Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
First Look: Handshake for iPhone
How many times have you been away from your computer and wanted to give someone your contact information? With a new app called Handshake [iTunes Link], you can send another iPhone (or iPod touch) user any contact information stored on your iPhone. The application works by using Core Location coupled with other technologies to send address book cards over the air.
When you first launch Handshake, it will attempt to find your address book card; if it can't, it will ask you to specify a card. Handshake will then connect to its servers, and you will be able to send either your card, a contact's card, or a picture -- just by tapping on one of the main three buttons. You can also change your default card by tapping the wrench in the top-right corner of the application and choosing the blue arrow under "My Card."
This is a very simple application, with a very simple idea, that just works. The application will send data over WiFi, 3G, and EDGE connections. Since the application uses Apple's Core Location framework, it relies on GPS, cell triangulation, or WiFi positioning. The lack of GPS on the iPod touch makes the app less reliable than the iPhone, but a new feature in version 1.1 hopes to fix this by allowing users to search for others who are sharing cards. Version 1.1 will also give users the ability to send industry-standard vCards through email to other people, regardless of whether they're using an iPhone or not.
Handshake is currently at version 1.0.1, and can be downloaded from the iTunes Store in two flavors: free or paid. The paid version removes the ads. Version 1.1 should be out sometime this week. You can look at our gallery of screenshots to see the additions to version 1.1.
Gallery: First Look: Handshake
Thanks to Kyle Richter and Ian Baird for the information, and their help!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jeremy said 9:20AM on 11-03-2008
I tried this app and it does what it says very smoothly and efficiently. That being said, it's about 300% (or more) more expensive than it should be. I know it's only a few bucks, but for the one trick pony it is, and relative to the other apps in the market, it's quite overpriced.
The "free" version has advertising that is implemented with as much care as the program itself, which is to say the ads are constant, rotating, distracting, and ever-present.
Since I only need to exchange information once in a blue moon, I will wait for this function to be implemented by Apple or as a side effect of a better contact manager by a third party.
It's a great app that should really be free IMO.
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Logan said 11:54AM on 11-03-2008
How can free be 300% more expensive then it should be? Should the developer be paying you to get it?
Ian Baird said 1:33PM on 11-03-2008
When you say "implemented with as much care as the program itself," would you mind elaborating on that point? As one of the developers of the app, I'm always happy to receive constructive criticism.
About the AdMob ads, we're killing them in release 1.1. The vertically rotating ads at the top will stay, as we have to cover our overhead. For less than the price of a grande Latte at Starbucks, you're welcome to upgrade to Handshake Premium, which comes with no ads and an extra frothy dose of good karma!
YSR50 said 10:15AM on 11-03-2008
iBeam does the same and costs $0.99. it was free for the first few weeks
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Pär said 10:23AM on 11-03-2008
Isn't this what you usually use Bluetooth for? It is built in on every modern phone. Except the iphone for some strange reason.
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Ben said 10:38AM on 11-03-2008
the iPhone does have bluetooth, you just can't use it for this type of thing
quasimoto said 10:54AM on 11-05-2008
I just don't see why Apple cannot not simply add this functionality. Why should I have to rely on GPS/WiFI/3G/Edge to send and receive contact information when I could just use Bluetooth which is compatible with 90% of the phones out there! This is the one feature I really want, even over Copy-and-Paste!
mike said 10:25AM on 11-03-2008
Cool app and very useful... but the ability to send contact info should have been a standard feature by Apple (and via Bluetooth too!) Hopefully Apple will start catching up with a lot of the features that are standard for Crackberry users. I love my iPhone and with a few more software updates I might be able to make it my only phone, but for right now when I just need straight-up communication/connectivity/tethering(!) my company issued Blackberry Curve still has a slight edge.
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brian said 10:27AM on 11-03-2008
"It's a great app that should really be free IMO."
I half agree. I'm fine with third parties charging for apps but this is basic, decade-old functionality that should have been provided by Apple in the first place. I know the iPhone isn't a true PDA but Steve Jobs HAS called it a smart phone and I think it's silly that the iPhone can't do something this simple, that a Palm could do ten years ago. (And, possibly, what a Newton could do before that.) I'm not saying it should have an IR port but you should be able to share a contact (or at least your own info) the same way you can share a picture or a URL by email.
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Thomas said 11:11AM on 11-03-2008
I can understand the logic behind leaving off things like bluetooth syncing, mms and so on, because of the iPhones email functionality. I don't agree, but I can see the thinking as to why they wouldn't bother implementing it, that said if you could even just email vcard it would be an improvement.
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K said 12:29PM on 11-03-2008
Installed the free version, then removed it because the ads are so obnoxious.
Free versions really should just be limited in scope, rather than supported by advertising - there just isn't enough space on the iPhone screen for adverts.
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Buckingham said 12:43PM on 11-03-2008
Speaking of ads, I just hope developers would stop using that ad mob bar. It just slows down the whole app. Especially in games when the app pauses when the ad bar reloads. I also question its advertising effectiveness. The bar just goes into my brain's ignore area because it's too obvious. I don't know, but there should be more clever ways to advertise in apps.
dlim said 12:45PM on 11-03-2008
I tried iBeam and Handshake, but chose to stick with Fliq. No ads, no crazy UI -- and its FREE!
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Jash Sayani said 1:40PM on 11-03-2008
Some things make the iPhone a useless phone.. Like lacking such a basic feature (Stock) and not implementing it even after tons of new firmware updates... Even a $20 phone can send business cards without WiFi.... Can't Apple spend a few minutes to implement a business card sender via SMS...!!!
I cant tell people to connect to WiFi just to get my business card !! Its faster to dictate my phone no.!!!
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Kyle said 4:22PM on 11-03-2008
Handshake does not require wifi.
stinson said 3:59PM on 11-03-2008
what's the point in having this program. It can't run in the background? If both parties are sitting there waiting for something, it's useless.
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Barry said 6:18PM on 11-03-2008
I wish there was a way to limit which fields of my card gets sent. For example, if I'm exchanging info in a professional setting, I'd rather not send my home address or phone number.
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bhavesh said 7:03PM on 11-03-2008
It's annoying that this should even be an "App". Why is something so simple as sending a contact SO complicated? The BlackBerry has had the ability to "Send Contact" via SMS, email, MMS forever. It's stupid to have to use proximity sensors and GPS to send something only to another iPhone. WTF. What if I want to send contact info to a buddy on the other coast?
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Jeremy said 7:44PM on 11-03-2008
@ Ian Baird
The "implemented with the same care" comment was a compliment. I thought the ads were kind of "swishy" and well done as far as ads go. I am just against advertising in general as a source of revenue although I do realise that being against the advertising and also being against even paying three bucks for the app creates a sort of insolvable conundrum for you as a developer.
I guess I kind of agree with many that this kind of functionality should be part of the OS, even though your implementation is excellent etc. What it comes down to for me is that I hardly ever even find an occasion to hand out my paper business cards, so I don't need this enough to pay for it although I'd be much more likely to buy it anyway at the $.99 price point than the three dollar price point.
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Ian Baird said 4:55PM on 11-04-2008
That's a fair point, and I appreciate your response to my question. Thanks for the kind words, and rest assured, we are going to be providing more "premium features" than just ad-removal in the future for the Handshake Premium users. Just watch TUAW for the sneak previews.