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Poken is Touch and Connect Social Networking
Poken is a new Swiss startup that aims to simplify the way we go from real world interaction to online social networking friends. This week we reviewed DropCard which offers a way to stop collecting business cards and instead send the information through SMS. Poken also is interested with ending business card collection but in a different way.
When you signup for Poken, they send you a keychain fob which contains your social networking information. When you meet someone at a conference, event, mixer, etc and they also have a Poken fob, you tap the fobs together and instantly you are connected on the social networks where there is a match.
Since most people have only one social network they are attached to, is Poken really necessary? Apparently the Poken fob costs about $3 and the team is working on securing advertisers to “own” the Poken fob. For techies the idea seems more interesting and feasible. Also, enough people you meet and in your circle would need a Poken to make the system work. The first person you try to poke (?) and they have no fob, it’s done.
It seems like for this type of application to work, it has to connect to the devices we carry already. Poken has an API and perhaps they should be working to integrate their technology (including the fob) into mobile devices? Maybe it could replace the infared port on many mobiles and actually make it more useful. Overall I like the concept and see it as moving the business card conversation forward.
Paul Stamatiou has a good look at physical social networking. Poken is currently angel-funded and is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Here’s their quick pitch filmed by Corsin Camichel at the TechCrunch Zurich event last night:
Great post Allen. I definitely think there is going to be something within this space in the next 2-5 years but it’s going to come down to implementation. As several commenters pointed out on my article, having an extra keychain or fob to carry around is not the right answer. This is ideally suited as a mobile application.
Hi Paul,
It’s great that consumers and bloggers are starting to look into this space, so we can initiate a real discussion about how social networking fits with real-world networking. Your post, mentioned in Allen’s article, is a great start.
As you and others comment, carrying around a dedicated fob is only one answer to the question. Some people say it may be a lot easier as mobile phone app. As founder of Poken, of course I beg to differ. One simple example: USB memory sticks. For the past 10 years one could have achieved the same ends using a mobile phone: store files to your phone either with the a USB cable (on some phones) or via Bluetooth/Wifi. Then, beam them to someone else using Bluetooth, and let them download them back to their computer. You could even cut one step out by simply beaming them from your phone directly to their computer.
Well, the market has opted for carrying around an extra USB fob because it makes it so much simpler. The mobile phone is a great device for certain uses, but when it comes to replacing something that’s simple to achieve by other means, it’s not the answer, even if it means carrying around another fob. Compatibility, connectivity, parametrization, etc. all get in the way.
We’re very excited to be leading the way to a new means of connecting people. We fully agree that success will all come down to implementation: simple, natural gesture & usage, and cheap. Regarding getting to the masses, it’s also about being innovative in terms of distribution… Keep you eyes peeled!
I’m giving away free Pokens on my website Streamlined Mind for the end of the year, so if you want to have your own, you can enter the contest now.
Wow, I love poken. I saw them in action at the Twisterval in london during february and it was absolutely incredible seeing people network instantly between each other. I cant wait to see more of them around london, it is going to spread like wild fire.
Mark
For UK poken, check out http://www.ilovepoken.com.
Great!! I also love Poken and i also love the video. Awesome post and i just loved reading this. I must say by writing this you have really helped me a lot.
Poken is coming out in Australia towards the end of April. This website is the first one in Australia taking some pre-orders for them:
http://www.ozgadgets.com.au/fun-gadgets/poken
Have anyone heard of Hello My name is E?
They are very big in the Netherlands, and look much more professional than Poken!!!