Me2, a new app that just went live on the App Store, allows users to transfer their contact information in a way that is sure to stir up some familiar (and perhaps not so fond) memories for any computer user over the age of 12. Using similar technology to the modems of yesteryear, the free application transfers data between two iPhones using a brief series of audible chirps. To send a contact, users simply push their phones together, select which contact they’d like to send, and wait for the 1-second burst of sound to transfer their information. It might be old school, but it’s very cool.
And while the technology involved may be relatively ancient, it’s also potentially more practical than some of the other solutions we’ve seen. Apps like FriendBook and Nameo use geolocation to figure out when two nearby phohnes are attempting to send information, and then relay it over the network. This works fine if you’ve got a full signal, but you might not be so lucky in the depths of a corporate office. Because Me2 doesn’t rely on GPS or the cellular network, it should work everywhere.
That said, this ‘beeping’ form of communication also has its issues. Because the phones literally have to ‘hear’ each other, you’ll need to position them so that their speakers and microphones are touching, which might be a bit awkward in a business environment. And while the screeching sounds of yore might have their charm, it would be nice if the apps used an inaudible frequency to transfer the data (which we’ve been told is possible).
Me2 is currently only advertised as working on the iPhone 3G (some reviews indicate that it won’t allow users to communicate to the first generation iPhone), but it’s likely that these issues could be remedied in future updates. The application is also only allows for one contact transfer at a time, though this too could probably be easily changed.
I’ve made no secret that I think business cards are a pain in the ass. Me2 probably won’t be the app to replace the paper cards once and for all (I suspect a wireless technology like Bluetooth would be more secure and less awkward), but it’s still a cool idea and is worth checking out if for nothing else than its novelty factor.
Last month we saw a similar modem technology employed by Electric Smoke, a virtual cigarette app that uses audio to communicate with Smule’s Sonic Lighter.
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Funny idea, but probably hard (or impossible) to use in any slightly loud setting. I prefer the simplicity of mydropcard.com.
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Super clever, I love it.
And I agree someone needs to kill business cards. The Palm Pilot was supposed to do that — remember transferring your “business card” via infrared port? But that never took off. Maybe this has a better chance.
Though the little iPhone speaker probably isn’t capable of inaudible tones (20k+ Mhz). Which is fine - personally I like the tone
This sounds like another fun idea, though fundamentally flawed.
As the CEO of beamME - the world’s most popular contact exchange app for the iPhone ( http://tinyurl.com/Get-BeamME ) I’m clearly a bit biased - but I believe in a different fundamental design philosophy for mobile social exchange:
1. The sender of a digital card must not need any knowledge of the recipient’s device
2. The recipient must not need to have special hardware, software or an account to receive a card
3. The solution must be device, social network and carrier independent
I’ve written about this topic on our beamME blog at blog.rmbrme.com - and happy to talk to anyone about it, if you’re interested.
Separately, if you’re heading to MacWorld this week, we’re running a fun contest giving away a trip to Hawaii just for using beamME. Check out the contest and rules+regs at http://rmbrme.com/m/macworld
-Gabe
AWFUL sorry but this is truly awful solution to the standard…
Apple need to allow people to beam VCARD’s via BLUETOOTH (sorry but look up the bluetooth history before that we had Ir beaming in palms… its good and has security and auto-negotiation built in apple has it but only for some reason uses it for bluetooth headsets…)
its a STANDARD every other phone works this way if your a iPhone user you are well living in the dark ages when it comes to this functionality…
apple could if they where smart simply add nice photo’s and formatting but… this is apple
wait until they catch up…
regards
John Jones
p.s. I have been thinking about doing my own app to achieve exactly this functionality but time restraints…
http://www.johnjones.me.uk
Why?
The business apps for iPhone are crap. All of them. Every single one.
They all require both parties to have an iPhone, which in my last 4 months of having an iPhone has happened to me once at a meeting.
Anyone heard of 2D barcodes?
The iPhone is useless as a business tool.
56k is awesome!
Great review. I think a lot of people are looking for an alternative to carrying, saving, entering and updating business cards.
Many of them are currently user our app, DubMeNow http://www.dubmenow.com.
Dub is different that any other contact exchange technology.
1. Dub automatically updates your mobile address book whenever a contact changes their info.
2. You don’t have to text a random number. Simply text or email the recipient of your info.
3. Dub exclusively synchs with CRM systems such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Siebel and SugarCRM.
4. Dub is only contact exchange app to partner with LinkedIn and will soon allow you to send LinkedIn invites along with your contact info (similar Facebook feature is coming in Feb).
5. Dub will be compatible on all mobile phones by the end of Jan
Happy Dubbing!
Chris Hopkinson
DubMeNow
chris@dubmenow.com
iPhone mating season?
LOL - Now with screaming 56K orgasm
Clearly there is a market for such an application though I don’t know if chirping sounds cut it any more. I’m an iPhone addict myself, although I was not aware at least a greater number of corporate users were iPhone addicts too? Surely the real solution does not lie in an iphone only application.
I released a competing product so I have some experience here. Unless you can be sure that everyone with an iPhone has the same data exchange app and it is simpler to use than exchanging paper businesscards none of these solutions are going anywhere.
As Peter Drucker said “For new technology to replace old, it has to have at least ten
times the benefit.”
Downloading an app, persuading people you don’t know to do the same, then holding iPhone together to connect is all just so much more cumbersome than simply handing over your card.
any idea when (and if) the app will be released in the UK?
I have used Dubmenow on blackberry. It just keeps crashing and the phone freezes all the time. So if you are trying that app, please be cautious.
John G - Please feel free to contact me directly for any support issues. We haven’t seen any similar issues on BlackBerry and would like to know what might be causing yours. Thanks.
chris@dubmenow.com
I am stunned that someone want to build or promote a dinosaur service like that.
All Nokia phones support business card transfer over SMS or bluetooth. I have countless times been asked for contact information where I was either close or distant. Most times I use SMS transfer and I never wanted anything else.
What COULD be an innovation though is if you gently tap two phones against each other, and that way trigger the business card transfer over Bluetooth. That system would remove the need to search for phones nearby and allow incoming messages etc. A technical step many users currently do not master.
From an implementation perspective, I would implement this using the motion sensor on the phones and use that to trigger a Bluetooth ID transmission. The user would have to double tap their phone against each other. The double tapping would allow each phone to measure the time between the taps. When the double tap is detected, the phones will send out their own business card along with the time between taps as measured by the phone. The receiving phone will then use compare that information with the time it measured itself. If the match is close enough, they know to read and store the business card.
Not only would this approach be new and innovative, I think it is intuitive and fun
The idea could be expanded to sharing all kinds of information between phones - triggered by the double tapping against each others phones.
I think the problem here is the Steve Jobs (aka god, master, secret love desire of all mac users) won’t yet let the iPhone catch up with the times, and allow the hardware on the iPhone to be fully utilized (if at all)
Worst “phone” I’ve ever used! That includes my old Philips Savvy
Best mobile web browser.
InfraRed contact beaming goes at least all the way back to Psion mobile organizers, way before the Palm Pilot. Even the original Newton had this, as well as devices running Magic Cap like the Sony MagicLink.