A study previously found that 52 per cent of UK bosses hire fancy cars in an attempt to impress clients and win business deals. This spiked to 67 per cent in London.
And looking at the impact of gadgets on leaders, when the Apple Watch launched in 2015, Real Business spoke to a handful of company owners and heard varied feedback on how the device would be welcomed.
I think the Apple Watch is an amazing product and I am really keen to buy one. I am not sure how beneficial it will be to my business though,” said Gemma Guise, the founder of Journolink which was named in our Everline Future 50 2016.
In January 2016, the Apple Watch was dubbed more desirable than Rolex on the list of the worlds top luxurious brands.
The news coincided with the release of Apples fiscal Q1, its biggest quarter ever, which CEO Tim Cook said was thanks to the worlds most innovative products and all-time record sales of iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV.
So taking Apple out of the equation, weve rounded up the hottest gizmos on the market, which every high-flying business leader should take a look at even if they won’t necessarily amount to return on investment.
(1) Samsung Gear VR / Galaxy S7
Apples arch-enemy Samsung revealed its Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February, which come with respective 5.1-inch and 5.5-inch screen sizes.
The devices include dual pixel camera, resistance to water and dust, wireless charging and an SD card slot that can support up to 200GB of extra storage ideal for the clumsy, photography-loving leader with plenty of files to stash.
A key factor of the MWC presentation focused on virtual reality (VR). It saw Mark Zuckerberg make an appearance while audience members were concealed with Gear VR headsets, which the Facebook boss was only too happy to promote given his Oculus outfit powers the headsets.
They can plunge users into games, videos and photos, and thats just for starters. The device works in conjunction with a handful of Samsung devices, the newest of which is the S7. Weve explained why VR will become a huge platform this year, one that companies shouldnt ignore.
Price: Gear VR RRP 80 / Galaxy S7 RRP 569 / S7 Edge RRP 639
The gadget so popular it’s been banned
(2) Uniwheel
Public transport is costly and smelly. In fact, a study revealed that London has the most expensive and dirtiest transport operation in the world take pity on us, especially as summer approaches. Hotshot leaders across the country will be only pleased to know that there is a solution and it’s not cycling or running.
Youngsters on hoverboards have fast become a common sight, but bosses can now get involved with the balancing act with the Uniwheel.
Billed as a new form of travel that allows you to enhance your everyday life , the Uniwheel allows users to ride at up to 22km/h for a distance of up to 15km before a new charge, which takes just 90 minutes to replenish the battery, is required.
The initial run of the Uniwheel has been introduced in a limited edition capacity with just 99 available for pre-order.
Price:?RRP 990
Continue reading on the next page for the three remaining gadgets to check out, including a device that can extend your life by ten years.
(3) Z-Track / Z-Zap
Wrist-based wearables are arguably the most common type of device in that particular bracket, aided by smartwatches from the likes of Apple and fitness trackers such as Fitbit.
However, MvBii Ventures is out to make its mark on the wearable scene with the Z-Track and Z-Zap device, which embrace the idea of a balanced lifestyle instead of just detecting activity.
The company actually claims forty-somethings can add ten years to their life expectancy, having worked with the David Hewson, professor of health and ageing at the University of Bedfordshire. The findings said that strategic activity and rest throughout the day is better than activity alone, while the devices arent just for weekend gym warriors .
The lifestyle trackers connect to Android and iOS apps.
Price: Z-Track RRP 44.99 / Z-Zap RRP 37.99
Read more on living the Business Class lifestyle:
- Ryanair glides into private jet space to cater to corporate high fliers
- Supercars: The adrenaline-fuelled investment method with rapid returns
- Celebrity chefs recruited by luxury leisure firm Belmond for exclusive 500 dinners
(4) X-2 Sport
The yin to MvBiis yang, Supermarinovations X-2 Sport underwater jetpack is all about activity. In fact, users are challenged by the company to unleash their inner superhero.
Propelling thrill-seekers along at speeds of up to 6mph, users will coast through waters faster than an Olympic swimmer, while there will be less need for scuba gear now that explorations can be completed at a much faster rate.
The X-2 Sport will run for an hour on a single charge and it has been in development for three years, but 2016 has seen the business secure funding and begin sale of the goods. Just imagine cruising through the waters with an X-2 on the tropical paradise that is Thanda Island.
Price: RRP 1,400
The serial entrepreneur who’s partied with Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Mansion
(5) EHang 184
If the Uniwheel on the previous page doesnt do it for you then perhaps the EHang 184 will. While it may never reach the mass market, the human-sized drone can carry one passenger at speeds of up to 60mph.
Dubbed an autonomous aerial vehicle, it’s built as an eco-friendly solution for transport over short distances its flight time is just 23 minutes, so dont get any ideas about a crafty business trip for one to Las Vegas.
The 184 takes up to four hours to charge and weighs just 200kg, while it comes equipped with WiFi and air conditioning for those moments when you need to send company emails on the move at the height of summer.
Regulations would make it tricky to procure one of the flight machines, but who knows whats possible with the right positive mental attitude (and bribery).
Its been suggested the company only created the 184 as a means of drawing attention to its Ghostdrone 2.0, which ticks all of the usual drone boxes such as video and photo capture rather than private transport. Still, think of all of the spying you can do on staff with one of the Ghosts.
Price: EHang 184 RRP 150-200,000 / Ghostdrone 2.0 RRP 420
Its possible you may have a gadget in your possession already MasterCard has signed up to power payments on high-end timepieces from the likes of Hublot and Bulgari.
