Contxts is an SMS business card

[Thrax]

Contxts is an SMS business card (http://icrontic.com/ticker/contxts-is-an-sms-business-card)

[CB]

and I suppose I should get little cards made with my contxts username on them?

I fail to see how this is real-world useful.

[QCH]

CB, forget your business card because you're in your speedo on a beach...

Now you can "network" with that CEO of a boardgame company with just your user name for him to find out all the info... ;)

[Thrax]

There are times where people have requested a business card from me, and I don't have one. People Brian and I network with for Icrontic always have their smartphones and often prefer electronic communication to a piece of paper.

Perhaps you're in a place where you can't carry business cards.

Perhaps you actually work with people who are actually phone/internet savvy.

I can think of a dozen reasons why this would be useful, and where I could have used this in my own life.

[QCH]

Or my example :D

[NiGHTS]

More for the internet-media/tech savvy crowd - I can't really see "traditional" business using this for any advantage over the tried and true physical card.

[CB]

I guess I'm just picturing someone telling another person to text their username to a certain number, and having to go through the rigamarole of explaining why they're doing it, then maybe spelling the username for them. I don't know... It feels like it would be awkward unless you got in early and got a good, easy username.

When you hand somene a card, you never have to explain anything

I agree that it would be a good thing to have if you are in a situation when you don't have your cards with you, but I don't think it would be wise to allow this service to replace your cards.

I mean, I can also think of a few times when this would have come in handy, but, frankly, remembering my card-box that day would have come in even handier.

Also: Text-msgs are less permanent. Most people don't/can't keep every text message they ever get, and they are not easily searchable.


Also Also: If this ever got so well-known that people start asking each other "Hey what's your Contxts name?" Then it will be very useful.

[NiGHTS]

"I don't have my business card on me, but if you text 'dkenkel' to _____ you'll have an electronic version of it for the time being while I follow up with you at a later date."

...I'm not sure I see how that'd be tedious by any means.

[CB]

"I don't have my business card on me, but if you text 'dkenkel' to _____ you'll have an electronic version of it for the time being while I follow up with you at a later date."

...I'm not sure I see how that'd be tedious by any means.

You're making my point for me. A card is still better, and you're only using the service because you forgot your cards (Which I admitted is a good use for it).

[NiGHTS]

Well sure, after editing your post.

[CB]

Also: Once you sign up, it gives you a bit more information.

If you txt someone's number to the service from your phone, then it'll automagically txt your info to that number. Now that sounds useful.

[Thrax]

Or you could read the "about" page which tells you the same thing...

[CB]

Indeed. I didn't because the front page explained it so clearly that I thought that's all there was to the service.

However, I just tested it, and it doesn't seem to work...

[Thrax]

Seth and I exchanged contxts this morning (both sending it to the other person and retrieving the other's info).

[CB]

When I send a phone number to them I get a txt back "We don't understand your request". It is still in Alpha testing however, so I'll try again later.

[Thrax]

Did you type: "send ##########" or simply "##########"