Articles by Judie Lipsett Stanford



HyperJuice 2 External Battery for MacBook Pro: Power When You Need It

I’ve written many reviews on extended battery packs for mobile devices, but this is the first time I’ve had an external battery that was capable of charging my MacBook Air or MacBook Pro along with all my other mobile devices at the same time. Why would anyone need or want something as big and powerful as the HyperJuice? Well …


Scout for iPhone App Updated to Include In-Route Suggestions

The Scout for iPhone app was already a great personal navigator powered by over 100 million traffic sources, and loaded with “traffic-conquering tools designed specifically for when you’re on the go”, but now it is even more powerful. Now you can search for popular food and drink places along your route while navigating, and you’ll get cheap parking guidance, too. Ever had a craving for a snack or needed gas on a road trip? Most GPS navigation apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps don’t let you search while you’re already navigating. Those that do forget you’re already headed somewhere, which means…


On Tax Day, Here’s Where YOUR Money Is Going

If you live in the US, you know that April 15th is tax day — when tax returns must be filed along with payments for all taxes owed from the previous year. Have you ever stopped to think about where your tax dollars are actually being spent? The White House has released a tool that can show you (in general).


Gone Girl Movie Trailer Hits, and It’s Deliciously Dark

Did you read Gillian Flynn’s 2012 book, Gone Girl? Full of dark twists and a satisfyingly unexpected ending, I liked it so much that I devoured Ms. Flynn’s two other (unrelated) novels. Amy Dunne disappears on her 5th wedding anniversary; did she leave voluntarily? Did her husband David kill her? Or is something even more twisted going on? GONE GIRL — directed by David Fincher and based upon the global bestseller by Gillian Flynn — unearths the secrets at the heart of a modern marriage. On the occasion of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) reports that his…


Get Ready for Game of Thrones Season 4 with This 25 Minute Recap

In anticipation of Game of Thrones Season 4 tonight on HBO, Kev and I rewatched Season 3. Last night, after the season finale, we noticed this gem on HBOGo — a 25 minute recap of season 3’s high points. If you are a fan of the show, but you’re fuzzy on last season’s details, it’s time to catch up!


Beyzacases Executive S for iPad Mini with Retina – Beautiful and Protective

If you work in extreme conditions, have a toddler, or have concerns that your iPad might be crushed or cracked due to general klutziness or negligence, then it probably makes sense that you keep yours in a bulky plastic exoskeleton. But if you prefer something protective yet visually appealing and refined, then the Beyzacases Executive S is worth considering.


Inbox Out of Control? Unroll.me Might Be Able to Help

I get such a ridiculous amount of email every day, and much of it I don’t even need or want to read. I use Gmail, so spam is largely kept under control, but subscriptions and email lists seem to constantly pile up; unsubscribing is not always successful. I’ve been trying Unroll.me for the past week, and I think it’s helping.


AncestryDNA Test – What Will It Tell Me About My Ancestors?

  Genealogy is more than just a hobby for me, it’s something I tend to get a bit obsessive about. I’ve been curating my family’s tree for over ten years, building upon my maternal grandmother and uncle’s research before me. The latest tool in my arsenal will hopefully be the AncestryDNA test, which I recently completed and sent in for evaluation.


SNAP! Offers Universal Mounting of Your Mobile Devices

If you are one of those people who simply must see and have your phone with you at all times — you know who you are — then SNAP! may be the perfect mounting system for you. A universal female part clips into a universal male part, so the system will work with just about every mobile device!


TAG Heuer MERIDIIST INFINITE Uses Wysips Crystal Technology for Charging

The TAG Heuer MERIDIIST INFINITE phone being shown at Baselworld 2014 may be just another overpriced luxury phone of questionable smartness, but it has one trick up its sleeve that makes it pretty freaking cool — photovoltaic charging. In other words, due to Wysips Crystal Technology, the battery charges when the phone is exposed to light — sunlight or artificial(!!!).


Stream Manchester Orchestra’s New Album COPE Now!

Manchester Orchestra‘s album COPE will be out on April 1st, and their tour starts March 27; We’ve already got tickets for the Austin show (April 22nd), and now all that’s left is to enjoy their new album. While it’s not out for download yet, it is available for streaming via YouTube.



iBatzz Battstation Optimus 20400 Extended Battery: Enough Power to Share

It’s become a running joke that I always have to one-up my friend Helena when comparing our extended batteries at tech events. While I am certainly not consciously competing over which of us can carry the biggest battery, there is truth to the fact that I prefer larger extended batteries; the new iBatzz Battstation Optimus 20400 certainly fits this bill.


Wireless Traveling Convenience Comes with the XCOM Global Hot Spot

When traveling internationally, you won’t always have the luxury of a secure and speedy WiFi connection at your destination. One of the most reliable ways I’ve found to make sure that I’ll be able to get online with all of my devices — including my laptop — is by traveling with a hot spot rental from XCom Global.






Would You Buy Bitcoins?

The world of cutting edge technology always has some risks. A device may have bugs, or you may pay top dollar for a cool gadget that sells for half your cost a year later. Investing in Bitcoins raised the stakes this week when a major exchange went bankrupt, taking significant assets down with it.