Beyond the Home Screen: A Deep Dive into Expert Tech Setups and Community Favorites

In the ever-evolving world of technology, understanding how others leverage their devices for productivity, entertainment, and everyday convenience can unlock new possibilities for your own digital life. This week, we peel back the layers to explore the mobile setup of a renowned tech expert and showcase a curated list of top tech recommendations from our vibrant community.

Molly White’s Pixel Powerhouse: Apps for Privacy, Productivity, and Passion

We’re taking a closer look at the digital world of Molly White, a prominent figure known for her incisive analysis of Web3 and her role as a Wikipedia admin. Her approach to technology, favoring longevity and utility, offers a refreshing perspective in an age of constant upgrades.

White’s daily driver is a Pixel 7, a phone she intends to use “until the wheels fall off” – a testament to solid tech that simply works. Her phone’s wallpaper, a charming photo of her cat, Ruthie, adds a personal touch to a highly functional setup.

Molly White's Pixel 7 home screen showing various labeled apps arranged neatly.

Image: Molly White

Her home screen reveals a thoughtful selection of apps tailored for communication, privacy, reading, and cooking. Here’s a breakdown:

Essential Communication & Privacy Tools

White prioritizes secure communication, with Signal serving as her go-to messaging app for both professional and personal exchanges. She strongly advocates for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to safeguard privacy, regardless of perceived need. Complementing this is Tor, a privacy-focused web browser she frequently utilizes. This highlights a critical emphasis on digital security in daily tech habits.

A Reader’s Paradise: Digital Books and More

As an avid reader, it’s no surprise that a significant portion of White’s apps are dedicated to books and content consumption. CloudLibrary and Libby are her portals to digital lending from libraries, primarily for audiobooks she enjoys during dog walks. For tracking her reading journey, she relies on StoryGraph, praising it as a significant improvement over traditional platforms like Goodreads. Her current audiobook recommendation, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, reflects her diverse literary taste.

Pocket Casts manages her podcast listening, ensuring she stays up-to-date with her favorite audio content. For those who love to read newsletters but prefer to avoid email clutter, White uses Inoreader, an RSS reader that even converts email newsletters into feeds – a neat trick for organized content consumption. For more ways to manage your digital reading, explore our guide to the best e-reading apps.

Culinary Creativity at Her Fingertips

White’s passion for cooking is evident through her use of Paprika, a versatile recipe app that also doubles as a grocery list manager. With nearly 800 recipes collected over the years, Paprika is a testament to the power of dedicated apps in simplifying daily tasks. Many of her RSS feeds are even dedicated to food blogs, showcasing a holistic approach to her culinary pursuits.

Community Tech Picks: From Retro Gaming to Thought-Provoking Reads

Our community is a treasure trove of recommendations, spanning entertainment, productivity, and personal development. Here’s what Installer readers are loving right now:

Gaming & Entertainment Gems

• Nvidia Shield TV Pro (2019) for Upscaling: Allen highlights the enduring value of the Nvidia Shield TV Pro, specifically praising its upscaling feature for enhancing the viewing experience of classic TV shows like Lost. It’s like discovering new layers in your favorite content.
• Donkey Kong Bananza: BaltMatrix calls this new Donkey Kong title “the most cathartic game” with its simple yet satisfying mechanics: smash in front, below, above, and jump.
• Steam Summer Sale Haul: Trekkie86 has been enjoying a diverse mix from the Steam Summer Sale, including the expansive world of Cyberpunk 2077, the creative physics of Besiege, the nostalgic narrative of Emily is Away, and the charming adventure of A Short Hike.
• Dance Dance Revolution: WhatsTheMatter is getting active with Dance Dance Revolution using an online mat compatible with PC (via StepMania) and old PS2 consoles – a fun, humbling, and great cardio workout!

Reading & Listening Experiences

• Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation: Hoto recommends this newly released biography by Zaakir Tameez, offering insights into a pivotal figure of the abolitionist movement.
• Letterboxd: Trekkie86 has recently gotten into Letterboxd, a social platform for film lovers, perfect for tracking movies and sharing cinematic discoveries with friends.
• The Anthropologists: Jake suggests The Anthropologists by Sarah Wynn-Williams for its breezy and lovely writing.
• Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams: Pangaean is enjoying this read, alongside diving into Superman comics, specifically Superman: Up in the Sky by Tom King, inspired by the new Superman movie.
• 13 Minutes Presents Podcast: Trekkie86 highly recommends this podcast, especially its first season on the Apollo 11 moon landing, with a new third season now out, focusing on the Space Shuttle. Discover more great audio content with our top podcast recommendations.

Case or No Case: The Great iPhone Debate

As we wrap up, a common dilemma arises for many smartphone users: to case or not to case? The allure of a phone’s sleek design and comfortable feel without a case is strong, but the fear of scratches and drops often wins. It’s a balance between aesthetics, comfort, and protection.

Do you use a case with your phone? Share your thoughts and tell us your favorite case, or why you prefer to live dangerously! For more insights into optimizing your smartphone experience, check out our latest mobile tech reviews.