Get stuff done by yelling at your phone with Todoist Ramble | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Get stuff done by yelling at your phoneComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsStreamingCloseStreamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All StreamingGet stuff done by yelling at your phonePlus, in this week’s Installer: A three-OS phone, the new NYT game, Sony’s open earbuds, and much more.Plus, in this week’s Installer: A three-OS phone, the new NYT game, Sony’s open earbuds, and much more.by David PierceCloseDavid PierceEditor-at-LargePosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by David PierceJan 24, 2026, 1:00 PM UTCLinkShareGiftIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.Image: David Pierce / The VergeDavid PierceCloseDavid PiercePosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by David Pierce is editor-at-large and Vergecast co-host with over a decade of experience covering consumer tech. Previously, at Protocol, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired.Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 113, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, please send hot cocoa to my freezing-cold house, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)This week, I’ve been reading about private garbage collectors and vintage watches and My Favorite Murder, watching The Running Man (which was not great) and Sinners (which was extremely great), giving my Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses another whirl, nostalgia-tripping my way through The Format’s new album, sitting in the audience for the first Star Search on Netflix, finally reading Dungeon Crawler Carl because roughly 40,000 of you recommended it, and spending way too many hours wrestling with plane Wi-Fi. Life is too short for plane Wi-Fi, my friends.Bit of an abbreviated issue this week — it’s a short week, and has also been an unusually bananas one both personally and professionally. But too much good stuff to just take the week off! So consider this an Installer Lite. A Mini Installer. A “bug fixes and performance improvements” update, if you will. But we’ve got a smartphone you need to check out, a new soundtrack to work to, some smart thoughts on Hollywood, and more. Let’s do it.(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What are you watching / listening to / playing / buying / reading by the fire 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.)The DropTodoist Ramble. This is one of my favorite AI things on the internet, and it just came out of beta. You just start an audio recording and brain dump everything in your head, and Todoist does an impressively good job of turning it into projects, tasks, and deadlines. A perfect way to start the workday, if you ask me.The NexPhone. One phone, three operating systems. This midrange Android phone (which is more than a decade in the making) also comes with Linux and Windows installed, so you can in theory use it as your primary computer as well. It won’t ship for a while, and I do have some questions. But I love that this phone exists.Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! A two-part, star-studded HBO documentary about one of the funniest, most important comedians of our time. Watch the Judd Apatow-directed series, then use it as an excuse to watch Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein and Spaceballs and all the other incredible work Brooks has done.Crossplay. The newest New York Times word game, and its first multiplayer one! Big win for Wordle-ing couples everywhere. It’s basically Words with Friends with nicer design and fewer ads, and I mean that as a pretty high compliment. I just wish it didn’t require downloading a separate app.MIO: Memories in Orbit. I’ve seen some reviews putting this game alongside Silksong and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which is outrageously high indie-game praise. In addition to being absolutely gorgeous, it appears to be gleefully, punishingly difficult, and I suspect that’s going to work for a lot of people.The Sony LinkBuds Clip. I have started to see this style of clip-on, open-ear earbuds absolutely everywhere, and I kind of love it. Sony’s noise canceling and microphones are typically among the best you’ll find, so I’m curious to see what it can do with this new shape.TR-49. I love a good figure-out-the-machine game (Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is one of my all-time faves), and this is a great one. You’re dropped in front of a WWII-era computer and have to figure out how to use it. And what’s going on. I’ve been playing the iOS version, and it’s killing my productivity.“Joe Rogan Experience #2440 - Matt Damon & Ben Affleck.” This is the first, and probably last, time I’ll ever recommend a JRE episode here, but Affleck and Damon are just so smart about Hollywood, AI, money, and the future of entertainment. That viral Affleck-on-AI clip is only part of the good stuff.Nightshift. Kurzgesagt is one of the Installerverse’s favorite things on YouTube, and their new, somewhat darker channel is already off to a strong start. I kind of hope every video is about pirates.CrowdsourcedHere’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.“A friend recently introduced us to Boomerang Fu. As adorable anthropomorphic foods, you hurl boomerangs to neatly slice each other in madcap local multiplayer chaos rounds. Remaining the last food standing as the various power-ups stack up becomes increasingly hilarious. Our whole family loves it.” — E.E.“Clawdbot. It runs on your machine and you can message it using Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, or even iMessage, whichever is most accessible to you — and it can do anything you’d expect from something like Claude Code or ChatGPT Codex. It can also connect to a bunch of other tools, so it can interact with nearly every aspect of your digital identity. It can even rewrite its own code if you ask it to, which can get into some dangerous territory if you’re not careful.” — Drake“Going on two weeks with Bazzite after switching from Windows on my main gaming PC!Zero regrets, has been solid.” — Kolin“I’m convinced musicians have the best gadgets. Right now, I’m putting hours upon hours into the Dirtywave M8, which is the most compact, powerful music-making tool. It’s also made by a single person. It even comes with a hex key, welcoming you to repair and mod it yourself. I think more people should know about it. I’ve also had my share of fun with the OP-XY from Teenage Engineering, but it felt too restricted in an ‘Apple’ way, as opposed to the geeky freedom of the M8.” — Jakub“Check out Hex for on-device LLM voice dictation, completely for free. Hold Alt, talk, and your words appear.” — Andrew“I’m ready for a cozy weekend playing the Legacy of the Forge DLC for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. It’s so nice to see Henry (the main character) become a homeowner after such a rough ride navigating the politics of medieval Bohemia.” — Alex“I’m really enjoying Alma as a food-tracking tool. It’s a great use of AI, where I can just casually type out what I’m eating and it will figure out the macros.” — Michael“Currently obsessed with The Iron Snail on YouTube. Best content on clothing I have seen in years.” — Nishant“I held out for a while, but I eventually gave in and bought PowerWash Simulator 2. As a result, I’ve completely abandoned all real chores around the house.” — NicSigning offLife is busy right now. Life is busy all the time, for all of us, I suspect. In my endless quest to rethink my relationship with screens and technology, I’ve found that I constantly don’t do, or read, or watch things I want to, simply because they feel like too much commitment. I can just look at TikTok or Instagram for five minutes, but if I’m going to watch a movie or tuck into a book, it feels like a whole thing.But friends, I have had an epiphany: You actually consume almost anything five minutes at a time. The last couple of weeks, I’ve watched a bunch of movies in 20-minute chunks while my baby napped on top of me. I’ve read multiple books a couple of pages at a time. I’m slowly training myself to read two pages instead of opening TikTok while I wait in line; I’m about to watch every James Bond movie ever, one nap at a time. I still love spending hours with a good movie or good book, but life doesn’t always allow it. Everything can be bite-sized! Bite-size all the things!See you next week!Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.David PierceCloseDavid PierceEditor-at-LargePosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by David PierceAppsCloseAppsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AppsGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsInstallerCloseInstallerPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All InstallerStreamingCloseStreamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All StreamingTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularTesla finally kills Autopilot in a bid to boost FSD subscriptionsClaude Code is suddenly everywhere inside MicrosoftWhy this winter storm will likely be a wild oneGoogle won’t stop replacing our news headlines with terrible AISony announces its first turntables in yearsThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adMore in TechCongress doesn’t seem to know if the TikTok deal complies with its lawMeta is stopping teens from chatting with its AI charactersWhat TikTok’s new owners mean for your feedCasio teased a retro gaming-inspired sampler8Verge ScoreThe best instant cameras you can buy right nowHang on, there’s a Trump Phone Ultra coming too?Congress doesn’t seem to know if the TikTok deal complies with its lawLauren FeinerJan 23Meta is stopping teens from chatting with its AI charactersJay PetersJan 23What TikTok’s new owners mean for your feedEmma RothJan 23Casio teased a retro gaming-inspired samplerTerrence O'BrienJan 23The best instant cameras you can buy right nowSheena VasaniJan 23Hang on, there’s a Trump Phone Ultra coming too?Dominic PrestonJan 23Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adTop StoriesJan 23Why this winter storm will likely be a wild one8:00 AM UTCThe Loch Capsule dishwasher is small, fast, and efficient — it even sanitizes gadgetsJan 23Giving your healthcare info to a chatbot is, unsurprisingly, a terrible ideaAn hour agoThis coming-of-age adventure game made me feel a little too seenTwo hours agoGemini with Personal Intelligence is awfully familiar23 seconds agoGet ready for the AI ad-pocalypseThe VergeThe Verge logo.FacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSContactTip UsCommunity GuidelinesArchivesAboutEthics StatementHow We Rate and Review ProductsCookie SettingsTerms of UsePrivacy NoticeCookie PolicyLicensing FAQAccessibilityPlatform Status© 2026 Vox Media, LLC. 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The Installer is a weekly dispatch from The Verge’s David Pierce, a curated collection of interesting products, services, and ideas. This particular edition, dated January 24, 2026, focuses on a diverse range of items, from the smartphone-like NexPhone with three operating systems to productivity tools like Todoist Ramble for audio capture and transcription. Pierce prioritizes discovery and recommendation, offering a pragmatic and slightly cynical perspective on the constantly evolving landscape of consumer technology.

The core of the installment is a deep dive into the “Todoist Ramble” feature – an AI tool built into the popular task management app Todoist. It functions as a private “garbage collector” for thoughts, rapidly converting spoken audio recordings into actionable projects and deadlines. Pierce emphasizes the practicality of this tool, acknowledging the tendency to get lost in digital distractions and advocating for a focused workflow. The piece highlights this as a manageable solution for starting the workday efficiently, presented with a distinct preference for pragmatic solutions.

Beyond Todoist Ramble, Pierce introduces the “NexPhone,” a midrange Android phone distinguished by its unconventional design: it incorporates Linux and Windows operating systems. While acknowledging questions surrounding its feasibility, he expresses genuine enthusiasm for the phone’s concept – a device offering multiple platforms. The discussion touches on the potential of the device as a primary computer, despite the inherent challenges of managing three distinct operating systems.

Further recommendations include a selection of software and digital experiences: the New York Times word game, “Crossplay,” with an emphasis on its multiplayer functionality and improved design compared to Words with Friends; Kurzgesagt’s new darker YouTube channel, alongside their well-established content; a deep-dive on “Clawdbot,” an AI assistant accessible via various messaging apps; and a few specific gaming or entertainment recommendations. Pierce also discusses “Legacy of the Forge DLC” for the video game “Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2,” highlighting the game's immersive narrative and player agency.

The installment culminates in a personal reflection from Pierce, acknowledging his own struggle with managing digital consumption. He describes his habit of fragmenting his attention across multiple screens and apps, resulting in scattered productivity. He admits to spending his time in manageable chunks – 20-minute movie sessions, reading in small parts, and avoiding long distractions. This section blends a candid observation of his own routines with the core mission of the Installer: to provide readers with practical tools and ideas for more effective and focused engagement with technology.

Finally, the piece incorporates community feedback, compiled through emails and online messaging, further solidifying the Installer's character as a participatory element within The Verge's ecosystem. The inclusion of excerpts from this feedback provides a snapshot of the broader tech community’s interests and desires.