Targus Mini USB Business Card Scanner review

Is this the answer to digitising your business card collection>

19 December 2007 11:00 GMT / By Stephen Patrick

If your job means you collect a lot of business cards you’ll know how tedious it can be to keep track of them. What you need is a small portable scanner that can upload the information straight into your contact book.

The scanner itself is small, being half the size again of a normal business card but considerably thicker. Even so, you can carry it around to trade shows with ease. It draws power from your notebook through the USB 2.0 port.

The included WorldCard software needs to be installed before you can start scanning but this is a quick install. Calibration is quick as a handy business card with instructions on in 10 languages is provided and once you’ve got it setup it’s simply a case of inserting a business card and pressing the single button on top of the scanner.

The scan can be imported to a variety of contact applications, including Outlook and Outlook Express. If you have a PDA or smartphone, you can also sync it with Palm, Lotus Notes and Pocket PC.

Alongside business cards written in English, the scanner can recognise a further 12 different languages, including the obvious French and German to traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese to even Japanese and Korean, so makes perfect sense for business travelers to the far-east.

Verdict

The Targus Mini USB Business Card Scanner has been designed for a specific purpose and it fulfils it exceedingly well. The fact Targus isn’t asking a premium for it, makes this a great cost-effective tool for busy business travelers.

Score

Review Recap

Made by: Targus
Price as reviewed: £42
The good: Small, light and easy to set-up
The bad: Limited use
Quick verdict: With support for 13 languages and easy synchronisation with most PIM software this is a likeable, if limited, device
Score