We live in a digitized world. In fact, digital data is so cheap and easily accessible these days, how much do we even use paper anymore? Sure, we jot down a grocery list or sign a document here and there. But when it comes to storing and keeping information, it’s all in the computer; the cloud, the brain. The business card is humbly surviving, well barely. There’s still something truly professional about handing a colleague that little piece of paper with all your essentials on it. But how many times have you been handed a business card to only end up home starting at, realizing there is no reason to keep it? That’s not your fault! Its understandable! It takes up room, it’s wasteful, and you may never need to call or email that person. However, if it were a Google+ person friending you, I bet you’d have no quarrels with having their information stored in the infinite abyss.

Paper is its own barrier from accessing and utilizing the information contained on it. But it didn't ask to be so insufficient. Blame it on the day and age. Card alternatives have already been invented, such as QR code cards for quick scanning, and business card transcription services like CardMunch. SwivelCard is an entirely new way to not only present a business card, but to encourage that passersby to hold onto it. The transforming business card doubles as a USB drive when you fold it a certain way. You heard me, USBs do not in fact have to be bulky plastic devices. Called “a smart business card”, SwivelCard is the result of a patented technique allowing ordinary paper to work like an ordinary USB, and with all the same components built in.

The company’s Kickstarter campaign has already surpassed its $10,000 funding goal four-fold. Whether your prospective client is for photography, law, or your own home-business, it’s pretty obvious that the best way to persuade an audience is to give them something tangible (without stopping them in their tracks for a 10 minute presentation). Rather, hand them a SwivelCard they can take home. They simply follow the directions for folding, and insert the USB into their laptop, where they will be pointed towards the company’s chosen web resource (ie Dropbox, website, photo portfolio). No USB? The card also includes NFC and a printed QR code. This way, information can be wirelessly transferred by the holder of the card.

SwivelCard also has a digital interface for tracking usage, so the individual may see where his or her cards have ended up, as well as how many people are accessing them. It is currently in patent and prototype mode. The company is offering “taster packs” or mini versions of their SwivelCard (40 for $79). But if you want all your details printed on it as well as a custom design, a $289 Kickstarter pledge is required. The NFC option is a hefty $379. It’s safe to say pricing is the catch here. The company’s crowdfunding success prove that although smart paper business cards don’t come cheap, tech enthusiasts are willing to pay for them.