CardScan Personal 700 Business Card Scanner

Product works as advertised. Is small black and white scanner specially configured to take business cards and synch them with Outlook contacts. You have to use CardScan's software, but it automatically synchs to Outlook once you set it up initially. (In some ways, CardScan's software is nicer than Outlook's contacts manager, but not enough to convince me to stop using Outlook - given that Outlook is the program used by my office and synchs with the other aspects of Outlook (calendar, email, etc.), and is used by a majority of the business world.

Because the scanner's scans are black and white, if you plan to keep copies of your contact's actual business cards, then you will probably want the next model up -- the Executive 700.

The differences between the two models are: (1) $100 price difference, (2) the Executive scans in color (the base unit scans color cards without problems, it just doesn't result in a saved color scan), (3) the Executive synchs with some of the rarer software contact programs, (4) the Executive is bigger, (5) the Executive has a card catch tray in the back, (6) the Executive includes free access to Cardscan's web based auto update service (which regularly emails your contacts and asks them to update their contact info -- I personally find this annoying when I receive these types of emails from others, and so I would not want my clients getting angry because they receive emails of this type from me) and Cardscan's web based backup service (basically, gives you some web hosted space to back up your contacts; I have plenty of hard disks and cd/dvd drives, so I just make sure to make regular backups myself).

If you want the extra services, you can get the base model (Personal) and pay Cardscan $49 for them, or you can pay the full extra $100 and just buy the Executive model. For me, those features were not worth it.

Also, even this base model can scan front and back of cards.

Bottom line: the Personal model will satisfy most users, unless you regularly bring home tons of business cards or have specialty needs. (My business card flow is scanning about 10 a week.)

If this product worked with 64bit operating systems and they continued to support their firmware over the life of the product I would be a loyal customer. As a network admin in a fairly large company I am asked my opinion on computer related items all the time, and when asked about card readers I am always quick to point out to read the compatibility requirements and the box, and to let people know that CardScan does not offer free upgrades. This is truely a company and product to avoid.

I bought a Cardscan. After I could not get it to work I started emailing for help. I was ignored for over 2 years!

Finally a rep answered and told me that it could not be installed on a 64 bit system. NOTHING on the box, in the description or in the paperwork indicated that that the item was limited to a 32 bit system.

Their solution for me:

Although the next generation software works for a 64 bit system, they want me to BUY it at about the same price I paid for the original scanner and software!!!!! In other words: "ha ha, we did not document our product and got your money. Instead of just sending you updated software we want you to pay all over again to get that software."

Nice way to do business and gain customer support! These people are too unethical to just provide a customer who paid for a product the RIGHT software to make it work, which essentially, costs them nothing in this case. I'll never buy a DYMO product again!