Articles by Judie Lipsett Stanford

BlackBerry Q10 Hands On

Did I speak too soon when just yesterday, for probably the umpteenth time, I said that BlackBerry was dead? The jury is still out on that one, but perhaps I’ll be issuing an apology in the coming months — and make no mistake about it, that would be one apology that I would be happy to make. While I am in Scottsdale covering a Kia event, Dan was in NYC this morning at the BlackBerry event. He had a chance after the press conference to get some hands-on time with the just announced BlackBerry Q10, and he came away impressed….

Reviews

ZAGGkeys MINI 7 for the iPad mini Review

Judie: As is often the case, both of us ordered the new iPad mini the day it became available. Truth be told, neither of us expected that much from the device. Sure, we expected it would be nice to have the smaller and lighter iPad we had longed for, but we never expected what happened next. We didn’t just like the iPad mini, we both loved it — within short order it replaced our larger iPads. Dan: It took about a day before the iPad mini became my primary iPad. While I enjoy the 9.7″ iPad with retina display, it stays…

Outdoors, Reviews

Dorcy LED Headlamp Review

I’ll admit that the first time Kev slipped his headlamp on to go do something outside in the dark, I smirked. Why not just carry a flashlight? Why go out of your way to look like a coal miner or a caver? I’m being facetious, of course. I totally understood why he would want to be able to do things outside handsfree, but there’s no getting around the fact that wearing a headlamp makes you look a little silly. Only, you are the one getting the last laugh. If you have a headlamp on, it’s like you’ve grown an extra…

Gear Bits

RADIUS iPhone 5 Case Is Minimalistic Protection Done Right

How much protection is too much? When it comes to your iPhone 5, that’s a tough call. You want enough protection to keep your corners from crumpling and your screen from shattering, but do you really want to cover up those hard lines and sexy curves? With the solid billet aircraft grade aluminum RADIUS Minimalist case, you won’t have to. RADIUS started as a Kickstarter campaign, was successfully funded, and is now available for preorder to the public with shipping in early March. The RADIUS is $69.99, but you’ll need to add your own screen protector. I recommend (and use) the SPIGEN…

Events, Reviews

Just Mobile AluPen Pro Review

As much as I have tried to go paperless, it’s been impossible for me to totally quit writing down shopping lists or jotting quick notes to myself or others. Whether I like it or not, I think I will always need to have a pen handy. Add to that my occasional need for a capacitive stylus — one that will work on the iPad or iPhone’s screen — and you’ll understand why the AluPen Pro caught my eye when I was visiting the Just Mobile booth at CES. Sculpted from aluminum, the perfectly weighted AluPen Pro features a high-quality, retractable…

Reviews

Not A Scratch Wooden iPhone Cases Review

Since writing my iPhone wooden case roundup back when I was using the iPhone 4, I have continued to search for other wooden cases that I thought were as good or better as those I had already tried. A small part of the reason that I like wooden cases is that they are usually lightweight, they can offer good back, side and corner protection without adding too much bulk, and they will not interfere with the iPhone’s reception. Then there is the way that they feel; wooden cases have a lovely organic way about them. They are cool to the touch, but…

Gear Bits

Early Aerial Spy Photos – How Did They Get Them?

The Wright Brothers famous first powered flight at Kitty Hawk happened on December 17, 1903. Lasting for only 12 seconds and covering a distance of only 120 feet, that historic flight was brief — and anything but covert. In order to take aerial photographs previous to powered flight, photographers would use hot-air balloons, kites, and even rockets. It wasn’t until 1909 before the Wright Brothers produced the world’s first military airplane, but one method had already proven stealthy enough that it could be used for early military spy photos. How then could shots like these be taken virtually undetected? That same…

Events

Beyzacases and Aston Martin CES Booth Tour

It all started when Ali Yildirim’s daughter, Beyza, wanted a case for her mobile device. She couldn’t find one that she liked, so her father decided to make her one. Today, Beyzacases is a world class leather accessory maker; their products are available in European Apple retail and online stores, and they are an official licensed partner with Aston Martin. Dan and I had a meeting with Ali Yildirim, Beyzacases founder and CEO, while we were at CES. The moment we walked into Beyzacases’ booth and saw all of the new colors and styles, we were simply blown away. After talking to Ali…

Events

Gear Diary’s First Ever CES Top Picks!

You may have noticed over the years that, unlike many other sites, we don’t give stars or other quantitative scores to the items we review. The reason for this is quite simple: while there may be quantitative aspects to a device review — an example being a laptop that claims to get ten hours of battery life and only gets two hours in real world use deserves a low rating — there is also a highly subjective aspect to any and all electronics. Case in point, I’m not an overly enthusiastic fan of Android. I have had the chance to review…

Crowdfunding, Events, News

The Pebble Watch Press Conference

Are you one of the people who backed the Pebble watch on Kickstarter? Dan and I were, but unlike every other smartwatch that we have personally backed on the crowd funding site Kickstarter since the phenomenally successful Pebble was successfully funded, the Pebble still hasn’t shipped. We’ve been curious about the holdup; not alarmed, just curious. (Note: after the press conference we got an update with more info, scroll to the bottom to read!) So when I found out that they would be hosting a press conference at CES, I was completely interested — not only as a tech journalist…

Events

The Monster Products Press Conference

This morning Monster welcomed us with a list of speakers and special guests that ran the gamut of popular sports stars to other easily recognizable names. I heard a guy joke behind me, in the line as we waited to enter, that it seemed more like an awards show than a press conference. Perhaps… Noel Lee, the Head Monster, came out on a tricked out Segway (gold rims and a flame-job!), saying this was going to be the most exciting press conference we’d attend all day. With much enthusiasm, he said they’d be introducing a new line of mobility products,…

Events, Travel

What’s Coming with Us to CES, the 2013 Edition

Every year we make the trek to Las Vegas, and every year we try to strike the perfect balance between the gear that we’ll need and a few extra things that will make our lives easier; the trick is to not forget anything vital or to too seriously overpack. Sometimes we get it right, and sometimes we fail miserably. Here’s what’s coming along this time … Judie: I’ve been going to CES since 2002, and you would think that by now I’d have a perfect kit prepared … but technology keeps changing, and so does my gear. I think I…

News

Wilson Electronics’ New Sleek 4G Signal Booster Will Keep Your Connection Solid

If you are on the road a lot, then you know all about what it’s like to have your cellular signal act in a less than reliable manner. Watching your 4G/LTE signal drop down to zilch, then slide over to EDGE, 3G and then ultimately climb back to 4G — depending upon where you area, even though the areas are shown to have 4G coverage — is just part of using a mobile phone these days. . The same thing can happen when you are in a car, truck, boat, or any other moving vehicle. One way to combat this…

Reviews

AT&T LG Optimus G Android Phone Review

I’ve had a love-hate relationship with Android for some time; I’m not sure exactly when it started, but I think that it was around the time that I realized that just because an app was available, it didn’t mean I could necessarily install it on my phone. Lockdowns by carriers and various hardware limitations made Android apps non-universal across the platform, and that was a hard concept for me to accept. The very nature of Android being an open platform meant that the OS could be made to run on some rather unimpressive hardware, but it didn’t always run smoothly or offer a…

Crowdfunding, Gear Bits

Whooz? Are a Huge Hit at My House

On Christmas morning, as packages from under the tree were divided into piles and then opened, I got what would turn out to be one of my biggest Christmas surprises: the best gift was something I had stuck into the girls’ new Jon Hart bags, almost as an afterthought — Whooz iPhone and iPad Character Sets! Kev’s youngest daughter stopped everything to start installing a set on her iPad charger, and Kev’s oldest daughter was right there with her. Let me back up for just a moment. Everyone in my house has an iPhone or an iPad (or both), and…

Reviews

Oberon Design iPad mini Cover Review

I’ve been a fan of Oberon Design’s products for several years, and it seems to go without saying (at least in my home) that if you have a new iPad or Kindle, you’ll probably want an Oberon Design cover to go with it. Kev has the Celtic Hounds cover in wine on his iPad 3, and I have the Van Gogh Sky cover in sky blue on my Kindle touch. I have found that there is no better leather cover available if you want to keep your device a book-style case. I was sent the latest Oberon Design cover for…

Reviews

Kanex DoubleUp Dual USB Charger Review

Two years ago, I left for CES carrying my iPhone and a Samsung Galaxy Tab. I thought I was packing efficiently because instead of bringing each device’s USB wall charger, I brought a single wall charger that had dual USB ports. So of course it was on that trip, when I needed my gear the most, that I found out that just because a charger plugs into the wall and has two USB ports, it won’t necessarily be powerful enough to charge even one of your devices — especially when one of them is a tablet. To add insult to…

Crowdfunding

Home Aquaponics Kit: A Self-Cleaning Fish Tank that Grows Food

Project Title: Home Aquaponics Kit: Self-Cleaning Fish Tank That Grows Food Status: Funded, with only 37 hours left (at this posting) Closing Date for Funding: 1:59am CST December 15, 3012 URL of the Project: Home Aquaponics Kit From the Creatives: Grow fresh produce right in the comfort of your own home – beans, basil, thyme, baby greens, oregano, mint, parsley, spinach and so many other delicious foods! • So what’s happening inside? The fish, they poo and they pee, and all that waste-water gets broken down by beneficial bacteria into nutrients • The waste-water from the fish is then pumped up…

News

Knomo’s iPad mini Folio Looks Lovely

Knomo, makers of some of the more sophisticated laptop bags I’ve seen, has just introduced their newest accessory, the iPad mini Folio. Available in black, cognac, and red (or rather — teaberry), the iPad mini Folio is composed of “full-grain leather and tough moulded plastic”. Some of its features, beyond being slim and protective, are that it “can be used in 3 ways: to protect your iPad on the move, opened into upright position for viewing movies, folded into raised position for typing.” The form-fitted rubberized case provides easy access to the iPad mini’s headphone jack and speaker, as well as…

Travel

Amazing Aruba!

Aruban Iguanas are everywhere! Dan and I just got back from a week in Aruba. This was our second year to enjoy a shared vacation there with our spouses; Dan and Elana have a Divi Village timeshare in Oranjestad, and they have been visiting the island for 20 years. This was Kev’s and my second time, so we are still learning about all that Aruba has to offer; we were really looking forward to exploring more of the island, enjoying the beaches, and trying some of the local tours. If you have ever considered visiting Aruba, then you might enjoy…

News

Element Case Releases the Ronin FE for the iPhone 5

This is easily the most beautiful iPhone 5 case I’ve seen, and you know how I have a softness for wood. Element Case has just released their new limited edition Ronin, which uses a combination of aluminum and Zircote wood. They’ve based the design on the “clean lines of the “Katana,” or Samurai sword. The Ronin 5 sets new heights in iPhone case technology and style with never before seen details like proprietary micro machined volume/mute mechanism, and near impossible CNC machined details in exotic wood.” If you’ve never heard of Zircote wood, you’re not alone; I hadn’t, either….

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