Articles by Judie Lipsett Stanford

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

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.

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!

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 Bits, Outdoors

Thermacell LIV Is a Smart Way to Repel Mosquitoes and Enjoy Your Time Outdoors

Winter is almost over, and we are all looking forward to spending time outside again. Of course, some pests make our time outdoors less enjoyable, mosquitoes being the worst! That’s okay; the new Thermacell LIV system promises to repel them, and it will work with Alexa and Google Assistant!

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.

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!

Events, News & Features

OPPO Find X5 Pro Combines Futuristic Styling with World-Class Performance and Excellent Cameras

One of the most visually stunning and spec-loaded flagship smartphones released last year was the OPPO Find X3 Pro, and the just-announced OPPO Find X5 Pro promises to be a worthy successor. The Find X5 Pro boasts a clean and modern style, flagship specifications, a huge battery, and top-of-the-line cameras that include enhanced Hasselblad Natural Color Calibration and Master Filters.

Reviews, Travel

28″ LEVEL8 Luminous Trunk Review: This May Just Be the Perfect Checked Luggage

Heading to the airport after the Snapdragon Summit in December, a friend noticed that my 6-years-old (and very well-traveled) Rimowa trunk had a massive new crack just below the handle on its front side. Thankfully, the luggage and its contents made it home without self-destructing, but it will need to be sent in for repairs (assuming they are even possible). With many upcoming trips planned, I was thankful for the opportunity to review the 28″ LEVEL8 Luminous Trunk. How does it stack up against the more than twice as expensive Rimowa trunk? Read on to find out.

Events

Hands-On with the Realme 9 Pro+ and Realme 9 Pro: Excellent Features Abound in Two Very Reasonably Priced Smartphones

Realme became its own brand, independent of OPPO in 2018; since then, the Chinese company has become a force in its own right. Currently listed as a top-5 smartphone vendor in 30 global markets and six regions, part of realme’s success has come from its firm commitment to make well-designed, aesthetically pleasing smartphones that have competitive features rarely found in similarly-priced devices. The latest models in their lineup are the just-announced realme 9 Pro+ and realme 9 Pro; realme has sent them in for us to check out, so here’s a hands-on look at both devices.

The new Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and S22

News & Features

Samsung Galaxy S22 Line-Up Announced; Galaxy S22 Ultra Picks Up Where the Galaxy Note Left Off

This morning, Samsung held their Galaxy Unpacked event to introduce the Galaxy S22, S22+, and the new S22 Ultra. This latest Samsung S series flagship lineup boasts big batteries, excellent cameras, and fast processors. If you are a Galaxy Note fan, you’ll be relieved to find that the Note lives on in the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which now sports a built-in S Pen. By meshing the Ultra’s large display, flagship specs, and pro-grade cameras with the Note S Pen’s siloed convenience and note-taking functionality, Samsung has created a smartphone that might just offer the best of both worlds.

Reviews

Google Pixel 6 Case Round-Up: Protective Options from Incipio, Vena, and Gear4

Have you got a Google Pixel 6 series? If so, I’ll bet you love its flagship build, the pure Android experience, the Pixel exclusive features, and the excellent cameras. It may seem like a shame to cover up such a beautiful device, but a naked Pixel 6’s glass body is slick, slippery, and just waiting to be dropped. With that in mind, we’ve got five protective Pixel 6 case options for your consideration, including the Incipio Dual, the Vena vCommute, the Kate Spade New York Defensive Hardshell Case, the Gear4 Havana, and the Incipio Grip.

Gift Guides & Round-Ups

Gear Diary’s 2022 Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

Valentine’s Day is coming up quickly; are you ready? If not, that’s okay! We’ve got plenty of ideas in our 2022 Valentine’s Day Gift Guide that will make your sweetheart swoon! If you’re looking for romantic, thoughtful, practical, or “gee, how did you know I wanted this?” items, we’ve got you covered.

Gear Bits

MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 Live Demos Are Happening. Oh, You Thought Your Wi-Fi 6 Was Fancy? Bless Your Heart!

Once upon a time, Wi-Fi was just Wi-Fi. You’d have your modem and Wi-Fi router, and you’d be forgiven if you hadn’t a clue what version of Wi-Fi the router ran because it didn’t matter! Then Wi-Fi 6 happened, and all of a sudden, it was like, “Oh, Wi-Fi 6 is so fast! I upgraded my home and office routers, and now I can fly!” Well, I’m here to let you know that MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 Live Demos are happening today. If you have no idea what I am talking about, get ready to have your mind blown.

Reviews

WaterField Pro Executive Backpack Review: A Well-Organized and Professional Backpack That’s Perfect for Commuters, Road Warriors, and Remote Workers

If you are one of the many who now has to work remotely, or if you regularly commute and need a bag that can hold it all and then some, you’ve come to the right review. Finding a well-made backpack that looks professional, has intelligently designed compartments, and that’s comfortable to carry when fully loaded is no easy feat; the WaterField Pro Executive Backpack handles it with élan.

Reviews

Kizik Shoes Review: Quite Possibly the Most Comfortable and Easy to Wear Shoes Ever!

Before CES, Zek and I got offered the chance to try Kizik Shoes. As you can imagine, wearing the right shoes is critical when you’re going to be on your feet all day. Thinking that we would be doing our usual 15K+ steps per day while walking to meetings and attending events around Vegas, we were eager to see if Kizik styles could possibly be as comfortable as promised. We didn’t make it to Vegas for CES, but Zek and I still managed to put the shoes to the test; here’s how it went.

Editorials, Events

CES 2022 Gear: Things Changed, Plans Changed, Life Is Unpredictable, and We Rolled with It

Zek and I had planned on being in Las Vegas to cover CES while Dan held down the fort from home until the coronavirus yet again derailed our best-laid plans. Long story short, Zek and I didn’t travel to Las Vegas. Even so, we wanted to work together, so we traveled, just to the opposite coast. Here is the CES 2022 gear that Zek, Dan, and I used.

News & Features, Travel

QuietOn 3 Sleep Earbuds Are Perfect for Home, Work, and Travel

Dan reviewed the QuietOn 3 Sleep Earbuds with active noise cancelation a few months ago; he’s happy to report that he still uses them every night. With CES 2022 on the way, I got the opportunity to check out a different use for the QuietOn 3; I wanted to see how well this latest generation worked while on a plane or in other situations where I might find myself needing peace and quiet.

Events

Gear Diary’s Best of CES 2022 Awards

After spending countless hours scouring the latest press releases, sitting through virtual embargoed showcases on new products, planning to be in Vegas, and once again having to attend virtually, we’ve found that the best-laid plans don’t always work out. Even so, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most innovative and exciting tech that came out of CES while trying to stay away from products that won’t ship or become available in 2022. So, without further ado, we present Gear Diary’s Best of CES 2022 Awards!

Events, News & Features

The John Deere Autonomous Tractor Will Help Farmers Focus on Feeding the World More Efficiently

Last year at CES, John Deere showcased how technology and sustainability drive modern farming, but this year they took things to a whole new level. Building upon 20 years of self-driving technology that still required a farmer to supervise what was happening from the tractor, the John Deere Autonomous Tractor is now a reality. This futuristic tractor will not require human supervision in the cab, freeing up time and helping farmers work more efficiently.

Gear Bits, Events

Steambox Is a Self Heating Lunchbox That Will Allow You to a Enjoy Hot, Delicious Meal Anywhere in Just 15 Minutes

Do you often bring your lunch to work or school? It’s so much better to bring your own food than to dine out or pick up fast food, but it’s usually so inconvenient! I’ll bet that you hate having to microwave your leftovers or prepped foods (it makes them so dry!), or even worse, eating them cold. If that’s the case, you probably ought to check out Steambox; it’s a new way to keep your packed meals hot and delicious with steam.

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