Business cards are as obsolete as fax machines. And like fax machines, business cards have us still using paper to move electronic data from one digital system to another.
Let's review the whole archaic process. Send your electronic contact information to some company that prints it out on dead tree pulp. (The printing company requires the information electronically because, of course, giving it to them on paper would be an absurd waste of effort for them.)
Before leaving on a business trip, you have to make sure you remember to bring a stack of business cards, and transport them so they don't get folded, dog-eared or mutilated.
Meet someone. Shake hands. Exchange those tiny pieces of paper.
If you're good, you'll remember to find the card and do something with it after returning home -- along with all the other 20 cards you collected. Take a deep breath because, despite all that college education, you're now a data entry worker. Type that information into Microsoft Outlook or some other application that supports contacts. Don't make any errors!
Congratulations! You've now spent a huge amount of valuable time and effort to transmit digital data from one electronic contact database to another. The Internet could have done it for you more accurately in less than a second.
If you have the right kind of mobile phone, you might synchronize your desktop contacts list with your phone.
Over time, the people you meet get new phone numbers, e-mail addresses or even new jobs. Women get married and change their names. Your contacts grow increasingly inaccurate and useless over time.
Separately, you maintain a LinkedIn profile, and maybe one on Facebook, too. This is better, because contact with "friends" is maintained. But that doesn't help the obsolete numbers on your mobile phone. So when it's time to call someone, you're out of luck.
What a time-wasting mess.
Here's how it should work
Shake hands. Each of you pulls out a mobile phone. "What's your LinkedIn profile?" Open your phone's contact application, and press a single button. Choose LinkedIn from the drop-down menu, and type in the other person's profile specifier (in my case, it's "elgan" -- five quick digits). Press "Send." Done!
In bigger meetings, it becomes standard to add the appropriate social address book links with the invitation. The contact exchange happens before the meeting even starts, and that ridiculous contact exchange ritual is banished from the boardroom forever.
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D-Link Australia & New Zealand
D-Link is the global leader in connectivity for small, medium and large enterprise business networking. The company is an award-winning designer, developer and manufacturer of networking, broadband, digital electronics, voice and video communication.
To Find out more about D-Link solutions visit www.dlink.com.au
D-Link Australia & New Zealand
Featured Products
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IP BASED PHONE SYSTEM
D-Link VoiceCenter
D-Link VoiceCenter is an IP based phone system designed to meet the needs of small businesses. D-Link have solely partnered with Microsoft to package Microsoft’s Response Point software to bring you VoiceCenter. For more info on VoiceCenter's products and events please visit: http://voicecenter.dlink.com.au -
AWARD WINNING STORAGE
DNS-343 4-Bay NAS Enclosure
D-Links new 4-bay network attached storage enclosure has just received ZDNet's Editor's Choice award and a rating of 9 out of 10 by Craig Simms from CNET See the review here. The DNS-343 release followed the great success of its smaller sibling the 2-bay DNS-323. Targeted at both the home IT enthusiast and commercial users needing a flexible storage solution the DNS-343 is showing good market performance. -
EVERY BUSINESS NEEDS ONE
DSA-3600 Multi-Service Gateway
Any business that’s serious about networking must consider installing this gateway. Feature rich the DSA-3600 multi-service business gateway is a complete network solution that delivers reliable and cost-effective services to SMB and enterprise branch offices. Perfect for setting up a commercial grade wireless connection for the office the unit is simple and easy to manage. -
WI-FI FOR MOBILE WORK SITES
DIR-451 Mobile 3G Router
Perfect for mobile and temporary work-sites the mobile 3G router quickly and easily can connect your site back to the office. Recently the United States Air Force has used D-Link Mobile 3G routers on its remote base camps to connect soldiers with other Air Force departments, local agencies, friends and families. To see the complete case study click here.
New Products
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XTREME
N DUO ROUTER -
DIR-855
The highly anticipated simultaneous broadcasting dual band wireless N router has arrived. The DIR-855 is set to make massive waves and take home/SOHO wireless networking to a new generation. Unlike other networking manufacturers who promote dual band the new DIR-855 will provide users simultaneous dual band wireless networks, opening up another range of opportunities for wireless networking. - DUAL BAND USB ADAPTER
DWA-160 Xtreme N USB Wi-Fi
The new dual band wireless N USB adapter is ideal for simultaneous dual band environments. For example in apartment buildings where there are heavily congested 2.4GHz Wi-Fi or at the home stream HD video over the network and making VoIP calls at the same time.
Coming Soon
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WI-FI ACCESS POINT/BRIDGE
DAP-1522 Xtreme N Duo
A new addition to the Xtreme N family this wireless N access point/bridge effectively doubles available wireless bandwidth. Designed for users looking to get a true wireless connection that can handle multiple High-Definition video streaming throughout the house it can take the home network to a new level. - GOT NAKED DSL
DVA-G3670B ADSL2+ Wireless G VoIP Modem Router
Naked DSL customers now have the perfect feature rich product solution the DVA-G3670B to take advantage of naked DSL features. This ADSL2+ (naked DSL compatible) modem Wireless G router comes with 2 VoIP phone connections and is ideal for the growing market who don't want to pay the unnecessary line rental fee. Ultimately this unit is an ideal all-in-one home network solution and even SOHO small business solution.
Download
- Product Selection Guide Issue 3, 08 (3.2MB PDF)
- D-Lifestyle Magazine Issue 12 (2MB PDF)
- D-Link Power Up Your Business Poster (1.7MB PDF)
Case Studies
- DIR-451 Mobile 3G Router - United States Air Force Case Study (104K PDF)
- IP Based Surveillance - Minneapolis Airport Hangar Case Study (180K PDF)
- Commercial Grade Wireless - Four Points Sheraton Hotel Case Study (300K PDF)
- Business Class Switching - Microsoft Campus Case Study (800K PDF)
- High Bandwidth Networking Solution - Team Emirates New Zealand Case Study (751K PDF)
Whitepapers
D-Link TV
Watch videos about D-Link products and much morehttp://www.dlinktv.com
D-Link Training
Find out more about D-Link products trainings and certification programhttp://training.dlink.com.au
