Year’s top smartphone photographs

Welcome to Installer No. 49, your ultimate guide to the best and most exciting things in the world. In this edition, we have a diverse range of topics, including upstart baseball teams, canceled comics, and Francis Ford Coppola. We’ll also discuss Logan Lucky, Teo Crawford’s camera videos, The Mess Around, New Girl, and the Nintendo Museum. Additionally, we have a collection of new podcasts that recently launched, stunning smartphone photos, a movie recommendation, and a new doorbell for your home.

But before we dive into all of that, let’s start with a question: Who is your favorite lesser-known creator? While many of us are familiar with popular tech influencers like Veritasium and MKBHD, there are countless creators who deserve recognition. Whether they’re on YouTube, podcasts, or Instagram, we want to hear about these hidden gems. Feel free to share one or two of your favorites that you believe most people haven’t discovered yet. We’ll also share some of our personal favorites later on.

Now, let’s get into the exciting content we have lined up for you today.

The Drop:

1. The iPhone Photography Awards winners: The IPPA’s photographer of the year captured stunning images using an iPhone 11. These photos serve as a great source of inspiration and can even be used as wallpapers. It’s incredible to see how talented photographers continue to amaze us in this AI-heavy era.

2. The Hollywood Hack: It has been a decade since the Sony hack, and its repercussions are still felt throughout the entertainment industry. This podcast delves into the details of what happened and how it impacted Hollywood.

3. Blink Twice: Channing Tatum stars in this murder-y thriller as a tech billionaire. The premise gives off Glass Onion vibes, and it promises to be an exciting watch for fans of suspenseful films.

4. Apple Podcasts for web: Apple has surprised us all by creating a fantastic web app. Apple Podcasts is an excellent platform, and this web version makes it more accessible outside of specific Apple devices. Paired with the automatic transcription feature, it’s making a compelling case for switching over.

5. OceanXplorers: This NatGeo show combines elements of Planet Earth and the futuristic gadget-testing scenes from James Bond movies. Explore the high-tech ship and submarines used in their expeditions, all while witnessing breathtaking footage of the ocean’s wonders.

6. “Flip Video Was Successful! So They Killed It?” Many of us have forgotten about the Flip camera, but this product and the company behind it went through a series of strange twists and turns. Dive into this tech time capsule for a fun trip down memory lane.

7. The Wirecutter Show: If you’re a loyal Wirecutter shopper, this podcast is perfect for you. It aligns with the site’s vibe and offers useful tips, behind-the-scenes testing insights, and valuable recommendations. Take out your notepad because you’ll want to take notes during each episode.

8. “Why Everything is a Monopoly… Again”: We’re currently witnessing an intense antitrust moment. This podcast provides a quick and comprehensive look at how we reached this point and why monopolies have become unavoidable, regardless of what products or services you’re using or purchasing.

9. The Ring Battery Doorbell: If you’re in need of a new video doorbell, the Ring Battery Doorbell may be the solution. With its longer battery life, easy installation process, wider frame of video, and color night vision, it’s an upgrade worth considering.

Screen Share:

I had the pleasure of speaking with Liam James, The Verge’s supervising producer for podcasts. Liam is a true tech enthusiast and has an extensive knowledge of various tech-related topics. He’s a big fan of his Plex server, enjoys tinkering with his homemade weather station, and even described a new to-do list app as “just OmniFocus for dummies.” Liam is a tech aficionado who truly represents our community.

Liam graciously shared his iPhone homescreen layout and explained the reasoning behind his app choices:

– Phone: The basic necessity for making phone calls.
– Mail: Apple’s default mail app for managing his email accounts.
– Safari: The go-to web browser on his iPhone.
– Messages: A messaging app for communicating with friends and family.
– Apple Music: Liam enjoys using this music streaming service.
– Apple Podcasts: As a podcast producer, Liam needs to keep a close eye on the shows he works on. Apple Podcasts provides him with valuable insights and recommendations.
– Apple News: Staying informed about current events is essential for Liam, and Apple News helps him stay up to date with the latest news.
– Photos: This app allows Liam to organize and access his photo library easily.
– Fantastical: Liam relies on this calendar app for managing his schedule effectively.
– Carrot Weather: A weather app that provides accurate and detailed forecasts.

Liam’s screen has a single-screen layout, with four folders categorized as social, shopping, finance, and work. He strives to maintain a clutter-free homescreen and appreciates the label-less icon option introduced in iOS 18 beta. Liam also mentioned that he has been experimenting with the native Mail app in the iOS 18 public beta. While he hoped to benefit from Apple Intelligence features, it hasn’t lived up to his expectations thus far.

Liam also shared a few things he’s into at the moment:

1. Apple Podcasts: Due to his job, Liam has been using Apple Podcasts more frequently. He’s impressed with the app’s ability to recommend shows that align with his interests. The new transcript and search features have also proven to be useful.

2. Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus: This podcast stands out from the rest because it lacks any filler content. Liam highly recommends the episode featuring award-winning author Isabel Allende, whose life lessons will leave a lasting impact.

Crowdsourced:

Here’s what the Installer community has been into lately:

– Dola: This free app has become an indispensable productivity and task-tracking tool for our community member Andrew. It integrates with Apple Calendar and works seamlessly on iMessage and WhatsApp.

– The Serpent Queen: This Starz show takes viewers on a journey through the life of 16th-century Queen Catherine de’ Medici of France, filled with court intrigues, possible murders, and poisonings. The second season features Samantha Morton in the main role and Minnie Driver as Queen Elizabeth I.

– SAOViVO: Nicolas recommends this free and open-source app that creates a queue of videos from your YouTube Channel and streams them live on YouTube. It’s perfect for commemorating past events or celebrating the lives of famous individuals.

– Graindead: Owen suggests checking out this YouTube channel dedicated to film cameras. Their video “Buying The Cheapest Cameras In Japan” is a must-watch and offers a mix of British humor and informative content.

– Dress to Impress on Roblox: Sam recommends this multiplayer game, which is similar to Among Us but tailored for the work-from-home “gurlies” community.

– Asus ROG Zephyrus G14: Richard is excited to bring this gaming laptop on his upcoming flight to Hawaii. He plans to enjoy EA Sports FC throughout the journey, thanks to a podcast recommendation.

– Black Myth: Wukong: John highlights the success of this Chinese game, which has attracted over 2 million players on Steam. It has surpassed the records set by Elden Ring and Cyberpunk.

– Add Eddie: Dewa discovered this app, which allows users to create personalized QR codes for their social profiles, messaging apps, payment services, websites, and more. It’s a useful tool for networking in person and can even be added as a widget on your phone’s homescreen or Apple Watch.

– Apple Music’s Music Locker: Mathias appreciates Apple Music as the only music streaming service with a music locker feature. He has uploaded a variety of music, including Commodore 64 remixes, missing albums, bootlegs, and more. The seamless integration across Apple devices makes it even more convenient for him.

– The Secret History: Flávio recommends reading this book by Donna Tartt. Set in a college town in New England, it combines elements of psychological thriller and murder mystery, keeping readers engaged until the very end.

As I wrap up this edition of Installer, I want to address my rapidly growing obsession with fantasy football. It’s that time of the year again, and my attention is shifting towards analyzing NFL players’ weekly performances. I’m currently participating in two leagues on Yahoo’s app, which does its job adequately. However, the sheer volume of news, rankings, data, and podcasts on the topic is overwhelming. Ironically, it has made me contemplate the merits of AI. If an AI-powered assistant could provide personalized updates on my fantasy team, I would be thrilled. Perhaps I’ll have to seek out a comprehensive source for all this information. If you have any recommendations, please share them!

On that note, I’m thinking about starting an Installer fantasy league next year. It would be fantastic to engage with our community on a different level. If you’re interested, let me know!

That’s it for this week’s Installer. Don’t forget to share your current interests and recommendations by emailing [email protected] or sending me a message on Signal (@davidpierce). We love hearing from you! And if you know someone who would enjoy Installer, encourage them to subscribe here.

Until next time!



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