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.

Whether 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.

If you have ever waited for a login code that never showed up, you already know the pain. You type in your password. Microsoft asks for a code. Then you stare at your phone like it owes you money. Now Microsoft wants to move even further away from that routine.

The company says it will phase out SMS codes as a sign-in and account recovery method for personal Microsoft accounts. Instead, Microsoft wants more people to use passkeys and verified email. This affects anyone who uses a personal Microsoft account. That can include Outlook, OneDrive, Windows, Xbox or Microsoft 365 users.

That may sound like another tech company forcing you to change your habits. In this case, though, there is a real security reason behind it. Text-message codes helped make account logins safer for years. They were never built, however, to protect your digital life. Crooks have learned how to abuse them, steal them and trick people into handing them over.

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Why Microsoft is moving away from SMS codes

Microsoft says SMS authentication has become a major source of fraud. Text messages can be intercepted, stolen through SIM-swap scams or captured through phishing attacks. That creates a real problem because your Microsoft account can unlock a lot. It may connect to Outlook, OneDrive, Xbox, Windows, Microsoft 365 and saved payment details.

Once a criminal gets into that account, the damage can spread fast. They may read your email, reset other passwords or look for private files stored in the cloud. SMS codes once felt like a strong extra layer. Today, they can give people a false sense of security.

A scammer may call your phone carrier and try to move your number to another SIM card. They may also send a fake Microsoft login page that asks for your code. If you type it in, the scammer can use it right away. That is why Microsoft wants users to move toward passkeys. Microsoft has not listed a universal cutoff date for every personal account. However, it says users who still rely on SMS will be guided to add a verified email and set up a passkey.

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What a Microsoft passkey does

A passkey lets you sign in without typing a traditional password. Instead, you use something already tied to your device. That may be your face, fingerprint, device PIN or a physical security key.

Here is the key difference. A passkey uses cryptography behind the scenes. One part stays with Microsoft. The private part stays on your device or inside your password manager. A scammer cannot simply trick you into reading a passkey over the phone.

That makes passkeys much harder to steal than SMS codes. They can also feel easier once you set them up. You may be able to sign in with your fingerprint or face instead of waiting for a text that may never arrive.

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Why Microsoft passkeys may feel confusing at first

Security upgrades can be annoying. SMS codes are familiar. Most people know how they work. Even when they are clunky, they feel simple. Passkeys can feel confusing at first. You may wonder where the passkey lives. You may also wonder what happens if you lose your phone or whether you need one for every device.

That confusion is real. It can get worse if you set up a new Windows PC, use a shared computer or switch devices often. The good news is that Microsoft says verified email will remain part of the account recovery process. So you should make sure your backup email address is current before you run into a lockout.

How to set up or add a passkey to your Microsoft account

Before you start, use a device you trust. Also, make sure your browser and operating system are updated.

• Go to Microsoft’s account security page at account.microsoft.com/security and sign in.
• Under Account Security, select Manage how I sign in.
• Under Ways to prove who you are, look for Use a passkey.
• If you already see a passkey listed, such as Apple iCloud Keychain, your account already has one set up.
• To add another passkey or sign-in method, select Add another way to sign in to your account.
• Choose Use a passkey or Face, fingerprint, PIN or security key, depending on the wording you see.
• Follow the prompts on your device.
• Choose where you want to save the passkey, such as Apple iCloud Keychain, a password manager, your phone, your computer or a physical security key.
• Finish the setup process and confirm the passkey works.

Note: Microsoft’s support pages may say Advanced Security Options, or Add a new way to sign in or verify. However, in the current Microsoft account dashboard, many users may see Manage how I sign in and then Add another way to sign in to your account instead.

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Microsoft account security steps to take now

Do not rush through this change. A few minutes of cleanup can save you a big headache later.

1) Add a backup email you still use

Your recovery email should be an account you can access today. If it points to an old work email or a forgotten inbox, update it.

2) Remove old phone numbers

Check whether your Microsoft account still lists an old number. If it does, remove it or replace it with your current number.

3) Turn on Microsoft Authenticator

Microsoft Authenticator can give you another secure way to verify your identity. It can also help if you have trouble with SMS or email.

4) Save recovery codes safely

If Microsoft offers backup codes, store them somewhere secure. Do not keep them in a plain note called “Microsoft password.”

5) Use a strong password manager

Even if you move to passkeys, a password manager still helps. It can store strong passwords, flag reused logins and help you avoid fake sign-in pages. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at CyberGuy.com.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Microsoft’s move away from SMS codes may feel inconvenient at first. However, the old text-code system has too many weak spots. A passkey will not make you invincible. No security tool can promise that. Still, it can make account theft much harder for scammers who rely on fake login pages, stolen codes and SIM-swap tricks. If your Microsoft account holds years of email, family photos or work files, this change deserves your attention. Set up a passkey, verify your backup email and remove old recovery options.

Would you trust a text message to protect your most important account, or has that comfort become the risk? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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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 said someone contacted him and that he’s “arranged for its return.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

Google typically shows off its newest Pixel devices in August. That means we’ll find out if someone really dropped a not-yet-revealed Pixel Watch 5 into the ocean in just a few short months.