Articles by Judie Lipsett Stanford

Memrise 30-Day Challenge

Travel, News & Features

Memrise 30-Day Language Challenge Launches with $1,000 Travel Prize: Learn a Language You’ll Actually Use

Memrise, the app that’s helped 76 million people go from “I know a few words” to “I can actually have a conversation,” is launching its 30-Day Language Challenge on June 2, 2025. The idea is simple: spend just a few minutes a day learning a language. There are no boring drills, no guilt-tripping streaks, and definitely no robotic sentence practice. Stick with it through July 2, and not only will you build real confidence, you might even win a $1,000 travel voucher to put those new skills to work somewhere unforgettable

Nitro Coffee made with the Cumulus machine.

News & Features

The Cumulus Machine Brings Nitro Cold Brew, Cold Espresso, and Cold Brew Home, with No Barista Required

If you’ve been chasing the perfect cold coffee experience only to end up with watered-down disappointment or sad, stale store-bought brews, it’s time to reclaim your mornings. Or afternoons. Or that random 8 p.m. craving when you’re not trying to pull an all-nighter; you just want a really good cold decaf espresso. Enter: The Cumulus Machine, a café-quality countertop marvel that delivers nitro cold brew, cold brew, and cold espresso at the touch of a button, and yes, everything it brews comes out chilled and ready to sip. No ice required. No waiting around. And absolutely no barista attitude.

Timekettle NEW T1 AI Translator Wants to Be Your Pocket-Sized Passport to Real-Time Multilingual Conversations

News & Features, Travel

Timekettle NEW T1 AI Translator Wants to Be Your Pocket-Sized Passport to Real-Time Multilingual Conversations

If you’ve ever fumbled through a phrasebook or played charades at a foreign pharmacy just trying to ask for cold medicine (I admit it; I’ve done this), the Timekettle NEW T1 AI Translator might be your new favorite travel companion. This pocket-friendly device promises to make awkward translation apps and unreliable Wi-Fi a thing of the past. Priced at $299, the NEW T1 is being hailed as the fastest offline translation device available, and while that’s a bold claim, Timekettle has packed in some compelling features to back it up.

OnePlus AI

News & Features

OnePlus Doubles Down on Personalized AI with the India-Exclusive OnePlus 13s and a Smart New Hardware Button

OnePlus is taking another bold step into the world of artificial intelligence, and this time, it’s putting real tools behind the talk. With a clear focus on making your phone feel like it understands you, not just follows commands, the brand is rolling out a suite of smart features designed to save you time, help you stay organized, and even boost your creativity. That includes the debut of the new OnePlus 13s, a device launching exclusively in India, which introduces a clever hardware upgrade known as the Plus Key.

Nanoleaf Rope Light

News & Features

Nanoleaf Launches Rope Light and Solar Garden Lights, Expands to 2,500 Walmart Stores Across the U.S.

Nanoleaf has just dropped two new lighting products that are anything but boring, and they’re doing it while making a serious retail power move. With the debut of the Nanoleaf Rope Light and the Nanoleaf Solar Garden Lights, the company is stretching its smart lighting style both inside and out. And to top it all off, Nanoleaf products are now hitting the shelves at more than 2,500 Walmart locations across the U.S., making it a lot easier for you to get your hands on some affordable home lighting that doesn’t look or feel cheap.

Segway E2 Plus II eKickScooter

News & Features

Cruise in Style, Comfort, and Confidence with the Segway E2 Plus II eKickScooter

If you’re tired of spending your mornings stuck in traffic or scrambling to find parking near campus, the Segway E2 Plus II eKickScooter might just be your new favorite way to get around. With a lightweight 36-pound build, upgraded front suspension, and a splash of personality thanks to 256-color ambient lighting, this scooter is clearly not just for kids. It’s smart, stylish, and built for everyday errands, quick commutes, or weekend adventures around town. And for a limited time, it’s up for preorder at $349.99, down from the regular $399.99, with shipping set for June 3.

Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 Mobile Platform

News & Features

Snapdragon 7 Gen 4: Qualcomm’s New Sweet Spot for Smarter Phones and Savvier Experiences

Would you be interested if your smartphone could think faster, shoot better photos, sound richer, and game harder without costing you flagship-level dollars? Qualcomm is betting the answer is yes with its freshly launched Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 Mobile Platform. This new chip isn’t here to steal the thunder from ultra-premium flagships, but it’s definitely eyeing the space right below them, packing a hefty dose of high-end features into a more accessible performance tier. And yes, that includes better AI, stronger connectivity, smarter cameras, and audio that’ll finally do your lossless streaming playlist justice.

MediaTek Dimensity 9400e is in the realme GT 7

News & Features

MediaTek Doubles Down on High Performance and AI with New Flagship Dimensity 9400e and FWA Chipsets

MediaTek isn’t easing into mid-2025 quietly; they’re throwing open the gates with not one, but two major chipset announcements aimed at powering everything from your next flagship smartphone to the next generation of fixed wireless and AI-driven home connectivity. Whether you’re into premium phones or need stronger, smarter internet at home or on the go, MediaTek’s latest moves are about giving you more speed, better efficiency, and serious AI smarts. Let’s take a closer look at both the newly announced Dimensity 9400e and the T930 chipset—two silicon powerhouses designed for very different, but increasingly connected, corners of your tech life.

reMarkable Paper Pro

Reviews

ReMarkable Paper Pro Review: A Sleek, Colorful, Distraction-Free, 11.8″ Digital Notebook for Writers and Thinkers

There’s something undeniably magical about the feel of pen on paper. But let’s be honest, in a world powered by cloud sync and touchscreens, handwritten notes are about as practical as a fax machine in a coffee shop. That’s where the reMarkable Paper Pro comes charging in like a caffeinated librarian on a mission, rescuing the timeless joy of handwriting and transforming it into a sleek, modern tool that actually keeps up with your 21st-century life. No distracting apps. No intrusive notifications. No pop-ups at all. Just you, your thoughts, and one seriously sleek slab of cloud-connected digital paper.

X9 PRO OMNI

News & Features

ECOVACS Doubles Down on Smarter, Cleaner Living with the X9 PRO OMNI and T80 OMNI

If you’ve ever watched your robot vacuum skid around the edges of a sticky mess or limp over a pile of pet hair like it’s asking for help, you’ll want to keep reading. ECOVACS is back with not one but two new DEEBOTs, the X9 PRO OMNI and T80 OMNI, armed with their signature OZMO Roller Mop technology and a laundry list of genuinely useful features. Think of these as your new cleaning sidekicks that actually know what they’re doing, minus the complaints.

Arlo Secure 6

News & Features

Arlo Secure 6 Brings Smarter AI Alerts, Fire Detection, and Video Search to Your Home Security System

If you’ve ever spent way too much time scrubbing through hours of footage just to figure out if your motion alert was your neighbor’s cat or something serious, Arlo Secure 6 is about to change your whole approach to home security. This latest update to Arlo‘s Secure subscription service isn’t just a minor refresh. It’s a full-on upgrade that adds a seriously brainy layer to your existing Arlo gear, making your security cameras a lot more helpful and a lot less needy.

18" Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 10

Game Diary, News & Features

The 18″ Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 10 Is a Creative Powerhouse Disguised as a Gaming Laptop

When Lenovo drops a new gaming laptop, it usually deserves a second glance. But with the launch of the Legion 9i Gen 10, an 18″ beast unveiled during Tech World 2025 in Shanghai, it’s not just giving gamers something to cheer about; it’s practically launching game developers, digital artists, and performance obsessives straight into the future. Whether you’re designing the next blockbuster or just logging serious hours playing it, the Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 10 is here to flex—and it’s not shy about it.

BOOX Mira Pro Color Version

News & Features

BOOX Mira Pro Color Version Is a 25.3″ E Ink Monitor Delivering Eye-Friendly Comfort, Full Color, and Serious Desk Appeal

Let’s be real: Staring at a bright screen for hours is basically a modern form of torture. Whether you’re a designer juggling color-coded dashboards, a coder drowning in lines of logic, or someone just trying to read and write without your retinas staging a revolt, your eyes deserve better. That’s where the BOOX Mira Pro Color Version struts in, bringing a huge 25.3″ E Ink screen with full color and a personality that says, “I’m here to make your workday look and feel better.”

Makita MAKTRAK System in the back of a truck

News & Features

The Makita MAKTRAK Modular Storage System Reinvents Tool Storage for DIY’ers, Contractors, and Truck-Bed Tacticians

Toolboxes should work as hard as the people using them. That’s the simple but savvy idea behind the new Makita MAKTRAK Modular Storage System. This rugged, jobsite-ready solution says goodbye to the awkward vertical stacks we’ve all wrestled with and hello to something a lot more functional. Built in the U.S.A. using global materials, MAKTRAK goes horizontal where others go vertical, giving you a more logical, more accessible, and dare we say, saner way to manage your gear. Best of all, it can be quickly delivered for free, right to your door, when you order online from Home Depot!

New York Times Games Leaderboard

News & Features

The New York Times Games App Just Got a Social Makeover—and If You’re as Competitive as I Am, You’re Gonna Love It

The New York Times Games app just added something that’s bound to fire up your group chats and put your puzzle prowess to the test: a shiny new in-app multi-game leaderboard. As of today, you can now see how your daily scores stack up across Threads, Spelling Bee, Connections, and more—so get ready for some friendly competition (or full-blown bragging rights) with friends, family, and that one coworker who swears they’re the fastest at Wordle.

Yale Assure Lock 2 and ADT

News & Features

Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch Brings Fingerprint Access and Z-Wave 800 to ADT+ Home Security

Yale is no stranger to making your front door smarter, but this time they’ve teamed up with ADT to add something that’s been strangely missing from the Z-Wave scene: fingerprint access. Starting today, the new Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch with Z-Wave 800 Series will be available for $279.99 on ADT’s site, and it’s coming in hot with a bag full of tricks that go far beyond just locking and unlocking your door.

Cariloha sleep pants and V-neck dolman sleep tops

Gift Guides & Round-Ups

Gear Diary’s 2025 Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Thoughtful, Fun, and Unique Gifts for Every Kind of Mom

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and if you’re looking for the perfect way to celebrate the moms in your life, you’ve come to the right place. Whether she’s a wellness enthusiast, a crafting queen, a comfort connoisseur, or someone who deserves a little pampering, we’ve gathered a wide variety of thoughtful gift ideas to match her vibe and make her feel truly seen. From budget-friendly finds under $50 to luxurious splurges she’ll treasure, there’s something here for everyone in our 2025 Mother’s Day Gift Guide.

Man wearing the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3

News & Features

The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 Is Here: Wireless Headphones with Smart Sound and Serious Style

Bowers & Wilkins is back in the headphone game with the all-new Px7 S3, and this one isn’t just a refresh—it’s a full-on glow-up. Building on the solid bones of the Px7 S2e, the Px7 S3 takes everything that worked, retools what didn’t, and throws in some future-facing features that make it clear B&W is aiming to make your favorite playlist—and your daily Zoom calls—sound a whole lot better.

moto razr ultra

Events, News & Features

The 2025 Motorola Razr Lineup Isn’t Just Smarter; It’s Got Style, Sass, and AI Smarts

Motorola is officially over the nostalgia play. Sure, the flip is still iconic, but the 2025 Motorola razr family — the razr ultra, razr+, and razr — is doing more than just tipping its hat to early-2000s cool. These new foldables are smarter, tougher, and dare we say, more fashion-forward than ever, all while quietly flexing some very grown-up AI muscle. Whether you’re a power user, a style maven, or someone who just misses slamming their phone shut after a call, there’s something here worth flipping for.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 4

News & Features

Lenovo’s 2025 ThinkPad Refresh Brings AI Power, Sleek Designs, and Serious Upgrades for Pros on the Go

Lenovo’s latest refresh of its ThinkPad devices is more than just a spec bump—it’s a full-on glow-up for professionals who are tired of wrestling with outdated hardware and want something that can keep up without acting like a diva. Whether you’re building 3D models, juggling spreadsheets and Zoom calls, or trying to look sharp in your fourth meeting of the day, these new ThinkPads are designed to carry the load while looking sleek doing it.

Aura Aspen

News & Features

Aura Aspen Wants to Hang Out in Your Home, and It’s Bringing All Your Favorite Photos with It

If you wish your phone’s camera roll could magically decorate your home, say hello to the Aura Aspen digital frame. It’s sleek, slim, seriously stylish, and ready to rescue your best memories from digital purgatory. At just 0.5″ thick, Aspen might be thin, but it’s definitely not shy. It’s designed to be the kind of home accessory that quietly turns heads without trying too hard, kind of like that one friend who always looks effortlessly put-together.