Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 133, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, happy belated Juneteenth, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)
This week, I've been reading about Sam Bankman-Fried and PE Guy and admin nights (which we should totally all do together one of these days), listening to Paul McCartney on Song Exploder, trudging through the bugs of the iOS 27 beta in order to use the good new Siri, once again trying and failing to switch to YouTube Music, free trial-hopping my way through the World Cup, finally upgrading my camera setup with the E …
I can't remember the last time I got excited about a fan. Normally, I just buy whatever Vornado or Dreo model fits my budget, but that was before I started testing the battery-powered Standing Circulator Fan from SwitchBot.
As the name indicates, the SwitchBot fan is a 3D circulator - a fancy way of saying that it can tilt up, down, left, and right to push a decent amount air around a room. It looks okay, despite all the plastic, is relatively quiet, runs for hours on battery, has an integrated nightlight, transforms from a desktop to standing fan in seconds, and works on its own or as part of a smart home. There's a lot to like here.
Nothing's next budget phone is the latest victim of RAMageddon. As 9to5Google reports, Nothing co-founder Akis Evangelidis announced in a post on X that a follow-up to the CMF Phone 2 Pro won't be coming this year:
We were working on a successor but with memory prices where they are right now, we can't build a phone that feels like a genuine step forward at a price that makes sense for CMF. As a result, we've decided not to launch a new CMF phone this year.
Have I found my Chromecast Audio replacement? | Image: NTS Radio
NTS Radio and Swedish audio company Atonemo have teamed up on a dedicated player that brings NTS's genre-defying mixes and streaming stations to almost any stereo or speaker setup. And, like Atonemo's existing Streamplayer, you can also listen to your favorite streaming services with it, using AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, or Tidal Connect.
The $179 NTS Radio Player puts out 24-bit / 192kHz audio over a standard 3.5mm audio jack and comes with an adapter cable for connecting to RCA on your vintage hi-fi system, or whatever other speakers you have lying around. The top of the device has two buttons for tuning in directly to NTS 1 …
If you've been following my reporting on the Trump phone, you'll know that Trump Mobile doesn't exactly keep open lines of communication with the media. That doesn't look to be changing, with the company no longer working with its long-term media relations firm.
Poplar Group has represented Trump Mobile since at least last June, when the company's founding partner Chris Walker gave a statement to USA Today, insisting at the time that "T1 …
The Strato E player (here with a Mini Terra Prime server on top of it) is smaller than a Blu-ray disc collection, but you can get a lot of 4K discs for $3,000.
We've lost something in the past 15 years. Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Apple; they've all convinced us that streaming is the best way to watch movies and shows at home. With everything at our fingertips, there's no need to run to Blockbuster for the weekend's entertainment, or wait for a DVD rental to arrive in the mail. And going to the movie theater is a luxury - one that keeps getting more expensive.
But we were, all of us, deceived. We traded quality for convenience. And while TVs have improved drastically, we feed them inadequate, bitrate-starved, internet-throttled streams that won't let our fancy screens show their full potential. Blu-r …
You don’t need a Game Boy Camera or a GB Operator dock to use Epilogue’s new Flashback app. | Image: Epilogue
The $50 GB Operator is an accessory that lets you connect, play, and authenticate Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges on PCs and other devices. Now it's getting some new functionality for the Game Boy Camera. After turning the Game Boy Camera into a charmingly awful desktop webcam two years ago, device-maker Epilogue has just released an iOS/Android mobile app so you can take photos while the Game Boy accessory is connected to your smartphone through the GB Operator.
The Game Boy Camera was a terrible camera even by 1998 standards when it was released. It captured 0.01434-megapixel images in just four shades of gray an …
You can stream Sinners and other recent Oscar winners for less with HBO Max's sale. | Image: Warner Bros. Pictures
The easiest way to save on a streaming service is often to pay for a year upfront, which HBO Max is currently making a lot cheaper. Through July 15, 2026, new and returning subscribers can get 28 percent off any of HBO Max’s yearly plans, bringing the ad-supported tier down to $78.99 ($31 off) per year, the Standard plan to $132.99 ($52 off) per year, and the Premium tier to $164.99 per year ($65 off). That’s up to 40 percent less than paying month to month.
All three plans include access to HBO Max’s extensive library of movies and TV shows, including films from Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, A24, Studio Ghibli, and Turner Classic Movies. Subscribers can also stream recent Oscar winners and nominees like titles like Sinners,One Battle After Another, and Marty Supreme, alongside other HBO Max originals. On the TV side, you’ll also get access to popular series like The Pitt, Hacks, Euphoria, and Heated Rivalry, as well as longtime favorites such as Game of Thrones, Friends, and The Big Bang Theory.
The biggest differences come down to features. The ad-supported Basic plan lets you stream on up to two devices simultaneously, while the Standard plan lets you download up to 30 shows and movies for offline viewing. It also includes access to live sports from the likes of the MLB, U.S Soccer, college football, NHL, and more. The Premium tier lets you stream on up to four devices at once, supports 4K and Dolby Atmos, and increases offline downloads to 100 titles.
Snap's new smart glasses are probably the most impressive bit of face-computer technology we've seen. They're not VR-headset huge; they don't have a big charging puck; thanks to Snap's many years of AR lens development, they're likely to have a lot of features right out of the box. (Yes, they're $2,195, but that may just be what all this tech costs right now.) Snap is clearly at the front of this race.
And then… you see the pictures. The pictures of Snap CEO Evan Spiegel wearing the new Specs, as the enormous and heavy stems smash down on his ears. The pictures of models and athletes wearing Specs, carefully posed to hide the obvious weigh …
University of Adelaide researchers have developed a wearable glove that uses heat, touch and physical objects to transform data into a sensory experience. The prototype, called ThermoPhy, was developed as part of a remote internship run by the Australian Research Center for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE) at the University of Adelaide.
During a recent expo in Shanghai that focuses on elderly care, assistive devices, and rehabilitation medicine, a Chinese company called Yueban debuted a smart toilet that does something we haven't seen before; it comes to you. The autonomous self-driving Xiaoban toilet was designed to improve accessibility for those dealing with mobility issues due to age, injuries, or disabilities. It's expected to sell for ¥28,999 yuan in China, or nearly $4,300, according to IT Home, but global availability hasn't been confirmed.
Do you often find yourself shopping at the big blue, or perhaps you’re just looking for an alternative to Amazon? Either way, Walmart is currently offering a year of its Walmart Plus subscription for $49, which typically costs $98. The membership includes perks like free delivery on orders over $35, free next-day and two-day shipping from Walmart.com when available, and free home pickup for returns. Importantly, it also grants you early access to sales, including the upcoming Walmart Deals starting on June 22nd that coincide with Prime Day 2026.
Walmart Plus
Walmart Plus is a membership program that offers exclusive benefits, like free delivery from your store, free shipping with no order minimum, and more.
In addition to the aforementioned shopping perks, the subscription bundles in a handful of other offers and memberships. For instance, you can choose from either ad-supported Paramount Plus or Peacock, with the option to switch every 90 days. You’ll also get a Pawp membership for remote veterinary care, discounts on gas at Walmart and Sam’s Club, and even a free Whopper with any purchase from Burger King every three months.
Amazon Prime Day 2026 lifts off on June 23rd and will hopefully deliver the best deals of the summer. We’ve been covering the most notable pre-Prime Day discounts happening, and come next week, we’ll be bringing you many more deals — ones we can’t tell you about just yet. As usual, expect to see price drops on a range of product categories, including smart home, headphones, smartwatches, monitors, 4K TVs, outdoorsy gear, and more. The sale will conclude at 3:01AM ET on June 27th.
We’ve put together this package so you can see all of our sprawling coverage in one convenient place. It contains not just our favorite one-off deals and category roundups to come, but also some shopping tips that might help you price-match purchases, and be the first to find amazing deals.
The Narwal Flow 2 is down to a new low price. | Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
If you’ve been wanting to buy a robot vacuum but have been put off by how much it can cost to get a good one, now is not a bad time to start looking. We’re now on day two of Prime Day, and Amazon, along with retailers like Best Buy and Walmart, is offering discounts on several models we’ve tested from brands like Roborock, Dreame, and Shark. Whether you’re looking for a basic robot vacuum that can cut down on the amount of vacuuming you have to do or a high-end model that can wash and dry its own mop pads and climb over room thresholds, there are deals available across a wide range of price points.
Roborock’s Saros 10 combines powerful 22,000Pa suction with excellent dual spinning mop pads that do a great job tackling dried-on messes. It can also automatically leave its mop pads at the dock before vacuuming carpets. The newer Saros 20 offers more powerful suction and can tackle taller thresholds, but the Saros 10 is still a great cleaning machine.
The Roborock Q10 S5 Plus is down to $264.99 ($285 off) at Amazon, which matches its lowest price to date. The Q10 S5 Plus is one of our favorite budget-friendly robot vacuum / mop hybrids, combining good AI-powered obstacle avoidance with automatic carpet detection. It also features a vibrating mop that does a solid job scrubbing hard floors while lifting itself over rugs, and the set includes a self-emptying dock for added convenience. It can’t match the suction power or tall threshold-climbing abilities of pricier models like the Saros 20, but this is a good value under $300.
The Tapo RV30 Max Plus is another excellent budget-friendly option that’s on sale. It includes a self-emptying dock and costs $199.99 ($200 off) at Amazon. You don’t get AI-powered obstacle avoidance with this one, and its 5,200Pa suction isn’t the most powerful we’ve seen, but it’s still a capable cleaning machine with a wide mop pad that performs surprisingly well. The RV30 Max also offers excellent lidar-based navigation, support for room-specific cleaning, and Matter compatibility, allowing you to control it through all the major smart home platforms.
Eufy Omni C28
The Eufy Omni C28 combines excellent mopping performance with a small self-cleaning dock that’s well suited for apartments and other smaller spaces. It navigates around furniture and into tight areas with ease, while its roller mop does a great job cleaning hard floors.
Dreame’s X60 Max Ultra is on sale for $1,344.99 ($355 off) at Amazon, which is its best price to date. We highly recommend the Dreame X60 Ultra for homes with lots of carpet, as it combines powerful 35,000Pa suction with dual rubber brushes that excel at lifting hair and debris. It can also climb over tall thresholds and thick rugs with ease, while its spinning mop pads do a good job on hard floors and automatically detach when vacuuming carpet. Other highlights include quiet mop washing and drying along with a slim design that can fit under low furniture.
Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow
Roborock’s first roller-mop robot vacuum, the Curv 2 Flow, features flagship specs at a mid-range price. Including excellent mopping, a retractable mop cover, 20,000Pa suction, AI-powered obstacle avoidance, and a compact design.
You can pick up the Dreame X60 Max Ultra’s predecessor, the Dreame X50Ultra, for $849.99 ($750 off) at Amazon, which is $50 more than its best price to date. While its 20,000Pa suction isn’t quite as powerful as the X60 Ultra’s and it can’t tackle especially high thresholds as well, it’s still an excellent robot vacuum-mop hybrid. Its edge cleaning also isn’t quite as effective as the X60 Ultra’s, but you’re otherwise getting many of the same features for a lot less.
Dreame’s L40 Ultra Gen 2 is on sale for $384.99 ($265 off) at Amazon and directly from Dreame with code L40UGWS. It delivers powerful 25,000Pa suction, AI-powered obstacle avoidance, and a self-cleaning dock that empties the dustbin, washes the mop, and refills its water tanks. Unlike the X50 Ultra, however, it lacks the ability to climb high thresholds or stairs.
Narwal Flow 2
Our pick for the best robot vacuum-mop if you have all hardwood floors is the Narwal Flow 2. A superb mop with a wide flat roller pad and an excellent vacuum, the Flow 2 also has top-notch navigation and obstacle detection. Its sleek base station is also less of an eyesore than most.
The original Narwal Flow is available for $649.99 ($500 off) at Amazon, which is its best price to date. Like the Flow 2, it offers a self-cleaning roller mop along with a dock that automatically empties the dustbin and washes the mop and a tangle-resistant brush. The tradeoff is that it lacks the Flow 2’s upgraded AI-powered obstacle avoidance, uses lower-temperature water when washing the mop, and delivers slightly less suction power.
You can buy the SwitchBot K11 Plus on sale for around $189.99 ($210 off) at Amazon and directly from SwitchBot with code PDDAY53, which is $10 more than its best price. It’s a tiny bot with an equally small self-emptying dock, making it a great fit for smaller spaces. Its suction power tops out at 6,000Pa, but it’s still an effective cleaning machine with a rubber roller brush and a single side brush that does a solid job picking up dirt, dust, and debris from both hard floors and carpets.
Ecovacs Deebot X12 OmniCyclone
Ecovacs’ latest flagship robot vacuum and mop can pretreat stains, keep carpets dry with a smart mop cover, and deliver powerful 22,000Pa suction. It also comes with an all-in-one dock that automatically empties the dustbin, washes the mop with heated, pressurized water, and refills its water tanks.
The Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni features an extendable mop that can clean itself, just like its predecessor. However, it also features Ecovacs’ Boosted Large-Airflow Suction Technology, which optimizes the airflow path from intake to exhaust, rather than relying solely on suction power.
The Dreame L10s Pro Ultra is down to $349.98 when you buy it at Amazon, matching its best price to date and $950 less than its original launch price in 2024. Despite its age, it still offers a self-cleaning dock that can wash and dry its mop pads, dispense cleaning solution, refill its water tank, and empty its dustbin. It also features AI-powered obstacle avoidance. Its 7,000Pa suction is lower than Dreame’s newer models, and it can’t climb tall thresholds, but it’s still a lot of robot vacuum for the price.
The Shark Navigator Robot Vacuum RV2110 has dropped to $179 ($121 off) at Amazon. While we’ve previously seen it go for as low as $129.99, that’s still a notable 40 percent discount on the basic bot. The Navigator uses lidar-based navigation to create a map of your home and is equipped with a brushroll designed to minimize hair tangles.
Update, June 24th: Adjusted prices and availability and added deals for the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow.
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