Articles by Judie Lipsett Stanford

Anker GaNPrime Chargers

News & Features

6 Next-Gen Anker GaNPrime Chargers Revealed; Here’s Why You’re Going to Want (At Least) One

Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology is the most significant improvement to hit mobile device chargers in recent years; it offers more efficient, faster-charging speeds in a smaller-sized charger than traditional silicone chargers. Anker was one of the first companies to incorporate GaN technology into their chargers; now, they’re the first to introduce a charger line that uses GaNPrime. Coupled with PowerIQ 4.0, Anker GaNPrime chargers will do something that, until now, no other GaN charger’s been able to do — dynamically adjust power distribution to release any extra power output from one USB port to the other devices being charged.

Ugreen Nexode 200W GaN Charger Review: Plenty of Power to Charge Up to Six of Your Devices Simultaneously

Travel, Reviews

Ugreen Nexode 200W GaN Charger Review: Plenty of Power to Charge Up to Six of Your Devices Simultaneously

Playing the equivalent of musical chairs with your wall chargers and cables can become the norm, especially when your everyday carry includes multiple power-hungry devices like laptops and tablets. The Ugreen Nexode 200W GaN Charger puts four USB-C ports and two USB ports at your disposal; with its GaN technology, you can fast-charge up to three 65W laptops simultaneously or charge up to six smartphones and tablets simultaneously.

TCL Stylus 5G Review: An Integrated Stylus Sets This Affordable Option Apart

News & Features

TCL Stylus 5G Review: An Integrated Stylus Sets This Affordable Option Apart

While introducing the iPhone in 2007, Steve Jobs famously asked, “who wants a stylus?” In 2022, a surprising number of people still do! While not as common as they used to be, smartphones with built-in styli have remained popular among those who prefer the accuracy that comes from using a stylus. The alternative, of course, is the imprecise fingertip smudges and swipes the rest of us encounter while using our devices. If you’re seeking a budget-friendly smartphone with a built-in stylus and you’re a T-Mobile customer, the new TCL Stylus 5G is worth considering.

The capacitive area on the AXS Audio Professional Earbuds stem

Reviews

AXS Audio Professional Earbuds Review: Fabulous Sound and Excellent Battery Life

True Wireless Earbuds are becoming so common that it’s no longer a question of whether you can find a great pair of TWE that will work for you; it’s what one particular pair does to set itself apart from all other brands and how much they cost that matters now. AXS Audio Professional Earbuds won’t win any awards for original style, but at $149, they offer quite a few features that punch well above their price.

People having wayyy to much fun while gathered around a phone that may be running the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+

News & Features

The MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ SoC Will Efficiently Power and Boost the Performance of this Fall’s Flagship Phone Elite

If you thought that the Dimensity 9000 system-on-chip (SoC) has impressive specs, you’ll want to pay attention to the upcoming MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ SoC. If you’ve been hoping for phones with an even more powerful and efficient chip than the Dimensity 9000, the new top-of-the-line Dimensity 9000+ will should fit the bill. And if the last thing you’ve ever thought about was whether or not a smartphone’s SoC sounded impressive, read on, and I’ll give you a few reasons to care.

43mm Withings ScanWatch Horizon Review: A Dive Watch by Any Other Name Is Just a Dive Watch

Reviews, Health and Fitness

43mm Withings ScanWatch Horizon Review: A Dive Watch by Any Other Name Is Just a Dive Watch

There’s something so effortlessly fashionable about the chunky, utilitarian design of a traditional diving watch. But other than being able to withstand abyss-like pressures underwater, even the most expensive diving watches can’t do much more than tell the time and apprise the wearer of how long they’ve been underwater. The Withings ScanWatch Horizon, on the other hand, offers luxury dive watch design and features, but it is so much more than just a great-looking watch that is also water-resistant to 10ATMs.

Lumina Camera in Rose Gold

Reviews

Lumina Webcam Review: It’s Cute, Tiny, and Surprisingly Good

Before Covid, I rarely used webcams. Calls requiring my video presence weren’t part of my normal day-to-day, but that’s no longer the case. Video conference calls have become my new normal, and that’s why the Lumina webcam seemed like a perfect fit when I was offered a review unit. Lumina is a tiny, premium webcam that claims to provide adaptive color correction, a realistic depth of field effect, and AI features — including adjustable bokeh and cameraman effects — so you’ll always look your best. Intrigued? Read on.

Withings ScanWatch in Rose Gold

Gift Guides & Round-Ups

Gear Diary’s 2022 Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Mother’s Day is May 8th, and we all know how holidays like this have a habit of sneaking up on you! With the items in our 2022 Mother’s Day Gift Guide, you can help mom work smarter, relax more comfortably, and ease some of her daily grind. Whether you’re on a budget or the sky is the limit, we’ve got you covered if you’re having trouble (or haven’t even started) figuring out what to give to the most influential women in your life!

Amazon Echo Show 15 Review: Much More Than a Beautiful Smart Digital Photo Frame

Reviews

Amazon Echo Show 15 Review: Much More Than a Beautiful Smart Digital Photo Frame

If you are using an Amazon Alexa smart speaker to control your home’s various connected features, adding an Alexa-enabled smart display to the mix seems like the obvious next step. Built with the user’s privacy in mind, the Amazon Echo Show 15 is a convergent device that functions not only as an elegant touchscreen smarthome hub but also as a convenient family communication center, a mesmerizing 15.6″ digital photo frame, a helpful cooking companion, a smart speaker, a movie and video entertainment center, a home security camera, and more!

Acer Aspire Vero open showing that the chassis is made of PCR plastics.

Gear Bits

Acer Aspire Vero Notebooks Help You Make Every Day Earth Day

April 22nd is Earth Day, which marks the 52nd anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement. If you’re of the “reduce, reuse, and recycle” mindset (as I hope you are), and you’re in the market for a new laptop, you might want to look at the Acer Aspire Vero notebook line. The Aspire Vero uses 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics in its chassis, 50% PCR plastics in its keyboard caps, comes in 100% recyclable packaging, and is held together with standard screws for easy disassembly when it’s time for repairs, upgrades, and eventual recycling.

The realme GT 2 Pro with display turned on, held in the author's hand.

Reviews

Realme GT 2 Pro Review: Blazing Fast Performance, Excellent Display, and a Battery That Will Last All Day

Realme has built a loyal following by offering higher-end features not generally found on moderately priced smartphones, and with the realme GT 2 Pro, they’ve created a true flagship that won’t break the bank. Loaded with features, including the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform, a large AMOLED display with an adaptive 1~120Hz refresh rate, a massive battery, and plenty of RAM, the GT 2 Pro is one of the best Android smartphone options available anywhere.

Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen 3

News & Features

Latest Lenovo ThinkPads Made with Hybrid Workers’ Needs in Mind

If your laptop can’t handle everything that your job is throwing at you when you aren’t actually at the office, you’ll want to take a look at the latest Lenovo ThinkPads made with hybrid workers in mind. The latest generation of ThinkPad X13, X13 Yoga, L13, L13 Yoga, L14, and L15 models have been announced, and they’ll come with features like Dolby Voice, FHD (1080p) cameras, Wi-Fi 6E, 5G sub6, 4G LTE wireless WAN, and battery choices. We bet that among them, you’ll find just what you’ve been looking for!

Escort MAXcam 360c Review: Excellent All-in-One Radar Detector and Dashcam Hindered by the Tragically Buggy 'Drive Smarter' App

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

Escort MAXcam 360c Review: Excellent All-in-One Radar Detector and Dashcam Hindered by the Tragically Buggy ‘Drive Smarter’ App

My first Escort radar detector was a boxy black contraption that had a volume dial, analog radar signal strength meter, highway/city toggle switch, and an alert light on its front … and that’s it. Thirty-six years later, I’ve got the Escort MAXcam 360c in for review. This current generation Escort may still be a bit of a boxy black contraption, but it offers useful features above and beyond simply detecting police radar that can help improve a driver’s situational awareness and safety, both on the road and in some cases, even when their vehicle is parked.

Gear Diary Best of MWC 2022

Events

Gear Diary’s Best of MWC 2022

Another Mobile World Congress is in the books, and it was great to be able to attend in person for the first time since 2019! Seriously great. MWC is always heavy on new smartphone releases, and this year was no exception. Even so, there were plenty of other remarkable devices touting worthy upgrades or making their debuts. So with that, I give you Gear Diary’s Best of MWC 2022.

Lutron Serena Smart Architectural Honeycomb Shades Will Add Beauty and Convenience to Your Home

News & Features

Lutron Serena Smart Architectural Honeycomb Shades Will Add Beauty and Convenience to Your Home

In 2018, I reviewed a custom set of Lutron Serena Smart Shades for my office. I opted for a traditional roller shade style, and I’m happy to report that they are still operating as perfectly as they did when first installed. Serena Smart architectural honeycomb shades have just been announced, and they look very sleek and elegant. If you’ve been thinking about adding smart window treatments to your home, and you’re particularly interested in something that looks refined and timeless, these might just be the shades that you’ve been looking for!