Poken device could streamline networking, events

Attempts to consolidate social media networking tasks is an indication both that the forum is on the rise and that it has become taxing to professional schedules. Signing on to these sites, searching contacts, sending invitations, replying to introductory greetings—all are tasks that have become a time-consuming professional reality.

Enter Poken. Already popular in Europe and Japan, the Swiss device uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) to allow users to beam all of their social media information into another Poken device, acting as a "social business card."

IBM distributed Poken devices to attendees of a German tech show this year, demonstrating how they streamlined the networking process. Picturing a media world where Poken use is widespread, event attendees could then return to the office and upload their new contacts to their computer and social network—LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, even Meetup.com.

On the events side, the device has streamlined networking at a time when there are less face-to-face events to attend. With widespread use, conferences could become half day affairs, saving on venue costs. Picture 15 minute coffee breaks instead of 30, and no early-morning continental breakfast at all—attendees could zip around the room beaming information at each other with abandon. The image is both comical and plausible, and points more toward an image of fast-paced information sharing and interaction than to the use of a specific brand.

HARO founder Peter Shankman recently advised UGCX attendees not to confuse a brand with a service. "Don't create a campaign for Twitter," he said. "Create a campaign for short burst text messaging." The same advice could be applied to Poken. The networking device we carry to a conference a few years from now might not be shaped like a gorilla or ninja, but it will be there.