Category: Tater News

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Geekom GeekBook X16 Pro Review: Is Bigger Better?

https://retrohandhelds.gg/geekom-geekbook-x16-pro-review/

Retro Handhelds Review: The Geekom GeekBook X16 Pro — Big Screen, Bigger Questions

Let’s get one thing straight: the Geekom GeekBook X16 Pro is technically a laptop. Just… one that fits a 16-inch screen, full-sized keyboard, and 77Wh battery into a surprisingly sleek magnesium chassis— weighing only 2.8 lbs. Yes, weight and size still don’t always agree in this market.

At $1,349–$1,799, it’s no budget pick—but it packs serious hardware: Intel Core Ultra 5/9 chips, 32GB RAM, up to 2TB SSD, and Intel Arc graphics. For multitaskers, media consumers, or retro emulation buffs (Xbox 360? Sure!), it delivers. Benchmarks show it outperforms older ultraportables by leaps—and even holds its own against some dedicated GPU rigs at lower resolutions.

But here’s the catch:

• Keyboard: Solid feel, but that tiny right Shift is aggressive.
• Battery life: Advertised at 17 hours? Real-world hits closer to 8–10 hrs on light tasks.
• Expandability: You can upgrade the SSD—but it’s not exactly tool-free.
• The competition: The X14 Pro (OLED, cheaper) might be smarter for most.

Verdict? If you crave screen real estate and portability in one go, the X16 Pro impresses. But if you’re not married to 16 inches… maybe grab the smaller sibling—or just stick with your Surface. 😄

Affiliate links involved—supports the site!

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Weekly Roundup #506

https://retrorgb.com/week506.html

RetroRGB Weekly Roundup #506: More Than Just Nostalgia (Though There’s Plenty of That)

Bob from RetroRGB returns with Roundup #506—a packed, playful dive into the world of retro tech, mods, and deep-cut trivia. Whether you’re a tinkerer, collector, or just love hearing how obscure gear actually works, there’s something here to spark joy (and maybe a little frustration—looking at you, laserdiscs).

Highlights include the revival of the Saturn 3D Controller’s Bluetooth adapter—yes, that awkward peripheral from 1998 is getting a modern upgrade—and transparent SNES controller shells back in stock, perfect for those who want their setup to glow as hard as their ROM collection.

For the tinkerers: a RePlayOS v1.5.0 update for Raspberry Pi makes arcade emulation smoother than ever, while a DIY JUROG NAS setup (using Ugreen gear) shows how to keep your retro HDDs online—without breaking the bank or your back.

And yes, there’s also a laserdisc examined under a microscope—because why wouldn’t you peek inside that analog glory? Plus, Bob reminds us that indie devs in the ‘90s weren’t all just “small”; some absolutely moved the needle for Sega’s Genesis.

Want to support? There are links (and Patreon love) in the description—no shame in tipping a creator who makes tech history feel like your favorite local pub’s trivia night. 🎮✨

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

France Fines First Batch of Pirate IPTV Subscribers Following Reseller Bust

https://torrentfreak.com/france-fines-first-batch-of-pirate-iptv-subscribers-following-reseller-bust/

France Just Fined Its First Batch of IPTV Pirates — and It’s Just the Beginning

For years, France led the charge against online piracy with its “three-strikes” system targeting BitTorrent users. But as piracy shifted to private, encrypted IPTV streams, enforcement stalled — until now.

Last week, 19 French citizens paid €300–€400 fines after settling criminal charges tied to pirating Ligue 1 matches. These were the first IPTV subscribers sanctioned in France, following a crackdown on resellers whose customer records gave prosecutors the evidence they needed. Two resellers remain in court this April.

This isn’t just symbolic: The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) is signaling a broader push. “Users wrongly believe they act with impunity,” the league warned, calling IPTV piracy a “mafia-like ecosystem” that harms sports at large.

While only 19 have been punished so far, around 2 million people reportedly watched Ligue 1 via pirate streams this season. Prosecuting them all isn’t feasible — so France is doubling down on tech solutions too.

A proposed law could let regulators like Arcom block pirate sites automatically, without manual approval — fast enough to catch live matches. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, expect more fines, more blocks, and fewer places to hide for IPTV pirates.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

We Found Every PortMaster Game Currently on Sale

https://retrohandhelds.gg/we-found-every-portmaster-game-currently-on-sale/

Title: 🎮 PortMaster’s Steam Sale Cheat Sheet Is Here — And It’s Massive

If you’re a retro handheld enthusiast (or just obsessed with portable gaming), you know PortMaster is the ultimate hub for tracking which indie and classic games run on devices like Steam Deck, GPD Win, or even Android via Winlator. But with over 1,300 titles listed—and hundreds requiring extra files—finding what’s on sale? That’s a full-time job.

Enter Retro Handhelds’ latest deep dive: they’ve scoured PortMaster to curate every single game currently on sale, sorted by discount, platform (Steam/GOG/itch/Epic), and even PM Downloads—so you can see what the community loves most.

🔥 Top Highlights You Can’t Miss

• Stardew Valley: $7.49 (50% off)
• Half-Life, Undertale, Fallout 1 & 2, and Sonic Mania all under $5
• Duke Nukem 3D: Just $1.99
• Steamworld Dig 2 at GOG for a wild $1.20

Bonus tip: While the Steam Sale ends in <48 hours, GOG’s Spring Sale is just heating up—and Fanatical has even more DRM-free gems, perfect for expanding your offline-ready library.

Grab the full sortable table (yes, it includes Blazing Beaks at $3.75 and Bones in the Boneyard—FREE on itch!) before the deals vanish. 🛒💨

📰 New article from RetroRGB

MiSTer FPGA News – Tandy 1000, MiSTer Companion, MiSTer Organize & More

https://retrorgb.com/mister-fpga-news-tandy-1000-mister-companion-mister-organize-more.html

MiSTer FPGA Newsletter: Tandy 1000 Finally Gets Its Own Core, Downloader 2.4 Gets Drag-and-Drop Love & More! 🎮💾

The MiSTer FPGA community is churning out updates faster than a TurboGrafx-16 on espresso—here’s what’s new this week:

🔹 Downloader 2.4 is here, and it’s so much friendlier: drag-and-drop database installs (no more editing config files like a sysadmin from 1997), unlimited file sizes, log rotation for easier debugging, and a new archive spec for database devs.

🔹 Tandy 1000 has officially been split off from PCXT with its own full-featured core by Spark2k06—featuring cycle-accurate CPU speeds, Tandy graphics + sound (hello, King’s Quest IV!), EMS/UMB memory, mouse/joystick support, and even dual SD card slots. Yes, you can now run Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? just like back in ’89.

🔹 Qix and The Tin Star cores see progress—RodimusFVC is hacking away at Qix (hangs on game over, but close!), while Anton Gale got The Tin Star running smoothly on the Taito SJ core (except for one obscure title).

🔹 MiSTer Companion v2.5 adds an easy-to-use GUI for editing `MiSTer.ini`, and Update All 2.6 brings overscan fixes, NTSC CRT support, and a monochrome UI—perfect for those who miss the green-on-black days.

🔹 Jotego continues his arcade magic: Caliber 50 beta (Patreon-only for now), plus bug fixes across Renegade, Warriors of Fate, and NeoGeo Pocket save support (Metal Slug still resisting).

All aboard the FPGA express—next stop, Arcade Heaven 🚂🔥

👉 Full details at RetroRGB

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

GitHub Nukes 900+ Anime Piracy Repos and Forks, But Rejects ‘Circumvention’ Claims

https://torrentfreak.com/github-nukes-900-anime-piracy-repos-and-forks-but-rejects-circumvention-claims/

GitHub Slams the Brakes on 900+ Anime Piracy Repos—But Snubs the “Circumvention” Angle

When HiAnime—a massive anime piracy hub with 150M+ monthly visits—suddenly vanished earlier this month, it sent shockwaves through the pirate streaming ecosystem. Now, GitHub has followed suit, nuking over 900 repositories (and forks) tied to services like aniwatch and MegacloudKeys, effectively shutting down third-party tools that piggybacked on HiAnime’s infrastructure.

The takedown push came via a DMCA anti-circumvention claim from Remove Your Media (representing Crunchyroll, VIZ Media, and others), arguing these tools bypassed DRM and paywalls. But GitHub pushed back—not because the repos were innocent, but because the anti-circumvention claim didn’t quite hold water. As GitHub put it: “We did not find sufficient information to determine a valid anti-circumvention claim… but other valid copyright claims were present.”

In plain English: GitHub didn’t buy the “DRM-busting” narrative (likely because no direct circumvention tools were hosted), but it did agree the repos violated copyright—especially since HiAnime and MegaCloud were recently named in the USTR’s Notorious Markets list for distributing tens of thousands of pirated movies and episodes.

Sound familiar? This mirrors the 2020 youtube-dl saga, where GitHub reinstated the tool after backlash—even though it faced similar circumvention accusations. The difference? This time, GitHub pulled the plug anyway.

So what’s next? History suggests it’s only a matter of time before these tools reappear under new names. But for now, anime pirates are once again back in the shadows—and GitHub’s playbook shows they’re getting smarter about takedowns, even when the legal theory is shaky.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Cocoon Shell Beta 2.1 Brings Big Upgrades to Dual-Screen Handhelds

https://retrohandhelds.gg/cocoon-shell-beta-2-1-brings-big-upgrades-to-dual-screen-handhelds/

Cocoon Shell Beta 2.1 Ditches Manual Setup—Welcome to the Silk Pod Era!

Gone are the days of manually dragging assets into folders on your dual-screen handheld. With Cocoon Shell Beta 2.1, the popular launcher for devices like the AYN Thor and AYANEO Pocket DS, just dropped a massive upgrade — including a slick new Silk Pod, its very own community-driven theme and asset store.

That’s right: no more scouring Discord for cool skins or icons. Silk Pod centralizes it all, letting users browse, install, and swap themes directly from within the launcher. It’s a huge quality-of-life win — especially for newcomers wary of tinkering under the hood.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Beta 2.1 also introduces:

• 🎮 Now Playing mode — turning your second screen into a dynamic hub with game art, session data, and quick dock access
• 🎵 Game Jingles — hover over a ROM, and hear a nostalgic tune (3DS-style, obvs)
• 🕹️ Flutterkey — a multitool keyboard/trackpad/trackball combo for your bottom screen
• ⏱️ Smart Game Tracking — playtime auto-pauses and resumes like it’s got muscle memory

All this, and it’s still free — grab the latest build on GitHub before your next handheld deep-dive.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Game Boy Camera Web App

https://retrorgb.com/game-boy-camera-web-app.html

Turn Your Phone or Webcam into a Game Boy Camera—For Free! 🎮📸

Developer kunio9209 just dropped Camera Boy—a delightfully nostalgic web app that turns any camera (phone or desktop webcam) into a full-on Game Boy Camera simulator. And yes, it works right in your browser, no downloads needed.

Just head to camera-boy.vercel.app (or copy-paste that link), allow camera access, and boom—you’re snapping pixelated, monochrome snaps with built-in LCD charm. The app even mimics the quirks of vintage hardware, letting you tweak settings like dead pixels, LCD degradation, and multiple contrast levels to really lean into that authentic 1998 glitchy vibe.

Saving is a breeze: on desktop, it prompts like any normal download; iOS users get files dumped neatly into the Files app (Safari puts them in Downloads, Brave in its own folder—minor quirk, no big deal).

It’s lightweight, free, and pure fun—a tiny time machine for digital photographers and retro gaming fans alike. Go forth and capture your life in 256 shades of grayscale! 😎

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Game Over: Playdia

https://retrohandhelds.gg/game-over-playdia/

Ah, the Bandai Playdia—a console so committed to being not a game console that it almost qualifies as performance art.

Launched in 1994 at the peak of the CD-ROM era, the Playdia was Bandai’s answer to a very specific question: What if we took every weakness of early FMV games and packaged it as a kid-friendly toy? The result? A blue lunchbox-shaped box with wireless infrared controls (read: TV remote + wishful thinking), 15 FPS FMV clips, and gameplay that ranged from “press A or B” to “walk down a pixelated hallway like you’re late for lunch.”

Its library? A nostalgic fever dream—Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Ultraman—all reduced to branching FMV stories where your moral compass hinges on whether you hit A or B. (Spoiler: “Left” = bravery, “Right” = questionable life choices.)

It flopped spectacularly—mostly because 1994 was the year Sony, Sega, and Nintendo started delivering actual next-gen experiences. The Playdia arrived like a guest who showed up to a rave wearing pajamas and holding a Casio keyboard.

Still, today it’s beloved by collectors for its sheer absurdity and charm. It wasn’t a console—it was an experience, one where Goku’s confused face became a cultural artifact.

Would you have traded your Genesis for this glowing blue brick? 🟦

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Big Impact Of Smaller 90’s Genesis Dev’s

https://retrorgb.com/big-impact-of-smaller-90s-genesis-devs.html

Small Studios, Big Impact: How 90s Genesis Devs Punched Above Their Weight

That nostalgic glow of a Sega Genesis startup screen? Sometimes, it wasn’t Sonic lighting up your TV—it was a scrappy indie dev (before the term even existed) cranking out hidden gems. RetroRGB highlights strafefox’s recent video, which shines a spotlight on cult-classic Genesis titles like Ecco the Dolphin, Nightshade, and The Simpsons: Bart vs. The Space Mutants—games born not from EA or Nintendo-sized teams, but from smaller studios willing to take creative risks.

The takeaway? Innovation often thrives in the shadows of giants. While blockbusters dominate headlines, it’s the ambitious oddballs—made on tighter budgets with looser rules—that push genres forward and surprise us. Think Earthworm Jim, Gunstar Heroes, or Phantasy Star IV: all born from teams that prioritized vision over scale.

And really, isn’t that true across media? Indie films, underground music scenes, niche podcasts—these are the voices that challenge norms and keep culture vibrant. Big names get the spotlight, but it’s the underdogs who often define the era after the dust settles.

So here’s to the unsung devs: proof that passion + creativity = unforgettable impact. 🕹️✨

(Thanks, strafefox—and support Bob on Patreon if you love retro deep cuts!)