Poking

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A poke

A Poken is a gadget from the Swiss company Poken, which exchanges owner's contact details via short-range radio. In addition to data usually contained on business cards , a poke can also transmit links to profiles from various social networks .

concept

The Poken is designed as a key ring and can represent a small figure, sponsors, event or company name with a four-fingered hand. Inside the case of the hand there is a circuit board with a microcontroller , memory, USB connection, battery and a radio module. The figure is just a cover that covers the USB port. If two pokes are held together with the palms of the hands, the information stored on them can be transmitted via the radio module. The palms light up green to indicate the successful transfer.

Then the Poken is connected to a computer via USB, where the contact information can be read out. Only the serial numbers of the contacted Poken are stored on the Poken itself. All contact details must be entered on the manufacturer's website, where a link between the Poken's serial number and its owner is possible.

The Poken logs on to the computer as a USB mass storage device that contains an HTML file. When this file is opened, you will automatically be logged on to the manufacturer's website and the contacts collected will be transferred.

Pokens are used, for example, at trade fairs, conferences and other events.

history

Poken SA was founded in December 2007 in Lausanne, Switzerland by Stéphane Doutriaux. The founder came up with the idea while studying for an MBA at IMD , a business school in Lausanne. Originally “Poken: A gadget for social contacts” was an IMD project in cooperation with the Bern University of Applied Sciences . The project started in July 2008 and ended in December of the same year. The first line of products was called Spark and was launched in January 2009. Since the Poken Spark was first introduced, the company has expanded its product lines and services.

Poken has a network of partners and resellers in over 40 countries including South Africa , Great Britain , Japan , Germany , the United States and Australia .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Networking - Poken Website. In: www.poken.com. Retrieved June 14, 2016 .
  2. ↑ Analysis of data format and encryption of the Poken (blog post, English)
  3. ↑ Smart AV: Smart AV Announced as Exclusive UK Poken Partner. In: www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved June 14, 2016 .
  4. ↑ Poken strengthens US foothold. In: Go Beyond Early Stage Investing. November 20, 2014, accessed June 14, 2016 .
  5. ↑ Clients - Poken website. In: www.poken.com. Retrieved June 14, 2016 .

Web links