Articles by Judie Lipsett Stanford

News & Features May 26, 2012

Add a Swimming Pool Nearly Anywhere!

I rented a house on Lake Nasworthy, or “Lake Nasty Water” as the San Angelo locals call it, back in 1995. It was a cute blue two-bedroom bungalow with a huge great room in the back that looked out on the lake. I had a boathouse that held my Sea-Doo, and when the mood struck, I’d go for a ride. Living on the lake was great for everything … except swimming. The water was murky, there was at least a foot of muddy sludge at the bottom, and there were water moccasins in the shallow areas. Not that I would…

Reviews May 24, 2012

BubCaps by Paperclip Robot Keep Kids in the Right Place

If you have an iPad or an iPhone and you have small children, then you’ve learned how much your kids love to play games and watch videos on these devices. The problem is that the same device providing entertainment for your kids is usually the very device that you’re using to organize your life. Sure, it’s fine if your 7-year-old plays Plants versus Zombies on your iPhone or iPad, but what if he lands on your big presentation with just a click of the home button and a few taps onscreen? Or what if your little girl stumbles across your…

Crowdfunding, Editorials May 22, 2012

Is Kickstarter Limiting Hardware Projects Because of the Pebble’s Unprecedented Success?

We love Kickstarter; Dan and I (along with others on the Gear Diary team) have backed many projects, and we are always on the look out for new ones. That is, of course, why we started Kickstart This! We love the way that Kickstarter helps inventors and artists get funding so that their products and projects will be available to the public. As anyone who has backed a project on Kickstarter likely knows, “every project is independently crafted, put to all-or-nothing funding,and supported by friends, fans, and the public in return for rewards.” While Kickstarter gives these projects a place…

Gear Bits May 21, 2012

Tracking Fresh Seafood with Track Your Fish on MyGulfWild.com

Red Snapper photo courtesy of myGulfWild.com I love Red Snapper, but if the truth be known, I haven’t always put a lot of thought into where the fish came from when I was about to eat it; I probably should have been a little more careful. But now I have a new appreciation for not only where my Snapper comes from, but for the people who catch it and the process involved. I recently purchased two whole Gulf Red Snappers from HEB, a grocery store in nearby San Angelo. I noticed that the Red Snapper in the seafood case had…

Crowdfunding May 17, 2012

BOWDEN + SHEFFIELD Minimalist iPad Cases; Kickstart This

Project Title: BOWDEN + SHEFFIELD Minimalist iPad Cases Status: $13,746 of $20,000 goal, with five days left. Closing Date for Funding: May 23, 2012 URL of the Project: BOWDEN + SHEFFIELD Minimalist iPad Cases From the Creatives: Eric Rea and Levi Price, two university students, have recently launched a project on Kickstarter featuring two unique, high-end iPad cases. The project is called “BOWDEN + SHEFFIELD Minimalist iPad Cases” and is definitely worth a look. The Bowden and Sheffield are minimalist, hand crafted cases for iPad. The inspiration for the project came from Levi when he was unable to find a case that featured minimalist…

Gear Bits May 13, 2012

A BBC Series Will Attempt to Dissuade People Who Believe In Alien Abductions

It’s interesting to hear the reasons given when people believe in things which seem contrary to what evidence otherwise proves, but there are plenty of people who do. Whether it be the country of Obama’s birth (and whether his US certificate is forged or not), that the earth will be destroyed in 2012 when the Mayan Calendar ends, that the events of 9/11 were not a terrorist attack, that childhood vaccinations cause autism, or that Beyonce was ever actually pregnant; there are people who find controversy in topics that others consider obvious closed cases. I recognize that, for many, there are…

Reviews May 10, 2012

DecalGirl Nokia Lumia 900 Skin Kit Review

I go through stages where I don’t want a protective case on my gear, but when I got the Nokia Lumia 900, I knew right away that there was no way I’d put that phone in a case. Why not? Well, let’s start with the 900’s size. The cases that I saw at the AT&T store, even the simplest bumper style, looked as though they would make the phone even wider; while the full-size cases looked as if they would make the phone much too thick. The Lumia 900 has such a beautiful polycarbonate body that I didn’t want to…

Crowdfunding May 10, 2012

PRINZ: The Courage to Speak, a Documentary About Controversy, History and the Power of a Voice.

Project Title: Prinz: The Courage to Speak, a documentary film about controversy, history and the power of a voice. Status: $18,222 raised of the $20K goal Closing Date for Funding: May 24, 2012 URL of the Project: Prinz: The Courage to Speak From the Creatives: In Berlin in the 1930’s, the civil rights of Jews were systematically stripped away. A young rabbi refused to be silent. His name was Joachim Prinz, and he set out to restore the self-esteem of the German Jews. Knowing the Nazis were monitoring his every word, and despite repeated arrests, Prinz continued to preach about the value…

Gear Bits May 10, 2012

Organize Your Seeds with a Seed Organizer Binder Kit

I collect seeds when I find interesting plants in the reproductive stage where seeds can be gathered. Usually I am pretty good at remembering what I collected (and why), but recently I stumped myself. I had gathered some seeds and put them in a bag, and at some point (months later, I’m sure) mislabeled them “Mexican Paradise Plant”. After the seeds began to grow, there was no doubt in my mind that the seedlings were something completely different. Obviously my organizational skills had failed. Kev and I spent hours trying to figure out what this odd five-leafed plant was, and through…

News & Features May 8, 2012

Eton’s Solar-Powered Rukus Is Ready for the Pool

Warm weather is just about here, which means you’ll likely be spending more time outdoors — hopefully at the beach or pool! Assuming that you are careful about the obvious hazards such as water, sand, and too much sun, the next hurdle to outdoors musical enjoyment is finding a power source. Sun worshippers who have the new Eton Rukus, the “first portable Bluetooth sound system with a solar panel”, will be able to enjoy their favorite songs streamed wirelessly from any Bluetooth enabled mobile device. They can also keep their device charged through the Rukus’ integrated USB charging port. It has…

Events, News & Features May 7, 2012

Samsung’s First 4G LTE Windows Phone, the Focus 2, Will Be $49.99 at AT&T

Samsung wasn’t content to let HTC hog all the new device announcements this morning; they, along with AT&T have announced the Focus 2. This is Samsung’s first 4G LTE Windows Phone, and AT&T’s third. The Focus 2 will be “an affordable smartphone that will be available beginning May 20 in pure white for $49.99 (with a two-year service agreement). Featuring a 4” Super AMOLED display and front-facing VGA camera, the Focus 2 is sure to grab your attention.” You can read more about the Samsung Focus 2 on the Windows Phone Blog. You can pick yours up for $50 on May 20th at…

Events, News & Features May 7, 2012

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE Revealed at CTIA

Were you under the impression that most Droids were made by Motorola? I’ll admit that for a while, when I heard Droid that was my first thought — probably because of the Motorola Droid commercials that used to constantly be on. But as you can see by the title (and by the past HTC Droid models), Motorola doesn’t have a lock on the name … evidently Verizon does, because they licensed it from LucasFilms. But I digress. CTIA kicked off with a bang this morning; not only did HTC announce their One S, they’ve also confirmed the internet rumors and…

Events, News & Features May 7, 2012

Latest HTC One Android Phone, the V, Coming This Summer

This morning HTC has announced the HTC One V, the latest of the HTC One series. We’ve covered the One X and the One S, and later this summer it looks like we’ll have another version to look forward to. If you like Android phones, these have proven to be some of the most exciting available. The One V will be running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and it will feature a a 5-megapixel camera with f/2.0 back illuminated sensor. The One V will have HTC Video Pic™, and will be able to capture “still photos while simultaneously recording HD video.” The One…

Gear Bits, Travel May 4, 2012

McSweeney’s Guide to Airline Passenger Profiling

You’ve heard about racial profiling, but how about pants profiling? Oh, you hadn’t heard of it? That’s okay, neither had I … until I found myself nodding and chuckling as I read the list of what to expect from other passengers on a flight — based on the type of pants they were wearing! Wool Suit Pants: Will board before you. Wool Hunting Pants: Will board after you. Pleated Dockers: Will loudly talk on cell phone about ROIs and vertical markets. Pajama Bottoms: Will be flying either to or from a city with a Señor Frog’s. Sweatpants with Dallas Mavericks Logo: Will clog one or…

Reviews April 29, 2012

The WaterField Indy iPad Bag Review

I’m not going to get into all the obvious movie allusions I could make about the WaterField Indy iPad Bag; suffice it to say, the bag has rugged appeal with just enough refinement, and even when brand new, it looks like something that might have been handed down to you from a favorite uncle. That’s actually a selling point, I think. Measuring 10.3″ wide x 12″ tall x 1″ deep, the Indy weighs 17 ounces empty. It is composed of tumbled and distressed leather, which comes complete with scratches, imperfections, and other miscellaneous markings; this means that from the beginning,…

Gear Bits April 28, 2012

Gnome Canterwick Beautifully Repurposes Leather-Bound Classics as iPhone Charger Docks

Books have been hollowed out since the beginning of time to hide things, whether it be to disguise and hold adult beverages, money, guns or other “treasures” inside. But here’s a novel idea, rather than hollow out the book to hide something, why not display the book while it is being used to charge your mobile device? Many of your favorite books are here, repurposed to be a clever charging dock that holds your device and hides its cable. Gnome Canterwick says that customization requests for upgrades including “plug location, longer cords, wall adapters, etc.” are welcome. This new…

News & Features April 28, 2012

Geode on Your iPhone Could Equal the End of Wallets As We Know Them

We’ve all heard of (and many of us use) eWallet software and alternative methods to pay electronically; these apps and methods have been around for years. In our move towards convergence and the ultimate goal of lifestyle simplification, it seems that in the last few years there has been a push to eliminate our wallets and get all of our financial tools onto our cellphones. As Travis has pointed out several times, people are more likely to forget their wallet than they are their phone, so perhaps there is something to that. But understandably, security concerns are what keeps many from…

Reviews April 27, 2012

FireFly’s Hello Kitty Light-Up Toothbrush Review

Show me a parent who has no problem getting their kids to brush for a full two minutes, and I’ll show you a parent that is in denial. When my daughter Sarah first learned to brush her teeth, it was common for me to stand with her to help make sure that she did the full minute on each row. As she got a bit older, she (understandably) didn’t want me hovering over her, because she could ‘do it [herself], mommmm!’ The thing is that sometimes ‘doing it herself’ meant a cursory brush over each tooth (maybe), a quick swish…

Gear Bits, Travel April 23, 2012

Quick Change Artist OneSole Shoes Allow You to Pack One Sole, Yet Bring Many Pairs of Shoes

If you are used to traveling with a pair of sneakers (or boots) and a backup pair of flip-flops, then I know you won’t be able to relate to what I’m about to confess … and that’s fine. But when I am packing for a trip that will last a week or more, and I know that I’ll be in both casual and dressy situations, it is typical for me to bring no less than six pairs of shoes. I would bring even more along if there weren’t weight limits on checked luggage. Part of the reason that I’ll pack so many,…

Gear Bits April 19, 2012

Dear 16-Year-Old Me

“One bad Sunburn before the age of 18 doubles your chances of developing melanoma.” “You are at a higher risk if you have more than 50 moles, a weakened immune system, or a family history of skin cancer.” “The outlook is very good if we can catch it early, but you have a less than 10% chance of surviving more than 5 years if we don’t.” “Melanoma can show up on your tongue, your palms, and on the soles of your feet.” “Your skin is like an elephant; it never forgets.” “If something seems out of place, get your doctor to have a look…

Gear Bits April 10, 2012

Frank Warren’s TED Talk on Half a Million Secrets

There is not a Sunday morning that goes by where I don’t check out the latest offerings from PostSecret, a project started after its creator, Frank Warren, had a dream while visiting Paris in 2003. The idea behind the site is that people send in their secrets anonymously, on 4×6 postcards that they have created themselves. Senders are told to “Reveal anything – as long as it is true and you have never shared it with anyone before.” The beauty of Frank’s project is that sometimes the secrets shared are secrets that could be yours, or they are secrets that will relate…

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