Pebblebee’s Halo watches my back and my belongings | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyNotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.NotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Pebblebee’s Halo watches my back and my belongingsNotificationsNotificationsComments DrawerNotificationsCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...GadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechReviewsCloseReviewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReviewsPebblebee’s Halo watches my back and my belongingsThe cross-platform Bluetooth tracker doubles as an easy-to-use personal safety device.The cross-platform Bluetooth tracker doubles as an easy-to-use personal safety device.by Sheena VasaniCloseSheena VasaniCommerce WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sheena VasaniMay 30, 2026, 2:00 PM UTCLinkShareIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.Photo: Sheena Vasani / The VergeSheena VasaniCloseSheena VasaniPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sheena Vasani writes about tech news, reviews gadgets, and helps readers save money by highlighting deals and product recommendations for The Verge.I live in a part of Los Angeles where I feel safer bringing pepper spray on walks. The problem is, I don’t always remember to bring it with me, and it’s not legal to carry it everywhere I go. Pebblebee’s $59.99 Halo Bluetooth tracker surprised me by being a suitable replacement because it doubles as a siren-equipped personal safety device, and I can bring it anywhere.A quick pull of its cap triggers a bunch of safety features: Its 130dB siren will sound, its LEDs will strobe, and it will automatically alert up to five trusted contacts with text messages (Pebblebee’s Alert Live service shares your location for 24 hours, or as a one-time location snapshot). Alert Live comes free for the first year, after which it costs $24.99 annually. If you choose not to renew, the only features you’ll lose are real-time location sharing and the ability to alert more than one emergency contact at a time.Pebblebee Halo$60$60$60 at Amazon$60 at Pebblebee The Halo supports both Apple’s Find My network and Google’s Find Hub, just like Pebblebee’s more basic Clip 5, one of our favorite Bluetooth trackers. Tracking performance is very good, though neither offers the precise tracking you’ll get with Apple’s AirTags and other trackers that have an ultra-wideband chip. The difference may not matter to you, or it might matter a lot.Connecting the Halo to Pebblebee’s app took seconds, though it wasn’t as quick to pair with Apple’s Find My network as the company claimed it would be; Pebblebee says five button presses should start the process, but it took several more tries for me. Once it was up and running, it was effortless to incorporate the Halo into my life. It’s bigger than other Bluetooth trackers, but it stays out of the way while it’s clipped to my purse.I used the Halo in a moment of panic during a recent evening walk when I heard some rustling behind me. Its light revealed a very confused, very adorable raccoon in a bush, so I stopped shy of sounding the Halo’s loud siren. False alarm this time, thankfully, but I nevertheless appreciated how effortless it was to feel safer in the moment.You can turn on live location sharing in the app.I’d be glad to have the Halo instead of Pebblebee’s Clip 5 or any other Bluetooth tracker in a scarier scenario. Its bright light and siren could deter a would-be attacker without the possibility of causing harm with pepper spray (or having it turned against me). The Clip 5 requires six presses of its button to trigger a siren, whereas you just grab the Halo and pull it apart. It also makes the Halo easier to recommend for less tech-savvy users, or those with dexterity issues.There’s also a silent alert option, which I appreciate. A blaring siren and flashing strobe might be helpful in some situations, but quietly notifying trusted contacts and sharing your location without drawing attention may be safer in others.Photo: Sheena Vasani / The VergeAt $59.99, the Halo costs almost twice as much as Bluetooth trackers like the Clip 5 or AirTag and even some personal safety devices like She’s Birdie 3.0. But it has a great, easy-to-use design, and offers more features than most of its competitors.I’ll still stick with the AirTag as my primary tracker for things like traveling and tracking down luggage at the airport. And I’ll probably also keep the Halo strapped to my purse since it can do more, including making me feel safer during everyday activities around town. Having two Bluetooth trackers on my person is overkill, but I’d rather have it that way than resort to pepper spray — assuming I don’t forget it at home.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Sheena VasaniCloseSheena VasaniCommerce WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sheena VasaniGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsHands-onCloseHands-onPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Hands-onReviewsCloseReviewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReviewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularHow Ferrari bungled the design of its first EVThis is MSI’s new Claw 8 EX AI Plus gaming handheldNvidia, Microsoft, and Arm are all teasing Nvidia’s new N1X laptop processorsKia’s flagship EV has a battery problemHundreds of prolific Wikipedia editors are threatening to go on strikeThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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The Pebblebee Halo is presented as a cross-platform Bluetooth tracker designed to function as an accessible personal safety device. This device integrates several safety features accessible through a simple mechanism. Pulling the cap triggers a loud 130 decibel siren, activates flashing LEDs, and initiates alerts to up to five trusted contacts via Pebblebee’s Alert Live service, which allows for either a twenty-four-hour location share or a one-time location snapshot. The Alert Live service is free for the first year, with an annual cost of twenty-four dollars and ninety-nine cents thereafter, contingent upon whether the user chooses to renew the service.

In terms of tracking capabilities, the Halo is compatible with both Apple’s Find My network and Google’s Find Hub, mirroring the functionality of trackers like the Pebblebee Clip 5. While the tracking performance is considered good, the text notes that it does not achieve the precision offered by trackers utilizing ultra-wideband chips, such as Apple’s AirTags. The author suggests that the level of tracking accuracy may be a secondary concern for some users.

The physical design of the Halo is larger than other Bluetooth trackers, but it is designed to remain unobtrusive when attached to an item, such as a purse. The author provided a practical example of using the device during a moment of perceived vulnerability, highlighting the ease with which the device functioned to provide a deterrent. The experience emphasized that the combination of the bright light and siren offered a means to deter potential threats without the necessity of carrying pepper spray, which mitigates risks associated with physical confrontation. Furthermore, the feature set allows for a silent alert option, which is presented as a safer alternative in certain situations where drawing attention must be avoided.

Although the Halo carries a price point nearly double that of competitors like the Clip 5 or AirTags, it is argued to offer a greater array of features and improved utility for everyday safety. The author concluded that despite the existence of other trackers, carrying the Halo alongside a primary tracker, such as an AirTag, is preferable to the necessity of carrying pepper spray, provided the user is not likely to forget the pepper spray at home.