Articles by Judie Lipsett Stanford

Proof that I am Not a Member of Vertu’s Target Audiance

I got my Vertu Constellation in a round about way, and while I have greatly enjoyed owning it there has never been a day when I thought for even a moment that I was in the same financial bracket as the typical Vertu owner. Today I got proof positive of that fact in the form of a repair bill; more on that in a moment… I had noticed soon after getting my nearly new Constellation that the leather on its battery cover was rubbed and might one day start to peel back. This is certainly not uncommon with the model,…


The Tom Bihn Ristretto Messenger Bag Review

One of the many conveniences I’ve encountered while owning a MacBook Air has been the ability to slip the ultra-slim laptop into almost any bag for a quick carry solution; this includes larger laptops bags as well as some of my roomier purses. There are times however, when I’ve wished that I had a bag made to specifically transport the Air: something slim, streamlined, but still large enough to carry any peripherals and doo-dads I might need. Tom Bihn has released just such a bag; similar in style to their Cafe line, the Ristretto Messenger Bag is built with different…



Reviewed: Tom Bihn Organizer Pouches

It never fails that when I pack my gear, there are always small items which will sift to the bottom of my bag’s cavernous pockets. This doesn’t even take into account all of the times when I have needed a particular something, and no matter how neatly I thought I had it packed, I couldn’t find it when it was time. Well, no more. Tom Bihn makes a variety of Organizer Pouches, and I think that it would be safe to assume that there is something for everyone. Let’s take a look… Cordura Organizer Pouches


The WowWee Alive Lion Cub Review

When I was a child, I absolutely loved stuffed animals; I had such a massive collection residing on my bed that they threatened to push me off should I stretch out or roll over in the middle of the night. One of my fondest wishes at that time was that some of my favorite stuffed animals could be more life-like and animated. Granted, this was in the 70s, and the closest things we had to robotic toys back then were those obnoxious stuffed dogs that came with a wired battery pack so that they could walk a few steps, bark,…


Pas Deux: The Vertu Ascent Ti Experience

[Note from Judie: This is Drew’s follow-up to his original letter about his first week with the Vertu Ascent Ti. If you haven’t already read that, then you might want to check it out.] I had an opportunity to take a bit of a deeper dive with the Ascent Ti this weekend and tried out some of these other features: 1. Fortress (the over the air backup utility) 2. The camera 3. The music player 4. Software upgrade process One of the big selling features is the ability to back up your personal information to the Fortress, a military shelter…


Mommy Toolbox’s Carabean Review

Every mom carries around a basic toolbox, whether it be stowed in her diaper bag or purse. The child’s age will dictate what gear must be carried, whether it’s bottles, binkies and rattles, or tissues, snack money and aspirin. The cleverly named company, Mommy Toolbox, has created a line of products meant to make mom’s (and dad’s) lives easier; their first product is the Carabean, a lead-free rubbery paint coated aluminum clip that can function as a much needed third or fourth hand. Packaged in pairs, I was sent a set in black licorice; they are also available in buttercup…


Restoring and Beautifying Photos the Photofiddle Way

One of my favorite hobbies is working on my family’s genealogy; because it was also my uncle’s and grandmother’s hobby before me, I have access to a treasure trove of photographs, historical documents, family charts and other paraphernalia that they and others had collected. What’s not in my personal files is kept at the Angelo State University library in their canvas wrapped on stretchers, where it is easily shared with me and any other interested familial historians. I guess because I have always had such a relatively easy time collecting and accessing some of (what I consider to be) the…


MOO Business Cards: MOO MiniCards Grow Up

Remember when MOO MiniCards hit the scene in late 2006? Everyone on the internet thought they were the cutest thing since…I don’t know what, and many of us ordered sets to keep, trade, or even use as business cards. The deal was that you could access your Flickr account and use up to 100 different photos to decorate the back of each custom card, although another option was that you could also go with just a single favorite photo or multiples of different photos. The front could hold traditional business card information, although you certainly didn’t have to be so…


The Tom Bihn Guardian Dual Function Light Review

There are so many good reasons why you might be interested in getting a clip-on safety light; perhaps because you ride a bike at night, or you walk in darker areas, or simply because you need a way to look inside a big gear bag in a darkened room. The story goes that Tom Bihn spent three months searching for a light that would meet his expectations, and the result of that search was the Guardian Dual Function Light. Make no mistake about it, this is no cheap flasher that will break after a few uses; the Guardian Dual Function…


The Tom Bihn Horizontal Freudian Slip Review

I tend to think of a “Freudian Slip” by its commonly known definition: “a verbal mistake that is thought to reveal an unconscious belief, thought, or emotion.” Tom Bihn has recycled the term by cleverly (and I daresay unforgettably) naming their horizontal and vertical organizing pocket panels “Freudian Slips.” Both styles are basically “an insert that gives you eleven extra pockets to provide total organization of your files and accessories,” and they are made to perfectly fit inside Tom Bihn’s Zephyr or Empire Builder briefcases, or ID, Ego, or Super Ego messenger bags. A nylon loop attached to the top…


The Tom Bihn Yarn Stuff Sack Review

Don’t let the name of Tom Bihn’s Yarn Stuff Sack throw you off. While it’s true that this Japanese-made Dyneema rip-stop fabric bag was created to work perfectly with their Swift knitting bag, this approximately 9.5″ wide x 8.25″ tall drawstring bag can also manage all sorts of loose gadget peripherals. Let’s take a look…


The Mobile Edge Element Briefcase Review

Just in time for fall comes this beautiful new bag from Mobile Edge, the Element Briefcase. With its moss green poly-suede exterior, chocolate faux leather trim, and white contrasting stitching, this bag is neutral enough to compliment any fall or winter outfit. But good looks are one thing; organization and laptop protection are just as important as presentation. Let’s take a look at how the Element measures up… The Element is meant to be carried as a briefcase; two 15″ rolled faux leather handles are on either side, and although a woman with thinner arms could carry it on her…


The DecoCases EcoDesign Case for MacBook Pro Review

I tote two different laptops between locations these days, switching them out (or sometimes bringing both) depending upon what my needs will be once I’ve arrived. For the most part, I’ve been content to slip my MacBook Air into a bag, a sleeve, or the Agent 18 shell that Dan recently forwarded to me, but I hadn’t yet found a similar slim and protective MacBook Pro shell. Bear in mind, the type of transport I usually do involves grabbing my laptop, throwing it into my Louis Vuitton Alto tote (along with a couple days’ worth of clothing), and then driving…


This Does Not Reassure Me – “Texas School District Will Let Teachers Carry Guns”

Wayne sent me this news story as an aside, and I have to admit that after reading it my first thought was how glad I was that I didn’t have any kids in Texas’ Harrold Independent School District. This isn’t exactly gadget news, and I’m not sure why it hit today as this policy change approval actually took place last October, but needless to say…I am flabbergasted and felt the need to share. Indulge me, please. Trustees at the Harrold Independent School District approved a district policy change last October so employees can carry concealed firearms to deter and protect…


TSA Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Bag Procedures, a Tutorial

We’ve mentioned some of the bags that will comply with their “Checkthrough” regulations the past, and now the TSA has finally posted the official procedures for getting through their checkpoints without actually removing your laptop; of course all will hinge on consumers purchasing the proper type of bag… TSA screens laptops to see if the electronics have been tampered with. TSOs know what the inside of a computer should look like, and can recognize irregularities. This is why they need an unobstructed view as the item moves through the X-ray machine. Purchasing one of these bags will not guarantee that…


The Sprint Palm Treo 800w WM6 Phone Review

During the spring of 2007, when I was still a 700wx user and a Sprint customer, I was more excited by the rumors of a possible “Palm 800” than I was about any other upcoming Windows Mobile device. Some of the reasons for my anticipation included that the Palm Treo candybar with front keyboard has always been one of my favorite form factors; Palm seems to be the single most adept OEM at utilizing the WM OS without speed sacrifices; the 800w was supposed to be the first Treo with WiFi; it would have a better (2 megapixel, anyway) camera;…


The Vertu Ascent and the Vertu Constellation: A Pictorial

Some time ago, I wrote a semi-mocking post about a just announced Vertu phone which was encrusted with gemstones and that had a price tag in the $100,000 neighborhood; not only was this phone priced way out of my galaxy, it was priced out of my universe. In that post’s comments, Drew came in and mentioned that he had owned a few Vertus, and that they were in fact actually excellent phones – despite their astronomical price tag. He also said that it wasn’t necessary to get them encrusted in stones, and that there were some which were (relatively) reasonably…


The Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth Earpiece Review

Ever since Kerry introduced me to the wonderfully descriptive and perfect term “ear roach”, used to describe those obnoxious Bluetooth headsets that so many people wear, I have been hard-pressed to think of them as anything but. However, the Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth Earpiece I am writing about today is one earpiece that does not deserve my usual mockery. This earpiece is elegant, light, and dare I say pretty? It is one of the few headsets that looks like jewelry for your ear. But can it handle calls comfortably and with clarity? Read on to see…


The Jetart NP8800 miniStand Notebook Cooler Review

We’ve covered quite a few laptop coolers and stands here on Gear Diary, and a fair share of them have been from Jetart. The one I am reviewing today is their latest NP8800 miniStand, which is certainly one of the smallest and most totable fan-cooled stands I have ever tried… Made to work with 7″ to 15.4″ laptops, the miniStand features a single USB driven fan which is housed in its red and black plastic body. Measuring approximately 8.6″ long (when closed) x 3.5″ wide x 0.75″ thick, and weighing 4.6 ounces, the miniStand is small enough to easily tuck…


The OrionGadgets Mobile Power Accessories Review

People who are on-the-go will always appreciate portable syncing and charging solutions, which is why I was pleased to recently open a box from OrionGadgets that contained just that, along with a bonus. Inside I found a Retractable MultiCharge USB Sync & Charge Travel Kit and a 3.5mm Audio Extension AUX Cable (Male to Male). Let’s take a look at them… Retractable MultiCharge USB Sync & Charge Travel Kit The travel kit is composed of the OrionGadgets USB Sync & Charge Cable and a Multicharge AC and Car Adapter. The first item in the kit is the sync & charge…