Jay Peters used the latest edition of Installer to highlight a new video game movie and a slate of other technology and gaming releases. The Verge published the 144th installment of the guide on September 20, 2026. Peters, a senior reporter who joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme, also recounted traveling to Los Angeles to try on and write about Snap鈥檚 Specs. He noted that Apple placed the iPhone 18 Pro鈥檚 Face ID sensor under the display, and he read about new Xbox boss Asha Sharma.
The installment also covered Valve鈥檚 Steam Frame, Nintendo鈥檚 expansive new Fire Emblem, and a tiny Fujifilm camera. Peters mentioned getting excited for bakes in the new Great British Baking Show trailer and watching Stephen Colbert shave his beard on Jimmy Kimmel. He said he spent time working at coffee shop tables as well.
The featured guest was game developer Dan DiIorio, who develops games under the alias TrampolineTales. Earlier this year he released a game called What鈥檚 the Password?, which tasks players with solving a series of tricky four-digit codes. It is out now on PC, iOS, and Android and can be finished in a couple hours. Peters recommended it. The Verge later corrected the spelling of DiIorio鈥檚 last name.
DiIorio said he keeps his app grid in three columns instead of the default four so that only frequently used apps appear on his homescreen. He called File Manager Plus useful for file management, especially when testing APKs for his games transferred from a PC. He described Podcast Addict as fantastic for keeping up with podcasts, saying he has used it for years and that it is very customizable. He said the game he plays most these days is MahjongSoul, averaging at least one game of riichi mahjong a day, and sometimes playing a few games of Threes when he lacks time for a full game of mahjong. He added that he still has a lot of space on his phone and has not felt the need to delete any games.
The Installer community also shared recommendations. One reader, Jonathan, said Slow Horses is back and looked forward to season 6. Chris said the new version of the Zen browser, now with syncing tabs and workspaces, had vanquished Arc. Another reader, rkatz94, played The Drifter and praised its fully voiced acting, art, puzzles, and story, and was reading Cloudthief by Nathaniel Rich. A reader named bimonscificon, excited by the Metroid Ravenous reveal, returned to Dread on Switch 2 and found the 1080p boost mode enjoyable in handheld play, though a resolution upgrade would have been nice.
Mrmagoo was watching Colin from Accounts S3 and a new season of Taskmaster, and reading Children of Strife, the latest in the Children Of series, while noting that Children of Time remains a favorite. HapticVibez was playing Inscryption, describing it as a fun roguelike card game with mystery and recommending going in blind. Daniel was obsessed with Shaboozey鈥檚 new country album and got the Xteink X4 Pro, praising its touch screen and front lights. Diego used Coquiet for deep work sessions, citing its music selection, built-in Pomodoro timer, and the feeling of working alongside others.
Peters said he has another week of travel coming up and asked readers to send travel apps, tips, and recommendations. He said that for work travel he mostly eats at chain restaurants such as Starbucks and Chipotle because he needs reliable meals that do not upset his stomach while covering an event, and that after stories are ready or an event ends he often looks for something local, like chicken strips he got from a ghost kitchen in LA. The source article carried a September 20 correction regarding the spelling of Dan DiIorio鈥檚 last name.
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