  The puzzling origin of the ``UV-upturn'' phenomenon, observed in some
elliptical galaxies, has recently been settled by identifying hot HB stars as
main contributors to galaxy ultraviolet luminosity excess. While a blue HB
morphology seems a natural characteristic of metal-poor stellar populations,
its appearence in metal-rich systems, often coupled with a poorer rate of
planetary nebulae per unit galaxy luminosity, might be calling for an intimate
connection between UV excess and AGB properties in early-type galaxies. In this
work, we want to briefly assess this issue, relying on infrared surface
brightness fluctuations as a powerful tool to trace AGB properties in external
galaxies with unresolved stellar populations.
