Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 124, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, send me your Coachella fits, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)
Technology
ChatGPT and Gemini apps are coming for your PC
This week, I’ve been reading about restaurant bread and GLP-1s and Lenny Rachitsky and Artemis II fashion, watching the new boy band doc because I will always watch a boy band doc, also watching every clip I can find from Justin Bieber’s Coachella set, filling the Schitt’s Creek-shaped hole in my heart with Big Mistakes, getting increasingly excited about The Mandalorian and Grogu, and watering my new lawn so it doesn’t die. Please don’t die, lawn. You were so expensive.
I also have for you a couple of new AI apps to install on your computer, new action cameras worth planning a trip around, a new sci-fi action game to play, and much more.
Oh, and a reminder: Send me the thing you made! We’re doing self-promotion week in Installer (probably next week but maybe the week after), and either way I want to hear about the things you’ve been making, building, coding, creating, whatever-ing that you think the Installerverse might like. I’ve already heard from SO MANY of you, and it rules — keep the good stuff coming! Let’s dig in.
(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What are you watching / reading / playing / listening to / storing on your NAS this week? Tell me everything: installer@theverge.com. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, forward it to them and tell them to subscribe here.)
- OpenAI Codex. Here’s OpenAI’s latest stab at an all-in-one AI superapp, which includes a web browser, new coding tools, and a setting that allows Codex to just use your computer for you. Tread lightly, as always, but people seem to be liking Codex a lot recently.
- Gemini for Mac. I’m mad at Google for tying its Mac app to a keyboard shortcut lots of people use for other things, and for making the app a login item by default. But! This is immediately the best way yet to interact with Gemini, and even Google Drive and Photos, from your computer. Into my dock it goes.
- Beef season two. Beef is one of the very best shows nobody ever seems to talk about. I’ve been burned before by the “we’ll just do it again but with a whole new cast” premise — looking at you, True Detective — but this is a win even just as a reason to rewatch the first season.
- Gradient Weather. Y’all, I think somebody finally made the gorgeous, simple weather app Android has been desperately needing. It’s very new and very beta, but I love the look, and I love that the whole aesthetic shifts with the weather. Insta-install.
- Lorne. By all accounts this is about as close as anyone has ever gotten to a truly inside look at Saturday Night Live and its semi-mythological creator, Lorne Michaels. Morgan Neville mostly makes great docs and got a ton of access for this one; I’m very excited to watch it.
- “Where Are All Of These GPUs Actually Going?” A very fun answer to a surprisingly complex question: What are companies doing with the unbelievable quantities of chips they’re buying? The numbers are all kind of pretend, and How Money Works does a good job making them make sense.
- The DJI Osmo Pocket 4. It’s very sad that this gimbal camera isn’t coming to the US in the near future, because more buttons, better slo-mo, and more built-in storage are all terrific upgrades. I use a Pocket 3 all the time, and will be keeping an eye out for the upgrade.
- The GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS. This one’s still in “coming soon” mode, but it is the first GoPro in a long time I’ve been excited about. Adding an interchangeable lens mount, along with all the other Mission 1 upgrades, is going to completely change the kinds of things people do with GoPros. I can’t wait to see this thing out in the wild.
- Coachella TV. I’ve never spent much time with YouTube’s Coachella livestream, but this year’s show has been terrific. It almost feels like a concert doc being shot in real time — and there’s more Bieber to come!
- Pragmata. I am always here for a game that’s not trying to be a live-service, battle-royale, open-world anything, and instead just sends you on an adventure. It may suffer from being a touch too derivative, but it still appears to be very much my kind of game.
I’ve been a fan of Maria Popova’s work for… about as long as I can remember. Maria runs a site called The Marginalian, which I started following back when it was called Brain Pickings; under both names the site has been a fountain of stuff to read, with surprising and smart ideas about just about everything. I spend a lot of time reading, and on the internet, and I can’t think of anyone who shows me more stuff I never would have found otherwise.
Maria put out a book earlier this year, called Traversal, that is all about how people look at, think about, and reckon with the world around them. There is a lot going on in this book, and I suspect you’ll like it. I asked Maria to share her homescreen with us, curious if she also had a more enlightened take on all things technology.
Here’s Maria’s homescreen, plus some info on the apps she uses and why:
The phone: iPhone 16 – still too large for me, but I had to grudgingly resign to it after my last 13 mini gave up Moore’s ghost.
The wallpaper: Spring moonrise behind leafing maple in the forest where I live much of the year.
The apps: Evernote, Phone, Safari. (Blank Spaces is the app that turns the icons to text.)
The usual life-management tools (calendar, connection, climate) plus Evernote, which I have been using since 2003 and which is by now an Alexandria of meticulously organized information that just about runs my life.
I also asked Maria to share a few things she’s into right now. Here’s what she sent back:
- Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris’s Book of Birds: A Field Guide to Wonder and Loss.
- Joan As Police Woman’s record Lemons, Limes and Orchids.
- Jad Abumrad’s miniseries Fela Kuti: Fear No Man.
- The lovely reminder of who we can be in the story of how humanity saved the ginkgo.
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. For even more great recommendations, check out the replies to this post on Threads and this post on Bluesky.
“Becca Farsace recommended the OhSnap Mcon on her channel recently and I picked one up. It’s super slick and works great with the Delta emulator so far. I got Goldeneye running just fine with it after a little tuning.” — Ian
“Really been enjoying Plain Text Sports to follow the start of baseball season. Loads fast, has everything I want with none of the ESPN cruft” — Rich
“I’ve almost finished reading Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky and I’m obsessed: equal amounts of humor and existential dread. It’s very silly, very thoughtful, and frankly a very Verge-y take on technology.” — Olof
“YouTube has been my recent go-to for surprisingly good short films that you would probably never hear about or would probably get lost in the Hollywood machine. For instance, this one called Aborted was amazing and there are more like it out there.” — Steve
“Definitely watch Jon Bois’ hilarious, quirky, and informative series about the birth of the internet mashed up with Home Improvement TV show references.” — Logan
“I bought a MacBook Air a few weeks ago after looking at the Neo and getting fed up by Windows, and I bought a few helper apps to fix small annoyances I had with the notch and
Spotlight. There are a lot of good notch applications but I bought Alcove — having the notch show me when I raise and lower volume makes the giant black bar in the middle of my screen feel slightly less useless somehow. I’ve also been using TinyStart, which is really
fast and nice! These two helper apps have made using the Mac as my main computer feel much nicer than it did the last time I tried.” — Iris
”My passion for discovering TTRPGs and learning about game design has led me into a deep dive on the Youtube channel Knights of Last Call. Long live-streams and VODs and a super active community have opened my eyes to even more of what is possible in TTRPGs.” — Simeon
“Season 3 of Shrinking on Apple TV just ended on such a powerful note. The ensemble cast just keeps bringing it and the writing realistically takes on all kinds of human problems we all deal with or know about. A+” — Aaron
“I find SO MANY great book recommendations thanks to The Big Idea feature on John Scalzi’s blog, Whatever!” — Steve
You surely already know this, but I spend way too much time on snacks. Eating them. Researching them. Thinking about them. Longing for more of them. And I know I’m not alone! So I have big news: My wife recently brought home a variety pack of candy from YumEarth, and it’s all excellent. It’s basically Skittles, Starbursts, and Sour Patch Kids, but with more natural ingredients and a lot less sugar. (But still a lot of sugar, because it’s candy. Sugar-free candy is a lie.)
I am constantly on the lookout for a way to make my bad habits a little better, without making my life worse in the process. This is a perfect one. The Skittles equivalent are called “Giggles,” which is awful, but they’re delicious. So I’ll allow it. I’m gonna go get some right now.
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
If you’re tired of running your vacuum multiple times just to get the dirt and debris out of the carpets in your living room, Dyson’s 360 Vis Nav is worth a look. It’s one of the more powerful robot vacuums currently available, and now through May 11th (or while supplies last), it’s on sale at Woot for an all-time low of $279.99 ($919 off) with a full two-year warranty.
The last-gen 360 Vis Nav offers a whopping 65 air watts of suction, allowing it to pull dirt, dust, and pet hair from carpets impressively well. In her brief time testing the robovac, my colleague Jennifer Pattison Tuohy said the Dyson “demolished a pile of dry oatmeal in seconds,” adding that she briefly worried it might even suck up the tassels on her large rug (it didn’t). By comparison, many robot vacuums — including Dyson’s new $1,200 Spot + Scrub AI — require multiple passes to fully eradicate the same kind of mess on your floor.
What’s more, the robovac’s small, D-shaped design and the location of its ultra-fluffy brush allow it to dig into edges and corners more effectively than many of the more roundish robot vacuums, while its lower profile lets it easily get under most beds and sofas. The roomy 500ml dustbin also means you likely won’t need to empty it too often, while Dyson’s built-in handle and terrific quick-release button make removing said bin a relatively simple task when it’s time to do so.
While it is undeniably powerful, it’s worth noting that the 360 Vis Nav lacks a few features found on some of its more modern rivals. Although its navigation worked well enough during our testing, it lacks AI-powered obstacle avoidance and doesn’t come with a self-emptying dock. Battery life is also relatively short at around 65 minutes per charge. Nonetheless, if your top priority is quickly removing dust, dirt, and pet hair from carpets without multiple passes, the Dyson remains an option worth considering, especially at this discounted price.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
We’ve often warned you about romance scams and crypto “investment” opportunities that feel too good to pass up. Now, there’s a major update that shows just how organized these operations have become.
The Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation announced a sweeping international operation that led to at least 276 arrests and the shutdown of multiple scam centers tied to cryptocurrency fraud. These networks targeted Americans and drained millions of dollars from victims.
The operation spanned continents and involved coordinated efforts by law enforcement and tech companies.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
- 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.
TOP 5 SCAMS SPREADING RIGHT NOW
The Department of Justice and FBI say international scam networks used romance and fake crypto investment schemes to steal millions from victims. (Helena Dolderer/Picture Alliance)
How the cryptocurrency scam crackdown unfolded
Authorities worked with partners around the world, including the Dubai Police and law enforcement agencies in Thailand and beyond. Together, they dismantled at least nine scam centers linked to large-scale crypto fraud.
Several suspects now face federal charges in the United States, including wire fraud and money laundering. Investigators say these operations functioned like businesses, with recruitment, management layers and structured systems designed to deceive victims.
Officials made it clear that this effort sends a message. Fraud crosses borders, and enforcement is now doing the same.
How crypto investment scams target victims
These schemes often follow a pattern known as “pig-butchering.” It is a slow, calculated tactic that builds trust before any money is involved.
A scammer may reach out through social media or a messaging app and start a casual conversation. Over time, that interaction turns more personal. In some cases, it feels like a real relationship. Once trust is established, the topic shifts toward investing, often framed as a unique crypto opportunity.
Victims are guided through setting up accounts and transferring funds to platforms that appear legitimate. The dashboards may even show fake gains to build confidence. At that point, control of the money is already gone. Funds are quickly moved through multiple accounts and eventually end up with the scammers.
Many victims are encouraged to keep going, sometimes borrowing money or taking out loans to invest more. By the time the truth becomes clear, the losses can be devastating.
How Meta Platforms, Inc. helped track scam networks
Meta Platforms, Inc. played a key role in the investigation by providing data that helped law enforcement identify and track these networks.
The company says it has taken aggressive action across its platforms. In 2025 alone, Meta removed more than 159 million scam ads and shut down 10.9 million accounts linked to scam centers. More recently, it disabled over 150,000 accounts connected to these networks as part of a coordinated enforcement effort.
“Meta is committed to combatting online fraud and scams, and we are proud to partner with law enforcement in these efforts,” Chris Sonderby, Meta’s vice president and deputy general counsel, said. “We applaud the DOJ and FBI for their leadership in holding criminal scammers accountable and protecting American consumers.”
FROM FRIENDLY TEXT TO FINANCIAL TRAP: THE NEW SCAM TREND
Federal authorities announced a sweeping international crackdown that led to at least 276 arrests tied to cryptocurrency scam centers targeting Americans. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
New tools to stop cryptocurrency scams in real time
Meta is also rolling out new protections across its apps to help users spot scams before they get pulled in.
On Facebook, users may see alerts tied to suspicious friend requests, especially when an account shows unusual behavior such as limited connections or inconsistent location details.
On WhatsApp, new warnings are designed to prevent scammers from linking their own devices to someone else’s account, giving users a chance to pause before approving a risky request.
Messenger is also expanding its scam detection tools. When a conversation shows patterns linked to common fraud tactics, users may receive prompts that explain the risk and suggest actions like blocking or reporting the account.
Why this cryptocurrency scam crackdown matters to you
This operation highlights how organized these scam networks have become. These are not random messages from a single person. They are coordinated groups running structured operations designed to build trust, create urgency and move money quickly.
Even with hundreds of arrests, the threat remains. New networks continue to emerge, often using the same playbook with slight changes. That means staying informed is still one of the most effective ways to protect yourself.
Ways to stay safe from cryptocurrency scams
Scammers follow familiar patterns, which means there are clear warning signs you can watch for and simple steps you can take to protect yourself.
1) Slow down unexpected connections
If someone you do not know reaches out and quickly builds a personal connection, slow things down and question the situation. Scammers rely on momentum, so taking a pause can help you spot inconsistencies.
2) Verify investment platforms before sending money
Before sending money to any investment platform, take time to verify that it is legitimate. A professional-looking website or app does not guarantee it is real. Look for independent reviews and official registration details.
3) Avoid sending crypto to unknown sources
Avoid sending cryptocurrency to individuals or platforms you cannot confirm. Once those transactions go through, they are extremely difficult to recover.
4) Watch for pressure and urgency
Be aware of pressure. If someone pushes you to act quickly or invest more, that urgency is often a warning sign.
5) Use strong antivirus protection
Strong antivirus software can help block malicious links, fake investment sites and other threats before they reach you, adding another layer of defense against scam attempts. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
THE ONE THING SCAMMERS CHECK BEFORE TARGETING YOU ONLINE
Meta said it removed more than 159 million scam ads in 2025 and helped investigators track networks tied to cryptocurrency fraud. (Halfpoint/Getty Images)
6) Limit your personal data exposure
Scammers often rely on publicly available information to build trust. Reducing how much of your personal data appears online by using a data removal service can make it harder for them to target you in the first place. 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.
7) Strengthen your account security
It also helps to strengthen your digital security. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts and use trusted security tools to reduce exposure to malicious links and messages.
8) Report scams as soon as possible
If you believe you have been targeted or defrauded, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov as soon as possible.
Kurt’s key takeaways
This global crackdown is a meaningful step forward. It shows what can happen when law enforcement, tech companies and international partners work together. At the same time, these scams are not going away. The tactics will continue to evolve, and new networks will take the place of those that were shut down. Awareness and caution remain your strongest defenses.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
We report a lot about scams but not so much about scammers getting caught. Does this make you feel like real progress is being made in stopping them? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
- 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.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Asus’s latest gaming monitor is a little smaller than usual. The ROG Strix XG129C, announced on Friday, is a 12.3-inch touchscreen IPS display that’s intended to be a sidekick for a larger main monitor, similar to the 14.1-inch secondary display in the 2020 Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15. It’s a slightly smaller competitor to Corsair’s Xeneon Edge, which has a 14.5-inch display, but the same 720p resolution.
Asus says the XG129C covers 125 percent of the sRGB color gamut and 90 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut. It also comes with a one-year subscription for the hardware monitoring tool AIDA64 Extreme, which would usually cost $65. Besides acting as a performance monitor for your PC, sidekick displays like this can also be handy as an extension for streaming or editing setups, much like Elgato’s Stream Deck.
Along with the little XG129C, Asus also announced the ROG Strix OLED XG34WCDMS, a 34-inch RGB Tandem QD-OLED gaming monitor. It features a 280Hz refresh rate and a 3440 x 1440p resolution, and, according to Asus, covers 99 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Asus has not yet officially announced pricing for either display.
-
Science3 minutes agoVideo: Pentagon Releases U.F.O. Files
-
Health9 minutes agoHantavirus Vaccines and Treatments Are in the Pipeline
-
Culture21 minutes agoBook Review: ‘Selling Opportunity,’ by Mary Lisa Gavenas
-
Lifestyle27 minutes agoHunting For Lexapro Clocks, Viagra Neckties and Other Vintage Pharmaceutical Merch
-
Technology39 minutes agoDyson’s powerful 360 Vis Nav robovac is down to $279.99 for a limited time
-
World45 minutes agoAs Trump forces NATO to pay up, alliance races to close military gap with US
-
Politics51 minutes agoInside the US military playbook to cripple Iran if nuclear talks collapse
-
Health57 minutes agoFitness expert visits gyms nationwide, shouts out 4 clubs for ‘getting it right’