Behold – user-friendly gifts for the workaholic in your life
TECHNOLOGY has let us all put in longer hours and work harder. But even among the techenabled workers of the world, there’s another class of people – those who work like their lives depend on it, are always glued to their phones and never seem to punch out. Whether you’re looking to help these people work even smarter, want to make their time working more comfortable, or bring that same sort of focus to the downtime they allow themselves, we’ve collected a few suggestions that should please the workaholic in your life. • Note8
Samsung had to knock it out of the park with the Galaxy Note8, after the recall of the troubled (and explosion-prone) Note7. And they did a great job: The Note8 is not only safe but packs in a number of high-end features that make it the perfect smartphone for someone who is always on the go. The Note8 has a 6.3-inch screen that lets you multitask with multiple apps and even launch them in pairs in case you want your email and calendar to come up simultaneously. Other features such as the ability to take notes on the lockscreen, as well as great battery life and a built-in stylus make the Note8 a productivity powerhouse. It also boasts a pretty good camera, which lets you adjust the background blur post-shutter – making it a fairly forgiving phone with which to snap a shot.
Price: US$950 (RM3,990) and up • A smartwatch
Smartwatches aren’t for everyone. But they can be good for workaholics who can’t seem to set down their phones, because it essentially puts their phone on their wrist.
Smartwatches also carry other benefits such as fitness-tracking and sleep tracking to improve the “life” part of work-life balance. Which smartwatch is best for you?
Generally speaking, the watch you get should match your phone.
For the Android crowd, consider the LG Watch Sport, with a bold circular face and the ability to connect on its own to a cellular network. (That is, if you pay for a data plan.)
It will display notifications from your phone, so you’ll know whether that buzz is an urgent missive from your boss or a message that can wait until after dinner. It can be a bit large on the wrist, with a 1.38-inch display, and (as is true of many smartwatches) will need to be charged at the end of the day. Those with an iPhone will get the most out of the new Apple Watch Series 3; it is the first Apple Watch to have its own cell connection.
Price: LG Watch Sport, US$254 (RM1,067); Apple Watch Series 3, US$329 (RM1,382) • Levit8
Could the workaholics in the house please stand up? No, but seriously: Stand up, because sitting all day isn’t particularly good for you. And your hips will probably thank you. Levit8 makes it possible to take a standing desk with you, with a fabric-covered computer stand that folds flat into a large bag.
While you can’t adjust the height as you would on an actual mechanised standing desk, this portable stand comes in multiple sizes to accommodate the tall and the small. It’s handy to take with you if you’re working for the day at a coffee shop, to stand at your current desk, or even as a good laptop stand for (gasp!) sitting on the couch and working.
The extra height makes working all the time more comfortable, and your eyes, neck and back will thank you. The attractive fabric covering will wipe clean with a wet cloth and has a pop of colour inside – a subtle hint that maybe you’re not ALL work, after all.
Price: From US$22.93 (RM96.30) — Washington Post