Two new must-have Android apps

Hello, buddies! Welcome to Installer No. 46, your information to the very best and Verge-iest stuff on the planet. (If you happen to’re new right here, welcome, hope you want foolish devices, and in addition you possibly can learn all of the previous editions on the Installer homepage.) 

This week, I’ve been writing about Apple betas and AR devices, studying about Donald Glover and the scourge of meetings and what it takes to feed the Olympics, admiring Christian Selig’s keyboard layout, watching Hard Knocks and The Beekeeper, and making an attempt (and failing) to excellent my blueberry muffin recipe.

I even have for you a few nice iOS apps which can be lastly out there on Android, a brand new solution to play some basic Nintendo video games, an costly new digital camera, and stuff to observe this weekend each at residence and in theaters.

This week’s a bit of heftier than normal, each as a result of there’s loads happening and since I’m on the brink of go on trip. Installer will come as normal subsequent week after which off for 2 weeks earlier than we’re again on August seventeenth able to rumble. So, simply in case you’d in any other case run out of stuff to do, I figured I’d go away you with some extras. Let’s get into it.

(As all the time, the very best a part of Installer is your concepts and suggestions. What do you wish to know extra about? What superior methods have you learnt that everybody else ought to? What app ought to everybody be utilizing? Inform me all the things: installer@theverge.com. And if you already know another person who may get pleasure from Installer, ahead it to them and inform them to subscribe right here.)

• Notion Calendar for Android. I nonetheless actually hate the app icon, however apart from that, this is without doubt one of the best-looking and customarily sharpest calendar apps on the market. It’s particularly nice if you happen to’re additionally a Notion person, however even when not, I believe it’s an improve on Google Cal.
• Claude for Android. Time and again the previous couple of weeks, I’ve been listening to individuals speak about how a lot they like Claude 3.5 Sonnet — much more than they like ChatGPT. I like Claude’s app loads, too, particularly its potential to import and perceive screenshots.
• The TinyPod. It’s a case for an Apple Watch that makes it seem like an iPod, and at the same time as I sort that, it sounds completely ridiculous. However you higher consider I shall be shopping for this factor and seeing if it turns my Watch into the music-playing, message-sending dumbphone of my goals.
• Wild Wild Space. We consider area as, like, a grand stunning unknown. However in so some ways, it’s turning into simply one other place for firms to try to conquer. This HBO collection (primarily based on a great Ashlee Vance book) is a very epic — and considerably terrifying? — startup story.
• UTM SE. I might’ve fortunately wager you $10 that Apple would by no means approve an app that simply straight-up emulates a Home windows pc. I’m glad to have misplaced that wager! UTM SE can do retro video games, however it will probably additionally do every kind of different stuff. (Simply don’t anticipate it to, like, truly change your pc.)
• EA Sports College Football 25. After 11 years, it’s again and apparently pretty much as good as ever. The story of this sport is a hilariously excellent story concerning the web, capitalism, and fame, however in the end, I’m simply excited to lastly flip my alma mater into the soccer juggernaut it very a lot shouldn’t be.
• Overcast. An enormous replace this week to among the finest podcast apps for Apple units. Marco Arment, the developer, is true when he says it’s noticeably sooner in nearly each method, and Overcast does issues like Sensible Velocity and quantity enhancement higher than anything. 
• The Canon R5 Mark II. Photographers and digital camera nerds have been ready for this one for some time, and with good purpose. The R5 II is quicker for pictures, extra useful for video, and has a brand new autofocus system that sounds fairly nice. $4,300 ain’t low-cost, however superior cameras by no means are.
• Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition. A bunch of basic video video games, chopped up and put again collectively into tiny new items all designed to be performed at blisteringly quick speeds. Such a cool thought and an amazing new spin on some previous faves.
• Skywalkers: A Love Story. I can’t get sufficient of those YouTube videos of individuals parkouring their method round skyscrapers and deserted buildings, even when they do stress me out. This Netflix doc is a variety of that sort of stuff and a love story, multi function.
• Dyson’s OnTrac headphones. Glad to see Dyson go rather less, uh, Bane-ish with its second set of headphones. The OnTrac are tremendous costly — $500! — however look fairly good, and I’m rooting for something going this tough on customization.
• Twisters. Right here’s a weekend plan for you. This afternoon, watch Twister, which holds up shockingly effectively 28 years later. (The consequences nonetheless rip, too.) Tonight, go see Twisters, which has gotten stable critiques and appears like precisely the sort of film that needs to be seen in an enormous, loud movie show. Then, hit me up and inform me if you happen to appreciated it. Sound like a plan?

Ryan Gilbert runs one of many newsletters I learn each single week. It’s known as Workspaces, and each week, it options some fascinating individual speaking about how they work and the way they’ve arrange their desk to work for them. I’m, uh, eternally obsessive about desk setups and by no means tire of seeing how different individuals take into consideration their areas.

Homescreens are kinda like desk setups, I believe, in that they reveal loads about the one that created them. So, I requested Ryan to share his homescreen to see what I’d study from him — and what he’s realized from all these interviews.

Right here’s Ryan’s homescreen, plus some information on the apps he makes use of and why:

The telephone: iPhone 14 Professional.

The wallpaper: My spouse and I throughout our engagement footage. I like how delicate and distraction-free it’s as a background with it principally simply being a lightweight shade (mild mode > darkish mode for all the things btw). 

The apps: X, Slack, Digital camera, Clock, Overcast, Climate, Google Maps, ESPN, Spotify, Notion, Peloton, USGA GHIN, Campsite, LinkedIn, Apple Sports activities, Messages, Gmail, Safari, Cellphone.

So, as you possibly can inform, my homescreen is a bit unorganized. I truly prefer it that method. You’ll discover that Twitter is prime left in prime actual property and outdoors of the “Social” cluster of apps within the backside proper. Luckily or sadly (I’ll allow you to determine), Twitter is an enormous a part of my day-to-day work, so I deal with that as extra of a piece app vs. social. The entire apps within the “Social” cluster are the apps I exploit with buddies — issues like Snapchat or Instagram. Additionally, you will see random apps like Product Hunt and ESPN Fantasy Soccer being tossed in there. Not all the things has to make sense.

I even have each ESPN and the brand new Apple Sports activities app on the homescreen. I’d love to maneuver away from ESPN, as their app has turn into extraordinarily bloated and gradual, so I’ve been making an attempt to drive the Sports activities behavior an increasing number of. 

I like Overcast. It’s the place I hearken to all of my podcasts. I prefer to preserve this separate from the place I hearken to music (Spotify). 

Gmail… I’m not an inbox zero sort of man.

I additionally requested Ryan to share a number of issues he’s into proper now. Right here’s what he despatched again:

• USGA GHIN: The app that has most likely by no means been featured right here earlier than! It’s for maintaining monitor of my golf scores and handicap.
• I nonetheless play Wordle each morning. I prefer to suppose it will get my artistic juices flowing, however actually, it’s only a solution to keep away from checking e-mail for an additional jiffy.
• My spouse and I attempt to go mountaineering ~twice per week. We actually prefer to spend as a lot time outdoors as potential in the course of the summer season. Being from Wisconsin, you should get pleasure from it when you can!

Right here’s what the Installer neighborhood is into this week. I wish to know what you’re into proper now as effectively! E-mail installer@theverge.com or message me on Sign — @davidpierce.11 — along with your suggestions for something and all the things, and we’ll characteristic a few of our favorites right here each week. For much more suggestions, try the replies to this post on Threads.

“Terrifying Questions is a good philosophy podcast by Futurama author Eric Kaplan and professor Taylor Carman. Every week, they focus on a philosophical query. It’s sensible, humorous, and fascinating however with out being inaccessible. The primary episode from a 12 months in the past about ChatGPT is a good place to begin.” — Jonathan

“Fable! It has been nice for me and received me into studying once more!” — Ataya

“I really feel a bit of late to the celebration however watching Scavengers Reign, which is on Netflix outdoors the US. Actually among the finest reveals I’ve seen in a very long time. Hardly ever does sci-fi really feel this alien or unknown. Even if you happen to don’t like sci-fi, watch it for the unbelievable music alone!” — Alex

“Star Trek Prodigy season two on Netflix has blown me away. Season one was good, however season two is without doubt one of the finest seasons of Star Trek (thus far).” — J

“I’m making an attempt out Company of Heroes 3 on the PS5. Consoles get a nasty rap for RTS video games, however it’s solely as a result of porting playable controls takes extra effort. Haven’t performed sufficient to have an opinion on CoH3 but, however EndWar and Halo Wars on the 360 had been each nice to regulate.” — Ian

“I can’t recover from Omnivore’s text-to-speech article reader! I had began off utilizing ElevenLabs’ Reader app to learn articles to me, and although their voices are extra real looking, I simply looove the way in which Omnivore switches voices for a quoted passage. No thought when Omnivore made this replace, however I’m obsessed!” — Roxxy

“Been actually having fun with what AEW has been as much as not too long ago, positively popping out of some artistic doldrums. They’ve a storyline the place Toni Storm is the champ enjoying a black-and-white film star (actually her intro and promos are B&W). They’ve been doing an All About Eve factor along with her protege Mariah Might who simply turned on her. They usually simply had a 59-minute match with Will Ospreay and MJF that was an incredible piece of storytelling. I’ll watch wrestling even when it’s mid, however this has been nice!” — Richard

“Not too long ago upgraded an previous iPod Traditional gifted to me by my GF’s dad! I put in a brand new backplate, faceplate, contact wheel, battery, and SD card enlargement module for it. Becoming a member of the ‘single-purpose’ tech pattern we’re on.” — Stefan

“Studying The Battle of the Beams, the story of the event of radar throughout WW2 and the countermeasures to it. Some unbelievable tales, actually eye-opening.” — Peter

“Ordered a pair of Dayton Audio B40 speakers. They sound like $50, however like… a very good $50. Dayton’s B452 and 652 audio system had been long-reigning champs of the ‘newbie audiophile,’ and it’s cool to see this replace.” — Emmet

“I’ve been enjoying round with the Flow Minimalist Launcher. Thus far, it has led to me studying earlier than mattress as a substitute of scrolling and, not less than for now, prevented me from shopping for a Boox Palma.” — Zachary

Some time again, after I was engaged on a narrative a few woodworking pc maker, I realized concerning the designer Tom Sachs’ idea of “Always Be Knolling.” Knolling is a very particular system that includes laying all of your stuff out at particular angles, however I take the broader thought as: don’t make cleansing and organizing into A Factor, simply all the time be doing it. I’ve been making an attempt to undertake this not too long ago, and it’s superior. After I’m on a telephone name, I tidy up my desk. After I’m ready for one thing to export, I tidy up my desk. A number of seconds at a time, I barely even discover, and my workspace is cleaner than ever. Now I simply have to determine easy methods to All the time Be Knolling with, like, laundry and dishes. Then I’ll be unstoppable.