Articles by Judie Lipsett Stanford


Gear Diary’s 2023 Father’s Day Gift Guide & Giveaway: Plenty of Ideas to Make Dad’s Day Special!

Father’s Day is June 18th, and what better way is there to appreciate the men who’ve been there for you than by celebrating them? Next to giving Dad more time with you, the next best thing you can give him is something that makes his life easier, more comfortable, or more fun. Take a look at our 2023 Father’s Day Gift Guide, and we’re positive that you’ll find the perfect present. And as always, be sure to enter our giveaway at the end!


MediaTek and NVIDIA Partner to Make Future Car Cockpits Smarter, Better Connected, and with Enhanced Computing Capabilities

As car interiors get more advanced, vehicle electronics rely on the same technologies found in today’s smartphones, like advanced AI, 5G connectivity, and computing capabilities. MediaTek and NVIDIA have just announced a partnership at Computex that will provide a complete range of AI cabin solutions for the next generation of software-defined vehicles to meet the demand for smarter vehicles.


OnePlus Pad Review: A Gorgeous, Sub-$500 Android Tablet That’s Loaded with Useful Features

I’ve felt a sense of frustration because there really weren’t any real options if I wanted to own a stylish, thin, non-iOS tablet with a larger display, but now we have the OnePlus Pad to consider. The Pad is OnePlus’s first tablet, and they’ve loaded it to the gills with goodies, including a powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset, face unlock, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, all-day battery life, and an 11.61″ display with 144Hz refresh rate. Best of all, it is just $479. Is the OnePlus Pad the tablet that Android users have been hoping for?


Gear Diary’s 2023 Mother’s Day Gift Guide and Giveaway: Our Picks Will Help You Treat Mom in Style!

It’s that time of year when we celebrate the most important women in our lives, whether they be our mothers by birth or our mothers by choice. We’ve rounded up a great selection of gifts for every budget so that you can find the gift that best fits your mom. Grab a cup of coffee and dive into our 2023 Mother’s Day Gift Guide; let us know your favorites, and be sure to enter our giveaway for a Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 at the end!



BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge Review: An Ice-Free Way to Keep Cold Things Cold and Frozen Things Frozen

There are plenty of times when having a portable fridge in your vehicle can come in handy; some of the ones I can think of off of the top of my head include when you’re spending time doing outdoor activities, traveling, when you have medications that need to be kept at a certain temperature, or when you just want the convenience of not having to stop for a cold drink during a long commute. Whatever your reason for needing one, the BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge might just be the perfect solution.


2023 John Deere Tech Summit: Helping Family Famers Efficiently Feed an Ever-Growing Population

In many countries, shoppers enjoy the privilege of entering their choice of well-stocked grocery stores to find an ever-changing selection of fresh and packaged food options. Most of us probably don’t give a second thought to the people and processes responsible for producing our food; we just take the bounty for granted. But since attending the John Deere Tech Summit in Austin, I’ve gained a fresh appreciation for farmers (especially family farmers), the farming process, and for John Deere — the company that’s been helping farmers feed and clothe their families — and the world — since 1837.


Sleep Number Launches New Lifestyle Furniture Line Along with Next-Gen Sleep Number Smart Beds

Sleep Number’s first 360 smart beds launched in 2017. After seeing one in person at CES 2018, I soon bought the i10 360 smart bed. That was over five years ago, and ever since, Kev and I have enjoyed personalized sleep from our dual-zone, self-adjusting mattress. Each night, sensors inside our smart bed collect biometric data that is crunched to produce a SleepIQ Score. Today the next-gen Sleep Number smart beds were announced along with Sleep Number’s new lifestyle furniture line. It’s hard to imagine what could make our mattress any better, but Sleep Number has some ideas.


Sterling Pacific 35L Cabin Travel Case Review: Raising the Bar for Stylish and Well-Built 2-Wheeled Aluminum Carry-On Luggage

Business travel is ramping back to pre-pandemic levels, which means many of us are once again on the road or in the air multiple times a month. If the sight of your beat-up carry-on is making you question its viability, the Sterling Pacific 35L Cabin Travel Case is here for your consideration. Built like a tank and sporting a chic retro style, this bag harkens to an era when travel was an event. It costs as much (or more) than a round-trip economy flight to Europe, but could this bag be the last you’ll ever have to buy?


BlenderCap by Cruz Review: Don’t Leave Home Without It If You Enjoy Smoothies on the Go!

We’ve reviewed portable blenders before, but the BlenderCap by Cruz is something else. Designed by two former Apple Engineers, BlenderCap is one of the most functional and best-designed solutions we’ve yet seen for making smoothies, shakes, frozen drinks, or flavored ices while traveling or on the go. All you need to create your favorite concoctions are the ingredients, some ice, a wide-mouth bottle, and the BlenderCap by Cruz will do the rest.


The All-New Ring Battery Doorbell Plus Offers Significant Battery and Field of View Improvements

Eight years ago, I reviewed the Ring Video Doorbell. This was such a new product category at the time that I wrote, “knowing who’s standing at your door when you are or aren’t at home is a pretty handy superpower.” Honestly, I still think that’s true. The all-new Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is the brand’s most significant update to its battery doorbell lineup yet, and one of the features being touted is battery life that can last up to three times longer than that first-gen Ring Video Doorbell I reviewed, but that’s just the start.



The OPPO Find N2 Flip Is Gunning for the Samsung Galaxy Flip4, and It Just Might Be the More Compelling Device!

Is a smartphone with a folding display on your wishlist? One that, when flipped open, is the size of a regular smartphone rather than a tablet? If so, you might think that your only options would be a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip or Motorola Razr. But if you don’t mind trying something new, there’s now the OPPO Find N2 Flip to consider. What can an OPPO folding display smartphone offer that might make you choose it over one of the other brands? With the Find N2 Flip being released worldwide, there’s no better time to find out.


Take a Look at the New OnePlus 11 5G, and Let Us Know What You Think!

Returning to its roots, OnePlus has taken a bold step with its latest smartphone releaser; rather than being one of several flagship models offered, the OnePlus 11 5G stands alone. Maybe you won’t feel like you’re settling without a Pro model, though, because the 11 5G comes loaded with many top-of-the-line features, including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform, a 5,000mAh battery, and 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging in the US. However, there is one feature you won’t find on this new device; will its omission be a deal breaker for you?


Samsung Galaxy S23 Series Is Out; Which One Sparks Your Interest?

If you’ve been considering replacing your aging smartphone with a new Samsung Galaxy Device, now is the time! During today’s Unpacked event, the Samsung Galaxy S23 series was introduced. This latest generation of flagships, which includes the S23, S23+, and the S23 Ultra, builds upon the brand’s past successes with bigger batteries in the Galaxy S23 and S23+ models, even better AI cameras across the board, and of course, all three boast the latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy.


Gear Diary’s 2023 Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

February 14th is coming up soon, and if you’re drawing a blank on gift ideas beyond the usual flowers and chocolates, we’ve got your back with our 2023 Valentine’s Day Gift Guide. Take a look at the items we’ve rounded up; let us know which ones are your faves!


Gear Diary’s Best of CES 2023 Awards

It was a blast to be back in person for CES this year, and as is always the case, we found plenty of new gear that caught our fancy.  After sorting through hundreds of announcements and making our way through dozens of CES events, venues, and demos, we’ve decided on the gear that we found to be the most innovative and intriguing. Without further ado and in no particular order, here are our top ten choices for Best of CES 2023!


Outfit Your New Google Pixel 7 Pro with the Best Accessories, Cases, and Charging Solutions

Did you get a Google Pixel 7 Pro over the holidays? Lucky you; it’s safe to say that you’re in for a treat! Not only does the 7 Pro offer a pure, uncluttered, and frequently-updated Android experience with all of the Pixel-exclusive features and apps that users have come to expect and appreciate, but it also offers one of the (if not the) best cameras available on any smartphone. If you just got a Pixel 7 Pro or already have one and are interested in new gear, here’s a great selection to keep it stylish, protected, connected, and conveniently charged!


Escort MAX 360c MKII Radar Detector Review: Another Fantastic Radar Detector Hampered by the (Still) Buggy Drive Smarter App

The Escort MAX 360c radar and laser detector were released five years ago. Made to integrate perfectly into vehicles with their own WiFi hotspots for real-time alerts and ticket threats, the Max 360c gave drivers 360º protection with intuitive onscreen arrows that displayed the direction of threats relative to the driver’s vehicle. It was a hit! The Escort MAX 360c MKII builds upon the original’s success with an all-new internal platform and more powerful components, including a new Blackfin DSP chip that provides faster response times and a 50% improvement on the original model’s detection range.


Gear Diary’s 2022 Holiday Gift Guide: Something for Everyone and Every Budget!

If you’ve got a list of people you’d like to buy gifts for and are wondering where to even start, we’ve got you covered. Our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide has something for everyone and every budget. Many of these items have special holiday pricing, so be sure to click the links to check for discounts if something catches your fancy. So grab a drink, get comfortable, and have fun perusing our mega-guide!