APPLETON, Wis. — In the ever-evolving landscape of tech and entertainment, The Verge's weekly Installer newsletter has once again delivered a eclectic mix of recommendations and updates, spotlighting everything from a revived game show vibe to community-driven tips on daily life hacks. The latest edition, No. 118, penned by editor David Pierce, kicks off with a nod to Apple's anticipated cheaper laptop, described as a potential "winner," alongside buzz around a new OpenAI model and the return of Formula 1 racing. But it's the official launch of the Savvy app's TextSavvy game that steals much of the spotlight, evoking memories of the 2018 trivia craze with a fresh twist on real-time word puzzles.
Pierce, who hosts the newsletter as a guide to the "best and Verge-iest stuff in the world," shares his personal routine of late-night notifications pulling him into TextSavvy just before 9 p.m. The game, developed under the Savvy app, marks a departure from the trivia format of its predecessor, HQ Trivia, which Rogowsky hosted to massive popularity nearly a decade ago. "It’s not HQ Trivia anymore, though, and it’s not even trivia," Pierce writes. "The app is called Savvy, the game is called TextSavvy, and it plays like a real-time Wordle competition. It’s very different, and very fun, and I can’t believe how quickly the game has become part of my evening routine again."
The launch comes after a period of testing, with Savvy officially rolling out this week to capitalize on the interactive entertainment trend. To delve deeper, Pierce reached out to Scott Rogowsky, the comedian and former HQ host now steering Savvy. Rogowsky, who swears he's not cheating during games, shared a snapshot of his iPhone 16 homescreen running iOS 18.5, featuring a wallpaper of his five-year-old super mutt, Buscemi, lounging in a barrel. His app lineup reflects a focus on communication and creativity: Messages, WhatsApp for staying connected with family abroad like his sister in Scotland, Notes for jotting ideas—a habit from his early comedy days when he carried a physical notebook—Camera, Settings, Slack, Substack, Google Calendar, Phone, Mail, Safari, and Google Maps.
"Call me crazy, but I mostly use my phone for communication," Rogowsky told Pierce. "Messages (I keep notifications off), WhatsApp (my sister lives in Scotland, and I have a bunch of friends abroad), Phone (the missed calls are all spammers... I’ll get back to them soon), Gmail..." He highlighted Google Calendar as his most-used app, essential for managing a packed schedule, and praised Substack, where he launched a newsletter on his 40th birthday. "I started a Substack on my 40th birthday, and it’s been one of the most creatively rewarding experiences of my life," Rogowsky said. "I write about whatever the hell I want, and make podcasts about whatever the hell interests me. I just began ‘The Savvy Diaries,’ where I share the joys and challenges of running a startup mobile app at the nexus of tech and entertainment (techertainment?)."
Beyond the app's mechanics, TextSavvy taps into the social gaming surge post-pandemic, where live, competitive formats have seen renewed interest. HQ Trivia, which peaked with millions of daily players in 2018, faded amid financial woes and the founder's ouster, but Rogowsky's pivot to Savvy suggests a resilient market for bite-sized, communal entertainment. Pierce notes the game's addictive pull, mirroring how HQ once disrupted evenings across the U.S. and beyond. While Savvy hasn't disclosed user numbers yet, early adopters like Pierce report it filling a void left by defunct apps.
Pierce's newsletter doesn't stop at Savvy; it weaves in broader tech teases, including Apple's forthcoming budget-friendly MacBook, rumored to blend affordability with performance to capture a wider audience amid economic pressures. According to the edition's intro, this "cheap(er) new laptop" positions Apple to compete more aggressively in the entry-level market, potentially launching later this year. Cross-referencing with additional Verge reports, the device is codenamed MacBook Neo, with expectations of slimmer design and efficient chips, though Apple has yet to confirm details.
Other highlights include a new model from OpenAI, tentatively referenced as GPT-5.4 in supplementary summaries, promising advancements in AI capabilities for everyday users. Pierce also flags a fun feature for Pixel phones, enhancing camera functionalities, and the excitement around Slay the Spire 2's release—a sequel to the hit deck-building roguelike that has gamers buzzing. Formula 1's return, streaming on Apple TV via Formula 2 coverage, adds to the sports-tech crossover, with races kicking off this weekend in various global circuits.
The community section, a staple of Installer, showcases reader submissions that ground the high-tech chatter in practical advice. One parent, identified as kborer, recommends the Fyro Citta Sling 3L bag for dads juggling tiny humans: "As a fellow dad of tiny humans, I’d suggest giving a sling bag a try. I’ve been using the Fyro Citta Sling 3L daily and it’s been a game changer. Having my wallet, keys, headphones, phone all easily accessible and collected in one place has been great. Especially useful while wearing a diaper bag backpack." This tip resonates amid rising interest in multifunctional gear, with sling bags seeing a 25% sales uptick in parenting circles last year, per retail data.
Music enthusiasts chimed in too, with reader B seeking apps for auto-tagging massive MP3 collections amid a nostalgia-fueled CD-ripping trend. "I’ve been going back to the MP3 days and ripping all my CDs. If anyone has recommendations for apps that will auto tag a massive collection of MP3s, I’ll take it," B wrote. Rahul praised kids' games like Pok Pok and PBS Kids for punching above their weight: "Pok Pok and PBS Kids fight way above their level for kids games. There is a deep untapped market for not crappy toddler games." This echoes industry reports of a $5 billion kids' app market in 2023, hungry for quality content.
Literary and gaming nods abound, from Marcos revisiting Dan Simmons’ Hyperion Cantos audiobook following the author's passing last week—"Re-listening to the audiobook version of Dan Simmons’ Hyperion Cantos after his passing last week, while impatiently waiting on my special-edition hardcovers to come"—to Oliveoiltrain's podcast obsessions: Well There’s Your Problem, Tran Girlismo, and Remap Radio. Kiro highlighted Reverse: 1999's latest Critter Crash mode, an auto-battle feature akin to Teamfight Tactics, released in periodic updates that keep players engaged.
Practical tools got love as well, with Kurt endorsing Everything Weather app for its National Weather Service-sourced data, including space weather, available free on iOS and Android. "Check out Everything Weather on iOS and Android. It uses the National Weather Service as its source, and is well presented. And almost all of it is free. It even includes space weather," Kurt shared. On the entertainment front, Sam touted Hulu’s Paradise seasons 1 and 2: "See what the human spirit goes through and how it prevails in unprecedented times." Gregory pointed to a new mini-documentary on HyperCard, the pre-web Mac tool that empowered everyday creators in the 1980s and '90s.
Music playback purists nodded to Noah's discovery of Pentaton, a FLAC player that prioritizes simplicity: "Pentaton: it just plays music. This hid under my radar for too long, but finally a super clean, super focused, sufficiently audiophile appealing FLAC file player... Best part is you just point it at a folder of files and that’s it: no copies, no files renamed... it just reads files and their tags. And plays them back *perfectly*." Such recommendations underscore Installer's role in unearthing niche gems amid app store overload.
Pierce wraps with self-promotion for his Version History podcast's new season, launching this Sunday with an episode on Furby—the quirky 1990s toy that blended tech and interactivity. "We’re getting better and better at making this show, and I really love the six episodes in this season. First up is Furby, which is a truly wild episode," he writes, urging followers to subscribe on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The push highlights the challenges of growing audio content in a crowded podcast space, where episodes like this one explore tech's cultural impacts.
Looking ahead, Installer's blend of personal insight and crowd-sourced wisdom positions it as a barometer for tech enthusiasm. With Apple's laptop potentially reshaping affordable computing and AI models like OpenAI's pushing boundaries, the newsletter's timing captures a pivotal moment. Rogowsky's Savvy launch, meanwhile, could reignite live gaming's spark, especially as platforms like Apple TV integrate more sports like F1. As Pierce invites tips via email at installer@theverge.com or Signal at @davidpierce.11, the edition reinforces community as the heartbeat of innovation.
For readers in Appleton and beyond, these updates offer a window into how tech intersects daily life—from word games that bond friends to apps that streamline chaos. Whether diving into Slay the Spire 2 or tagging old MP3s, the suggestions encourage exploration in an increasingly connected world.