Welcome to Installer No. 129, your guide to the best and most intriguing tech and culture of the week. I've been sick, rewatching Parks and Recreation, testing the NextSense Smartbuds, and writing in the Outerline Markdown app. But the biggest news is that I have a new go-to browser for the first time in five years. Say goodbye to Arc, and hello to Vivaldi 8.0.
The Drop: Vivaldi 8.0
Vivaldi has long been known as a fast, feature-rich browser with incredible customization options. But it was always ugly. The new version 8.0 changes that with a cleaner, more modern interface. Out of the box, it looks beautiful, and you can spend hours tweaking every aspect to your liking. It’s built on Chromium, so it works with all your extensions, but it adds powerful tab management, note-taking, and a built-in email client. For power users who crave control, Vivaldi is now the best choice.
Also in The Drop
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu
The reviews are mixed, but I’m thrilled to see these characters on the big screen again. Grogu remains the most adorable creature in the galaxy, and the adventure promises to be pure fun.
Steve Jobs in Exile by Geoff Cain
A fresh look at the NeXT and Pixar years, revealing how Jobs changed personally and professionally. It’s a compelling narrative that even Jobs experts will find new insights in.
How to Rule the World by a Stanford student
An insider’s look at the strange and successful culture of Silicon Valley and Stanford. Essential reading for understanding the tech industry’s roots and future.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro
Colleague John Higgins calls these the best phone-call earbuds he’s ever used, at a price competitive with AirPods. The sound quality and call clarity are outstanding.
Age of Audio: The Inside Story of Podcasting
A documentary and companion book from Twenty Thousand Hertz, tracing the history of podcasting through interviews with legends. A must-hear for audio enthusiasts.
Forza Horizon 6
The latest racing game set in Japan is gorgeous and soothing. It’s not just about speed; sometimes you just want a relaxing drive through beautiful landscapes.
MacStories Shortcuts Playground
Federico Viticci and team created a tool that uses AI to generate Apple Shortcuts from plain descriptions. This is exactly how automation should work: just tell it what you want and get a shortcut instantly.
Crowdsourced Highlights
The Installer community shared their own discoveries this week. Allen found an Oculus Go at a thrift store for $10, which still runs YouTube surprisingly well. Matt’s son loves the Stickerbox, a simple AI toy for making stickers without subscriptions. James recommends audiobook A Man on the Moon for inspiring running sessions. Wintersong is experimenting with Writer and Ellipsus to replace Google Docs. Seb bought Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones and loves the professional sound quality. Mitch swears by the Allroundo Eco cable from Vonmahlen, which includes multiple adapters in a compact case. Tynan is reading Light Bringer on his Xteink X4. comicallytinyhat uses Record Club, a European social platform for music discovery. Fry is rewatching Scavengers Reign before it leaves Netflix. Luis and his friends have a regular Monday night playing Diablo IV with the new expansion.
Signing Off
The end of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show also brought back the Strike Force Five podcast for a final episode. The five late-night hosts reunited, producing hilarious moments. I’m tempted to wear a suit for every Vergecast episode now, but my basement studio might not appreciate it. See you next week.
Remember: if you enjoy this newsletter, forward it to a friend and tell them to subscribe. What are you reading, watching, or playing this week? Email installer@theverge.com or message @davidpierce.11 on Signal. Full archives at the Installer homepage.
This week’s top stories include: Hackers learning to exploit chatbot personalities, Google’s new anything-to-anything AI model, the man behind the legendary MPC focusing with a single browser tab, and the best Memorial Day sales. For more, keep reading The Verge’s tech coverage.
I hope you find a new go-to product this week. Whether it’s Vivaldi, a Star Wars movie, or a pair of earbuds, there’s always something exciting to discover. Until next week, stay curious and keep exploring.
Source: The Verge News