Poken

A Poken is a gadget of the Swiss company Poken SA, which exchanges contact the owner via short-range radio. Besides usually contained on a Poken Business data can also submit links to profiles from different social networks.

Concept

Originally, " Poke: A gadget for social contacts " a project of the University of IMD in Lausanne, in collaboration with the Bern University of Applied Sciences. The Poken is carried as a key ring and provides a small figure with a four- fingered hand; within the housing of the hand there is a board with a microcontroller, memory, USB port, battery and a wireless module. The figure is merely a shell that covers the USB port. If two Poken held together with the palms, the information stored on it via the radio module can be transferred. The palms glow green to signal the successful transmission.

Subsequently, the Poken is connected via USB to a computer, where the contact information can be read. On the Poken itself, only the serial numbers of the contacted Poken be saved. All contact details must be entered on the manufacturer's website where a link between serial number of the Poken and whose owner is possible.

The Poken logs on to the computer as a USB mass storage device that contains an HTML file. By opening this file, automatically login to the manufacturer's website, and the transfer of the collected contacts.

Pokens be used, for example at trade shows, conferences and other events.

Criticism

  • Is often criticized that Poken act not serious enough by the playful design in everyday business. In September 2009, a business Poken in more classic design that will appeal to businessmen appeared. The limit of 64 contacts is not in these Poken. In addition, a business Poken be used as a 2GB USB stick.
  • Are profiles linked from social networks, username and password of the respective service must be specified. This is to prevent Poken owners claim foreign identities for themselves, but is considered by most users as unnecessary. Username and password are, according to the Poken SA but not saved.
  • The initial connection to the Poken website and the login is by default not encrypted. Especially in the context of conferences, where often unsecured networks are used, this facilitates the listening and the abuse of Poken credentials and the user's social network.
  • The encryption or obfuscation used used key lengths of 64 bits, which is no longer considered safe for some time. Should the encryption be cracked, any Poken IDs could be forged or any matches will be synthesized.
  • The Founder of Poken SA, Stéphane Doutriaux is commonly referred to as the inventor of the concept and has lectured within the Google TechTalk series. The Dutch company "My Name is E" presented a similar concept but already 2007.
  • The green light is very weak after successful Poken and is barely visible outdoors.
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