Tech Tools: Ireland’s business leaders name their favourite gadgets

Robin Russell, chief commercial officer of IP Telecom

FireTV stick

Without a doubt the one gadget that I would single out is my FireTV stick. I have many. I even bought them for other family members I like them so much.

I use it on a daily basis for all my digital entertainment – while smart TV delivers some of the content and features that a FireTV does, it’s not transportable. I can take the FireTV stick anywhere, such as on long stays away for business or pleasure.

More and more business applications are becoming available on the FireTV stick, not just entertainment. When working from home, I can display the real-time calls stats from our support and sales call centres via my FireTV stick, giving me a constant view without having to log into a different system from my laptop when all I want is to glance at the information quickly.

Alan Hicks, Manna chief technology officer

ChatGPT

As the chief technology officer of a leading tech start-up, having robust tools for problem solving, innovation and system development is crucial. ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, stands out in this respect.

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Although it’s designed to generate human-like text, its real strength lies in its adaptability. It acts as a digital brainstorming partner, sparking fresh perspectives and nurturing unique ideas.

Crucially, it enhances our coding and system development processes. It suggests and predicts code, accelerating prototyping and problem solving.

ChatGPT empowers us with unprecedented research speed. It’s not a replacement for human ingenuity but, when used correctly, it turbocharges productivity.

Robert Finnegan, chief executive of Three Ireland and UK

An iPhone 14 Pro Max

My favourite tech tool, both in business and my personal life, would have to be my phone. In my role as chief executive of Three Ireland and Three UK, I spend a lot of time travelling between the two countries and my phone has everything I need to stay connected with family and work, no matter where I am.

I can also rely on my phone to do everyday important jobs such as airport check-ins, online banking and keeping an eye on news and current affairs. With the switch of an app, I can make sure everything is okay at home through cameras and our house alarm, which I have synched to my phone.

Of course, not only is my phone important for staying connected to family and work, but it also keeps me up to speed on what’s happening with all GAA scores when I’m away, especially my home county, Waterford.

Jim Joyce, chief executive of HealthBeacon

Jabra headset

My Jabra headset – it makes my voice punch through on video calls. I’m also obsessed with Bard by Google for my almost daily AI fix.

Apart from that, my new pill/medication drawer called the HB Wave, which only HealthBeacon employees have, is in beta testing. And also, my wife’s sparkling-water maker that transforms ordinary tap water.

Finally, my electric bike for my everyday office commute when in Dublin. I’m never stuck in traffic and I can’t be on my phone, which gives me head space.

Dr Dan Duffy, senior manager and digital health scientist at Amwell

Pomodoro timer

The pace of work in every job can ebb and flow, and my Pomodoro timer always makes an appearance when things start to ramp up.

The Pomodoro technique is an approach to work that forces you to break down complicated tasks into several manageable 25-minute chunks, separated by short breaks.

Breaking out my tomato-shaped timer when work is going crazy is ritualistic for me at this point and has reinforced the value to my mental health of taking some space for myself throughout the day in both busy and more relaxed times.

Pádraig Power, senior marketing manager, global operations and Ireland at Refurbed

Trifo Ollie-P Robot vacuum cleaner

The Trifo Ollie-P Robot is a vacuum cleaner with AI and a HD camera that connects with Alexa or your Google Assistant and can start/stop via voice command. It also connects to your smartphone so you can control it via an app and monitor cleaning, the camera and the battery level.

It makes cleaning easier and less time consuming. You can even name the rooms in your house and set up no-go zones, which is super handy if you work from home.

It maps your home, creates a cleaning route, and has an air freshener and detachable laser pointer – for those with pets. The camera also lets you listen to, talk to and record your pet from wherever; so, you don’t need to feel bad if you’re out for the day.

Garret Flower, chief executive of Wayleadr

ChatPDF

I constantly find myself inundated with a vast amount of information and documents. It often takes hours upon hours to sift through them all. This is where ChatPDF comes to the rescue, saving both myself and my team invaluable time that can be better spent on creative and strategic endeavours.

The tool operates seamlessly: just upload your pdf to ChatPDF, and the chatbot will answer my questions about the document inputted, offering insights to delve deeper and quicker into the file.

It’s a useful solution for anyone seeking quick and accurate answers from their pdfs. The efficiency gains make it a CEO favourite.