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November 12, 2018 FOCUS: Retail

Holiday gifts for the C-suite executive

Photos | Contributed Pockettalk, $249, www.pocketalk.net
Wivv Custom Insoles, $99, www.wiivv.com
Jabra wireless earbuds, $169.99, www.jabra.com
Wacaco Nanopresso, $64.90, www.wacaco.com/pages/nanopresso
By Keith Griffin Special to the Hartford Business Journal

The holidays are fast approaching and with them comes the pressure of buying the perfect presents for the C-level executives in your life. You want the gifts to be distinctive, but it doesn't hurt if there is a touch of practicality to them.

Here are our top five suggestions we think will go over well.

Translator in your pocket

Know an executive who travels a lot to foreign countries? Or maybe likes being able to speak with speakers of other languages? Then Pockettalk is an ideal gift.

It is a portable artificial intelligence-powered instant voice translation device, which allows users to communicate in full, two-way conversations using 74 different languages.

The unit bundles a bunch of different online services — Google Translate, Baidu and others — into a single unit and then presents the results in text, along with speech.

It works best with common phrases. You may not be able to conduct complex business negotiations with it, but you're going to find your way through a restaurant or tourist destination with ease.

Pockettalk has eight hours of power, and up to 10 days of standby mode. You can buy one with either a built-in data plan that is good for two years internationally, or one that works off Wi-Fi or a personal hotspot.

Prices start at $249. Order online at www.pocketalk.net.

Wivv Custom Insoles

Initially, the thought of custom insoles may bring to mind those horrible socks and/or underwear gifts you received as a child from that “beloved” aunt in Poughkeepsie. These insoles, though, are a high-tech alternative for the top executive constantly on the go.

Wivv Custom Insoles uses 3D printing to create insoles that are customized to your arches. Basically, you download the Wivv app and then take photos of your feet. You need either a selfie stick or an understanding friend to accomplish this best it seems.

The company says 80 percent of people suffer from foot pain and that its custom insoles can help with problems like flat feet and high arches among other issues. So why not make your boss' day with more comfortable shoes?

The custom insoles cost $99. Wiivv also offers 3D-printed sandals that are available for $129. More information is available at www.wiivv.com.

Jabra wireless earbuds

There's a lot of noise out there (pun partially intended) when it comes to wireless earbuds. Jabra wireless earbuds are considered among the best, according to independent testers.

The Elite 65t and Elite Active 65t, the company's third generation of true wireless earbuds, have up to 15 hours of battery life. The earbuds have a distinct focus on the voice experience, delivering greater audio quality for calls and music without wires. The products come in two versions: one for daily on-the-go use and an “active'” version, made for exercising.

One of the best features is the ability to filter in outside noise. Sure, the concept is usually to cancel outside distractions, but that can be a safety issue when exercising outdoors. Jabra's earbuds have a feature called hear through. With just the touch of a button, you can be more aware of your surroundings with hear through, which conveniently filters in the sounds that surround you.

Another interesting feature with the Elite 65t is voice support for all major voice services, including Amazon Alexa on-the-go.

Pricing starts at $169.99. More information is available at www.jabra.com.

Wacaco Nanopresso

At first glance, the Wacaco Nanopresso might seem like something that can't possibly work, but it does. It's a device small enough to fit in a desk drawer, briefcase or a backpack that brews hand-pumped espresso.

Why go through all the fuss of a desktop espresso maker when this is so much simpler? You just need some hot water, a little hand strength, and the right coffee beans and you're on your way to a shot of Espresso. The Nanopresso even comes with its own Espresso cup.

One piece of good news is you can buy an adaptor so it will work with those ubiquitous coffee pods, which saves you the trouble of traveling with messy beans.

The Nanopresso is about six inches long and weighs less than a pound.

You can find more information at www.wacaco.com/pages/nanopresso. Prices start at $64.90.

Give them beer

As reported by the Hartford Business Journal recently, craft beers are huge. There are 82 breweries in Connecticut alone. The state's massive production growth in recent years ranks among the top 10 nationally, morphing our brewery sector into a $745.7 million industry in 2017.

So, the odds are good the boss likes a good IPA. But which one to choose? GetThemBeer.com solves that dilemma for you with its “Best IPA Beer Gift Basket.” The website packages up a dozen top-rated IPAs as determined by research it does on the top craft beer ranking websites.

Don't be skeptical. Shipping beer works well with no loss of flavor or carbonation.

The gift package costs $79.99 and includes a coaster, beverage holder, stainless steel bottle opener and a gift card with your personal message. Your boss a big beer drinker? A 24-pack is available for $129.99. More information is available at www.givethembeer.com.

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