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'Tis the season to Crave: Sharon Vaknin's picks

We kick off our annual series of end-of-year wish lists.

Sharon Profis Vice President of Content, CNET Studios
As the Vice President of CNET Studios, Sharon leads the video, social, editorial design, and branded content teams. Before this role, Sharon led content development and launched new verticals for CNET, including Wellness, Money, and How To. A tech expert herself, she's reviewed and covered countless products, hosted hundreds of videos, and appeared on shows like Good Morning America, CBS Mornings, and the Today Show. An industry expert, Sharon is a recurring Best of Beauty Awards judge for Allure. Sharon is an avid chef and hosts the cooking segment 'Farm to Fork' on PBS nationwide. She's developed and published hundreds of recipes.
Credentials
  • Webby Award ("How To, Explainer, and DIY Video"); Folio Changemaker Award, 2020
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Sharon Profis
2 min read
Editor's note: Welcome to the first installment of the 2008 Crave holiday wish lists. From now through the end of December, various Crave experts will be sharing their top five tech-related wishes for the season. See what we crave, and maybe you'll get some ideas!

Sharon Vaknin

1. Nintendo DSi. Even though America will probably be one of the last countries to get this (what else is new?), I'm counting on a true friend to ship this overseas, wrap it up in a pink gift box, and put it under my tree menorah. Besides the fact that I didn't get to finish Zelda before losing my DS, I'd love to find out how the developers take advantage of its camera. Now all I have to find is find that friend...

2. Electric indoor grill. "Uh, Sharon? Aren't barbecues for summer?" Last weekend, what I intended as an evening barbecue with friends turned into chattering teeth and cold chicken wings. Though it's true that cold prevails when it comes to outdoor dining, I am not one to give up. With dual burners and a pretty stainless steel finish, this would be perfect for indoor grilling.

3. Interactive Mirror. When I first saw this, my jaw dropped. This is every geek child's dream! I can imagine spending hours drawing nonsense and trying on virtual clothing. I'd love to see these put in dressing rooms, though people would probably never leave the store. I'd also love to see one of these put in my room.

iPosture
An iPosture could help offset all that damage from game-related slouching. iPosture

4. iPosture. Bad back: check. Horrible posture: check. I'd wear one of these iPosture gadgets that clip onto my bra strap if it means not looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame 20 years from now. The little clip vibrates every time it senses slouching and has to be worn for about four hours each day. After hours of playing Top Chef (see below), I'll probably need one of these.

5. Top Chef the Game. After a couple of years of Cake Mania and Diner Dash addiction, it's time to step up my game. OK, obviously cooking in "real life" would be much more productive than virtual cooking, but we all know everything is better on the computer. What beats being a chef without the grocery shopping or the cleanup?