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You're busy and you want to get stuff done. In fact, you want to change the world. Good for you. Yes, it's time for that next great idea, but the trouble is you keep getting distracted, right? It's a common entrepreneurial problem. Nailing the perfect working environment to keep you focused on the job in hand is key to being productive, so here WIRED has selected the ideal kit for any innovator's everyday workstation. That's about as much help as we can give you, sadly. Whether that forthcoming big idea falls into the category of the next Tetra Pak or Sugru is entirely up to you.
For serious creatives, perhaps the quickest way to increase productivity is to upgrade your PC to be as slick as possible. Step forward the sleek and powerful all-in-one iMac Pro, aimed squarely at the professional. Not only is it the fastest Mac to date with an 18-core Xeon W processor and up to 128GB of RAM, the cooling system had to be redesigned in order to cope with this bump in power - and it does so very well. On the back you get all the connections you could possibly need: a 3.5mm headphone jack, SDXC card slot, four full-size USB 3.0 ports, four Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports for 40Gbps data transfers and a 10Gb Ethernet. Those Thunderbolt ports can also be used to connect two 5K external displays at 60Hz or four 4K UHD displays at 60Hz. And when it comes to crystal clear video conferencing, keep in mind the Pro webcam has an array of four microphones to eliminate background noise and, as they are located at the top of the screen (rather than the bottom like previous iMacs), you get excellent noise cancelling, too. £4,900 apple.com
To increase concentration, these wireless Bowers & Wilkins PX headphones are the first pair of noise-cancelling headphones from the respected audio brand – and they perform brilliantly. Soaring soundscapes coupled with noise-cancelling nirvana courtesy of B&W’s own algorithm. The over-ear headphones use a 40mm full-range driver, which is based on technology developed for B&W’s high-end P9 Signature headphones. They also have, joy of joys, a USB-C connector. The UI is clever, too. Leave the PXs on your desk for a couple of minutes and they power down to a “low-power state”. Put them back on and the headphones start playing again without you having to do anything. Similarly, lift one of the earpads pauses the music. All this helps the PXs deliver a 22-hour battery life.
£330 bowers-wilkins.co.uk
Samsung replaced its an exceptional Note8 phablet with the S9+, with its 6.2-inch Quad HD AMOLED screen compared to the Note8's 6.3 inches. The stereo speakers tuned by AKG are a nod to the sound quality produced by the phone, as is the Dolby Atmos surround sound support. Furthermore, the S9+ retains the popular 3.5mm headphone jack, but where the major improvements have been done are on the cameras with a dual-lens setup on the back and the ability to shoot 4K at 60 frames per second, 1080p at 240 frames per second and 960 frames per second "Super Slo-Motion" video at 720p. Keep it topped up wirelessly – and stylishly – with Grovemade’s new Wireless Charging Pad. Made from cork and stainless steel, it supports Qi charging (so works with the new iPhones, too). £870 samsung.com; $79 grovemade.com
Not only will caffeine help you stay awake when you’re on deadline, a recent review of the scientific literature published in the British Medical Journal found that drinking three to four cups of black coffee a day may even provide health benefits (possibly down to the effects of antioxidants and antifibrotics, which prevent or slow damage to cells in the body). Perky Blenders is a small-batch roaster, sourcing beans mainly from farms in South America and Africa, hand-picked for quality and provenance. You’ll need to drink water with the java, as even mild dehydration can cause fatigue and mood swings. Ikea has a perfectly practical and minimally stylish one-litre option. From £6.50 perkyblenders.com; £4 ikea.com
These days, even your lamp can be smart. The Mi has four lighting profiles to suit your needs: Focus mode, Read mode, Computer mode and Child mode. You can set the temperature and brightness of the lamp via the accompanying app, and the light passes through a filter and a light-dimming chip to produce constant current to the LEDs, so flickering (which can cause eye fatigue) is significantly reduced. Desk plants have been shown to boost productivity, but the need to tend to them can be an unnecessary distraction. The smart choice, then, would be to select plants that don’t need any attention whatsoever. These air plants (including Tillandsia ionantha rubra and Tillandsia juncea) take most of their moisture requirements from the air, leaving you free from regular humdrum hydration obligations. €33 mi.com; £4 craftyplants.co.uk
Not every missive can be dashed off on an email. There are occasions – such as signing a contract – that deserve a written response. Kaweco has been manufacturing pens and pencils in Germany since 1883. In 1911, it created the Sport line of convenient, shorter hexagonal pens, and they rightly became a classic. The 40g Steel Sport fountain pen is casual and compact enough to be taken anywhere, yet sturdy and commanding enough to authorise the weightiest of legal documents. Of course, if you haven’t got 20:20 vision, it’s usually good practice to see what your signing. KITE makes stylish but business-like frames that are designed in London, handmade in Italy and then fitted with ZEISS prescription lenses. £80 kaweco-pen.com; from £150 kiteeyewear.com
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
