Garmin’s Index Sleep Monitor is worn on the upper arm, not the wrist. | Image: GarminGarmin has announced a new sleep-tracking band that can be strapped to your upper arm, which could make it more comfortable to wear overnight. The Index Sleep Monitor tracks sleep stages, heart rate, and even your breathing to create a “comprehensive view of overall fitness and recovery,” with a personalized sleep score delivered every morning so you know how well you slept, according to Garmin.The Index Sleep Monitor is now available through Garmin’s online store in S-M and L-XL sizes for $169.99. The tracking is handled by a small, removable electronic module that features motion sensors and an optical heart rate sensor that Garmin says will run for up to seven days between charges.In addition to tracking your light, deep, and REM sleep stages throughout the night, the Index can also measure your respiration rates, and, when paired with blood oxygen saturation measurements (a feature not available in all countries) it can help you “better understand shifts in breathing patterns while sleeping.”A thermometer monitors skin temperature, which can provide insights into how your environment is affecting your sleep while also flagging possible illnesses. Those temperature measurements also provide more insight into women’s health monitoring, including menstrual cycles, “improved period predictions,” and past ovulation estimates. However, Garmin says the Index is “not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition.” The company also says it should not be used as a conception or birth control tool.Other health-related metrics that are monitored and made available through the Garmin Connect mobile app include estimates on stress levels based on sleep patterns, a Body Battery measurement letting you know if you’re low on energy and need more rest. Heart rate variability (HRV), which is a measure of the varying times between heartbeats, can also be used to assess if your body is dealing with increased stress or fatigue helping you know if you need to address issues with your sleep.These are all metrics that can be measured using Garmin’s other smart wearables and many smartwatches, but only if you’re wearing them every single night. For those who prefer to charge their watches at night so their battery is full every morning, the Index Sleep Monitor provides an alternative way to track sleep metrics that’s also free of distracting notifications. The Index Sleep Monitor does have vibration capabilities, but they’re instead used as part of a smart alarm feature that only tries to wake you during lighter sleep stages.

If you've been thinking about expanding your data storage, and need something that's portable, quick, and durable, then you can't go wrong with a portable SSD. These drives are incredibly versatile, making them perfect for PCs, mobile devices, and even game consoles. With that said, this portable SSD from SSK is going to be a top choice right now, thanks to its low price, which now comes in at just $67. So get it while you can because this discount won't be around for long.

Like most other new console releases, the Nintendo Switch 2 hits stores with an ensemble of new accessories to use with it. Most Switch 2 owners will be grabbing items like cases, screen protectors, and possibly a Switch 2 Pro Controller at some point. But there are a few other accessories for Nintendo's newest console that have garnered curiosity from many people, for one reason or another. One such accessory is the official Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, which was available at the console's launch.

In a 68-30 vote on Tuesday evening, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the GENIUS Act with bipartisan support. Eighteen Democrats joined the majority of Republicans in passing the bill, which is the first to establish a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins, crypto tokens that are pegged to the value of the US dollar. In the past year, and after the crypto industry funneled over $131 million into Donald Trump's presidential campaign, the Republican Party has embraced the crypto industry with enthusiasm, voting overwhelmingly for the bill's passage. There were two GOP holdouts: Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Josh Hawley of Missouri, both ardent critics of Big Tech. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, which is working on its own companion legislation, the STABLE Act. Its passage had not always been assured. Back in May, nine Democrats who'd previously supported the GENIUS Act suddenly reversed course, asking to revise the bill's text, and days later, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ron Wyden (D-WA) successfully killed an attempt to bring the bill to a floor vote by citing several current events involving the Trump family's crypto ventures, including …Read the full story at The Verge.

Despite being an older game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one of the big launch games for the Nintendo Switch 2. That's for one major reason: it's received a paid Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade, which brings graphics and performance improvements, on top of some gameplay additions. That means that one of the best games in the Zelda series now runs at 60 FPS and a higher resolution, improving performance over the Switch 1 version, which ran at 30 FPS and a lower resolution. There are also gameplay additions, including a second screen experience called Zelda Notes, a function in the Nintendo Switch App for smartphones.

For the longest time, gaming on Linux felt like it pretty much ended with Super Tux Cart. If you wanted to try out the newest games on Steam, you'd have to have a Windows setup somewhere to play them on. You were stuck unless the game developers were kind enough to make a Linux version.

Since its release, Windows 11 has really needed a revamp of its Start menu. It's by far one of the weakest areas of the operating system when upgrading from Windows 10 to 11, and I wish Microsoft did something about it a lot sooner than they have.

There are countless security measures baked into your motherboard's software that help keep your entire PC safe from harm. One of these features is called Secure Boot, and it's something that can prove invaluable or troublesome depending on what the device is and how you plan to use it. Unfortunately, Secure Boot can get in the way of trying to install certain software on your system and can often interfere where it's not wanted. That's why I always disable it on all my systems.

I’m a visual thinker, so I usually reach for mind maps and flowcharts when I brainstorm ideas or plan projects. They help me get a full-picture overview of all my thoughts and the nuggets of information I've collected. While Notion isn’t a mind-mapping or flowchart tool, I discovered a hidden gem: Mermaid.js. It’s a text-based diagramming tool that works perfectly within Notion’s code blocks. And it turns out to be exactly what I needed — a minimal and fast tool to create flowcharts and mind maps.

Nvidia and AMD haven't stopped pushing 8GB VRAM GPUs to the masses, but at least there's more awareness than before about the pitfalls of insufficient VRAM. While many users might know what running out of VRAM looks like, something that people with older PCs will ignore is the impact of insufficient VRAM on GPUs running on PCIe 3.0. If you have an AMD Ryzen 2000, Intel Core 10th Gen, or older CPU, buying a brand-new 8GB VRAM GPU should be the last thing you should be thinking about.

Looking to expand your current laptop setup on a budget? Well, this Anker USB-C hub is going to be the way to go. Not only is it ultra-compact, but it also features plenty of port options, which can be vital for a device that doesn't quite have all the options you need. With that said, this popular USB-C hub is now down to its best price thanks to a steep discount from Amazon that drops it down to just $50. This is the lowest price we've seen on this model since we've been tracking, which makes it the perfect time to pick one up.

From useful services that aid my tinkering hobbies to wacky tools that have their own niche purposes, I’ve come across several applications over the course of my home lab journey. But amidst my arsenal of game server managers, automation utilities, productivity apps, and coding tools, I’ve got some services I consider borderline necessary for my setup. That’s because these quality-of-life applications helped me survive college unscathed. So, here are my top recommendations for anyone about to subject themselves to the stressful yet fun phase called student life.