An affordable, long-lasting AirTag alternative is $15 right now
Gaze into the orb. | Image: The Verge There are many solid Bluetooth trackers for iPhones that tap into Apple’s expansive Find My network. Some are thin, some are a bit chunkier. And, evidently, some look like tiny soccer balls. Ugreen’s FineTrack 2 glows in the dark, and it has a loud 110-decibel alarm when you need to find it. It’s just $14.99 at Amazon for Prime members (originally $19.99). Ugreen also sells it for $14.99 through its site. Ugreen FineTrack 2 Bluetooth tracker Where to Buy: $19.99 $14.99 at Amazon (for Prime members) $19.99 $14.99 at Ugreen Instead of offering replaceable coin batteries, like many trackers do at this point, the FineTrack 2 has a built-in, non-rechargeable battery that can live for up to seven years. Some may consider that a flaw, but it’ll be nice not to have to worry about replacing its battery for a long while. The ball-shaped tracker also features IP68 water...
Gaze into the orb. | Image: The Verge There are many solid Bluetooth trackers for iPhones that tap into Apple’s expansive Find My network. Some are thin, some are a bit chunkier. And, evidently, some look like tiny soccer balls. Ugreen’s FineTrack 2 glows in the dark, and it has a loud 110-decibel alarm when you need to find it. It’s just $14.99 at Amazon for Prime members (originally $19.99). Ugreen also sells it for $14.99 through its site.
Ugreen FineTrack 2 Bluetooth tracker
Where to Buy:
$19.99 $14.99 at Amazon (for Prime members)
$19.99 $14.99 at Ugreen
Instead of offering replaceable coin batteries, like many trackers do at this point, the FineTrack 2 has a built-in, non-rechargeable battery that can live for up to seven years. Some may consider that a flaw, but it’ll be nice not to have to worry about replacing its battery for a long while. The ball-shaped tracker also features IP68 water and dust resistance, and includes both a short and long lanyard you can swap out at your leisure.
Other deals to consider
Google’s Pixel Buds 2A, its latest entry-level wireless earbuds, are down to $109 at Amazon, B&H Photo, and Best Buy, which is their second-best price to date. They’re stacked with more features than their 2021 predecessor (not to mention cooler colors), including active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and spatial audio. That’d be enough to make them worth the sale price, but they also feature IP54 protection against sweat, and up to 20 hours of total battery life with the charging case. At $80 more, the pricier Pixel Buds Pro 2 deliver slightly longer battery life, a wireless charging-ready case, and loud noise protection. Read our review.
Here’s another deal on headphones: Bose’s first-gen QuietComfort Ultra over-ear wireless headphones are available refurbished in black for $188 (originally $449, but regularly $329 new) at eBay. Notably, Bose is the seller here, and it claims the headphones are in “pristine, like-new condition,” and will arrive in new packaging complete with all accessories. The first-gen QC Ultra headphone are still spectacular when it comes to sound quality, comfort, and for canceling out sounds. The highlight improvements of the $399.99 QC Ultra (Gen 2) include slightly more battery life per charge, lossless audio over USB-C, and an improved transparency mode. Read our review of the first-generation model.
Samsung recently debuted a fleet of gaming monitors, and it’s offering perks for early adopters. One of the most affordable options is the $899.99 27-inch Odyssey G8 G80HF 5K model. If you buy it now through Samsung, you can choose either a $200 Samsung gift card to use on a future purchase, a Music Studio 5 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker, or the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro wireless earbuds as your free gift. Its specs are unique compared to other 5K monitors in that it can support 5K at up to 180Hz, or swap to 1440p at 360Hz (most 5K models top out at 60Hz). Plus, its 218 pixel density matches that of the Apple Studio Display and other 5K monitors. Oddly, though, the G80HF lacks a USB-C port for easily connecting a MacBook. Read our 2026 Apple Studio Display review.
Everytime I set up a new Jellyfin server, these are the plugins I install first
Setting up a new Jellyfin server always starts the same way for me. I spend hours organizing libraries, fixing metadata disasters, downloading posters online, and then realizing that the sun has set while I micromanage every part of the server. The real fun, however, comes from installing plugins that transform...
Setting up a new Jellyfin server always starts the same way for me. I spend hours organizing libraries, fixing metadata disasters, downloading posters online, and then realizing that the sun has set while I micromanage every part of the server. The real fun, however, comes from installing plugins that transform Jellyfin into a genuinely premium media server.
Alicia Lavigne Canada
Published by: aplhsindia.in
Gemini’s new AI agent is about as good as Google’s demo
Google's new "24/7" AI agent, Gemini Spark, can be shockingly good at doing things on your behalf. But I'm not sure it's worth the financial cost and potential privacy tradeoffs. The company gave me access to Spark last week. Google advertises Spark as an AI agent that can take on...
Google's new "24/7" AI agent, Gemini Spark, can be shockingly good at doing things on your behalf. But I'm not sure it's worth the financial cost and potential privacy tradeoffs.The company gave me access to Spark last week. Google advertises Spark as an AI agent that can take on tasks and work on them in the background - even tasks that have multiple steps - allowing you to put your phone down or walk away from your computer. It also advertises at the very top of the Spark website that it's "always under your direction," that "you choose to turn it on," and that "it's designed to check with you before taking major actions." Given the moun …Read the full story at The Verge.
Daniel Martinez Dallas
Published by: aplhsindia.in
This could be Windows’ M1 moment — but expect it to cost a ton
Nvidia's announcement that it's getting into the consumer laptop chip space with RTX Spark is huge. Apple has proved for years that Arm-based chips can perform incredibly well while also delivering great battery life - at least on the Mac. In the Windows world, performance hasn't fully matched up under...
Nvidia's announcement that it's getting into the consumer laptop chip space with RTX Spark is huge. Apple has proved for years that Arm-based chips can perform incredibly well while also delivering great battery life - at least on the Mac. In the Windows world, performance hasn't fully matched up under Qualcomm chips, mostly in the graphics department. There's clearly still untapped potential, and Nvidia seems to be promising to deliver it.This could be Windows' moment to blow us away with a new generation of supremely capable chips, much like Apple's back in 2020, with the introduction of the M1. But why does this launch feel simultaneous …Read the full story at The Verge.
Alberto Curtis United States
Published by: aplhsindia.in
I ditched Claude for Obsidian and a local LLM, and miss it less than I expected to
Claude is still the AI tool I reach for most days and that's probably not going to change any time soon. But even on the Pro plan, I still hit the limit caps, especially when I've been doing visual work with Artifacts or Claude Design, and then there isn't much...
Claude is still the AI tool I reach for most days and that's probably not going to change any time soon. But even on the Pro plan, I still hit the limit caps, especially when I've been doing visual work with Artifacts or Claude Design, and then there isn't much left for regular chat without turning on extra usage. Opus eats through that allowance way faster than Sonnet, and I run Opus a lot. There's also the privacy side - everything I send Claude lives on Anthropic's servers, and while that's fine for most things, the personal documents I'd rather keep on my device. Plus, having a tool that works regardless of whether Anthropic's having a bad server day is its own kind of insurance.
Daniel Martinez Dallas
Published by: aplhsindia.in
Google Antigravity 2.0 beats Claude Code and Codex at their own game
Just when the tech world thought Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex had locked down the AI-driven development space, Google went ahead and flipped the script.
Just when the tech world thought Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex had locked down the AI-driven development space, Google went ahead and flipped the script.
Sophia Wilson Atlanta
Published by: aplhsindia.in
I forced Claude to be negative, and it turned out to be positive
AI has become incredibly good at helping us move faster. It can brainstorm ideas, generate solutions, and expand on almost any thought within seconds. But after months of experimenting with AI for technical planning and decision-making, I started wondering whether speed was actually the right metric to optimize for.
AI has become incredibly good at helping us move faster. It can brainstorm ideas, generate solutions, and expand on almost any thought within seconds. But after months of experimenting with AI for technical planning and decision-making, I started wondering whether speed was actually the right metric to optimize for.
Emily Brown Houston
Published by: aplhsindia.in
The M64 reminds me why I love the Nintendo 64, flaws and all
Aside from the classic, handheld Game Boy, the Nintendo 64 (N64) is my favorite video game console ever.
Aside from the classic, handheld Game Boy, the Nintendo 64 (N64) is my favorite video game console ever.
Jane Smith Los Angeles
Published by: aplhsindia.in
I stopped using PC optimization apps after learning what actually slows down Windows
Most of us have tried a PC optimization app at some point. I did too, only to later realize that they rarely work. Apart from that, I know countless people who have run into issues after using a system-optimization or performance-boosting app. That's because many of these apps rely on...
Most of us have tried a PC optimization app at some point. I did too, only to later realize that they rarely work. Apart from that, I know countless people who have run into issues after using a system-optimization or performance-boosting app. That's because many of these apps rely on the same set of tweaks regardless of the PC they are running on. And that's precisely the problem. No two Windows PCs are exactly alike. Every computer is set up differently, has different apps, and system settings are typically configured to suit our needs.
Jane Smith Los Angeles
Published by: aplhsindia.in
The Google Pixel Watch 5 may have been spoiled by… the creator of Borderlands
We may just have gotten an early look at the Google Pixel Watch 5 - and from an unusual source. Randy Pitchford, the creator of the Borderlands game franchise, posted a pair of images of a watch on X, saying that his friend found it underwater while scuba diving near...
We may just have gotten an early look at the Google Pixel Watch 5 - and from an unusual source. Randy Pitchford, the creator of the Borderlands game franchise, posted a pair of images of a watch on X, saying that his friend found it underwater while scuba diving near Saint Martin, as reported earlier by Kotaku."He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released," Pitchford writes. "It seems to be fine. The face indicates an empty battery, but seems to have enough reserve power to display the correct time." After putting out a call to find its owner, Pitchford s …Read the full story at The Verge.
Sophia Wilson Atlanta
Published by: aplhsindia.in
Pebblebee’s Halo can help track lost items and keep you safe, and it’s on sale for $50
If you’re planning to travel this summer, both a Bluetooth tracker and a personal safety device can come in handy, especially if you’ll be exploring on your own. The Pebblebee Halo combines those two gadgets into one, and it’s currently on sale for $49.99 ($10 off) at Amazon, which is...
If you’re planning to travel this summer, both a Bluetooth tracker and a personal safety device can come in handy, especially if you’ll be exploring on your own. The Pebblebee Halo combines those two gadgets into one, and it’s currently on sale for $49.99 ($10 off) at Amazon, which is the best price we’ve seen. Amazon is also throwing in a fourth Halo for free when you buy three as a part of a limited time promotion.Pebblebee HaloWhere to Buy: $59.99 $49.99 at AmazonWhether you’re touring a new city or heading back to your hotel after a night out, the Halo can help in a variety of situations. Like the Pebblebee Clip 5 — our favorite AirTag and Tile alternative — the rechargeable, water-resistant tracker does a good job of accurately helping you keep tabs of bags, wallets, keys, and other valuables. It offers up to 500 feet of Bluetooth range and taps into both Apple’s Find My network and Google’s Find Hub, so you can locate items even further away.What really sets it apart is that it’s also a personal safety device. With a quick pull, you can trigger off a piercingly loud 130dB siren, bright strobe lights, and automatic location sharing with one trusted contact. If you’d like to send your real-time location to multiple contacts at once, you’ll need Pebblebee’s Alert Live subscription (which costs $24.99 a year), but the good news is the service is included free for the first year, making the Halo an even better value at this price.Read our hands-on impressions of the Pebblebee Halo.
William Garcia Boston
Published by: aplhsindia.in
I ditched Windows 11’s taskbar for a week using only PowerToys, and it actually worked
Windows 11 made major changes to the Taskbar, and they weren't well-received. The centered Start button, unnecessary additions like Widget board and Copilot icons, and locking it at the bottom weren't exactly the surprises Windows users were eager for. I made peace with the Windows 11 taskbar after trying third-party...
Windows 11 made major changes to the Taskbar, and they weren't well-received. The centered Start button, unnecessary additions like Widget board and Copilot icons, and locking it at the bottom weren't exactly the surprises Windows users were eager for. I made peace with the Windows 11 taskbar after trying third-party apps like Explorer Patcher, which let memove it to any position.
Michael Johnson Chicago
Published by: aplhsindia.in
The Steam Machine is coming for consoles, whether Valve admits it or not
Most of the discourse around Valve's upcoming Steam Machine revolved around the underwhelming specs, high price tag, and delayed launch. People were legitimately skeptical about the value proposition, and Valve didn't help by declaring that it would price it like a PC, not a console. However, I feel a large...
Most of the discourse around Valve's upcoming Steam Machine revolved around the underwhelming specs, high price tag, and delayed launch. People were legitimately skeptical about the value proposition, and Valve didn't help by declaring that it would price it like a PC, not a console. However, I feel a large section of gamers is dismissing the Steam Machine prematurely. Valve is being careful to avoid comparisons with consoles, given the disparate price points, but the Steam Machine is absolutely going to compete with consoles in the living room. It has the might of Steam, the perks of PC-centric features, and Valve's excellent track record behind it. Even those within the industry believe the Steam Machine is poised to be the biggest competitor to the PlayStation. When you look at the real value proposition of Valve's SteamOS box, in line with the recent console price hikes, even pricing starts to seem like a non-issue. We might be entering an exciting new age of console wars where Sony, Valve, and even Microsoft will be making huge moves.
