MOO.com Unveils NFC-Enabled Business Cards

Sure, you can hand someone a business card with your name, company and position, email address, phone number, maybe your Twitter handle, but the networking stops there. Not with MOO.com's new NFC-enhanced cards.

The creative printing firm has introduced a "third side" to the business card – one that provides endless possibilities to what a simple rectangle of paper can do.
The near field communication (NFC) cards carry a tiny microchip inside which, with a touch of the card to an NFC-enabled smartphone, can download your portfolio, play music or videos, load Web pages, maps, or apps, and save your contact information, among other features.

Integrating MOO's premium Luxe Business Cards with the NFC technology, users can write and rewrite the URL on the chip to direct people to any digital properties. For example, a real estate agent could highlight different listings every day, or a local retailer could highlight seasonal sales and promotions.
"The business world is constantly evolving and adopting new technologies that streamline communication, and we at MOO believe the digital printing market should adapt to bridge the gap between online and offline identities," CEO Richard Moross said in a statement.

As of Thursday, the first 150,000 customers to place a business card order will receive complimentary MOO Business Card with NFC as part of an open beta test. The embedded chip will come pre-programmed with a link to a landing page featuring the user's contact information.
Everyone else can start placing NFC-enabled card orders beginning in 2013.

"Our goal for NFC is to allow businesses to expand the possibilities of face-to-face networking to include their digital identities," Moross said. "We have such creative customers; we can't wait to see their ideas for using this technology."

The U.K. firm last week celebrated its sixth birthday by purchasing Web design site Flavors.me, with the intent of making it easier for users to create what MOO CEO Richard Moross called "an awesome-looking Flavors page."