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If you're the sort who likes (or needs) to be connected to the goings-on at your desk all day, this week's prize will help ensure you never miss a message from your important contacts.

The Sonic-connect 2, a portable USB device from Sonic Alert, functions like caller ID for your computer, alerting you to select Skype, e-mail, instant messaging, and MS Outlook calendar and task notifications via any combination of customizable alert options, such as flashing lights, rings, or vibrations.

Chances are your mobile devices already keep you plenty connected to e-mails, IMs, tweets, Facebook messages, Instagram photos, and interstellar transmissions from exoplanets. Using Sonic Alert software, this device lets you cut through all the random pings and pongs, and rank contacts so you can be alerted to only those from certain VIPs, like your boss. The gadget is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. … Read more

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NASA's Kepler space telescope has discovered new habitable planets, but don't pack up your house just yet. Plus, we take a first look at Fujitsu's FingerLink touch-based projection scanner, and Project Unity lets you play up to 18 classic video consoles in one box. … Read more

With the weather warming up, there's a good chance you'll start spending more time at the pool, river, lake, or whatever body of water you like to head to for sun and fun when you're not indoors staging a Zerg rush. This week's prize would like to tag along.

Grace Digital's portable Ecoxbt stereo Bluetooth speaker is not just water resistant, but 100 percent waterproof. Not only that, it floats. Just jump right in and play your music from any Bluetooth-enabled device. You can also answer incoming calls over the built-in speakerphone.

Part of Grace Digital's Ecoxgear line of outdoor-friendly gadgets, the device measures 4 inches high by 9 inches wide by 2.8 inches deep and weighs 1.5 pounds. The rechargeable battery yields 10-plus hours of play or talk time, plenty for a good run in your kayak or canoe. (See a video of the speaker in action here, complete with sexy "From Here to Eternity"-style beach product shot.) … Read more

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Oakley and golf champ Bubba Watson have teamed to build the world's first hovercraft golf cart. A physicist invents a way to write e-mail using a guitar, and a "Star Trek" phaser rifle from the original series sells for a staggering sum. … Read more

Congrats to Kurt H. of Baltimore for winning a pair of Coloud Boom headphones in last week's giveaway. This week, we've got another great prize for audiophiles.

We're giving away a Sensia 200D Connect portable wireless audio system from Pure, a British maker of digital radios that's aiming to crack the streaming-audio market as well.

The football-shaped Wi-Fi digital radio also streams audio from Pure Music, Pure's Web-based on-demand subscription service that will hit the U.S. later this year, or from your music collection on a PC, Mac, or network storage device.

In addition to displaying radio, music, or podcast info, the 5.7-inch color 640x480-pixel touch screen can be used to show album art, weather reports, Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds, and photos stored locally or on Picasa. … Read more

Congrats to Cheryl W. of Irvine, Calif., for winning a Bem Wireless Bluetooth boom box in last week's giveaway. This week, we've got another prize your ears will like: a pair of sturdy and stylish Boom headphones from Swedish company Coloud.

The Boom over-ear 'phones come in all sorts of fun color combinations for a contrasting look, or in similar hues for a more tonal look. You get to choose. They have a mic and remote for additional functionality, and a special little thingamabob at the end for tangle-free cord management.

Normally, a pair of Coloud Boom headphones would run you $40, but you have the chance to get your ears on them for absolutely nada. How do you go about doing that? There are a few rules, so please listen up. … Read more

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On this week's Crave, we take a first look a gadget that truly blows, an optical game controller that looks like a kazoo. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield gives us some more cooking tips from space. And Hotello is a hotel room in a box. Sounds uncomfortable, no? All that and more on this week's episode. … Read more

Congrats to John B. of Doral, Fla., for winning a bag of CNET swag in last week's giveaway. This week, we've got a little prize with big sound.

The Bem Wireless Boom Box measures about 12 inches by 9.5 inches by 5 inches and brings 2.1 stereo sound with you wherever you go. It connects to smartphones, tablets, and other Bluetooth devices, with up to 40 feet of working wireless range and about 10 hours of battery life per charge.

Now that spring is here and summer's on its way, this little audio accessory would … Read more

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Researchers at Cambridge University have created a virtual talking head that expresses emotions and someday might be your personal assistant and a shoulder to cry on. Scotland may pass a law allowing Jedi to officiate at weddings. And the Image Toaster prints pictures from the headlines on your toast, making breakfast a whole lot more enjoyable. This, and more, on Crave. … Read more