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December 1, 2014

2014 Holiday Gift Guide for business executives

Tablift — $59.95
Harman Infinity One Bluetooth speakers — $299.99
Swash — $499
DV8 Golf Clubs — $499.95-$899.95
By Keith Griffin Special to the Hartford Business Journal

The holiday shopping season is here again. And, as usual, there is the dilemma: What do you get for the C-level executive on your holiday shopping list? We humbly present these suggestions that cover sports, music, technology and clean clothes. Because, when all is said and done, you still have to look good.

Harman Infinity One

Frankly, Bluetooth speakers promise a lot and rarely deliver. Demonstrations will take place in a controlled environment with optimal music for the setting. Get them home and you're disappointed.

That wasn't the case with the Harman Infinity One. My first exposure to it was a hotel suite. I was talking to the Harman rep who was extolling the sound quality of the speaker while people mingled among us. The sound (to my untrained ear) was beautiful and then she mentioned it was Bluetooth. It blew me away.

Place it in your home or office and you'll be impressed. Here's the technical info on it. A sophisticated array of four 1.75 inch active speakers, and 25 watts of power to dual tuned passive radiators deliver 70 hertz to 20 kilohertz of musical clarity at breathtaking volumes. Equalizing acoustic software technology and the 25-watt amplifier are housed in a sleek, compact, ceramic-coated aluminum chassis that exudes refinement. Backlit controls allow quick and intuitive operation wherever you take it.

Connect music sources with or without a cable. Infinity One pairs quickly and easily with your Bluetooth devices, including phones, tablets, laptops, and portable music players. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides up to 10 hours playtime, and will charge other devices through its standard USB connector. Its SoundClear Echo Cancellation Speakerphone System ensures noise-free, extra-clear phone conversations.

Sure, it's a little pricey at $299.99. Look around and you might find some deals. Go to http://www.infinityspeakers.com/estore/inf/us/index.jsp for more information and to purchase.

Swash

This one caught my eye. It's the kind of thing an executive could put in the corner of the office so suits are always fresh. Heck, at 5:30 p.m. when faced with a dinner meeting, it would be nice to freshen up your clothes.

Swash is a clothing care system [for the home or office] that reduces wrinkles, refreshes fabric, restores the fit lost after wear and preserves clothing, in just 10 minutes with the push of a button. The Swash system uses an integrated tension system to gently hold clothes in place, while an advanced spray technology applies a solution to the clothing from the Swash pods cup. Then, a rapid thermal drying function combines an express heat system with airflow recirculation to dry clothes quickly.

It's dry cleaning in your home or office without dragging the clothes there and picking them up. Proctor & Gamble developed Swash along with Whirlpool. According to their research, taking clothes to the dry cleaner once a month equates to an annual bill of $750 or more.

The Swash system plugs directly into a standard 120-volt wall outlet and requires no water, plumbing, pipes, vents, special hook-ups or professional installation. Swash can be used on denim, wool, polyester, lycra, cotton, cashmere, sequins, delicate beading and lace.

Retail price is $499 and a set of 12 Swash pods costs $6.99. More information available at www.swash.com.

DV8 Golf Clubs

Simply put, traveling with golf clubs is a pain. You wouldn't bring them on a trip where you're only playing one round because of the inconvenience and size. Heck, a vacation with golf clubs means renting a bigger vehicle, which further adds to your expense.

DV8 Golf Clubs take care of that problem. It's a set of clubs with one shaft and numerous heads. They break down into a fairly compact square backpack that weighs less than 16 pounds (compared to 40 pounds for a standard set of clubs and bag). As company officials point out, you can fit two sets of clubs in a Porsche 911 or take them on your Vespa. In effect, they're great for people who want portability with their clubs.

I tried them out during a demonstration at an indoor golf facility in Manhattan (for those times you absolutely want to play golf after a day on Wall Street). I've been playing golf for more than 40 years and these clubs are legitimate.

Who are the clubs best for? Sincerely, if I were a business person who traveled frequently, I'd buy a set. Or, it's a relatively inexpensive way for a husband and wife to golf together because you only need two shafts and you could share the club heads and bag.

The only problem with the clubs is they are not TSA compliant. You can bring the club heads on the plane as a carry-on but not the shafts. So, you're still looking at a checked bag fee. The company president claims the TSA issue will be resolved but it's tough to imagine how shafts like these could be cleared for takeoff.

DV8 clubs come in three different shaft flexes: stiff, regular and ladies/senior. DV8 clubs can be purchased online now in set bundles starting at $499.95 for the Starter Package (four clubs, DV8 bag and shaft), $699.95 for the Practice Package (seven clubs, DV8 bag and shaft) and $899.95 for the Play Package (10 clubs, DV8 bag and shaft) with the option to customize the front bag flap color. The graphite shaft and individual club heads, i.e. wood, iron, hybrid and putter can also be purchased individually.

For more information log onto http://www.dv8sports.com/.

Tablift

There are lots of items on the market that purport to hold your tablet in place. Frankly, most of them are flimsy. Tablift is the exception. It's a sturdy, 2.8-pound device that can hold pretty much any tablet in any number of positions.

It's sold as being bed friendly (i.e. you can watch it laying down) but I found it incredibly handy for turning a tablet into a desktop device. Match your tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard and you have a great alternative for traveling. No need to drag both a tablet and laptop along. It is also handy for videoconferencing because it can position the tablet at eye-level.

Plus, it's simple to set up. I handed it over to my nine-year-old daughter and she had it up and running in no time. You can alter it to a number of angles and all feel secure. One drawback is it doesn't accommodate the tablet in its case but that's not a deal breaker to me because of its functionality.

It costs $59.95. Order at http://www.tablift.com/.

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