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Hail to Bonnie Cha, Crave's new chief correspondent

Meet Crave's new chief correspondent, Bonnie Cha.

Many of you surely already know her as a longtime esteemed member of CNET's mobile-reviews team. What you don't know is that the scheming minds behind Crave have long plotted to kidnap Bonnie and drag her to the Crave cave. Our evil plan has finally hatched (cue the "mwahaha").

During almost eight years on the mobile beat, Bonnie wrote a few hundred reviews; co-hosted numerous Dialed In podcasts; reported multiple times from CES, CTIA, and Mobile World Congress (where she once got pick-pocketed); and even traveled to such exotic locales as Canada to track down the hottest handsets.

As Crave's new full-time staff writer, Bonnie will cover all manner of gadget goings-on, from the sublime to the downright silly. She's especially fascinated by the intersection of tech and lifestyle, and the minds behind the inventions that impact our daily lives. She's also intrigued by the cool DIY projects readers have going on. Keep your eyes and RSS feeds open; she's already working on some great stories. … Read more

Crave in Comments: From Razr to iRex

This edition of Crave in Comments features another five reader comments from the week past that made me giggle or think critically.

It's important for me to surround myself in comedy with a dash of enlightenment during the winter months or I'll turn into a grinch. I've always wondered what it would be like to actually be a grinch. Do you think people would call you one during the holidays, or would they think twice?

In regard to Droid Razrs pop up for free, on sale, and rooted:

"I think its weird when people associate electronics with organic properties. "We took the DNA from the..." come on, it's plastic and metal. They don't have DNA. Weird. And people wonder why the younger generation is hard to relate to." --by cyfivirus

In regard to Call of Duty: Elite experiences rough start:

"The Modern Warfare series like Apple has built a name for itself; they can afford to make mistakes because people will still support them regardless." --by negativeone2

Crave giveaway: V-Moda Crossfade LP Custom headphones

Ever wish your boring old headphones were a bit more "you"? With this week's prize, a set of V-Moda Crossfade LP Custom over-ear headphones, you get a cool pair of 'phones--and the chance to infuse them with some personal panache.

Those with their ears to the world of audio accessories know V-Moda as a reputable maker of stylish, low-profile earbuds. When the company moved into the full-size-headphone realm last year with its V-Moda Crossfade LP headphones, CNET reviewers gave the cans high marks for their durable construction and good looks. The custom versions add even more flair to the mix.

You'll choose from a wide range of plate color options, as well as stock engraving graphics (numbered jersey, crown, skull snake, or vinyl immortal angel logo) or your very own custom logo. Custom text rounds out the personalization. We think a Crave logo with the words "devoted Crave reader" would look fabulous, but hey, it's up to you! … Read more

Crave 65: Dogs unite (podcast)

Donald takes a break from his at-desk Occupy Wall Street protest to rant about the cellular monopoly and the disruptive potential of Republic Wireless.

And while we are fine with robot slugs that can rescue us from toxic rubble, we have to draw the line at robotic seeing-eye dogs. I mean, c'mon, there's no replacing man's best friend. Also, hipster 35mm film fetishists get a new way to spend $99, and Eric goes all Geek News on the latest Zelda game.

Subscribe in iTunes SD Video | Subscribe in RSS SD Video … Read more

Crave in Comments: From Tweephone to PS Home

Our apologies for the somewhat delayed Crave in Comments. It appears the gods of computer instability were feeling generous enough to pay me a visit this weekend. Now that everything is back to normal, its time for that little slice of commenting heaven from our Crave community, which has worked hard to provide this feast.

In regard to Tweephone makes tweeting retro-quaint:

Extreme hipsters only. --by vAequitas

In regard to iPhone 4S bug silencing outgoing calls?:

Impossible, it's Apple, it's magical, it just works. --by boswd

Crave 64: Shiny, happy future (podcast)

Donald and Eric comment on RIM's dull vision of the future and are only slightly more enthusiastic about Microsoft's competing take on things. A Nokia researcher shows off a genuinely interesting vision of what flexible touch-screen devices might be able to accomplish. In Geek News, Eric confesses his love for Uncharted 3 and Harrison Ford's face.

Subscribe in iTunes SD Video | Subscribe in RSS SD Video … Read more

Crave in Comments: From poop-scooping bots to HP PCs

Halloween is nearly upon us, sure to usher in ghoulish tricks and treats. While I cannot give you any candy, I was able to find some tasty comments for you to nibble on until the big day. I'm still deciding what I want to be for Halloween, but it's very likely I will be Ace Ventura. How about you?

In regard to PR2 robot learns to scoop poop:

For 400,000 dollars (the cost of PR2), you could hire someone for over a decade to pick up dog poop. --by Paramorekor

In regard to AeroShot: Ditch the coffee, huff your caffeine:

I would love to see someone try to sneak something that looks like a shotgun shell through the TSA. What? This thing contains a white powder? I don't see any issues. --by Petriedish

Crave giveaway: Iriver Story HD e-reader

It's been awhile since we've given away an e-reader, and we have a nice one on tap for you this week: the Iriver Story HD, which has the Google e-book store integrated into it.

The Story HD's key feature is its higher-resolution (768x1,024 pixels) e-ink display, which the company touts as the world's "highest-resolution 6-inch e-reader." While it's the same E Ink Pearl display that's in all the leading e-readers these days, the added resolution--Iriver says it has 63.8 percent more pixels--does provide for added detail in images and slightly sharper text. (Reader our full review here).

So, how do you try to win this Iriver e-reader? Let us enumerate the basic rules. Please read carefully; there will be a test. … Read more

Crave 63: Feed your nerdling (podcast)

Lots to talk about this week, including a gravity-defying quantum levitation skateboard, Lytro's revolutionary new camera, the future of Android skin, and a robot helper for man's best friend. Plus, Donald shows off the nerdiest way to feed your baby, Rafe protects you from phishing scams, and Eric has the latest from Blizzcon.

Subscribe in iTunes SD Video | Subscribe in RSS SD Video … Read more

Crave in Comments: From recycled bras to brazen bills

Crave in Comments is sort of like a recurring awards show. While we don't have the funds to dole out fancy golden trophies and plaques for the standout comments of the week, you could win your very own spot in this feature. Like these five people:

In regard to Japanese turn used bras into fuel:

This definitely gives new meaning to the idea of "bra-burning." --by T-Guy

In regard to MacBook Air gets elemental with Earth, Water, Fire:

All we need now is the MacBook Heart. Then we will have the ability to combine their powers and bring forth an environmentalist edition of Steve Jobs' spectre to fight off evil corporations that are polluting the environment! --by Rozencrantz14