Articles by Judie Lipsett Stanford

Nokia and MakerBot 3D Printed Lumia 520 Case

Nokia and MakerBot Replicator 2 Shells for the Lumia 820 at MWC

One of the coolest things I saw while at Mobile World Congress was the MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printer printing out a plastic shell for the just announced Nokia Lumia 820 (and soon the also just announced Lumia 520). I had never seen a 3D printer in action, and I found the process fascinating (and mildly hypnotic). When the MakerBot Replicator 2 is in action, it uses a natural PLA filament to “print”, and it follows a schematic to print row after row of the special plastic compound until the 3D image of the desired object has been replicated. It’s like the object…

Events

HTC One Was the Best Android Handset at MWC

The HTC One was the best Android Handset at Mobile World Congress — according to the GSMA 18th Annual Mobile Awards, anyway! Their judges considered the HTC One to be “the device that holds the most promise for success in the market this year, providing game-changing features, design and functionality”, and they awarded it the “Best New Mobile Handset, Device or Tablet at Mobile World Congress 2013”. Pretty impressive, right? We covered the HTC One on its announcement day, and I was able to spend a little bit of time fondling one while at Mobile World Congress. I found it to be…

Gear Bits

Apple Lightning Connector Broken Inside iPad Mini Port – Eeek!

Have you wondered how well the new Apple Lightning connector might hold up over time? I’ll admit not giving too much thought to it, because I chose to focus on the fact that I could plug the Apple Lightning Connector in from either side — a welcome new convenience from the old 30-pin. So far, I haven’t had any issues with my iPad mini or my iPhone 5, but when I came home from Mobile World Congress, I got a shock. Kev’s youngest daughter had plugged the Lightning connector into her iPad mini, and the tip of the charger had…

Events

SanDisk Emphasizes Device Speed at MWC 2013

While at Mobile World Congress, we had a meeting with SanDisk. Going in, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen: would they pull out a bunch of thumb-drives and mini memory cards to show us their latest consumer designs as they had done several years ago? Or would we find something completely new to discuss? As it turned out, my meeting was with Yoram Zybergerg, the Senior Director of Embedded Business with SanDisk, so a good part of our meeting focused on the OEM side. Yoram’s excitement about the limitless possibilities of flash memory — now and in the future…

Events

Sony Xperia Z and Xperia Tablet Z – Sharp & Impressive at MWC 2013

One of the cool things that happened this year at Mobile World Congress was that Sony and an assorted group of partners gave select press and others an MWC-software customized Sony Xperia T complete with Spanish SIM. With it we were able to enter the venue with a validated NFC ID, and we were able to collect information from NFC tags located on signs and booth fixtures throughout the Fira Barcelona Gran Via. As enjoyable as I have found using the Xperia T for the past week to be, the Sony Xperia Z was the device that really caught my eye. You…

News & Features

Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 – It’s a Handful!

For the past few weeks I’ve been using a Samsung GALAXY Note 2 on and off. I’ve been quite surprised how impressed I am with the huge phone/diminutive tablet. Sure, it’s a bit too large and clunky to really qualify as a phone but, after using it for a while, it actually doesn’t seem overly large. It has a huge beautiful screen and I am absolutely wowed by the S-Pen. Mike didn’t love the Note 2 and was critical of the limited number of apps that work with the included pen. I’m not nearly as troubled by it. No,…

Reviews

Trina Turk iPhone 5 Case Review – Fashionable & Fun Protection

When we were walking the aisles at CES, there was one booth that stood out like a bright sunflower in a field of hay; that booth belonged to M-Edge, and the items that caught my eye were their new mobile accessories designed by Trina Turk. I love the fact that Trina Turk is designing such eye-popping cases for the iPhone 5 and other Apple devices; pictures just don’t do the bright colors and pleasing textures justice. The Trina Turk iPhone 5 case by M-Edge is a dual layer system that couples a brightly colored protective soft silicone inner case with a hard plastic outer…

News & Features

FCC Cellular Signal Boosters Certification Specifications Adopted Today

I’ve made no secret of the fact that if it weren’t for the Wilson Electronics AG Pro 75 Celluar Signal Booster, mobile phone service at my house would be pitiful; we would have likely had to incur the (possibly substantial) expense of putting in a landline. I live outside a rural community and in the middle of a ranch; you could argue that poor signal is the price Kev and I must pay for being able to enjoy the great outdoors, and perhaps you would be right. But what about people like Dan, who live in the middle of an urban…

Reviews

Trina Turk MacBook Case Review – Bright & Cheerful Protection

I’ve been guilty of playing it safe bland by keeping my mobile devices inside black, brown, and beige accessories … not that there’s anything wrong with that. But every now and then I do like to carry something that pops a bit more, and that’s where the Trina Turk for M-Edge MacBook Case comes in. For those who didn’t know, Trina Turk is a California designer who is known for splashy graphic designs that are heavily influenced by her appreciation for the 1960s and ’70s era. Trina opened her first retail boutique in 2002, and now she has seven; you can also find…

News & Features

New HTC One Becomes HTC’s Flagship Android Device

This morning, HTC introduced its latest flagship device, the New HTC One. This is not to be confused with the HTC One that was introduced at Mobile World Congress last year, as this is the New New HTC One. All kidding aside, the New HTC One looks to be an impressive bit of kit. It will have a 4.7” 1080p screen, a zero-gap aluminum unibody, and new HTC innovations including BlinkFeed, HTC Zoe and HTC BoomSound. The New HTC One will have a 1.7GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600, quad-core processor, 2GB RAM and either 32GB or 64GB ROM; it will run Android Jelly Bean. The capper is…

Reviews

Orbino miniPadova Review; a Most Exquisite Leather iPad mini Case

I wasn’t sure if the iPad mini was going to be able to replace my 3rd generation iPad, so I initially held off on any major accessory purchases. But within only a few days of owning one, I realized that because of the mini’s smaller size and lighter weight, I was carrying it with me everywhere. That wasn’t something I could have said about the iPads I’d previously owned, and that’s when I knew it was time to seriously think about accessories and how to best equip my mini. As I began my hunt, it seemed obvious that I should…

Reviews

StarTech Cables Review – Sync and Charge Intelligently

Smartphones gobble power, and because of that, it’s nearly impossible to get through a longer than usual day without sneaking in a top-off somewhere. Carrying around the same cable that you use to charge your phone at home is possible, but the chances of it getting lost or damaged grow exponentially depending upon the number of places in which it is being used. Why take the chance of losing the cable that came with your smartphone, when for a reasonable amount you can pick a spare cable that adds even more flexibility and functionality to your device? That seems to…

Events, Vehicles & Gear

2014 Kia Forte Test Drive: Compact Sedan with Full-Size Amenities

I live in a part of the country where one is likely to feel out of place if not driving an SUV or a pickup truck, and I like driving a big SUV. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy taking the 2014 Kia Forte out for a test drive while recently attending the Kia First Drive event in Scottsdale, however, because there’s just something *fun* about sitting lower to the road and really feeling what’s going on that can’t be duplicated when riding in a jacked-up rig. Kia gave me ample opportunity to experience that sensation during my ~115 test drive…

Events, Vehicles & Gear

2014 Kia Sorento Test Drive: Mid-Size SUV Loaded with Luxuries

Last week I joined a group of bloggers and traditional press in Scottsdale, Arizona for a chance to take a test drive and learn more about the 2014 Kia Sorento (SUV) and Forte (4 door sedan) models. I should probably admit that other than knowing a few people who own or have owned Kia vehicles, I haven’t had much personal experience with the auto brand — unless you count taking a few hair-raising test rides in the Optima Hybrid Carly reviewed last summer! But I digress. So here are some things you might not have known about Kia: Safety is a priority for them, and every…

monCarbone iPhone 5 Peak Case in Luminous Silver

Reviews

MonCarbone Peak iPhone 5 Case Review

I went through a phase where I wanted my iPhone 5 to be as naked as possible. While I was going through that phase, I managed to drop my iPhone 5 and put a healthy dent in its top edge. You didn’t know that I was known for being a klutz and a butterfingers? Well, I am … famous for it, in fact. Thankfully my phone’s screen didn’t shatter, but what was I thinking?! Yeah, it was great that the front and back glass of my iPhone were covered by a Bodyguardz skin, but my corners were completely exposed ……

Gear Bits

I’ve Got Super Bowl Rings on the Brain!

I heard a story about Super Bowl Rings the other day … one about the time that Robert Kraft (the New England Patriot’s owner) met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and somehow or another Kraft wound up unintentionally giving Putin the Super Bowl Ring he was wearing! Evidently Kraft had removed his ring to better show it to Putin, and the Russian president took his handing it over to mean that Kraft was giving it to him. Kraft evidently decided on the spot that letting Putin keep his ring (one of three that the Patriots have won) was the right thing to do, but I can only…

Events

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…

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