Technology

An AI PC you’ll want to tinker with

Published

2 years ago

June 9, 2024

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 41, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, hope you like gaming gadgets and silly spy movies, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)

This week, I’ve been reading about the tough times at Humane and how Suicide Squad flopped, watching the TikTok dancing cult documentary and Furiosa, swapping my crappy Roku for a slightly less crappy Apple TV, listening to a lot of WikiHole, mixing up new mocktail recipes, and testing the Phanpy app for all things fediverse.

I also have for you a new Raspberry Pi accessory, an incredibly well-liked movie to watch this weekend, a couple of fun tech books, some gaming gear, and lots more. Let’s do it.

(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What are you into right now? What should everyone else be as into as you are? Tell me everything: email installer@theverge.com, share with @imdavidpierce on Threads, or find me on Signal @davidpierce.11. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, tell them to subscribe here.)

The Drop

The Raspberry Pi AI Kit. This is my kind of AI PC: a super simple $70 kit that works with a Raspberry Pi 5 and gives you a surprising amount of power with which to do simple processing tasks. I don’t even know what I’ll use this for! But I’m getting one anyway.
Hit Man. A bunch of very smart people have said this comedy-action-thriller Netflix flick is one of the best movies of the year. And why not? Richard Linklater directs, Glen Powell stars, it’s based on an all-timer of a magazine article. I cannot wait to watch.
Dark Wire. This is as good a premise for a book as I’ve ever seen: the story of the FBI’s secret tech startup, designed to track some of the world’s most sophisticated criminals. A few places have published excerpts, and I already can’t put this book down.
Building SimCity. Two books this week! You love to see it. This is a story all about SimCity, yes, but also about the history of computer simulation, with lots of photos and diagrams to go with it. One for the coffee table for sure.
The new Rivian R1. Same look, same funky headlight design, totally new car underneath. A lot of what Rivian’s doing here is clearly just to keep costs down, but this continues to be the EV I lust after the most.
The Acolyte. This is a very different kind of Star Wars story, set in a very different time and place, told from a very different point of view, all of which I definitely think is a good thing. The reviews seem pretty mixed so far, but I’m excited to give it a whirl.
Sequel 2.3. A very cool update to the Installerverse’s favorite media tracking app for Apple devices. The new feature is called Magic Lookup, and it lets you send a URL to the app and have it automatically parsed and dumped into your lists. Perfect for saving those “20 things coming to Netflix this month” things you see all over the place.
The ModRetro Chromatic. The retro gaming hardware boom we’re in right now is just the best thing. And this, a $199 Game Boy homage from a team led by Palmer Luckey, looks great. It’s not shipping until the end of the year, but it’s up for preorders now.
The Asus ROG Ally X. Speaking of portable consoles! This one’s a lot bigger, a lot more expensive, and a lot more ambitious than the Chromatic — but it also sounds pretty great. Maybe this is the first Windows handheld that can really stand up to the Steam Deck?
Comfort Zone. Fun new podcast from the MacStories crew, with a gimmick I really like: every week, the three hosts have to basically do “Tech Show and Tell” and then issue a tech-related challenge to complete before the next episode. (MacStories also has another new podcast, called NPC, all about portable gaming.
“How ‘Wall-E’ Reveals Our Changing Feelings Toward Tech.” I am outrageously jealous of this whole series of episodes from the Offline podcast, looking at how movies like Her and The Social Network influenced the way we think about and build tech. This is the final episode in the miniseries, and they’re all worth a listen.

Screen share

Well, friends, it took 41 issues, but it happened: I had someone lined up for Screen Share this week, and it just didn’t come together in time. So let’s do something slightly different. I’ve recently become obsessed with the Niagara Launcher for Android, which is, in theory, largely optimized for one-handed phone use but is also just a better, quieter way of organizing your homescreen. In the last 10 days, I’ve probably redone my setup eight times. It’s a lot.

Niagara is just so clever! It turns your apps into a customizable list, pops up widgets and notifications right in place, and lets you do a shocking amount of stuff without ever opening an app. This is totally how phones should work. (If you want to understand how it operates, here’s a good thorough video to watch.)

Niagara just got a big update, too, particularly if you pay the $10 a year or $30 lifetime Pro subscription. Its search is better now, it got some cool new icons, and there are a few other little improvements, too.

As I’ve been tinkering with my own homescreen, I’ve been collecting some Niagara setups I like, and I figured I’d share a few. You can do so many things with this launcher!

Cool, right? There are rumors and reports that we’re going to get a bunch of new customization possibilities for iOS, too, so here’s hoping this is a year filled with chaotic homescreen reorgs. If you use Niagara, by the way, or any other awesome Android launcher, I’d love to see your sick homescreen setups. Send them my way. And we’ll be back to regular Screen Share next week!

Crowdsourced

Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you’re into right now as well! Email installer@theverge.com or message me on Signal — @davidpierce.11 — with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week.

“New version of Vibescape just came out for Apple Vision Pro — new Oregon coast-inspired meditation environment! Completely new experience with this and the Forest Ledge environment — pushing the boundaries of what’s possible outside of Apple’s own environments.” – Gregory

“I’ve been using Beeper a ton on my Pixel 8 Pro and MacBook Pro. I actually installed it in early April when the acquisition announcement came out but have really hit my stride with it a month ago. It’s just so helpful to have all of your messaging in one app, both for work and personal.” – Josh

“Patrick Willems has a new video this week about what’s next after superhero movies so I’ve been diving back into his channel after a while.” – Mike

“A friend introduced me to Guild Wars 2 a few months back. As someone who likes the concept of an MMO but always felt let down by the execution, I can confidently say this is one of the most underrated games ever made. A fun, free-to-play MMORPG with a healthy community and no microtransactions sounded too good to be true, but it’s not. Plus, with the recent announcements around the next expansion, there are more reasons to play than ever.” – Dallin

“I heard about Microsoft’s Recall, which felt exhausting and tedious to me. So, last weekend, I paved over Windows and installed the Bazzite Linux distro on my gaming PC and have been playing all my Steam and Epic games that way. It’s surprisingly so much better than the last time I tried Linux on the desktop. I’m sure mileage varies, but everything worked with about the same amount of tweaking Windows required.” – Les

“The LOTR movies are finally coming back to theaters. The extended editions — the only versions I’ll watch. So excited to go watch these with my pals, like high school all over again.” – Colin

“Watching Who Killed WCW? from Vice. It’s a three-part miniseries interviewing Eric Bischoff and a bunch of wrestlers like Kevin Nash, Konnan, and Booker T about the inevitable downfall of WCW. Everyone has their own thoughts about who to point the finger at, from Turner executives hating wrestling to Bischoff not knowing what he’s doing to the wrestlers only looking out for themselves. Only one episode out so far, but it’s good.” – Brian

“The new shows Thousandaires from Dropout and Trolley Problems from 2nd Try premiered this week and are both hilarious and great examples of modern media companies and the trend of creating their own streaming platforms.” – Zach

“On the anime watch. I highly recommend Delicious in Dungeon. Very fun to watch, the characters’ comedic timing is excellent. This anime is hilarious while keeping the stakes of the story high.” – John

Signing off

I’ve been thinking a lot this week about a blog post Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s CTO, wrote recently. He talks about his system of “Inbox Ten,” which basically means not trying to end every day with nothing on your plate but instead just trying to find a more manageable flow of information in your life. Boz has a whole system for managing his inbox in particular, which I really like — I used to be an Inbox Zero zealot and get stressed out when there’s stuff in there, but I like his slightly less drastic approach. And this sentence has popped into my brain all week, every time I get an email: “Don’t let it linger in your inbox or get yourself talked into work you don’t think is a good use of your time.” Words to live by.

Technology

Some of the nation’s rich are letting AI teach their kids

Published

9 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Press Room

Some of the nation’s rich are letting AI teach their kids

Most Americans don’t trust AI. It’s proven that it doesn’t know what safe toppings for pizza are. People don’t even want to listen to AI music. But none of that matters for some of America’s wealthy, who are turning to AI to teach their kids instead of traditional schools.

Companies like Forge Prep and Alpha School are charging families tens of thousands of dollars to turn their kids into beta testers for AI tutors and “interactive project-based workshops.” Unsurprisingly, Silicon Valley have been major adopters of this new model. Shaun Johnson, a San Francisco-based venture capitalist, told the Wall Street Journal that he plans to send his son to a $75,000 year Alpha Kindergarten. He said, “We recognize that education is likely broken the way it is and there’s going to be entrepreneurs that try to fix it… You want someone to be able to think on their feet and navigate the world, not necessarily a recitation of facts in a particular discipline.”

Ignoring Johnson’s fundamental lack of understanding about modern pedagogy, it’s unclear how notoriously sycophantic AI will train children to “think on their feet and navigate the world.” It’s also concerning that Alpha School co-founder MacKenzie Price has said she plans to keep “hot-button social issues” out of the classroom. Which, in the current political climate, could cover women’s rights, America’s history of slavery, and our immigrant past. That might not seem like a major issue when you’re talking about kindergarten, but in some locations, Alpha School goes through high school.

Companies like Forge also don’t share performance metrics, so there’s no evidence that these AI-guided private schools are improving educational outcomes.

Technology

Mr. Lif’s Emergency Rations EP is post-9/11 hip hop at its most daring

Published

20 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Press Room

Mr. Lif’s Emergency Rations EP is post-9/11 hip hop at its most daring

There was a period in the early aughts when Definitive Jux (nee: Def Jux) seemed like it was going to be the future of hip hop. While the label featured plenty of experimental, boundary-pushing, and politically minded acts, Lif stood out as the most “conscious rapper” in the traditional sense. It was clear though, that label head El-P envisioned that as an important part of Def Jux’s identity, as the first record it put out was 2000’s Enter the Colossus EP, from Lif.

Mr. Lif’s follow-up was 2002’s Emergency Rations EP, a sort of place setter for the full-length I, Phantom just a couple of months later. It opens with a skit about Lif missing, apparently having been abducted by government agents. In 2002, Pitchfork suggested the bit was “unfortunate and sophomoric.” In 2026, it seems alarmingly prescient in a time when masked agents are disappearing suspected undocumented immigrants, prosecuting political opponents, and banning established news organizations from the White House.

Even if the opening skit feels a bit ham-fisted, the rest of the EP is enough to overshadow it. What follows is seven tracks of fiery political raps, surprisingly catchy hooks, and flawless production that runs the gamut from gothic underground, to classic boombap, and futuristic synth meltdowns.

What keeps the relentless, rapid-fire dystopian lyricism from getting too tiresome is the loose concept in which Lif plays the role of a revolutionary trying to organize an uprising in the face of an oppressive police state. “Let me nutshell-tell my life story, but I got to hurry up, and kick it, ‘cause the Feds are lookin for me,” he raps on “Jugular Vein,” which serves as the EP’s mission statement. It hints at his revolutionary ideals while relishing in some particularly nerdy boasts, like “You can use Eddy, now I’m Dr. Bosconovitch,” referring to a tough-to-unlock character from Teken 3.

I’d argue, though, that the Edan-produced “Heavily Artillery” is where the album really kicks into gear. The relentless military march of the drums, video game explosions, and low drones create the sort of chaotic backdrop that Lif’s urgent raps demand. On “Home of the Brave,” Lif gets more specific, calling out policies of the Bush administration, the Afghan war, and America’s thirst for foreign oil.

So Americans cheer while we kill their innocent families
And what better place to start a war,
But build a pipeline, to get the oil that they had wanted before
America supported the Taliban to get Russia out of Afghanistan
That’s how they got the arms in
They’re in a war against the Northern Alliance
And we can’t build a pipeline in hostile environments

He spits these lyrics over his own beat, that melds sharp gated drums with synth war horns. Calling out corrupt politicians and American hypocrisy is nothing new, but in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, dissent was often shouted down quickly and sometimes violently. Lif wasn’t alone it taking the Bush administration to task, but he was one of the earliest, along with Sage Francis. (Later rappers like Immortal Technique, Eminem, Mos Def, Jadakiss, and more would become more outspoken, but often veered into conspiracy theories.)

“Pull Out Your Cut” is an old-school funk-infused tribute Lif’s favorite rappers from Wu-Tang Clan, to Ultramagnetic MCs, and KRS-One. But it’s also an indictment of toxic masculinity, way before such things were popular.

Dudes are acting macho and they don’t know why
A famous never-written motto is that “boys should never cry”
Keep all those emotions bottled up – now what’s up?
You can’t communicate once you became an adult

“Get Wise ‘91” sees Edan hop back behind the boards and on the mic, while “The Unorthodox” is a stuttery boombap piece.

The whole thing culminates in El-P’s lone production credit on the album, “Phantom.” A synth bassline dashes about, bustling with rage as echoes of Lif’s musings on suffering under an unfair system swirl in the background, mirroring the smothering nature of capitalism. It’s also an early example of El-P learning how to bend his post-apocalyptic, noisy, and futuristic beats into something anthemic, as Lif closes out his case against the status quo with a call to the people:

Single mother, who are you? (I phantom)
Office worker, who are you? (I phantom)
Caught up in the system, who are you? (I phantom)
Tryin’ to earn a living, who are you? (I phantom)
Depressed and uninspired, who are you? (I phantom)
Hard-workin’, broke and tired, who are you? (I phantom)
Seekin’ education, who are you? (I phantom)
Can’t get ahead no matter what you do? (I phantom)

Unfortunately, with the disintegration of Definitive Jux, Mr. Lif’s Emergency Rations can be hard to come by (so is I, Phantom, for that matter). You can find it, unofficially, on YouTube and on Bandcamp, but it’s not available on major streaming platforms.

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

Terrence O’Brien

Technology

Hi Mom text scam: How to spot fake emergency texts

Published

20 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Press Room

Hi Mom text scam: How to spot fake emergency texts

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A scam text showed up today that would make many parents stop cold. The message said:

“Hi mom, text me here on my work phone. Dropped my actual phone in the sink earlier and it’s completely unresponsive now.”

The text came from an unknown number. Then it asked me to text a different unknown number. That detail is important. The scammer wants to move you into a new conversation before you stop and verify who is really on the other end.

The message seems personal right away. There is no weird link. There is no obvious demand for money. Instead, it starts with a little family panic and a believable excuse. That is what makes the Hi Mom text scam so sneaky.

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YOUR FAMILY COULD BE ONE PHONE CALL FROM A BANK SCAM

A fake “Hi Mom” text can look personal, but the unknown number and request to text another number are major warning signs. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Why the Hi Mom text scam feels so believable

This scam works because it sounds ordinary. A child texting from a work phone seems possible. A phone dropped in a sink sounds believable. A short message from someone who sounds rushed can feel real enough to make you respond. That is exactly the point.

Scammers know parents may react quickly when a child appears to need help. They do not need a perfect story. They only need a small opening.

Once you reply, the scammer can keep the conversation going. Then the request may change from “text me here” to “can you help me pay for a new phone?” or “I need money right now.”

Every word in the scam text has a job

Here’s how the scammer uses each part of the message to make a strange number feel believable.

“Hi mom”

The scammer does not use a real name. That makes the message easier to send to many people. Still, if the person reading it is a mother, it suddenly feels personal. That one phrase tries to create an instant emotional connection.

“Text me here”

This tells you to respond on the scammer’s terms. It also keeps the exchange inside text messages. That gives the scammer time to think, type and adjust the story based on how you respond.

“On my work phone”

This explains why the number looks unfamiliar. The scammer knows you may wonder why your child is texting from a strange number. So the message gives you an excuse before you even ask.

“Dropped my actual phone in the sink”

This is the hook. People drop phones in sinks, toilets, pools and puddles all the time. The detail feels normal enough that you may not question it.

“Earlier”

This word creates a fresh problem without giving many details. It suggests the accident just happened. However, it avoids specifics that you could check.

“Completely unresponsive now”

This line blocks the most obvious verification step. If you try to call the real phone, the scammer has already given you a reason it may not work. That can make you more likely to text the new number instead.

GLOBAL SCAM CRACKDOWN LEADS TO 276 ARRESTS

Scammers use believable details, like a broken phone or work phone, to make you respond before you verify the story. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What could happen if you reply to a fake family text?

The first message may seem harmless. The second one may start the real scam. The scammer may claim they need money for a replacement phone. They may ask you to pay a bill because their banking app is locked. They may push you to use Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, crypto or gift cards.

Some scammers may also ask for a one-time security code. They may pretend the code is needed to restore the phone, verify an account or fix a payment problem.

Do not share that code. A verification code can let a scammer break into your bank, email, Apple ID, Google account or phone carrier account.

Why this scam targets parents so well

Parents are wired to respond when a child sounds stuck. Scammers know that. They use concern, timing and confusion to lower your guard.

The message also avoids overexplaining. That makes it feel more natural. Many real texts from family members are short, rushed and a little messy.

However, the biggest warning sign is the two-number setup. One unknown number sends the message. Another unknown number gets placed inside the text. That handoff is the scammer trying to pull you deeper into the trap.

Ways to stay safe from the Hi Mom text scam

Before you respond to a message like this, run through these steps to make sure you are dealing with your real family member.

1) Do not reply to the message

Avoid answering, even to say the sender has the wrong number. A reply can confirm your number is active. That may lead to more scam texts later.

2) Call the real person directly

Use the phone number already saved in your contacts. Do not call or text the number inside the suspicious message. If your child or family member does not answer, try another trusted way to reach them.

3) Ask a personal verification question

Ask something only the real person would know. Make the question specific. Avoid anything a stranger could guess from social media.

4) Never send money from a sudden text

Pause before sending money because of any urgent family message. Be extra careful with Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, gift cards and crypto. These payment methods can be fast, and some are hard to reverse.

5) Do not share verification codes

Never send a one-time passcode from your bank, Apple ID, Gmail, phone carrier or payment app. A real family member should not need your private security code.

6) Use strong antivirus software

Strong antivirus software can help protect your phone, tablet and computer from malicious links, phishing pages and hidden threats. This becomes even more important if a scammer sends a follow-up link after you reply. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

7) Use a data removal service

A data removal service can help reduce how much of your personal information appears online. That matters because scammers often use exposed details to make their messages feel more convincing. No service can remove every piece of data, but it can help cut down what strangers can find. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Reporting, blocking and calling your real family member directly can stop the scam before it turns into a money request. (Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

8) Report and block the message

On iPhone, tap Report Spam or Report Junk if the option appears. Then delete the message.

You can also forward unwanted texts to 7726 , which spells SPAM.

On Android, block the sender and report the conversation as spam in Google Messages.

What to do if you already replied

If you already responded, focus on ending the conversation, protecting your accounts and saving proof before the scammer pushes harder.

Stop texting right away.
Do not explain yourself. Do not argue with the sender. Do not try to catch them in a lie.
Take a screenshot of the conversation. Then call the real family member using a trusted number.
If you shared a verification code, change that account password immediately using a password manager. Also, check recent account activity.
If you sent money, contact your bank or payment app right away. Speed can make a difference.

Kurt’s key takeaways

The Hi Mom text scam works because it feels familiar. The scammer starts with a small family problem instead of a big demand. That makes the message feel less suspicious and more urgent. The safest move is to pause before you reply. Call the real person using a number you already trust. If the story checks out, you can help. If it does not, report and block the message. That tiny pause could protect your money, your accounts and someone else in your family.

Have you ever received a fake family emergency text that sounded almost believable, and what detail gave it away? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.