Ready to Catch ‘Em All Again?

For anyone feeling the nostalgic pull of classic monster-catching adventures, a fresh Pokémon game has arrived that’s compelling enough to clear your weekend schedule. Alongside this exciting release, we’re also looking at Apple’s latest high-performance laptop and a documentary destined to become a favorite among film enthusiasts. There’s plenty to explore this week.

I have a question for everyone: what’s your personal go-to media for endless replay? Whether it’s a beloved series, a classic film, a YouTube clip, or a TikTok, I’m curious about the things you can watch repeatedly without ever growing tired of them. These are the comfort picks you turn to when you want to relax without making a decision. My personal shortlist includes New Girl and the Mission: Impossible franchise. I’m hoping to assemble a massive catalog of the best repeat-worthy content, so please send all your favorites my way!

It’s been a shorter week, but a productive one. Let’s get started.

The most valuable part of this newsletter continues to be the ideas and suggestions from readers. What are you currently watching, reading, playing, cooking, or perhaps even mounting on your wall? Share every detail by emailing installer@theverge.com. If you know someone who would appreciate this newsletter, feel free to forward it and suggest they subscribe.

Screen Share

I always enjoy having new team members reveal their phone homescreens. It’s a great way to get acquainted and, admittedly, to quietly evaluate their life decisions. We have several new colleagues, so it’s time for a round of introductions. First is Terrence O’Brien, our weekend editor who’s been with us a while now. I’ve followed his writing since his Engadget days and have always admired his expertise in music gear, but I had no idea what to anticipate from his phone setup. I half-expected him to forgo a smartphone entirely in favor of some sophisticated Teenage Engineering audio equipment.

It seems my guess wasn’t completely off. Here is a look at Terrence’s homescreen, along with his explanations for the apps he uses.

The phone: Pixel 7 The wallpaper: A simple, solid black. The apps: Calendar, Obsidian, Apple Music, Pocket Casts, Kobo Books, Readwise Reader, Libby, Headspace, Phone, Camera.

He calls his homescreen “Minimalist Phone.” His goal is to reduce his overall screen time, with a specific focus on his phone. He aimed to replicate the experience of using a Light Phone or a similar minimalist device without sacrificing modern necessities like RCS messaging or essential ticketing apps. Since he attends many concerts, going without Dice, AXS, or Ticketmaster simply isn’t an option. He keeps his homescreen reserved for “productive” applications, deliberately avoiding anything that might lead to endless scrolling.

He uses Obsidian strictly for quick reference, storing things like recipes and lock codes he can’t seem to memorize. While he praises the desktop version, he finds the mobile interface sluggish and difficult to use. For jotting down notes while out and about, he strongly prefers a Field Notes pocket notebook and a pen. He relies on Readwise’s Reader because it automatically creates time-synced transcripts for YouTube videos and integrates seamlessly with Obsidian, which streamlines his research and note-taking process, even though he isn’t particularly fond of its user interface.

I also asked Terrence to share a few things he’s currently enjoying. Here are his picks.

He has rekindled his affection for Welcome to Night Vale, a fictional podcast that presents Lovecraftian terrors as ordinary community radio announcements. It manages to be equally humorous and eerie. Now that his eldest child is developing a taste for the strange and spooky, it has become a shared listening experience, even inspiring him to catch up on all the episodes he’s missed over the years.

Hainbach, a German YouTuber and experimental musician, creates music using laboratory test equipment, tape loops, and incredibly obscure instruments, he appears to have a particular fondness for vintage Italian synthesizers. Watching him transform a piece of telephone line test gear into the most powerful kick drum sound is an absolute delight.

When he needs a quick mood lift on a difficult day, he browses various pitbull-focused subreddits. The main r/pitbulls community is usually a reliable source of cheer. Sometimes, however, he seeks out the more specialized joy found in r/pitbullsinpartyhats or r/PittiesAndKitties. He describes this as the complete opposite of doomscrolling.

Crowdsourced

Here’s a sample of what the Installer community is passionate about this week. I’m always eager to hear what you’re into! Send your recommendations for anything and everything to installer@theverge.com or message me on Signal at @davidpierce.11. We’ll highlight some of the best submissions here each week. For even more suggestions, take a look at the replies to our posts on Threads and Bluesky.

“I just finished Dan Charnas’s biography of J Dilla, Dilla Time. It was phenomenal, not only as a biography but also as a cultural history that details the technological advancements which allowed hip-hop producers to craft beats in revolutionary ways. It feels particularly relevant following the recent, sad passing of D’Angelo, who is featured prominently in the book as a collaborator of J Dilla.” , Jake

“Task on HBO is a very enjoyable miniseries. I’m looking forward to the finale next week.” , Ibuqun

“Hades 2 has captured my gaming attention just as completely as the original did five years ago. The sequel somehow refines a game I considered nearly perfect and didn’t think could be improved. And yet, here we are…” , Nick

“PikaPods provides affordable hosting and management for open-source software instances. I moved from Google Photos to a self-hosted PhotoPrism instance through them. It’s been running flawlessly for over four years with no maintenance required on my part. It costs me around $10 per month, and PikaPods handles all the hosting, database management, image storage, and other technical details. I receive daily backups, a custom domain, SSH access, and more.” , Luke

“Playing Donkey Kong Country on my Miyoo Mini Plus has been a wonderfully relaxing way to spend the first few weeks with my newborn daughter, Amelia! There’s something incredibly cozy and comforting about retro games and transparent tech.” , Dylan

“I finally discovered my ideal wallet and have to share it: the Topsider Bifold LT. It’s compact, beautifully crafted, handmade in Hawaii, and has a wonderful scent (which wasn’t a requirement, but is a nice bonus). It’s also fully customizable; I chose an Olmo Pueblo leather with Olive Pueblo for the primary and secondary colors, finished with orange stitching. Also, check out Michael’s video where he discusses the history of his wallets while handcrafting each one.” , Felipe

“Strange Antiquities! It’s an incredible game, perfect for any time of year, not just the spooky season.” , Allison

“My wife and I finally started watching Slow Horses, and wow, what a fantastic show. The seasons are short and highly bingeable, featuring excellent acting and sharp writing. Each season feels distinct in a good way and reveals its story in a deeply satisfying manner. I highly recommend it.” , Jonathan

“A friend suggested the Johnny Decimal organization system to me a while back, and I finally took the time to implement it after enjoying the workbook. I’m thrilled to finally bring order to my countless lists.” , Laszlo

Signing Off

My eldest child is approaching his third birthday, and I believe we’ve settled on getting him a Toniebox as a gift. It’s a brilliant concept: an audio player that uses small, toy-like figures to let children select what they want to hear. While the price is quite high, I’ve heard nothing but glowing reviews. This, like many other recent products, has me pondering: are we on the verge of a major resurgence in dedicated devices? Technically, I can accomplish everything the Toniebox does with a dozen other gadgets in my home, but its specific design and physical interaction completely transform its appeal.

It’s even got me browsing for an old iPod, wondering if a dedicated music player could revitalize my own listening habits. Perhaps I’m just a collector of gadgets at heart. Or maybe there’s a deeper trend here. I’m interested to hear your thoughts, and if you have any brilliant gift ideas for a three-year-old who adores Cookie Monster and Buzz Lightyear, I’m definitely listening.

See you next week

(Source: The Verge)