Business Card Reader is an amazing app that takes advantage of the iPhone platform. Put simply this app lets you take a photo with your iPhone and then OCR (optical character recognition) the contact info and then add it to your contacts.
You have to see it in action to believe it so I'm just going to show you with this video:
The Bottom Line
This app utilizes the Macro Lens features of the iPhone 3GS. So while it will work with the iPhone 3G or 2G, you will need to get a Macro lens attachment to physically put on your iPhone such as the Griffin Clarifi Protective case with built-in close-up lens case for iPhone
There is no magic involved – OCR is OCR, so it will only be as good as the source card that you are using. If there are smudges, script fonts, logos that run through the type, etc. Business Card Reader will not be able to recognize those words. Also note that there currently doesn't appear to be a mode for vertically oriented cards.
You can download Business Card Reader here from the App Store:
Business Card Reader
Take a photo of a business card with your iPhone and Business Card Reader will OCR the text and add it as a conact.
- SHAPE Services
- Get on App Store
- $5.99
All info was collected on 4th December, 2009 when the app was reviewed.
About Terry White
Terry is the co-author of The Best Selling "The iPhone Book" 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions. He has been active in the industry for over 25 years and is the founder and president of MacGroup-Detroit, Inc., Michigan's largest Macintosh Users Group, host of the Adobe Creative Suite Podcast and a technology writer - Terry White Tech Blog.
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