A Fitting Follow-Up to an Online Classic

mayo 4, 2025 12:00 pm

Hello, everyone! Welcome to Installer No. 81, your go-to source for the coolest and most Verge-worthy discoveries out there. (If you’re new here, welcome! Happy Finally Feels Like Summer Week to everyone nearby. Don’t forget you can catch up on all past issues at the Installer homepage.)

This week, I’ve been exploring topics like tech bro group chats, diving into the history of ChatGPT, and watching The Rest is History. I’ve also thought about possibly buying a Xiaomi car while configuring a Slate Truck that I don’t actually reserve. In addition, I’ve been admiring Steven Soderbergh’s filmmaking, trying out the Limitless Pendant, spending time at courthouses for US v. Google, and revisiting my Mario Golf skills thanks to the recent N64 update in Delta.

I’ve got a fantastic new companion for a power-user Mac app, the best Marvel movie in ages, a new phone and headphones to try out, some quirky AI, and much more. Let’s get into the details!

(As always, the best part of Installer is your suggestions and insights. What are you currently enthusiastic about? What should others be watching, reading, playing, or trying this week? Share your thoughts with me at installer@theverge.com. Also, if you know someone who might enjoy Installer, pass it along and encourage them to subscribe here.)

One Million Chessboards. This creation from the mind behind One Million Checkboxes—a wildly engaging social experiment—takes things up a notch with a million chessboards playing simultaneously. The ability to move pieces between boards absolutely blew my mind when I found out!
Meta AI. I’m on the fence here. Is an endless social feed of AI-generated content a brilliant idea or a surprisingly terrible one? I have my suspicions but remain open-minded. I prefer using Meta AI in its own app rather than crammed into Instagram.
Kayak.ai. This AI interface grabs my attention more. It allows users to describe their