If you’ve recently travelled abroad, you know the huge checklist of things that need to be done before getting to relax on a quiet beach. And if you’re anything like me, there’s almost something on the list that’s forgotten, which then comes back to haunt you at the wrong time. One such thing is connectivity, as no one in the history of travel has ever liked the long queues at airports to get a new SIM card. Over the past few years, though, there’s been a solution, and that’s eSIM. These non-physical SIMs are installed on your phone and help you connect to the network in any desired country. No need to spend outrageous prices at the airport anymore. Two major players in the eSIM space are Holafly and Airalo. While both provide connectivity across different countries, their approaches are super different. I tested them both on a recent trip to Vietnam, and here’s how both operators compare.

Holafly vs Airalo: Quick Comparison

Different Options, Different Pay

The biggest differentiator between Holafly and Airalo is the available package options. For context, Airalo offers plans without unlimited data, meaning you can configure how much you really need. Passing through France on a road trip to Spain? You can get a 1GB data plan (valid for three days) for $4 to continue using navigation, and you’re good to go. This significantly reduces the end user’s cost and provides more flexibility. However, there’s a problem. Airalo’s plans, while cheaper, start with 1GB or 3GB for the duration of the day you select. But given that the average American family uses 650-700 GB of data per month, 3GB isn’t actually a lot. You can get through that much data within just an hour of watching YouTube in Full HD. So, for any trip longer than a day, you’ll have to spend more on higher capacity plans, which can quickly add up.

On the other hand, Holafly’s approach is a whole lot different. Their plans are always unlimited, meaning you don’t have to worry about finishing up your quota and can watch movies, shows, and play games without worry. As you might expect, Holafly’s plans are more expensive, generally starting from $4 per day for unlimited data. While the exact pricing would depend on your specific country, I’m generally more on board with unlimited data, since even a short WhatsApp call can use several hundred megabytes. And you can also get 5% off using my coupon FOSSBYTES.

Global eSIM

Both Holafly and Airalo offer global eSIM plans for frequent travellers and business people who regularly travel to different countries. Like with the regular eSIM, the pricing and data strategy are very different on both. Airalo offers a 7-day 1GB global plan for $13, which goes all the way up to $34 for just 3GB for 30 days. Any additional data requirement will cost more. Holafly’s package, while expensive, at $62 for 7 days, offers unlimited data in 110+ countries. Honestly, if you plan to get a global SIM, that means you travel a lot, and in that case, Holafly’s unlimited plan is a really good deal.

Holafly also offers a global subscription plan with coverage in 160+ destinations, and you can cancel it at any time, so it’s a good option even if you are planning a trip for just 30 days. They have a Light Plan with 25GB of data for $49.90, an Unlimited Plan for $64.90 monthly, and you can also hotspot with no limits. And if you use my code FOSSBYTES, you get 10% off for 12 months on your subscription.

Support & App Experience

Holafly and Airalo offer plenty of installation options for both Android and iOS users. You can either set up using the QR code, do it manually, or even through their respective apps. It’s the support infrastructure, though, where Holafly edges ahead. On Trustpilot, Holafly has a rating of 4.6, with multiple reviews highlighting the company’s 24/7 multilingual support, which has proven very helpful during times of worry. People have also mentioned Holafly’s excellent refund policy, which works for up to 6 months after purchase. Their app, however, isn’t the best. It was buggy when reporting total data usage, and I also ran into the infamous “this content isn’t available at your location” problem on Netflix a couple of times.

On the other hand, Airalo has a rating of 3.9. While it’s by no means bad, there have been some complaints about the network coverage and unhelpful support staff. That being said, the Airalo app is really stable. It was easy to use and free of bugs that could hinder the user experience, and included helpful tutorials that made the setup straightforward. 

Both Holafly and Airalo have loyalty programs that grant users special discounts and cashback. Airalo’s loyalty program offers up to 10% cashback on every purchase, compared to Holafly’s 7%. 

Personal Experience

As mentioned, I decided to put both services head-to-head during my recent trip to Vietnam. For some context, I set up both before my flight, and the experience was excellent on both. I bought the unlimited week plan with Holafly for $27, while the 10GB 7-day plan cost me $16. Both plans were instantly connected to service after I landed, and, being a tech reviewer, I started my usual testing, which included speed testing, downloading content, and calling my family back home. 

Call quality with WhatsApp was really good with both, and my family didn’t have any problems hearing my voice. Similarly, navigation and translation between Vietnamese and English were handled very well on both. Network speeds were also comparable in both Saigon and the quiet beach town of Tuy Hoa, hovering around 50 Mbps download and 15 Mbps upload. However, the 10GB network limit didn’t last very long. After only a few days, I ran through all my data while on a train journey without Wi-Fi. This was a big worry. But fortunately, Holafly was there to the rescue with the unlimited data. Personally, I’d choose Holafly over Airalo because data can run out quickly, and you could end up stuck in an unfamiliar place. 

Verdict

In the end, the choice would depend on your specific needs. If you’re like me and can’t stop worrying about finishing your data mid-trip, or if you frequently have to be on video calls, then Holafly is the best bet. The only downside is the app glitches, which can sometimes interfere with sessions. However, if you’re transiting through a country for a short time or taking a short trip, Airalo’s cost savings are the way to go. Don’t forget to use my code FOSSBYTES at Holafly if you want to get a discount on your eSIM.

United States prosecutors and federal law enforcement spent over a year examining ties between Jeffrey Epstein and Customs and Border Protection officers stationed in the US Virgin Islands (USVI), according to documents recently released by the Department of Justice.

As The Guardian and New York Times have reported, emails, text messages, and investigative records show that Epstein cultivated friendships with several officers, entertaining them on his island and offering to take them for whale-watching trips in his helicopter. He even brought one cannolis for Christmas Eve. In turn, Epstein would bring certain officers his complaints about his treatment at the hands of other CBP and federal agents. Most of the interactions described in the records occurred years after Epstein pleaded guilty to charges of sex crimes in Florida in 2008.

The CBP officers were never charged for any crimes related to Epstein, and at least one later retired from the agency with a pension, suggesting that the government ultimately didn’t find any wrongdoing. The documents do, though, describe patterns of behavior—two of the officers referred to Epstein as a “friend”—that one government ethics expert described as inappropriate and possible violations of federal guidance. They also contain grand jury subpoenas that specifically name the officers and compel the recipients, which were largely financial services firms, to aid federal prosecutors who were looking into allegations of a conspiracy to defraud the US government.

CBP and the Southern District of New York US Attorney’s Office, which led the investigation into Epstein, did not respond to requests for comment.

For years, Epstein allegedly brought countless women and girls as young as 12 to his private island, Little Saint James, according to a 2020 complaint filed by the former USVI attorney general. Epstein would often fly in and out of USVI on his private jet.

In order to depart from USVI to other parts of the US, Epstein’s plane had to be cleared by CBP, according to a November 2020 FBI interview report with Epstein’s personal pilot, Larry Visoski.

Visoski told the FBI that some passengers were college students with letters from their schools explaining why they were traveling. Other times, according to the report on Visoski’s interview, Epstein traveled with a woman who had a foreign passport. If CBP officers started questioning these passengers, Visoski said, Epstein would intervene and start arguing with the officers.

Visoski, though, told the FBI that Epstein made an effort to be friendly with CBP officers, at times instructing Visoski to collect agents’ contact information. (In an email to one CBP officer, Epstein wrote, “as you know Im very respectful of people just doing their job.”) Over the years, emails and text messages show, various CBP officers would try to reach out to Epstein, either directly or through Visoski or other associates. Sometimes, Epstein would have the officers out to Little Saint James.

In May 2014, for example, Visoski emailed Epstein, “While going through customs in STT, our nice person gave me his cell contact.” The pilot added that the “nice person” would be available to visit Little Saint James that week. Visoski also attached the person’s contact information. The next day, Epstein’s island estate manager emailed Epstein to let him know the person, a CBP officer, would be picked up on Wednesday for lunch. (It’s unclear whether this lunch ever happened.)

Emails in 2015 and 2016 show that Epstein would have another officer, Glen Samuel, come to Little Saint James to perform on steel pan drums—a side gig Samuel informally advertised at one point on his Facebook page. In a January 2015 email thread, Epstein asked an associate to clarify Samuel’s rate. The associate replied, “Mr. Samuel says he does not intend to charge you. He considers you a friend and was doing this for you. If you wish to give him something, he is appreciative, but there is no fee.” Samuel did not respond to a request for comment.

Editor’s Note: The following article has been updated to reflect the latest statement from Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).

Tipsy Bird is owned by local hospitality group Tipsy Collective, which has faced years of legal disputes

Sentosa beach club Tipsy Unicorn has ceased operations after its operator was ordered into compulsory liquidation by the Singapore High Court.

According to a report by The Straits Times, the venue’s operator, Tipsy Bird, was wound up on Jan 23 this year after United Overseas Bank (UOB) filed a winding-up application. Court documents seen by the publication showed that the bank is seeking to recover more than S$96,000 in debt and interest.

However, liquidators shared that this may not represent the company’s full liabilities. Without the firm’s Statement of Affairs, they are unable to determine the total amount owed or how many creditors are affected. 

As of Feb 16, the company’s directors have yet to come forward to brief the liquidators on the firm’s financial affairs. 

The liquidators also noted that Tipsy Bird operated Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club at 36 Siloso Beach Walk. Following the winding-up order, the landlord of the premises, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), exercised its right to repossess the property.

Responding to a Vulcan Post media enquiry, SDC confirmed that the beach club ceased operations on Jan 30, adding that they are currently in discussions with potential operators.

“Guests can continue to look forward to a vibrant beach scene on Sentosa, with new concepts and enhancements planned as part of our ongoing destination rejuvenation efforts,” said a SDC spokesperson.

When the publication visited the venue on Feb 18, the outlet was shuttered, with a notice at the entrance stating it had stopped operations from Jan 30. Its Instagram page was also marked as “temporarily closed,” and checks by Vulcan Post on Feb 20 showed that reservations were no longer available on its website.

Closure follows years of legal disputes

Corporate records show Tipsy Bird is wholly owned by local hospitality group Tipsy Collective, which remains an active entity as of Feb 19. 

According to a Facebook post by the group, Tipsy Unicorn opened at Sentosa on Sept 1, 2023, and had been operating for about three years before its closure. 

The closure and court order come after years of legal disputes since the passing of co-founder Derek Ong in Aug 2023.

While the other co-founder, David Gan, remained involved in the business, concerns over financial mismanagement and a lack of transparency led shareholders to clash with him, including objections to the development of the Sentosa beach club.

The budget for this project reportedly doubled from S$3 million to S$6 million. Additional concerns included debts amounting to S$5.2 million owed to suppliers, contractors and creditors. Tipsy Collective also allegedly owed about S$1 million to SDC.

Following the dispute, Gan was dismissed on Nov 6, 2024. But trouble did not stop brewing.

In Nov 2024, it was reported that more than 100 employees allegedly did not receive their Oct 2024 salaries. They were eventually paid in Jan 2025 after shareholders injected fresh funds. 

Further checks by Vulcan Post showed that Tipsy Collective’s website is no longer available, though their social media pages remained active.

Vulcan Post has reached out to Tipsy Collective for comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

• Read more stories we’ve written on Singaporean businesses here.

Featured Image Credit: Tipsy Unicorn

from the the-grift-that-keeps-on-grifting dept

Remember how Donald Trump was going to “drain the swamp” as president? The idea, spilling out from his first campaign for president, was that Washington was horribly corrupt, that politicians and unelected government stooges were making money from their positions of power, and that even politician’s families were in on the grift. The only reason I am aware of a name like Burisma is because Trump and his sycophants screamed about it as an example of how Biden’s family was corruptly making money by utilizing Joe Biden’s time as vice president for influence.

But, if there was a grift going on there, at least the Biden’s had enough shame to try to hide it. The same people who were up in arms over Burisma and other such claims have been remarkably silent on the far more obvious and in your face grifting that Trump is doing. Our president appears to look at the tax coffers as his own personal piggy bank, constantly dreaming up reasons why your tax money should find its way into his pockets. He wanted $10 billion in taxpayer money because his tax returns leaked. He wants $230 million because he was tried for his criminal behavior. He guided billions in taxpayer money to his pet supporter Elon Musk. And, because the corruption must be as naked as possible, agencies under his executive umbrella would be the ones approving all of this redistribution of taxpayer wealth into his own personal bank accounts.

It hasn’t stopped and the latest attempted grift is absolute stunning in how brazen it is. You may have heard that Trump is attempting to strong-arm several local governments into renaming an airport after him. It started with Dulles International Airport outside of Washington DC, with Trump reportedly holding millions in approved federal infrastructure funds hostage if he didn’t get his way. He has no authority to do this with congressionally approved funds, of course, but that isn’t stopping him. The state government in Florida raced to be first in line to lick Trump’s boots, unsurprisingly, with the state House voting to change the Palm Beach International Airport’s name to the President Donald J. Trump International Airport instead. That measure will now go before the state Senate, where it is likely to pass.

And while all of this was going on, an interesting thing happened: a private company that manages Trump’s intellectual property licensing filed for trademarks on the potential names for these airports.

The applications, submitted by DTTM Operations LLC on February 13 and 14, seek federal protection for the names:

1. ‘President Donald J. Trump International Airport’
2. ‘Donald J. Trump International Airport’
3. ‘DJT’

All three applications were filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on what is known as an “intent to use” basis. This is a filing strategy that allows applicants to stake a claim to a name before it is used in commerce.

As Josh Gerben notes in his post, this has simply never happened before. We’ve never witnessed an American president, while in office, have his private company proactively trademark the very names of a piece of government infrastructure that that same president was attempting to bring about. It’s an incredibly naked grift, in which an American president is clearly, unabashedly seeking to make money on the backs of taxpayers while purporting to do the people’s business.

I should be very clear: these are trademark filings that are completely unprecedented. Airport names almost always originate from the governmental body that owns or manages the facility. They are not owned or licensed by privately held entities.

Here, the filings were made by DTTM Operations LLC, the same entity that protects the Trump brand across hotels, consumer goods, and licensing ventures. That fact alone signals that this is not merely about honorary naming. It is about brand control.

The broader goods listed in the applications, such as clothing, luggage, and watches, are equally telling. Those categories are classic merchandise plays. If an airport were renamed, the trademark filings would allow DTTM Operations to control and monetize branded merchandise associated with the location.

The intent is obvious: create a licensing structure such that the American government will need to pay licensing fees to Trump’s business in perpetuity. There is no other reasonable explanation for this sequence of events. And it appears to be going on without any serious comment from the very same people who whined about what a swamp Washington had become.

Your money is not Trump’s personal piggy bank. Or, rather, it shouldn’t be. Unfortunately, those who ought to be clapping back on all of this are either in on the grift, or perfectly willing to allow it to occur.

Filed Under: airports, corruption, donald trump, dulles, palm beach international, trademark

Companies: dttm operations, trump organization

Ahead of their expected launch on February 25, 2026, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 have appeared in real-life photos shared by @Mr_TechTalkTV on X. Although they contain non-functional or dummy units used for displays in retail stores, they give us a good idea of how the earbuds will look.

Previously, we’ve seen the regular Buds 4 (with an open-ear design) in black and the Buds 4 Pro in white (with silicon eartips). However, the new pictures flip this order, showcasing the regular earbuds in white and the Pro ones in black.

Fresh leaks, familiar rivalry

From what it looks like, both earbuds will be available in white and black finishes, appealing to buyers who aren’t into the simple white color the AirPods are available in.

Everything from the AirPods’ charging case, top lid, and earbuds is made of the same glossy white plastic material, which is surely iconic, but it doesn’t leave buyers with any other option.

While the choice of colors shouldn’t be an issue with the Galaxy Buds 4 series, the design should be what distinguishes it from the AirPods (and for good). As seen in the pictures, both Buds 4 models have a metallic paint finish on their stems, elevating their look.

More choice, more personality

Samsung has opted for a flat charging case, where the earbuds lie horizontally, making them easier to access and easier to remove in a hurry. The wider layout also allows for a slimmer profile in your pocket or backpack and a case that feels more stable on a tabletop.

With two colors, an elevated design, a flat charging case, optimized touch/gesture controls, and potential upgrades in sound quality and noise cancellation, the Galaxy Buds 4 should be a compelling choice for Galaxy S26 buyers, or other Android users, for that matter.