TechManNews reporter Jay Peters, writing in The Verge’s Installer newsletter, highlighted two British television shows with upcoming premieres that he recommends for viewers in the United States. The next series of Taskmaster, a comedy program where five comedians compete in absurd challenges, is scheduled to debut on September 3rd. Additionally, The Great British Bake Off, known as The Great British Baking Show in the U.S., will premiere sometime in September, though no specific date has been announced. Peters called the timing of these fall premieres ideal for providing laughs and comfort alongside a busy season of technology news and video game launches.
Peters also used the newsletter to reintroduce himself and share his current iPhone homescreen setup, which he has simplified to reduce phone usage. He said his homescreen now contains only the Messages app, which he uses to communicate with his wife and family. Other applications are accessed through search or the App Library, and he has removed social media and browser apps from his device. He noted that he created a black gradient wallpaper using iOS’s wallpaper tool and sometimes enables grayscale mode, which he has set up as a Control Center toggle.
The reporter explained that his goal is to make his phone as uninteresting as possible so he is less tempted to pick it up. He prefers to use his laptop, television, Steam Deck, Switch 2, or Kindle for more productive screen time. Peters still owns his older iPhone 12 Mini, which he keeps hidden in a box for testing apps, and he mentioned he misses that smaller model compared to his current iPhone 16 Pro, which he finds too heavy and large.
Peters said the strategy of a minimal homescreen mostly works, but the iOS App Library remains an issue for him. He noted that the App Library is just a swipe away, which often leads him to scroll through apps absent-mindedly, and he would disable it if Apple allowed that option. He acknowledged that occasionally social apps or a browser find their way back onto his phone, and he sometimes wastes time on Reddit using his computer instead.
The newsletter also included a personal update on Peters’ sobriety. He previously shared a Days Since widget counting his days without alcohol, and that count continues. Last year, the count showed 165 days, and it has now reached 630 days, though the widget is no longer on his homescreen.
The Installer community shared various recommendations in the newsletter, including indie mystery games for the Steam Deck, a small game called Spaceplan, a DIY vinyl kit from Teenage Engineering, and a new Phoebe Bridgers album. One reader praised Spaceplan as a simple but addictive game with no in-app purchases, while another compared Bridgers’ Lost Weekend to classic albums by other artists. Peters also mentioned trying ergonomic Switch 2 grips from Etsy, researching an upcoming Velotric e-bike purchase, and reading the fourth book in The Dark Tower series.
More technology news from TechManNews.
