years. Paris is an author, podcaster, and vocal tech critic whose insights have opened my eyes to how things really work.

Last year, Paris wrote a fantastic guide on moving away from US tech services, packed with useful recommendations. I was curious about his current setup, so I asked him to share his homescreen and the apps he uses:

The phone: Just a standard iPhone 15, though I’m eyeing a refurbished 13 mini. Bring back small phones!

The wallpaper: I like seeing my location on the globe, so it’s just a built-in Apple one.

The apps: Vivaldi, Inoreader, Apple Notes, Deezer, Bluesky, Proton Mail, Messages, Phone, Signal.

I’ve deleted several apps recently and prefer a minimalist homescreen to reduce distractions. Alongside standard Apple apps, Signal, and Bluesky, I have the Norwegian web browser Vivaldi, the Bulgarian feed reader Inoreader, the French streaming service Deezer, and Proton Mail from Switzerland. I plan to replace Notes with Obsidian soon, which is based in Canada. (Some apps are on Downtime since the screenshot was taken after 7 PM.)

I also asked Paris to share a few things he’s currently enjoying. Here’s what he sent back:
* **A More Civilized Age**: I’m not really into Star Wars since the Disney takeover (Andor aside), but the hosts of this podcast played through Knights of the Old Republic 2 last year, and I’ve been following along and wanting to replay it myself!
* **Magazines**: I switched back to print books from ebooks a few years ago, and I’m now rediscovering magazines, where there’s a vibrant independent community. Some cool new/returning tech ones are Empty Set and In Formation.
* **The X-Files**: I’ve been slowly watching the original series for the first time over the past year. It’s fascinating, and I can’t help but wonder how many people got lost in conspiracy theories from watching it.
* **EDCs on r/dumbphones**: I’m intrigued by the devices (mostly) young people are using to replace their smartphones, and I check r/dumbphones occasionally to see what people are carrying as part of their everyday carry.

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

“I’ve been rebuilding my personal music collection. I buy most of my albums from Bandcamp to download the FLAC version for my modified iPod Classic 7th gen. For things I can’t find there, if it’s on YouTube, I use a Python utility called yt-dlp to download single videos or entire playlists. The downloads are usually in WebM or MKV format, so I convert them to MP3s with FFMpeg, followed by MusicBrainz Picard for metadata. It’s a bit of a chore, but honestly, it’s a lot of fun!” — Nick

“Loving my new Anbernic RG34XXSP! It’s perfect for playing GBA games with its clamshell design and 3:2 aspect ratio screen. MinUI (OS) also makes for a very focused experience. Currently playing through The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap for the first time.” — Parker

“Currently very into these two Bluesky accounts. They both bring me so much joy: I Photoshop Paddington into a movie, TV show, or pop culture until I forget, and Inserting a Muppet into a Star Trek screenshot.” — BaltMatrix

“I’ve been using my Maxell Japanese cassette player more and more. I found a shop in Roma Norte that feels like a super cool treasure hunt for music I like on cassette. I also figured out how to connect it via Bluetooth to my Echos around the apartment, which makes listening to music a completely different experience.” — Josue

“Watching the new season of Jujutsu Kaisen, and it’s a masterpiece so far! Every episode is a work of art. Same goes for Frieren.” — Kolin

“I’m in Michigan, and this winter has been long and cold. Stardew Valley was a remedy until I hit winter there too. The relief I felt when it became spring last night was palpable. Now I’m just waiting for the real thing.” — Ian

“I’ve been really into AI dictation tools like Wispr Flow, Willow, and Raycast. I’m much faster speaking than typing. They work seamlessly on Mac but have some friction on iOS due to permissions. Makes me think this will be integrated into future versions of Mac/iOS natively.” — Irfan

“NewsMap has been helping me get a bird’s eye view of current events. It’s a ‘squarified tree map visualization of Google News.’ Runs as a web app and is customizable. Quick, easy color-coded news in a handy grid format.” — Seth

“I was sitting waiting to see The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee in NYC, and a few rows in front of me, a girl was scrolling what looked like a TikTok feed filled with little mini-app toys that seemed impossibly varied and endless. A quick Google search revealed a new app called Gizmo. This thing is super early but it’s one of those AI implementations that instantly blew my mind.” — Alex

Signing Off
Last week was the Super Bowl, which you probably already knew. It’s not just the pinnacle of football; it’s also a showcase for cool videos about the game. In just a few days, we got an inside look at how a stadium manages two massive events back-to-back, a deep dive into the NFL’s quest to expand its international audience, an hour-long podcast about the pregame flyover, a great vlog about life as a sports photographer, and so much more. Also, there was a fascinating video about the incredible speed of instant replay systems.

The game itself may have been a dud this year, but the content was top-notch. And hey, at least the Patriots lost.

Catch you in two weeks!