It must be the most common entrepreneurial problem experienced – inputting business card details to a database of contacts. Just one day in the life of a business founder can yield 100s of business cards and unless you are the most organised of people it’s not long before the in tray is full to the brim. If this is the case, then the sleek WorldCard Ultra could just be the gadget for you.

At just 153g and £139, it can be used on the move and without the need for a PC connection. With a handy USB port, business cards can be scanned in and the data stored straight to a flash drive to be downloaded to a PC or laptop at a later date. This all sounds perfect, but there have sadly been a number of reviews reporting the accompanying software to be confusing to use, and even suggesting that inputting by hand may be just as fast!

Whilst the WorldCard Ultra is windows compatible – allowing you to sync with various programs including Outlook - Mac users can use its sister product, the WorldCard Mac. For some, however, the need for two devices to service both computing types may negate its advantages – after all there are many start-ups where one co-founder is an avid Mac fan and the other a loyal PC user.
The elegant black and orange design makes this product a delight to look at, with it’s USB connection making it the perfect gadget for on the move, yet its complicated interface could make it a time consuming gadget to master.  That said, the product has enjoyed numerous awards including: reddot design award winner 2008 and the iF product design award 2008.  However, it still leaves you wondering that if it is compatible with Windows mobile devices and smartphones, then is there not the technology to integrate the gadget into the phone, leaving the reader largely obsolete?

For details of the cards specification and other competitors click here.