Articles by Judie Lipsett Stanford

10 Fun Halloween Costumes That Won't Break the Bank or Make You Look too Try-Hard

News & Features October 5, 2021

10 Fun Halloween Costumes That Won’t Break the Bank or Make You Look too Try-Hard

Halloween is coming, and if you’re looking for adult Halloween costumes that won’t make you look like you’re “wearing lingerie and some form of animal ears*,” we’ve got a few that we think you’ll like. None of these Halloween costumes require you to learn how to sew, spend exorbitant amounts of money, or freeze your butt off if the weather isn’t cooperating. Take a look at our list, and see if you can find some inspiration that might work for this year’s festivities!

Front of Incipio Grip for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3.

Reviews September 30, 2021

Incipio Grip for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 Review: Protect Your Expensive Foldable

So you just got the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3, and while you love the way the phone feels naked in your hand, carrying it around that way probably makes you just a wee bit nervous. That’s understandable, considering that this foldable costs almost $2000! You can give yourself peace of mind that it’s protected by putting the phone in an Incipio Grip for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3.

iStorage diskAshur M2 in hand

Reviews September 29, 2021

iStorage diskAshur M2 Review: Rugged, Waterproof Portable Memory Drive with Serious Built-In Security

Everything important anymore is stored on our computers, laptops, and portable flash drives. This data can include personal things like photos, medical information, passwords, the projects we are working on, or the novel we keep starting and stopping. Depending on our jobs, that data can also include sensitive materials that could wreck our companies and livelihoods if it fell into the wrong hands. Knowing that our personal or work information is protected while remaining portable and accessible — especially in this time of hybrid-work locations — is essential, and that’s where the iStorage diskAshur M2 comes in.

Withings ScanWatch Horizon

Health and Fitness, News & Features September 29, 2021

43mm Withings ScanWatch Horizon Brings Luxury to Medical-Grade, Health Hybrid SmartWatches

Take a look at the watch on this guy’s wrist. At first glance, you’d think he was wearing a high-end Swiss diving watch, right? The Withings ScanWatch Horizon has all the features we expect to see in luxury dive watches, including a chunky stainless steel wristband, a laser engraved stainless-steel rotating bezel, and Luminova hollow watch hands and indicators with thick indices that glow in low light. But looks aren’t everything; the Withings ScanWatch Horizon is also a powerful, medical-grade hybrid smartwatch that can help keep you on the right track for good health and extensive body monitoring.

Fire Department Coffee

Reviews September 27, 2021

Fire Department Coffee Review: Smooth, Delightful Coffee That Supports a Great Cause

What do you get when you combine freshly roasted coffee beans grown worldwide on environmentally and socially responsible farms with a veteran-owned coffee company run by a dedicated team of firefighters, first responders, and coffee connoisseurs? You get Fire Department Coffee, a company that donates 10% of Its net proceeds to support ill and injured first responders; that’s what we’ll be taking a look at today.

The Google Pixel 5a in hand.

Reviews September 23, 2021

Google Pixel 5a Review: The Best 5G Android Phone You Can Buy for Less Than $500, but There Are Some Caveats

As you may recall from my Google Pixel 5 review, I wasn’t a fan of not having an XL version option, and I didn’t care for the under-display ear speaker. The Google Pixel 5a addresses those complaints well with its 6.34″ display and a more conventional ear speaker; it also introduces IP67 water resistance to the budget-friendly a-series. If you don’t mind giving up wireless charging, the Google Pixel 5a has a lot to offer — including the largest battery found in any Pixel device yet.

Battlefield 2042

Game Diary September 17, 2021

Get the Gear You Need in Time for EA Games’ Battlefield 2042 Launch!

EA Games Battlefield 2042 will be released on November 19th, and if you’re a fan of the Battlefield franchise, you’re probably eagerly anticipating playing it. And what better way to get ready to game than to have some Battlefield 2042 themed gear on hand? Here’s a selection of products that will get you — and your favorite gaming device — ready for battle!

Xiaomi 11T Series

News & Features September 15, 2021

Affordable Xiaomi 11T Series Includes “Cinemagic” Cameras and Ultra-Fast Charging

If a large display with a fast refresh rate, a speedy processor, and a solid camera for content creation on the go is essential to you, then you’ll want to take a look at the two new Xiaomi 11T series devices launched today. Both the 11T and the 11T Pro offer what Xiaomi calls “Cinemagic” cameras; they say you can leave the expensive video and photography equipment at home (or better yet, not buy it in the first place), go out and explore and get your best shots. Best of all, both phones are affordable.

Call Screen Is Google Pixel's Killer Feature, and It Will Completely Spoil You

Editorials September 14, 2021

Call Screen Is Google Pixel’s Killer Feature, and It Will Completely Spoil You

There are plenty of good reasons people develop a fondness for a particular brand; maybe it’s because the company’s hardware is always top-notch, their pricing is reasonable, or they have excellent customer service when something goes wrong. But the singular feature that’s made it hard for me to consider using any smartphone other than a Google Pixel as my daily driver isn’t related to hardware, pricing, or customer service. As I mentioned in our Google Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, and Pixel 5 reviews, beyond Pixel’s excellent cameras and pure Android experience, their killer feature is Call Screen.

LG XBOOM 360

Gear Bits September 9, 2021

LG XBOOM 360 Combines Sound and Light in a Sleek Speaker That Will Look Great Everywhere

Need a classy-looking portable speaker that can also function as a light? Take a look at the LG XBOOM 360. Made to radiate sound in all directions for up to 10 hours when on battery power, the LG XBOOM 360 is one of the more sleek and stylish portable speakers we’ve seen. Inside the LG XBOOM 360’s conical-cylindrical body, there is a 5.25″ glass fiber woofer and a 1″ titanium horn tweeter; LG says that the reflector structure of the tweeter and woofer will deliver 360 sound with minimal distortion indoors and outside. Available in four colors, including Burgundy, Peacock…

Beyerdynamic PHONUM Wireless Bluetooth Speakerphone

Reviews August 31, 2021

Beyerdynamic PHONUM Wireless Bluetooth Speakerphone Review: Hands-Free Conference and Video Calls Perfected

Conference calls are a fact of life, whether you work in a cubicle, a corner office, a home office, or a camper van on the road. During calls, it is important to hear, be heard, and be able to interact naturally as the conversation flows. That’s not always possible on a phone or laptop, especially when you have multiple people on your end of the call. The Beyerdynamic PHONUM Wireless Bluetooth Speakerphone can help with that.

Roku Deals for Labor Day 2021

News & Features August 24, 2021

Upgrade Your TV Watching Experience Just in Time for Labor Day and Fall Football with Roku

Roku is America’s number one TV streaming platform and a favorite brand among Gear Diary staff because of its easy-to-navigate UI that’s found on multiple manufacturer’s smart TVs as well as Roku’s affordable smart speakers and stand-alone streaming hardware. With Labor Day coming up soon as well, along with the fall football season, we wanted to point out some of the ways you can upgrade your TV enjoyment without necessarily replacing your television — although there are excellent Roku deals to be had on smart TVs right now, too!

The back of the realme GT Master Edition in White showing the rear camera array

Reviews August 18, 2021

Realme GT Explorer Master Edition Review: Good Looks, Performance, and Value

The realme GT Explorer Master Edition has a solidly built glass slab design with an aluminum frame, as we’ve seen from just about every other brand’s flagship smartphone, or you can opt for something a bit different if you get it in the Voyager Gray option. As I catch myself admiring this smartphone’s expensive feel, brilliant display, and curved edges, I have to remind myself that with starting price of $499 for the 8GB RAM with 256GB user memory version, the GT Explorer Master Edition is a very decently priced flagship device. Who is realme? And why should you consider…

Front of Caliper Swiftsticks Lemonade Flavored CBD Powder tin

Reviews August 13, 2021

Caliper Swiftsticks Lemonade Flavored CBD Powder Review: Convenient, Fast Dissolving, and It Tastes Great

I’ve taken CBD supplements for a couple of years, and doing so has made it easier to manage aches and pains and daily stress. I’ve tried various CBD softgels and tinctures, but I’m not always fond of the way they taste. Caliper’s flavored CBD powder Swiftsticks are fast-acting CBD powder that’s clinically verified as THC-free; even better, it actually tastes great. For summer, they’ve released limited edition Caliper Swiftsticks Lemonade flavored CBD powder packets; they’re the perfect daily supplement that you’ll actually look forward to taking.

The Samsung Galaxy X Fold 3 opened with a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 next to it

News & Features August 11, 2021

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G Will Have You Dancing in the Rain as You Unfold Your World

Today’s Galaxy Unpacked event introduced the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G. Samsung has made these third-generation foldables more durable — they are even water-resistant now. So if you’ve considered the previous generations of the Galaxy Z folding smartphones but weren’t quite compelled to buy one yet — whether because of their prohibitive prices, their perceived delicateness, or because you felt the technology was still too new — I suspect that you’ll be interested in today’s reveal.

Xiaomi MIX 4

News & Features August 10, 2021

The Xiaomi MIX 4 Flagship Looks Amazing; Too Bad It Won’t Be Easy to Get in the US!

If you want more proof that the smartphones we routinely see in the US aren’t quite as exciting as the smartphones other countries have to choose from, take a look at the brand new Xiaomi MIX 4. Not only does this phone have a durably elegant and lightweight ceramic unibody, but it also has a 6.67’’ AMOLED full-screen display with the latest CUP (Camera Under Panel) technology. That means there’s no blacked-out front-facing camera area when you’re looking at the display. But there is plenty more to be impressed by with this latest Xiaomi device.

OmniCharge Omni Mobile 25600

Reviews, Travel August 9, 2021

Omnicharge Omni Mobile 25600 Review: Powerful, Portable, and Laptop Capable

Let’s say that you are going on a weekend trip, and you want to make are that you’ll be able to keep your laptop, phone, and tablet charged without bringing a bunch of extra cables and wall adapters. What if that trip happens to be somewhere remote without easy access to power from wall outlets. What would you pack? If you’re looking for the easiest, most powerful, and most portable power solution, my suggestion would be the Omnicharge Omni Mobile 25600.

Sleep Number True Temp Weighted Blanket

Reviews, Health and Fitness August 2, 2021

Sleep Number True Temp Bedding Review: 37.5 Technology Provides Temperature-Regulating Comfort

If you have trouble staying comfortable while you sleep — either because you aren’t cool enough or warm enough, this review will be of particular interest to you. In it, we’re taking a look at some of the items in the Sleep Number True Temp collection. These bedding items feature 37.5 Technology, which Sleep Number says will “continuously adapt to help keep your bed climate just right for sleeping using active particles [made from volcanic sand] to minimize humidity for ideal comfort.” If you haven’t heard about 37.5 Technology yet, that’s okay; I hadn’t either.

14" Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i Laptop Review: Power, Portability, and Excellent Battery Life in a Stylish and Svelte Package

Reviews July 27, 2021

14″ Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i Laptop Review: Power, Portability, and Excellent Battery Life in a Stylish and Svelte Package

I thought I had found a near-perfect laptop in the Lenovo Yoga 9i, but that was before I met its even more compact sibling, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i. Although choosing the IdeaPad Slim 9i over the Yoga 9i requires you to do without the 360º rotating screen with the Dolby soundbar hinge that makes the Yoga 9i a true 2-in-1, there’s an excellent trade-off. In return, you get an even slimmer, lighter, and less expensive laptop that is also gorgeous to look at, a pleasure to use, and that’s powerful enough to do just about everything.