SwivelCard uses regular paper and has a USB drive embedded | Hacker News Reader

SwivelCard uses regular paper and has a USB drive embedded

swivelcard.info

14 points5toclose53 comments

These guys need to re-record this video several times until it's not painfully obvious that he's reading off a script. There's no emotion in his delivery at all; he sounds super bored.

This also seems like a solution desperately looking for a problem to solve.

he sounds super bored? he sounds really enthusiastic / passionate about his product to me.

it's surprising to me how different perceptions of how people express themselves can be.

"Are there privacy issues since the cards use analytics and tracking? No, swivelCard uses the same sort of analytics and tracking that you would encounter with virtually any website."

I would replace that "No" by a "Yes". Also, educate me: does "virtually any website" do tracking?

It's like saying that there are no privacy issues with me listening to your phone call because the NSA is already listening. Yes, there are privacy issues, which is why Adblock and Ghostery exist.

> Also, educate me: does "virtually any website" do tracking?

Yes. All web hosting comes with web stats as part of the standard service. Web servers come with logging enabled by default. To have a website with no tracking of its traffic, you'd have to build your own server/instance, and edit the web server software configuration to disable the logging.

Third-party tracking like Google Analytics also has more than 50% penetration on the top 100K websites. More sites than not are not only tracking you themselves, but sending every visit to third parties.

I thought tracking wasn't logging ("we remember what you look at") per se, but "we remember where you are whenever you use our stuff", but I agree, the difference isn't that larg for desktop use, given that most web servers log IP addresses.

I also reread the web site, and couldn't find a privacy statement. I think there should be one, and hope the product will come with one.

It all depends how you program the chip. If you didn't want to link to a website from the intelliPaper device, I'm sure you could load it with static content. I think it is a fair assessment that it is the same tracking as what could be applied to any web link, including a QR code.

K2h,

Kevin from intelliPaper here.

You bring up some good assumptions.

SwivelCard does not allow the content of the chip to be changed. It is read only, linking to a customer specified online experience.

Customized and personalized static content is offered on other intelliPaper products.

Question for you: How valuable would it be if I could coax the USB chip to act as a HID/keyboard, instead of a mass storage device? It could then hotkey into the browser, type a url, and simplify the customer experience even further...

I like the vision, but confused on what you're actually selling. After reading the FAQs, I was expecting a card that has physical memory and a foldable USB connector, but it seems this an NFC tag implementation that invokes a URL and is "designed for a connected experience". You're referring to this as 'unlimited storage' and 'wireless' technology.

I'm not interested in NFC tags.. I want ephemeral USB cards with physical memory. Analytics is important, but secondary in this form.

tzm,

Kevin from intelliPaper here.

NFC tags are not on all models - so I think we got you covered if you don't want NFC.

I'm curious what use-case you see. I can probably get you what you're looking for.

We have plans to extend the firmware, and I'd love to see a self-destructing chip - or lock the content to only a few uses.

I have been following intelliPaper [1] for a few years now ever ever since a close friend quit his job to go hack on this full time with a small team bringing the technology to market with manufacturing in the USA. It really is a cool story about what goes into the product they have today [2] and some of the challenges the company has gone through to get where they are, including having to survive a flood in manufacturing! [3]. For all those of you that work in manufacturing you know first hand the challenges that goes into ramping up production to more than 500,000 units a month [4]. Drop a quick note to the CEO Andrew DePaula and give him support[5], little words of encouragement mean alot to all of us pursuing our passion - and these guys are! I wish intelliPaper the best.

Update: There is little publicly available information about what is inside intellipaper. There is a small note from cypress [6] that enCoRe V USB microcontroller might be used. They should bring out an additional contact and make the 10-bit ADC accessible! I'd put a little DMM app in my business card, or add a long wire and do a SDR radio. now that would be cool.

[1] https://www.intellipaper.info/

[2] https://www.intellipaper.info/technology/

[3] http://www.krem.com/news/Edwall-businesses-clean-up--2460786...

[4] http://www.spokanejournal.com/local-news/intellipaper-ramps-...

[5] https://twitter.com/intelliPaper

[6] http://www.cypress.com/?rID=94593

Great product but I'd love for you to talk more about the product and less about the world of information, without piano music. There are way too many Steve Jobs keynotes on kickstarter and it's a terrible cliche.

I like the concept, but posting this type of video on Hacker news is going to question the core technology vs the pitch. The way it is demonstrated makes it seem as if the card itself has flash memory, and has a wireless receiver. So basically from what I can devise. Each card has a unique code that basically accesses cloud storage that logs your ip address and location on use, that is understandable (or is it just a site redirect). But, I am a little confused by the core technology of your supposed wireless feature, what am I missing here?

OK I see you indicated it is using NFC. But all the iPhone models from what I know of don't even have NFC, let alone instant response from their proximity.

Corrected myself yet again, it seems you are not using a iPhone in the demo. I haven't ever used a Android with NFC before, does it really react instantly when certain proximity with a NFC chip as shown?

Yes

Doesn't keeping that "sniffing" make the system fundamentally insecure. Considering someone could bring a NFC chip nearby your device that redirects to a url extension that pulls a malicious script?

Cix, it is possible, but keep in mind in order for the NFC to transmit you literally have to be on top of the device and positioned just right. NFC is the most secure and convenient way to transmit information without an application. A good example of NFC in real world point-of-sale applications is Mastercard/Visa Paypass solutions.

Alright well, good luck guys. Hacker news guys are going to rip you apart even if it's a good idea, the general public may find a greater use for this. That being said I would create a more approachable video for Kickstarter, like the ones used in "Solar Fricken' Roadways" and "Coin". Basically the video will sell it more than anything else.

Yes, Android has a service that's always listening for NFC and can pass it off to an app... if NFC is enabled. On my phone it was disabled by default.

Also what type of cost will be associated with these type of NFC chips, I can't assume a mass production of these would be inexpensive with those chips. Wouldn't just keeping the USB with the printed metallic ink and a QR code be more economical for mass production? Or will you have two separate models perhaps?

I've seen NFC stickers retail for around $0.50 each.

Kevin from intelliPaper here.

We offer two separate formats of SwivelCard.

NFC is a really good fit for some markets, and other markets don't have the adoption. By including NFC as a premium option, we can reduce the cost of just the USB experience and offer it for less.

Intriguing product. Where can I get a sample?

Given that at the end of the day even their USB link is basically a unique code that goes to a website -- thus you can change the content whenever you want -- I don't see why this couldn't be done with a $0.05 NFC sticker and a QR code?

Why the USB part?

bravo22,

Kevin from intelliPaper here.

GREAT point. (and if you have a link the 5 cent NFC tags, I'd love to see it...)

"Why the USB part?"

Because it is ubiquitous, and easy to use.

While there are aspects of what SwivelCard offers that does do not rely on USB - Consider if an audience does not have a QR or NFC reader. Sure, you can print a unique URL on the artwork and encourage them to type it in...

Conversations will increase in value if there are easy ways of extending them in a meaningful way. This is what SwivelCard is about.

For a person looking to extend a valuable conversation, the ROI on SwivelCard is very high.

Here is one for NFC: http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/nfc-tags-and-labels_60...

Your website is broken on my nexus 4. Parts of the content are overlapping and the video is half covered.

Edit: Not to mention the top menu taking up a load of screen space.

It seems to be using a responsive site with issues of a overlay. The logo is also not flush with the mobile header. Should use a PNG logo with a transparent background, using a white background for your logo is causing that.

There probably was some point at which technologists still exchanged physical business cards but wanted people to access their digital content, but I get the sense that the physical card is decidedly on the way out, in favor of people directly connecting on Twitter or Github. It seems like, at least in the tech sector, the period when this would have been useful is already over.

Apendleton-

Kevin from intelliPaper here.

SwivelCard has bee a very good fit for many of our customers. One use has been to focus conversations.

Consider a situation where you manage a portfolio that is constantly changing, and you want to draw attention to aspects of it and personalize your pitch to a client. How cool would it be to have a face-to-face conversation focusing on real issues, and end with

"I've made a few notes. Use this SwivelCard to access them. They are secure and only you have access to this information." No, I don't need your email address - and there is no account to create or manage."

But you can already do that with a USB stick? It's not like they're expensive.

jahewson, I can carry 50 swivelCard with me to a networking event. I'd need a bag to do the same with a USB. Even if I had the plastic credit card versions of the same.

Beyond carrying them around, my swivelCard has access to every discount offered by the USPS for bulkrate and EDDM campaigns.

> Consider a situation where you manage a portfolio that is constantly changing, and you want to draw attention to aspects of it and personalize your pitch to a client.

Handing out 50 cards at a networking event isn't a personalized pitch, you've not really backed up your argument. Not sure what USPS has to do with that discussion either, I hope you're not advocating sending these as junk mail, we have enough waste as it is, are they recyclable?

apendleton, interesting thought. I'm on the marketing and sales team for swivelCard. I wanted to share with you my experience in the field of technology. I previously worked for a technology solution company. Their solution is a 100% greenification to very LARGE events & trade shows. The platform offered every exhibitor to trade & distribute information digitally. My last event with them was 14 months ago. My number one take-away was, even with the most advanced technology available people still use business cards.

Beyond that, I attend an average of three networking meeting a month that typically have 100+ professionals in attendance all of which use business cards.

I'll agree with you partially, standard physical cards might be on the way out. However, I personally believe they will be replaced with a technology that carry a little more value.

This idea would have been more intriguing 5-10 years ago when people were more used to plugging stuff in and out and cloud based services weren't so ubiquitous. It appears that they took a long time to develop the USB part and missed the boat on that. Even the card's NFC chip, which seems to have been an afterthought in development for this product, is a more compelling feature that its main selling point.

I simply don't see this product's utility as a business card. If I want to get in touch with someone after receiving their business card, the only information I need from that business card is their email address; I'm not going to plug in a USB device just to get that email address. If I want to save all the info on the card, Evernote is already better and simpler at solving that problem.

The only people I can see this possibly being useful to are photographers for sharing their portfolio, but, again, it would have been a lot more useful for that purpose 5-10 years ago.

saroshk, great points. However, I feel you don't understand our solution completely. First off, their is an inherent need for print-to-web solutions. This has been an obvious demand with technologies such as augmented reality, quick response codes and near field communication. This demand has been created mostly by marketers. The advancements in the algorithms that effect both Search Engine Optimization and Email is making marketing online a difficult thing.

This has created a push back over to direct marketing and self-promotion.

Our swivelCard platform isn't a solution for a USB drive. If that was the case, I'd agree completely with your comment. Our swivelCard platform is closing the gap on print-to-web compatibility issues. Globally only 1 in 5 people own a smart phone. Things like QR, NFC, AR, Evernote only provide a solution for a very small part of the problem. USB "PORTS" on the other hand are in abundance. This fact makes swivelCard the most universal solution for anyone looking to reach a large audience/demographic with a print-to-web solution.

I also wanted to touch on your point regarding "getting an email address". I agree, I doubt anyone would plug in a swivelCard to get someones email. To be honest, swivelCard makes an email address a moot point. I can take one swivelCard and assign it to you and give you direct access to my laptop via a screen share. Or I can take one swivelCard, attach it to a dropbox shared folder and share information with you that way. Yes, we could do that via an email, but I'm sure you and I both can agree in the world of sales (business) some people don't share their personal information (email).

You also mentioned "cloud based services". The idea behind cloud based platforms is to keep people connected to an experience. Almost all cloud based platforms can be shared through a simple URL. swivelCard lets you exploit this feature by simply copying and pasting that URL into any point of communication on the card. Meaning, I can take 200 swivelCards and attach them to 200 separate dropbox folders.

You are correct in regard to some of our existing customers like photographers and videographers. And they do use it to share their portfolios, but the more interesting use-case you haven't imagined. A photographer can actually use swivelCard as a cross-sell. Instead of including a CD with digital versions of client photos they can sell their personal business cards as a part of the photo packages.

When you stop thinking of swivelCard as a thumb drive and start thinking about what it really is, you'll understand it has limitless potential for sharing digital/cloud based solutions that are accessible by everyone.

They lost me in the video at "We patented the technology ..." closingtab

Many companies have policies disallowing any foreign USB-Sticks. This diminishes the value of this concept in a professional environment significantly.

Particularly the software people and generally tech-savvy crowd are hesitant to stick foreign devices into their computers, and for good reasons.

Not sure how analytics could work/changing drive remotely without the user needing to install something. Doesn't sound overly safe/practical.. Unless it requires a network connection (ie the USB just holds a shortcut to a page on the swivelCard site).. Which sounds crap.

Interesting concept, and probably really useful for people on the go.

I'm guessing you're doing the web redirection to the site of your client, or is this incorrect?

If you are doing the redirection, I'm curious why you decided to not also include a QR code?

Yes, there is a backend interface that allows the card owner to direct each individual card to any webpage they want. We do include QR code (printed on the back of the cards) and NFC inside.

If someone sticks it in their USB port, what do they see? A URL shortcut file they need to click on? Or some kind of fancy executable software?

borpik -

Kevin from intelliPaper here.

On SwivelCard the drive drive shows up labeled 'iPaper' and presents a file named 'Double-click to launch.html'

Once loaded, the browser redirects to your selected landing page.

If connectivity is not detected, a message indicates internet was not detected, and prompts to reload the page.

It seems like these are meant for mass distribution.

If I got one and wanted to dispose of it, would I throw it in the trash, the recycling or would I need to dispose of it as e-Waste?

Moo.com already have nfc business cards. And I really don't see the USB part being remotely useful.

As far as I can tell those are still "coming soon" and not actually available.

This will sound overly negative, but I'm asking from an old-fashioned perspective...but why is this easier/better than just printing a URL on a card...in that situation, the card-giver also has the ability to update the content on that destination. Or, why can't the technology be as simple as a read/write stick?

The product seems to envision an idea of a "connected experience" not yet deliverable via a website...but what is that, exactly? The intention is that the card-receiver is going to keep inserting this USB stick to check out if the card-giver has updated the portfolio? If the impression/conversion hasn't been made at first insertion of the USB stick, not sure how this card would be any less discardable than a typical business card...

Also, what are the dependencies...if SwivelCard's cloud service goes down, does that hamper the experience of the end-user?

The IntelliPaper tech seems very cool, but business cards don't seem like a lucrative form for it.

From their technology page - one reason is the ability to have content on the device (local memory) even when offline. useful for serving up a resume, tutorial, guide or other content without an internet connection being required.

The current implementation (Q1, 2013) uses a FAT16 filesystem and has limited storage suitable for distributing a few files or web pages. From the user’s perspective, files on an intelliPaper device can be browsed and/or viewed just as they are on any other USB drive. Larger capacities in the 8-32 megabyte range are expected to become available mid 2013.[1]

[1] https://www.intellipaper.info/technology/

Danso -

Kevin from intelliPaper here.

We appreciate the honest perspective.

I'm always looking for ideas - what comes to mind for lucrative forms of intelliPaper? (If you don't mind sharing...)

I'll jump around a bit here...

USB offers a familiar experience for accessing data. Many markets respond very well to this experience.

In our other products you can specific the digital content of the usb chip - and if you don't want to link to the intelliPaper servers for redirection (or even do something else entirely) we have a well-versed team to assist you. The SwivelCard product-line offers simplified features for mass production and adoption and doesn't offer these extended options.

Read/write is coming to intelliPaper - and we're exploring that impact on SwivelCard. We're not there yet. One concern I have is that if YOU can overwrite your own card before distributing it, should the person you give it to be able to do the same? I'd like to think you would be able to control that. We're currently refining the firmware, and exploring what methods work best for the average users to connect to the card to write to it without folding it. We'll likely come up with a small helper socket to assist in physical connection for reprogramming, but this is not refined yet.

Yes. Hosted/online services can, and do, go down. If the cloud goes down, SwivelCard is offline. While not ideal, most online services experience this problem and we've taken steps to reduce this happening. We're willing to embrace this because of the flexibility it affords the product. Given that static content can be obsolete fast - we're willing to work with the cloud because of the flexibility it provides.

Yeah, I'm totally sticking this piece of shit in my USB port.

pmf,

No doubt some people will just simply refuse to adopt certain technologies.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com