About
Brandt Ranj is a commerce reporter at Popular Science. He writes about the latest and greatest gadgets, from headphones and TVs to chargers and cables. He splits his time between New York City, Long Island, and Croatia, carting test gear around the U.S. and the globe.
Experience
Ranj’s previous roles required him to cover the entire tech industry, but he’s had the opportunity to specialize in both audio hardware and tech accessories. He enjoys writing about “staples” like chargers, cables, keyboards, mice, and webcams because these are the tools readers rely on daily. Covering this beat has allowed him to build relationships with companies like Apple, Microsoft, Google, Sony, and Sonos to ensure he has the latest information (and hardware) to share with readers.
Given the changing landscape of commerce stories—more competition, increasingly stringent SEO requirements from Google—he’s made it my priority to differentiate the stories he tells. This means taking original product photos and getting hands-on time with as many products as possible. He’s particularly proud of the opportunities he’s had to post reviews of high-profile products, like Apple’s third-generation AirPods and the newest Kindle Paperwhite, the moment their embargo lifted.
Education
Brandt graduated from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, where he majored in communications with a concentration in journalism. This academic path came with an automatic minor in English, which he readily accepted.
Highlights
Brandt has worked at PopSci since 2022, joining the staff on the commerce team. Previously, he was a commerce reporter for Futurism (a sibling brand under the Recurrent Ventures flag), Rolling Stone, and Business Insider. His eight years of commerce journalism have made him adept at wading through thousands of gadgets to find the few that are actually worth your time. He’s covered trade shows both in-person and virtually, concocted new ways to reach vast audiences, and done his best to continue his streak of being constantly curious. While he’s mostly found staring directly at a screen, he’d rather be out with friends or baking a cake.
- A lifelong lover of technology who found a way to work his hobby into a career
- .Prioritizes hands-on testing and original photography to help readers learn which gear is right for them.
- Passionate about life, liberty, and excessive Oxford Comma use.
