I'm not sure if this is redundant of other comments, but I am already getting things like this from companies I work with. One is a business card with a micro-usb tab that you flex/pop out then plug into your computer or whatever.
Actually, the problem with these is that if you only have a laptop, especially with the USB connectors pointed "up/down" (as mine does) you physically can't plug it in if the laptop is sitting on a table.
I'm going to agree with Adam and say that in small runs, this would be better suited towards resumés and portfolios. I love the idea, and it is unique (at least to someone who hasn't seen it before) and quite memorable.
A build-your-own thing could work here too... A stock USB drive with customizable shells would work great for budding designers or art-focused professionals. ArchiTechture, you might say...
Great idea, application could be a little more focused.
we used them in our company last year, not properly as individual business cards, but as company business cards, we gave them to potential clients and new accounts, and they went very well (I've seen many of those potential who've become clients still using them).
Also you could include interesting data like brochures that get automatically updated through the internet in them and you'll get a full marketing tool.
I remember correctly, most Cellphones today have mini USB slots already so we could use that.
I have to agree on your idea, it is awesome. Maybe as Smartphones like the Palm, Iphone and Andriod gets more mainstream it would easier to create transfer contact details but that would most likely be an App rather than a hardware. Although a USB Business Card that is readable/attachable/detectable by a cellphone it would be amazing and useful. Not sure if Quirky allows that though.
@om design: great post, sincerely. I am fascinated to read about the capabilities you mentioned and I believe you are on the right track with where an idea like this should go.
The circuitry and power source have come to be thin enough to allow you to have an enhanced business card that transmits standard v-card vis Bluetooth to another's receiver.
iPhone "bump" is something that everyone should have had a looong time ago. Transferring your digits to another is painstakingly stupid right now, and transferring from paper card to phone address book is a lame waste of time, not to mention unsustainable with all the printing chemicals and waste.
USB ain't bad, but I have yet to see a phone with USB slot, and the majority of contact aquisition occurs away from the computer.
I'd advocate a product design shift away from typical "done it before but this is better" mentality and actually change the paradigm. If Quirky is getting into electronics then it is a big jump, but a Bluetooth v-card transmitter sort of rides that in-between line because batteries and circuits can now actually be printed on thin plastic layers, AND a thin film speaker element is nearing consumer release in England, added to the spray-on photovoltaic tech... we got the makings of a very cool, easy production (spray and print processes) means to transfer information that would actually be of some social benefit.
Especially, if there is a capacitor and thermal or piezoelectric generator inside, then your activity level or a few twists and bends will generate enough power to push your contact info directly to the recipients phone.
I still can't fathom why every phone doesn't have a dedicated button that sends/receives contact info instantly. Stupid.
At any rate, if you need to keep USB form factor then please include an ultra low power reader, so that other USB cards can read and store the data from another card. e.g.: two people meet, they have USB cards, they place cards against each other and transfer occurs. OR a standalone powered thumb drive that can read/store info from other's USB cards.
I still like the Bluetooth, non-waste version though.
Nice idea that we could use this for wedding invitations and holiday cards and build a system/platform around it so that people can order these things whether for wedding invitations, Business Cards or other creative uses. :D
@Jeff,
any ideas on how else we could differentiate business cards cheaply ? aside from magnets and USB Flash Disk Business cards ?
@Andreas,
RFID chips are easy and cheap to make, it is just that the person receiving it may need a scanner of some sort. Maybe a cellphone app, but that is a bit hard to do :D
Now I'm not sure if they do this now, but I think it may be beneficial to have the info about the company/yourself/whatever put onto the flash drive while it is being manufactured so that when it's shipped to you, they're ready to go and you're not wasting time loading each one.
Also, this might be a nice base idea for like wedding invitations or holiday cards (may include save the date info, videos, exc.).
what about turning this into a different direction, add a RFID chip to the business card and we discuss in here the counterpart. Something you put the business card on and it turns the RFID information in valuable information for Outlook?
unfortunately i think most of these people are right that this has been done. a lot. besides, everyone these days has a 1/2 dozen usb drives hanging around them and adding yet another would be like adding yet another key to the keyring or another password to another website. if you want to differentiate yourself, make a business card that people will actually use as something other than a business card, rather than one that just gives 411. my fridge has several business card magnets holding up kids' photos.
Comments
I'm not sure if this is redundant of other comments, but I am already getting things like this from companies I work with. One is a business card with a micro-usb tab that you flex/pop out then plug into your computer or whatever.
Actually, the problem with these is that if you only have a laptop, especially with the USB connectors pointed "up/down" (as mine does) you physically can't plug it in if the laptop is sitting on a table.
I'm going to agree with Adam and say that in small runs, this would be better suited towards resumés and portfolios. I love the idea, and it is unique (at least to someone who hasn't seen it before) and quite memorable.
A build-your-own thing could work here too... A stock USB drive with customizable shells would work great for budding designers or art-focused professionals. ArchiTechture, you might say...
Great idea, application could be a little more focused.
we used them in our company last year, not properly as individual business cards, but as company business cards, we gave them to potential clients and new accounts, and they went very well (I've seen many of those potential who've become clients still using them).
Also you could include interesting data like brochures that get automatically updated through the internet in them and you'll get a full marketing tool.
Nice!
@Om design,
I remember correctly, most Cellphones today have mini USB slots already so we could use that.
I have to agree on your idea, it is awesome. Maybe as Smartphones like the Palm, Iphone and Andriod gets more mainstream it would easier to create transfer contact details but that would most likely be an App rather than a hardware. Although a USB Business Card that is readable/attachable/detectable by a cellphone it would be amazing and useful. Not sure if Quirky allows that though.
Cheers,
@om design: great post, sincerely. I am fascinated to read about the capabilities you mentioned and I believe you are on the right track with where an idea like this should go.
The circuitry and power source have come to be thin enough to allow you to have an enhanced business card that transmits standard v-card vis Bluetooth to another's receiver.
iPhone "bump" is something that everyone should have had a looong time ago. Transferring your digits to another is painstakingly stupid right now, and transferring from paper card to phone address book is a lame waste of time, not to mention unsustainable with all the printing chemicals and waste.
USB ain't bad, but I have yet to see a phone with USB slot, and the majority of contact aquisition occurs away from the computer.
I'd advocate a product design shift away from typical "done it before but this is better" mentality and actually change the paradigm. If Quirky is getting into electronics then it is a big jump, but a Bluetooth v-card transmitter sort of rides that in-between line because batteries and circuits can now actually be printed on thin plastic layers, AND a thin film speaker element is nearing consumer release in England, added to the spray-on photovoltaic tech... we got the makings of a very cool, easy production (spray and print processes) means to transfer information that would actually be of some social benefit.
Especially, if there is a capacitor and thermal or piezoelectric generator inside, then your activity level or a few twists and bends will generate enough power to push your contact info directly to the recipients phone.
I still can't fathom why every phone doesn't have a dedicated button that sends/receives contact info instantly. Stupid.
At any rate, if you need to keep USB form factor then please include an ultra low power reader, so that other USB cards can read and store the data from another card. e.g.: two people meet, they have USB cards, they place cards against each other and transfer occurs. OR a standalone powered thumb drive that can read/store info from other's USB cards.
I still like the Bluetooth, non-waste version though.
Good luck!
@Catherine,
Nice idea that we could use this for wedding invitations and holiday cards and build a system/platform around it so that people can order these things whether for wedding invitations, Business Cards or other creative uses. :D
@Jeff,
any ideas on how else we could differentiate business cards cheaply ? aside from magnets and USB Flash Disk Business cards ?
@Andreas,
RFID chips are easy and cheap to make, it is just that the person receiving it may need a scanner of some sort. Maybe a cellphone app, but that is a bit hard to do :D
Now I'm not sure if they do this now, but I think it may be beneficial to have the info about the company/yourself/whatever put onto the flash drive while it is being manufactured so that when it's shipped to you, they're ready to go and you're not wasting time loading each one.
Also, this might be a nice base idea for like wedding invitations or holiday cards (may include save the date info, videos, exc.).
what about turning this into a different direction, add a RFID chip to the business card and we discuss in here the counterpart. Something you put the business card on and it turns the RFID information in valuable information for Outlook?
unfortunately i think most of these people are right that this has been done. a lot. besides, everyone these days has a 1/2 dozen usb drives hanging around them and adding yet another would be like adding yet another key to the keyring or another password to another website. if you want to differentiate yourself, make a business card that people will actually use as something other than a business card, rather than one that just gives 411. my fridge has several business card magnets holding up kids' photos.
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