It’s easier to tune out noise on the go when you have high-quality noise-cancelling, though that can be hard to find in a pair of cheap earbuds. Luckily, Best Buy is offering $50 off the price of the JBL Tune 245NC earbuds, which are nearly half off with the discount at just $60.
The Tune 245NC is one of the company’s economy-level earbud offerings, though they join the rest of the JBL lineup in having super-robust ANC capabilities.
JBL says they’ll get up to 12 hours of battery life per charge independently, along with up to an extra 36 hours of battery life with the case. The design features a basic, AirPod-like stalk with silicone ear tips, as well as water resistance, onboard mics, and easy customization via the JBL Headphones app. Like many earbuds, they also come with three different-sized silicone tips, in case you’re worried about them fitting in your ears.
At $60, they seem like a good pick amongst the competition for those who want ANC. To be sure, they aren’t the best wireless earbuds we’ve ever used, but they’ll definitely get the job done if you need something affordable.
✅Recommended if: you’re looking for noise-cancelling earbuds for under $100 that feature a straightforward, comfortable fit and a charging case; battery life is important to you when it comes to buying earbuds; you want a pair of earbuds with water and dust resistance.
❌Skip this deal if: you’d prefer to upgrade to some of the best noise-cancelling wireless earbuds, or you want earbuds with multiple ANC modes built in; you prefer over-ear headphones and you’d rather look at other JBL options; you’re looking for a pair of earbuds that are available in an array of color options.
The JBL Tune 245NC earbuds offer a budget-friendly price tag while still including the company’s powerful ANC and overall high-quality audio profile. They include four built-in mics for ANC, voice commands, and phone calls, as well as an IP54 water and dust resistance rating. The buds also offer up to 12 hours of battery life per charge, with up to 48 hours with intermittent charging case use. They also feature fast charging, and JBL says that 15 minutes of charge time via the USB-C port can get users up to 4 hours of listening time.
In addition to ANC, the company boasts the adaptive “Ambient Aware” mode, as well as TalkThru for when you’re interacting with others around you.
There’s a massive home equity opportunity sitting in plain sight, and most lenders still can’t convert it consistently.
Homeowners are sitting on nearly $35T in collective home equity, but many are hesitating because the process feels confusing, rates feel risky, and repayment uncertainty stalls decisions.
This report breaks down what’s changed since 2022, what’s driving demand now, and where lenders can win by simplifying the experience, improving education, and meeting borrowers with the kind of guidance they trust.
In this report, you will learn how to:
Understand what’s holding borrowers back
Spot what’s motivating home equity demand right now
Use education and clarity to convert “interested” borrowers into completed applications
Prioritize experience improvements that matter most
Pressure-test whether your lending ops are ready to meet demand with less friction and more confidence
Super Early Bird pricing for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 ends February 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT. That means you have just 6 days left to secure the lowest ticket prices of the year.
If Disrupt has been on your must-attend list, this is your moment. Save up to $680 on your individual pass or secure up to 30% off with community passes before prices increase. Register here.
From October 13-15 at San Francisco’s Moscone West, TechCrunch will bring together 10,000 founders, investors, operators, and innovators for three focused days built around launching, scaling, and shaping what’s next in tech.
What’s at Disrupt?
Disrupt is where you get:
Direct access to founders, VCs, and operators actively building.
Conversations that turn into funding, partnerships, and key hires.
Tactical insights you can apply immediately.
Early visibility into where tech is heading next.
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You’ll see 300+ exhibiting startups debut tomorrow’s breakthroughs, experience the high-stakes Startup Battlefield 200 pitch competition — where one standout company wins a $100,000 equity-free prize — and take part in curated networking designed to drive real outcomes.
You’ll also hear insights from some of the most influential voices in tech, including WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg, General Motors CEO Mary Barra, and legendary VC Vinod Khosla. Keep an eye on the event page for the agenda drop.
Maximize your experience as a founder or investor
Founder Pass: Built to help you scale faster with the right insights and connections
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Six days remain to secure the lowest rate of the year. Lock it in before February 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Register here.
The Pixel 10a is finally here, and it’s… familiar. Google’s newly unveiled mid-range Pixel is up for preorder now and will hit stores on March 5, giving you a couple of weeks to decide if it’s for you. However, if you’re familiar with Google’s recent Pixel launches, including last year’s Pixel 9a, the decision might not be easy.
At first glance, there’s a lot to like about the Pixel 10a, but there’s a lot that may make you hesitate to purchase one over another Pixel device. So let’s break down what we know about the Pixel 10a to help you decide if it’s worth buying and to highlight who the 10a is really for.
Why you should buy the Pixel 10a
(Image credit: Google)
Out of the gate, one of the most obvious reasons you should buy the Pixel 10a is the price. At $499, the Pixel 10a is squarely in the mid-range and almost half the price of the base Pixel 10. This is the same price the Pixel 9a launched at, and it’s nice to see that Google didn’t raise it despite the memory shortage ravaging the tech industry.
The Pixel 10a is probably one of the better options at this price point. Not only does it come with a (technically) flagship chipset, but you get all the benefits of other Pixel smartphones, including Google’s Gemini AI features and long software update promise (seven years of OS upgrades, security patches, and Pixel Drops).
(Image credit: Google)
In addition to the camera quality and features we’ve come to expect from most Pixel smartphones, the Pixel 10a offers some you won’t find on the Pixel 9a, such as Macro Focus. Auto Best Take is one of our favorite features that helps you capture better group shots, allowing you to select the perfect expressions for each person. Camera Coach is another feature introduced with the Pixel 10 series, which uses AI to help you compose better photos based on the image subject.
The Pixel 10a also brings some other notable upgrades that we love to see on a $500 phone. The upgraded Gorilla Glass 7i should provide more protection than the Pixel 9a, and the screen is also brighter at 3,000 nits, making it plenty usable outdoors. Satellite SOS also isn’t a common feature on Android phones, and it can be handy if you find yourself in an emergency with no network reception.
(Image credit: Google)
Finally, the improved battery and charging specs should appeal to anyone who prefers to have their phone last all day. Despite having the same-sized battery as its predecessor, the 10a is rated to last longer on a single charge: 30+ hours or up to 120 hours with Battery Saver. We called the Pixel 9a the “Energizer phone” when we reviewed it last year, and we expect the Pixel 10a to live up to the name.
Get the latest news from Android Central, your trusted companion in the world of Android
The faster 30W charging is a nice upgrade, especially since it’s technically faster than the $800 Galaxy 25, and if you like wireless charging, Google has upped the speed from 7.5W on the Pixel 9a to 10W on the Pixel 10a. It’s not a speed demon, but it’s still a nice upgrade nonetheless.
Why you shouldn’t buy the Pixel 10a
(Image credit: Google)
The Pixel 10a isn’t a bad phone for the price, but when compared to its predecessor and other phones in its price range, some may find it hard to justify buying this over something else. In fact, it’s probably one of the smallest generational upgrades we’ve seen on Pixel phones.
You’d have to squint to see the differences between the Pixel 9a and Pixel 10a. The latter has a more flush back, which should make the overall design a tad nicer, but ultimately, if you weren’t a fan of the Pixel 9a’s design, you won’t like this one either. At 9mm, it’s a thick phone, thicker than the Galaxy S25 Ultra and even the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (not counting the cameras). And you’ll likely want to throw on a case, which will make the phone even thicker.
The Google Pixel 9a in Iris. (Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)
Speaking of cameras, if you need a telephoto lens, the Pixel 10a might not be for you. True, Google’s Super Res Zoom can deliver impressive results, but it’s just not the same as a dedicated telephoto sensor. A phone like the Galaxy S25 FE would be a better option if you don’t mind spending a little more for a telephoto lens and faster 45W charging.
The Pixel 10a also lacks Qi2 support, which was introduced on the Pixel 10 series. This likely would have made the phone thicker and more expensive, but it’s unfortunate that Google didn’t even include the spec sans the built-in magnets, similar to the Galaxy S25 series. Google already has Pixelsnap cases, which include built-in magnets themselves, so it could have just leaned on this while giving us faster wireless charging speeds.
(Image credit: Google)
But of course, I have to address the elephant in the room: the chipset. The Pixel 10a is powered by the same Tensor G4 chip and 8GB of RAM found in the Pixel 9a. It’s a curious move not to use the Tensor G5, one likely made to keep the 10a affordable amid the memory shortage. Still, it seems to limit the 10a’s performance and capabilities, as the phone does not support certain AI features found on the Pixel 10 series, such as Magic Cue and Pixel Screenshots.
That’s not to say the Tensor G4 isn’t still a fine chip, but Tensor already tends to fall short next to comparable Snapdragon chips, so we would have liked to see some improvements on the chipset front, at least to the latest version. I already hate seeing companies like Motorola pull the same move with their midrange smartphones, which sometimes sport the same chips as their predecessors.
Google Pixel 9a part 2
(Image credit: Google)
Ultimately, the Google Pixel 10a is a mixed bag as far as upgrades go. There are some noteworthy changes and spec bumps, but the phone is nearly identical to its predecessor, inside and out. It feels less like a cheaper Pixel 10 and more like a redo of the Pixel 9a.
Google no doubt had to make some tough choices to keep the 10a affordable. On paper, it’s not a bad phone, but as a consumer, why get the new thing when the old thing is pretty much the same and likely going to be cheaper? Especially when the old thing will most likely receive many of the same “new” features. That said, if you can find some good Pixel 10a preorder deals, then it might very well be worth grabbing.
Let us know what you think: Are you interested in buying the Pixel 10a? Also, check out this exclusive article from IDC, which highlights why the Pixel 10a is actually a smart move from Google.
The creator economy is evolving fast, and ad revenue alone isn’t cutting it anymore. YouTubers are launching product lines, acquiring startups, and building actual business empires. In fact, MrBeast’s company bought fintech startup Step, and his chocolate business is outearning his media arm. This isn’t just one creator’s strategy. For many, it’s the new playbook.
On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan unpack how creators are diversifying beyond ads, whether their model can scale beyond the top 1%, everything happing at India’s AI Impact Summit, and more of the week’s headlines.
Samsung has reportedly started rolling out its One UI 8.5 Beta 5 to Galaxy S25 users in the U.S.
This patch is quite light, as the patch notes mainly detail an “applied Bixby version update,” which could be the major rework we’ve seen rumored before.
Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked takes place next week on February 25, 2026 at 1 pm ET/10 am PT.
We are less than a week away from Samsung’s flurry of next-gen announcements, and it’s looking to make sure its next software is ready for it.
Samsung’s One UI 8.5 Beta 5 was spotted rolling out to eligible Galaxy S25 users by SammyGuru. Reports state that the patch is slowly becoming available for users who’ve enrolled in the beta program in the U.S. The changelog for the patch is quite light, as Samsung labels this as One UI 8.5 vZZAN. More than that, the update applies “Bixby version update.”
The publication adds that the patch is only ~548MB, so the update should download relatively quickly, given your internet connection. Other reports state that One UI 8.5 Beta 5 has arrived in South Korea and India already, meaning the U.S., as well as a few other regions, should begin seeing it more prominently as the week ends.
The post highlights that there’s no telling whether or not other devices, like the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Fold 7, will receive this patch before next week’s Unpacked. It would likely put Samsung in quite a crunch to try and squeeze availability in with only a few days left to go, so we’ll have to see.
Galaxy Unpacked is on the way
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
One UI 8.5 Beta 4 rolled out to eligible users earlier this month, bringing with it a new feature they could test. Direct Voicemail was added to the Phone app, which lets users “automatically send calls to voicemail after a set period or route all incoming calls directly to voicemail.” The patch was quite large, coming in at 1.5GB. It included the February 2026 security patch, while also looking to fix a load of bug fixes plaguing Galaxy phones.
We’ll have to see how One UI 8.5 shapes up officially for everyone, as Galaxy Unpacked will take place on February 25, 2026 at 1 pm ET/10 am PT in San Francisco, California. Additionally, users should look out for Samsung’s reserve program that’s already underway. You can even try to guarantee yourself up to $900 off the next big flagship phone.
Android Central’s Take
All eyes are on Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event next week. With time so low, it didn’t seem like we would see another One UI 8.5 beta but, alas, here’s the fifth one. Other than the Bixby version update, which could be the major revamp we’ve been expecting for quite some time, there’s not much else to unravel. What I’ll be keeping my eyes on is when Galaxy S25 users can get their hands on the new software officially, as it hits its stable servers. Then, of course, we’ll go down the list of devices.
Get the latest news from Android Central, your trusted companion in the world of Android
OpenAI has partnered with India’s Tata Group to secure 100 megawatts of AI-ready data center capacity in the country, with plans to scale to 1 gigawatt. The move is part of a broader push to deepen the company’s enterprise and infrastructure footprint in one of its fastest-growing markets.
OpenAI announced on Thursday that the partnership with the Tata Group is part of its Stargate project, which aims to build AI-ready infrastructure and expand enterprise adoption globally. OpenAI will become the first customer of Tata Consultancy Services’ HyperVault data center business, beginning with 100 megawatts of capacity. The deal also includes deploying ChatGPT Enterprise across Tata’s workforce and standardizing AI-native software development through OpenAI’s tools.
The partnership, which falls under the “OpenAI for India” initiative, highlights the company’s expanding footprint in the country, which according to recent estimates from CEO Sam Altman has more than 100 million weekly ChatGPT users spanning students, teachers, developers, and entrepreneurs. The scale of adoption has positioned India as one of OpenAI’s most important growth markets as it deepens enterprise and infrastructure investments in the country.
The local data center capacity will allow OpenAI to run its most advanced models within India, reducing latency for users while meeting data residency, security, and compliance requirements for regulated sectors and government workloads. Hosting compute domestically is critical for enterprises that handle sensitive data and operate under data localization and digital infrastructure rules. These circumstances could widen OpenAI’s access to enterprise customers that require in-country processing.
An initial 100 megawatts of capacity represents a substantial commitment in the context of AI infrastructure, where large-scale model training and inference require power-hungry clusters of graphics processing units, or GPUs. Scaling to 1 gigawatt over time would place the Tata facility among the largest AI-focused data center deployments globally, underlining the scale of OpenAI’s long-term ambitions in India.
Beyond infrastructure, OpenAI and Tata Group will pursue a strategic enterprise collaboration aimed at accelerating AI adoption across Tata’s businesses. The conglomerate plans to roll out ChatGPT Enterprise to its workforce over the coming years, beginning with hundreds of thousands of employees at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), in what would rank among the largest enterprise AI deployments globally. TCS also intends to use OpenAI’s Codex tools to standardize AI-native software development across its engineering teams.
N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, said OpenAI’s partnership would help build “state-of-the-art AI infrastructure in India” while supporting efforts to skill the country’s workforce for the AI era.
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Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, including whether OpenAI is making a capital investment in HyperVault or leasing capacity.
In November 2025, TCS secured backing from private equity firm TPG to develop AI-ready infrastructure in India under its HyperVault data center business. The platform is backed by about ₹180 billion (about $2 billion) in planned investment and is designed to support large-scale compute workloads for hyperscalers and enterprise customers.
OpenAI will also expand its certification programs in India, with TCS becoming the first participating organization outside the United States. The certifications are designed to help professionals build practical AI skills across roles and industries, the company said. The move follows OpenAI’s recent partnerships with leading Indian institutions in engineering, medicine, and design.
OpenAI plans to open new offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru later this year, adding to its existing presence in New Delhi as it deepens operations in the country. The expansion is expected to support enterprise partnerships, developer engagement, and local regulatory coordination as the company scales its footprint in India.
The announcement comes as India hosts its AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, where global AI leaders, including Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Google CEO Sundar Pichai are participating alongside Indian startups and enterprises showcasing AI applications across sectors such as finance, healthcare, and education.
OpenAI has been expanding its presence in India through partnerships with companies including Pine Labs, JioHotstar, Eternal, Cars24, HCLTech, PhonePe, CRED, and MakeMyTrip, as it seeks to embed its models across consumer platforms, enterprise systems and digital payments infrastructure in one of the world’s largest internet markets.
Together, the data center build-out, enterprise deployments, and expanding partner ecosystem signal OpenAI’s most comprehensive push yet to anchor advanced AI infrastructure and applications in India.
Latest Nothing rumors paint a new picture when it comes to its mid-range Phone 4a series.
The Phone 4a Pro could upgrade to a 6.8-inch 1.5K AMOLED 144Hz display, leaving the base model with a 6.7-inch 1.5K AMOLED display.
The Phone 4a might also receive a triple camera array upgrade.
Nothing teased that it plans to reveal its new mid-ranges on March 5.
Amidst the hype for Nothing’s next wave of mid-range phones, a massive leak from an overseas source alleges its most crucial specs.
The French publication Dealabs shared details about what consumers can expect from Nothing’s Phone 4a and 4a Pro later this year. The Phone 3a duo last year shared the same 6.7-inch AMOLED LTPS display; however, these rumors suggest Nothing is breaking that up a little. The Phone 4a Pro may receive an upgraded 6.8-inch 1.5K AMOLED 144Hz display. The rear panel could gain a display, as the publication alleges users could see the Glyph Matrix on the Phone 4a Pro.
The flagship Phone 3 had this, while the mid-range did not. It was a small circle in the top-right corner of its rear panel, primarily for utility purposes. Rumors did not state what this could look like for the Phone 4a Pro.
Elsewhere, rumors add that the Phone 4a Pro could feature a 50MP main lens, credited to Sony, with OIS (optical image stabilization) and “140x zoom.” The entry Phone 4a is allegedly sticking with a 6.7-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. More importantly, the report claims that’s not what we should focus on, as the device could upgrade to a triple camera array.
A 50MP main lens could carry its photography potential, alongside a wide range of zooms from 0.6x to 70x. The device might also see a “Glyph Bar,” not a Glyph Matrix display.
Following the trail
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Previous rumors haven’t touched on the series’ price, but that’s seemingly changing, as speculation foresees a price hike. The publication alleges that Phone 4a could jump by €50 (~58), and €90 (~$106) for the Phone 4a Pro. This could bring prices to ~€409 (~$482) and ~€499 (~$588), respectively. These prices are well above what consumers were treated to last year, but Nothing’s CEO Carl Pei said this might happen.
Either way, we’ve been cruising with scraps for leaks for a while now, as a recent report claimed the Phone 4a Pro could rock a 5,080mAh battery with the same 50W charging capabilities. Another rumor spotted the Phone 4a in a database listing with Qualcomm’s recent Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chip. There might also be 12GB of RAM (at the most), as well as 128GB and 256GB options.
Get the latest news from Android Central, your trusted companion in the world of Android
Nothing has teased that the Phone 4a series is eyeing a March 5 launch.
Android Central’s Take
Nothing’s CEO Carl Pei said in a 2026 outlook video that the company was going to completely “overhaul” the Phone 4a series. If I’m going by these leaks, things are looking a little different, for sure. The display changes, for one, will need that personal touch to know for certain, but they sound nice on paper. Additionally, Pei teased camera upgrades, and I’ve now seen rumors about a triple array for the base model. That’s giving that entry model a bit of a “Pro” flair, which is always a good thing for people looking to not splurge on a higher-tiered mid-range model.
On Thursday, OpenAI introduced a new coding model, GPT‑5.3‑Codex‑Spark, which runs on Cerebras wafer‑scale chips—not Nvidia. The tool, a smaller, more speed‑optimized variant of GPT‑5.3‑Codex that focuses on text‑only coding tasks, is designed to support real‑time software development thanks to its very low latency.
Codex‑Spark runs on Cerebras’ Wafer‑Scale Engine 3, a dinner‑plate‑sized processor that integrates millions of AI‑oriented cores and large on‑chip memory on a single silicon wafer. OpenAI and Cerebras have said that this hardware change enables the model to generate more than 1,000 tokens per second, which is about 15 times faster than the base GPT‑5.3‑Codex.
According to OpenAI, third‑party tests and guides report significant reductions in time‑to‑first‑token and per‑token overhead. They also described these interactions as feeling nearly instant for common code edits and completions.
OpenAI presents Codex‑Spark as a lighter option that works alongside the more advanced Codex models. Early user reports say it tends to produce precise edits and quick iteration for tasks like UI tweaks and syntax fixes, but big changes in design or structure still work better on larger, slower models.
This launch also marks the first time OpenAI has put a GPT‑class model into production on non-NVIDIA silicon, using a Cerebras‑backed “latency‑first” serving path that sits next to its existing GPU infrastructure. Last month, the company signed a multi‑year deal with Cerebras for up to 750MW of inference capacity and continues to add AMD GPUs and other accelerators as it diversifies the hardware behind its AI options.
