Alex Cranz

Senior Consumer Tech Editor. Trained her dog to do fist bumps. Once wrote for Lifetime. Tips encouraged via Secure Drop, Proton Mail, or DM for Signal.

  • Fitbit Ionic: The Gizmodo Review

    Fitbit Ionic: The Gizmodo Review

    All images: Alex Cranz/Gizmodo The “Your Fitbit Ionic is running low on battery” notification arrived on my phone and in my inbox at the same time around one yesterday afternoon, suggesting I take a moment to charge my smartwatch. Instead, I went to a couple of meetings, took the train home, went for a brisk…


  • Why The Hell Would Anyone Use A Trackball Mouse?

    Why The Hell Would Anyone Use A Trackball Mouse?

    With its big rolypoly ball and huge hand rest, the venerable trackball mouse looks like a holdover from 1996. Or maybe 1946 — that’s the first time a trackball was used as an input device in a computer. Its popularity has waned since the introduction of the mouse and then the trackpad. And for good…