April 25, 2024 | View in browser 

🖥️ Windows 11 Start menu begins showing ads
📱 Rabbit R1 — the first reviews are in
📽️ Hisense's new projector offers a cinema-like experience
🎬 American Fiction coming to Blu-ray

🕹️ Nintendo takedown notice hits Garry's Mod

This week, computer giant Microsoft has started to roll out update KB5036980 that brings ads to the Start menu in the form of  “recommendations” for apps in the Microsoft Store.

“The Recommended section of the Start menu will show some Microsoft Store apps,” Microsoft says in the update notes, adding that the apps “come from a small set of curated developers.”

The good news is that for those who would rather not see ads every time they go to the Start menu, there’s an easy way to turn them off. Simply head to Settings/Personalization/Start and turn off the toggle for “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more” ...

Following the disappointment of Humane’s AI Pin, there was much hope that Rabbit’s somewhat similar R1 device would perform much better as an AI assistant. And the early reviews are generally favorable.   

The Verge described the $199 gadget as “fun” and “funky,” adding that it’s “less like a smartphone killer and more like the beginnings of a useful companion.” The Shortcut praised its slick design and computer vision camera that describes what’s in front of you, though the publication added that it sometimes gets it wrong.

Mashable pushed back a little harder, calling the R1’s bright orange chassis “an eyesore” and criticizing its inability to send texts and make calls, among other shortcomings ... 

Hisense has unveiled its latest addition to the home entertainment sector with the PX3-Pro Laser Cinema Projector, Home Theater Review reported. A notable improvement is its increased brightness, with the PX3-Pro delivering 3,000 ANSI lumens — up from the PX2's 2,400 ANSI lumens. This helps it deliver better performance in bright environments.

Hisense said its newest projector brings “the essence of cinema into your home with unmatched realism, depth, and immersion” by delivering “exceptional picture and sound, along with all the enhancements that make movies truly memorable.”

The top-end triple-laser projector will be available toward the end of the year for $3,500 ...

Following a limited theatrical release in December and availability on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+, American Fiction is coming to Blu-ray on June 18, Collider reported.

The comedy-drama, directed by Cord Jefferson and starring Jeffrey Wright, is an adaptation of Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure. It tells the story of a Black novelist “chafing against an industry that limits Black storytelling to trauma and poverty narratives,” the Guardian said in its 4/5 review of the movie.

Vulture described it as “a satire that’ll keep us talking,” adding that “the literary world jabs are sharp and funny, but it’s the rueful family dynamics that make the film so rewarding, as well as the performances” ... 

The popular physics sandbox Garry's Mod is removing "all Nintendo-related stuff" from its Steam Workshop in response to a takedown request issued by Nintendo, PC Gamer reported.

"Some of you may have noticed that certain Nintendo-related workshop items have recently been taken down," Garry’s Mod creator Facepunch Studios said in a Steam update. "This is not a mistake, the takedowns came from Nintendo."

PC Gamer pointed out there’s "a lot of Nintendo-related stuff available for Garry's Mod," noting that a search for "Nintendo" in the Garry's Mod Steam Workshop surfaces 44 pages of results, while "Mario" brings up 186 pages of results ...

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