For years, we’ve been told that various technologies were going to render business cards obsolete. NFC-enabled smartphones, apps that let you bump two devices together even without NFC to exchange contact details, and plenty more have come and gone, and yet we still carry cards and hand them out when we need to exchange info.
Since business cards don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, one company has decided to give them a much-needed digital update instead of trying to kill them off.
Meet the SwivelCard.
In a nutshell, the SwivelCard is a business card with an in-built USB drive. The card stock is a thin cardboard that is about the thickness of three standard business cards, and it is designed to be folded in such a way that the USB drive portion of the card extends out so it can be plugged into a computer. We tested several samples and they worked exactly as advertised.
The image above shows us how the SwivelCard works.
Using the integrated storage, SwivelCard places a small file on each card that can be easily programmed to open any URL when it is clicked. This file can point to a website, a Dropbox folder or an online portfolio, among other things.
Here are some use cases listed on SwivelCard’s website:
- Photographers – Stand out at the next trade show by presenting unique portfolios without requiring a signup.
- Real estate agents – Post new properties to view each day on the SwivelCards you’ve distributed to your clients.
- Getting married? – Give a swivelCard to each guest and update it with photos and a personal note after the wedding.
- Salespeople – Include a presentation on your swivelCard. Tailor the cards differently for each prospective customer.
- Small Business Owners – Be the talk of your next networking meeting simply because of your premium business card.
Of note, the SwivelCard doesn’t have enough storage to hold large files such as photos or videos. Instead, it is designed to point users to the web.
Beyond the nifty design and integrated storage, there is another benefit to the SwivelCard. When people get back to the office after a long trade show, for example, they unload dozens of business cards that will likely never be looked at again. A SwivelCard will stand out among them, however, and curiosity alone will likely prompt exploration.
Now for the bad news: you cannot buy SwivelCards yet. The company behind them is planning a Kickstarter campaign that will launch on Wednesday, August 6th, at 2:00 p.m. EDT, and then initial orders are slated for delivery by the end of the year.
A video with more information can be seen below and SwivelCard’s website is linked down in the source section.
