Hello, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 4, your ultimate guide to the world of the best and most cutting-edge products and experiences. Whether you’re a regular reader or new to our community, we’re glad to have you here. If you’re interested, you can catch up on all our previous editions on the Installer homepage.
Unfortunately, I’ve been under the weather this week, confined to my couch and spending most of my time online. Despite being sick, I managed to find some fantastic content to share with you all. From watching Twisted Metal and rewatching Superstore to delving into a fascinating documentary about the Apple Newton, I’ve had quite the couch-based experience. In addition, I’ve been reading up on the thriving product-return industry and the expose on a major ransomware gang. I even found myself buying numerous products from The Verge’s “cheap stuff that doesn’t suck” list, all while anxiously anticipating the iPhone 15 launch, just two weeks away.
This week, I have a plethora of exciting content to share with you. We’ll dive into the world of old video games, explore advancements in smartphone repairability, and discover a smart speaker that may revolutionize virtual assistants. Additionally, I have a fantastic tool to help you effortlessly organize your online life and a peek into Victoria Song’s homescreen. Let’s get started!
But before we do, I want to encourage you to share your ideas and tips with me. What topics would you like to learn more about? Do you have any incredible tricks or must-have apps that you believe everyone should know about? Don’t hesitate to reach out and tell me everything at [email protected].
Now, let’s dig into some noteworthy content!
1. The DropStarfield: Prepare to be immersed in an epic sci-fi game that lives up to its enormous hype. This game allows you to explore the universe and promises to keep you captivated for hours. While it’s not your typical shoot-the-bad-guy game, that’s precisely what makes it all the more enticing. Early access is already underway, with the full game set to launch on Wednesday.
2. Can You Start a YouTube Channel in 2023?: If you’re fascinated by the mechanics of running and growing a YouTube channel, you’ll love this discussion between Marques Brownlee and Cleo Abram. These two exceptional channels, MKBHD and Huge If True, delve into the nuances of storytelling, battling algorithms, and avoiding creative stagnation.
3. Obscura 4: Custom iPhone camera apps have always left me skeptical, given the impressive capabilities of the built-in camera app. However, the new Obscura app has caught my attention. With its intuitive gestures and dials, it offers a myriad of control options at your fingertips while capturing shots. Plus, the app boasts a visually pleasing interface that enhances the shooting experience.
4. The Big Flop: Quibi Bites the Dust: Discover the hilarious yet insightful story of Quibi’s failure in a 37-minute podcast episode. This recap sheds light on what went wrong for the short-form streaming platform and might just change your perspective on its missed potential.
5. One Piece on Netflix: The highly-anticipated live-action adaptation of the popular manga and anime series, One Piece, is now available for streaming on Netflix. According to The Verge’s Charles Pulliam-Moore, it’s one of the best anime adaptations to date, likened to a fusion of Pirates of the Caribbean and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
6. Aboard: Developed by Rich Ziade and Paul Ford, two experts in crafting excellent apps, Aboard is a game-changer. Imagine combining the functionalities of Trello, Pinterest, and Google Sheets into one platform. Aboard allows you to effortlessly collect and organize URLs, notes, images, and spreadsheets alone or in collaboration with others. Although the app is still in its early stages, it’s already impressively user-friendly.
7. The Making of Karateka: Uncover the immersive world of game development with this unique documentary that doubles as a video game. Experience a choose-your-own-adventure movie where you can pick the aspects that interest you most or simply watch the entire story unfold. The best part? You can even play the game at the end of the documentary.
8. Ollie’s Arcade: If you’re a fan of retro games, you’re in for a treat with this new iOS app. Ollie’s Arcade offers a collection of simple yet enjoyable games such as Snake, Ollie Soars (reminiscent of Flappy Bird), and Tranquility Touchdown, a space-exploration game. No intrusive ads or sneaky subscriptions—just good old-fashioned fun for a reasonable price.
9. The Analog Weekly Planner: For those who appreciate luxurious productivity systems, the Analog Weekly Planner by Jeff Sheldon and Ugmonk is a must-have. This beautifully designed planner offers a simple yet satisfying way to plan and organize your life. Putting pen to paper and strategically mapping out your schedule has a way of calming the mind and bringing clarity.
Now, let’s delve into this week’s weekend project: organizing your online life. Over the past few weeks, I’ve received countless messages regarding bookmarking apps or, as I like to think of them, “link bucket apps.” These tools serve as a convenient place to store all the URLs you know you’ll need to revisit in the future. While browser bookmarks may be an option, their clunky user interface and lackluster search capabilities make them far from ideal.
Instead, I recommend trying out Raindrop.io. This app is versatile, functioning seamlessly on every platform, and integrates effortlessly with other applications. With Raindrop.io, saving a URL is a breeze. Simply drop the link into the app, customize the page title, and you have quick access whenever you need it. Raindrop.io eliminates the frustration of re-Googling incessantly and effectively declutters your browsing experience.
Alternatively, there are several visually appealing apps that also serve this purpose. Aboard, mentioned earlier, offers excellent link-saving capabilities. MyMind and Fabric fall into the category of “private Pinterest” apps, allowing you to save and organize URLs with ease. While I haven’t personally tried Milanote, I’ve heard rave reviews about its functionality.
For Apple users seeking a sleeker option, consider using apps like Anybox or GoodLinks. GoodLinks is particularly beneficial if you plan to use it not only as a link bucket but also as a space to store and read articles. On the other hand, Anybox offers superior organizational features.
Note-taking apps can also serve as efficient link buckets. Whether you prefer Evernote, OneNote, or Notion, these platforms offer excellent web clippers and robust search capabilities. Apps like Obsidian, Bear, and Amplenote go a step further by extracting and saving full-text articles for future use.
Lastly, read-later apps like Pocket and Instapaper may not be the perfect fit for reading content, but they excel at saving and searching through links. Any app with full-text search functionality should serve the purpose well.
If you prefer not to dwell on the decision-making process, I highly recommend Raindrop.io. While some concerns have been raised regarding the app’s permissions and developer location, I haven’t found any substantial reasons to distrust Raindrop.io. With its versatility and ease of use, Raindrop.io saves me the hassle of countless re-Googles each day—an invaluable feature.
Before I sign off, I must share an incredible list of single-purpose websites that I stumbled upon. From complex conversions and YouTube thumbnail downloads to a simple screen cleaner, this comprehensive list offers an array of useful tools. I’ve preserved around 40 of them for future reference.
That wraps up this edition of Installer! I hope you’ve enjoyed this content and feel inspired to dive into the world of video games, explore repairable smartphones, organize your online life, and indulge in some nostalgia with retro games. Remember, I’m always eager to hear your ideas and tips, so don’t hesitate to reach out at [email protected].
Until next time, happy exploring!