Hey there, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 17, your go-to source for the coolest and most Verge-iest stuff in the world. If you’re new here, we’re thrilled to have you and be sure to check out all the previous editions on the Installer homepage.
Now, get ready for a brand new Mastodon app, a variety of cutting-edge AI tools, a whole new Fortnite universe, an espresso maker, and much more. Plus, I have some thoughts on messaging. Let’s dive in.
(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What apps are you currently obsessed with? What have you been reading, watching, eating, playing, or building lately? I want to hear it all: installer@theverge.com. And if you know someone else who would love Installer, be sure to pass it along and tell them to subscribe here.)
Installer
/ A weekly newsletter by David Pierce curated to keep you in the loop on everything you need to download, watch, read, listen to, and explore within The Verge’s universe.
The Drop
- Google Gemini. After chatting with Google CEO Sundar Pichai this week, it seems like the new Gemini model could tip the scales in Google’s favor in the AI war. Who knows if he’s right! Gemini does have its flaws, but you can check it out now in Bard and on the Pixel 8 Pro, with plans to roll it out to all Google products in the very near future.
- Beeper Mini. The universal messaging app dropped a new app for Android that did one thing exceptionally well — let you send blue-bubble iMessages. So well, in fact, that Apple swiftly found a way to shut it down. I don’t think this back-and-forth is over yet.
- The Artificial podcast series. It seems like every reporter I know is delving into the history of OpenAI, trying to unravel how this oddly structured organization became the leading force in artificial intelligence. This episode of The Journal (the first of a four-part series, I believe) offers the clearest origin story I’ve heard so far.
- Mammoth 2. Of all the Mastodon apps I’ve tried, this one takes the cake. Mammoth is sleek and speedy, but also laser-focused on helping you discover great people and posts on the platform. It’s unfortunate that it’s only available for Apple devices, but it’s a really fantastic app.
- Resident Evil 4’s VR Mode. It could be argued that Resident Evil games have been leading the way in VR for quite some time. Now, PSVR users are set to experience a full-fledged VR version of Resident Evil 4, which is one of the best games in the series and has been remade as one of the top games of the year.