📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Bypass Amazon Fire TV Stick Piracy Ban and See What Happens Next

https://torrentfreak.com/bypass-amazon-fire-tv-stick-piracy-ban-and-see-what-happens-next-250514/

You thought Amazon was cracking down on pirated apps… but the real story? BeeTV didn’t even flinch.

Amazon flagged BeeTV on Fire TV Stick, slapped a “This app may be unsafe” warning, and offered a cheeky “Launch Anyway” button. Cue the headlines: “Amazon’s Piracy Purge!” Spoiler: nothing happened. No bans. No fines. Just… more movies.

Turns out, the real threat isn’t Amazon—it’s the app itself. BeeTV (yes, that BeeTV—same logo, different devs since 2017) doesn’t just stream pirated content. It asks for way more than it needs: access to your location, SMS messages, call logs, browsing history, and even the ability to rewrite your bookmarks. Oh, and it lets attackers eavesdrop on unencrypted traffic—hello, stolen passwords.

It’s not malware. It’s convenience with benefits—like a free Netflix with a side of identity theft. And since users grant permissions willingly (because “free movies”), the app thrives. Even VirusTotal gives it a clean bill of health—because it’s not hiding; it’s asking nicely.

Amazon’s “crackdown”? More like a polite nudge. The real danger isn’t the platform—it’s you, clicking “Launch Anyway” while dreaming of the latest season of Stranger Things.

TL;DR: Amazon didn’t stop piracy. BeeTV did it for them—with your data as the price of admission.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Anbernic RG DS Gets First Official Update Addressing Major Bugs

https://retrohandhelds.gg/anbernic-rg-ds-gets-first-official-update-addressing-major-bugs/

Anbernic’s RG DS just got its first real shot at redemption—and it’s not a moment too soon.

Remember when this thing launched like a DS-shaped paperweight with a 40Hz upper screen that made playing Sonic Rush feel like watching a slideshow? Yeah. The community was ready to torch the prototype in a bonfire of disappointment. But now, Anbernic’s firmware update 1.4 is here—and it actually fixes the big stuff: the upper screen finally matches the lower’s 60Hz, dual-screen sync is smoother, and you can now tweak each screen’s backlight independently. Small wins? Yes. Revolutionary? Not quite.

But for those who just want their handheld to work without flashing custom firmware, this is huge. No more headaches. No more “why does my DS feel like a broken phone?” moments.

Still, if you’re hungry for real polish—RetroArch UI, shader filters, audio tweaks—you’ll still want GammaOS Next. Think of this update as Anbernic saying, “We heard you,” while GammaOS whispers, “Let me take you to the next level.”

Bottom line: The RG DS is no longer a cautionary tale. It’s now… usable. Just don’t expect it to outshine the original DS. Some classics aren’t meant to be upgraded—they’re meant to be cherished.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Anbernic RG DS Gets Massive Overhaul with GammaOS Next

https://retrohandhelds.gg/anbernic-rg-ds-gets-massive-overhaul-with-gammaos-next/

Christmas came early for handheld fans—GammaOS Next just dropped like a holiday gift bomb for the Anbernic RG DS. Forget the clunky stock OS; this is the upgrade your pocket-sized gaming rig didn’t know it needed.

Think of GammaOS Next as Android 14’s cool older sibling: sleek, stable, and seriously optimized. It fixes everything that used to annoy you—laggy D-pads, jittery animations, apps freezing when you switch tasks—and adds pro-level polish like system-wide shaders, a killer new audio equalizer (GammaEQ, because of course), and true multitasking that doesn’t pause your game just because you tapped the home button.

The RG DS’s weird 40Hz top-screen bug? Gone. Dual screen lag in Drastic? Fixed. Deep sleep actually works now (RIP “my battery died overnight” nightmares). And yes—RA launches directly on the second screen. Because why not?

Right now, it’s only for reviewers and content creators… but if history repeats itself, the public drop is just weeks away. Anbernic’s RG DS ships soon—so if you pre-ordered, start salivating. GammaOS Next isn’t just an update. It’s the real OS this device was meant to run.