I won’t mince words: If you don’t have an iPhone 3GS, do not download Business Card Reader.
Developer Shape Services pulls no punches in its app description, stating that older iPhone models require a macro lens attachment. This is not hyperbole — the app will not work correctly with the 2G or 3G camera (the company recommends Griffin’s $35 Clarifi case, which comes with a built-in close-up lens).
If you do have an iPhone 3GS, the app is easy to use. Take a photo of a business card and Business Card Reader scans it, pulling out pertinent information such as name, company, phone number. and email address, and the app auto-fills the corresponding fields of the iPhone address book. Business Card Reader comes with other perks, such as an in-line LinkedIn search.
Business Card Reader only saves contacts in your iPhone address book. I wish there was a way to store cards within the app itself, as there are some business contacts whose information I’d like to keep convenient, but who I wouldn’t necessarily want cluttering my address book.
I’m a 3G user, so I can only rate this app as I’ve seen, but there is a definite business benefit to its technology if you’re using the 3GS.
