Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 126, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, I need 10 or 15 skirts from Calvin Klein, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) Happy Ruthless Self-Promotion Week! We’re dedicating almost all of this […]
Rolling the Dice in Esoteric Ebb Feels Like Playing with an Expert DM
It took me a while to get into Esoteric Ebb, a new CRPG from developer Christoffer Bodegård. The elevator pitch is basically Disco Elysium, but in the fantasy style of Dungeons & Dragons: You play as a cleric wandering around a small town who’s trying to figure out, among other things, the mystery of why […]
Reasons Behind the Foundation TV Series Creator’s Decision to Forego Adapting Isaac Asimov’s Legendary Tale into a Film
Before Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series evolved into Apple’s most ambitious television project, the show’s creator, David Goyer, participated in an interview with Screen Rant regarding his reasons for opting not to turn the narrative into a film. Essentially, he indicated that even though he had been approached twice to bring Asimov’s universe to the silver screen, he felt that it wouldn’t adequately allow for a thorough exploration of this realm.
“One of the evident challenges is that the first book is somewhat anthological, with significant time jumps occurring between the narratives, and many characters do not reappear across the various stories. Previous iterations were primarily efforts to adapt it as a film or even as a set of films; in fact, I was given the chance to adapt it twice as a film myself. Both occasions I declined because I didn’t see it as feasible to adapt it as a film or even a series of films,” he stated during the interview.
However, unlike other legendary books that were made into movies rather than receiving a proper series treatment, like Ursula K. Le Guin’s “Earthsea Tales,” which suffered from a poor movie adaptation by Studio Ghibli, or more mainstream examples like “Percy Jackson,” which saw two disappointing films before a suitable Disney+ production, Goyer realized that patience was the best approach.
Game of Thrones paved the way for Foundation
David Goyer also mentioned that “Foundation” likely wouldn’t have come to fruition were it not for the tremendous success of “Game of Thrones,” which set the stage for large series to be adapted for television instead of films. “Then the rise of streaming occurred, and you began to witness these vast, sprawling, epic novel-like series emerging, much like Game of Thrones. Over the past five years or so, I began to consider that it might indeed be the right moment for Foundation, and the right format for Foundation, since I wouldn’t have to condense the narrative into nine hours, but could potentially tell the tale over 60, or 70, or 80 hours, maybe it could be feasible. But at that time, the rights weren’t available, and then around three years ago, the rights opened up, and I jumped at the chance. I said, ‘I think this is the moment.'”
Currently, “Foundation” is moving toward Season 4, and the creator has ambitious plans for an overall total of eight seasons. While the original Asimov narrative consists of five books and two prequels, the TV series is progressing toward the start of book three, despite numerous alterations between the original plot and its television adaptation.
Foundation on Apple TV was the right decision
“Foundation” holds a critics’ score of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating that despite the creative discrepancies between the series and the book, audiences are engaged with the show. With Season 4 set to debut in 2027, the primary concern with the series, similar to many contemporary programs, is the exceedingly lengthy gap between seasons. “Foundation” launched in 2021, with the second season appearing in 2023, and a third in 2025. If the series continues through to Season 8, it wouldn’t conclude until 2037.
While Asimov’s story is unique in its capacity for such an extended timeline — as the Foundation itself is more crucial than any individual characters — it will be intriguing to see how Goyer concludes the narrative, especially as Asimov concentrated on the conflict between its robotic universe and the Foundation’s world. As of now, there are not many specifics about Season 4. No official teaser, trailer, or release date has been made available, and it has been a year since the show received the green light to proceed with its production.
Five Creative Techniques to Leverage Gemini with Android Auto
Google Gemini has impressive features for Android Auto, but we’re eager to explore ways for users to maximize the technology.
With the updated Gemini assistant, Android Auto users can manage their navigation quite effortlessly. Adding stops or retrieving specific information has become simpler, as there’s no need to remember particular commands for it to respond to your inquiries. It’s convenient for maintaining focus on the road, and it can handle various tasks like responding to messages or offering details about nearby restaurants.
Initiating Gemini on Android Auto is fairly simple — just ensure you have the Gemini app installed on your mobile device. You’ll notice a tooltip on your vehicle’s display indicating the availability of the AI assistant. From this point, you can access Gemini by saying “Hey Google,” tapping the microphone icon on your screen, or pressing and holding the voice command button on your steering wheel. Keeping this in mind, there might also be some crucial Android Auto applications you should consider installing if you’re truly looking to enhance your experience while driving.
Stay updated on your emails
Even on a road trip, it’s always a good moment to receive updates. One of the great aspects of Gemini is that you can use the assistant to check your emails. There are several ways to benefit from it, and you can even transfer the information you gather there to other applications, such as adding tasks to a to-do list or having Gemini jot down a quick note for you. Let’s consider a particular example.
You can tell Gemini something like “Hey Google, I’m heading to a concert tonight. The tickets and address are in my email. Can you confirm and give me directions to the event?” Gemini will
SED News: OpenClaw Goes Viral, Mistral’s Compute Play, and the Agent Arms Race
SED News is a monthly podcast from Software Engineering Daily where hosts Gregor Vand and Sean Falconer unpack the biggest stories shaping software engineering, Silicon Valley, and the broader tech industry. In this episode, they cover the viral rise of OpenClaw and its founderâs move to OpenAI, OpenAIâs exploration of ads inside ChatGPT, and Alibabaâs
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Netflix’s Latest Mobile Layout Highlights Short Videos and Scrolling
Netflix aims to add meaning to the endless scroll for fresh content.
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Gen Z Ignites Comeback of Classic iPods via Creative Applications
Apple Music (alongside iPads and Macs) is a streaming platform that provides recurring revenue for Apple. However, Gen Z users are now exploring the charm of a device that can solely play music that has been downloaded to it. Although Apple has ceased production of iPods, the resale of secondhand units is booming online, as reported by Axios, The New York Times, and Associated Press.
Many individuals in Gen Z were not yet born when Apple launched the first-generation iPod, or the many versions that came after it, such as the iPod Classic, iPod Mini, iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, and iPod Touch. The iPod Touch resembled the iPhone closely, supporting apps but lacking the ability to make phone calls. Yet, younger users have stumbled upon the older iPods and have begun to cherish them. For instance, AP’s Kelvin Chan mentions that his 16-year-old daughter discovered an iPod Nano that used to belong to her grandmother. Other young individuals are either receiving pre-owned iPods as presents or are actively on the lookout for secondhand iPods in online marketplaces.
Using an iPod to enjoy music is not merely about engaging with a vintage gadget that younger generations might find trendy. Some users are realizing that the iPod provides an interruption-free music experience. One young iPod owner, for example, shared with The Times that listening to music on a phone can be disrupted by notifications and app interactions. The iPod is dedicated solely to music playback.
Signs of an iPod revival are ubiquitous
SED News: OpenCode, AI Code vs. Shipped Code, and LiteLLM Breach
SED News is a monthly podcast from Software Engineering Daily where hosts Gregor Vand and Sean Falconer unpack the biggest stories shaping software engineering, Silicon Valley, and the broader tech industry. In this episode, they cover the resurgence of ARM and CPUs as serious compute infrastructure for running local AI agents, a supply chain attack
The post SED News: OpenCode, AI Code vs. Shipped Code, and the LiteLLM Breach appeared first on Software Engineering Daily.
2026 Summer TV Preview: Must-Watch Shows to Know Now
From “House of the Dragon” and “Ted Lasso” to “Spider-Noir” and “Lanterns,” here’s what’s coming to TV this summer.
NASA Explains Why Titan Mission Uses Helicopter Blades Instead of Wheels
NASA’s 2028 Dragonfly mission will explore Saturn moon Titan with an aircraft rather than a rover. Here’s why flying beats driving.