By Evan Ackerman

This just in: social networking doesn’t happen exclusively on Facebook. Sometimes, you meet actual people (IRL), most of whom do not include an associated “Add as Friend” button stamped on their foreheads. This is where Poken come in, um, handy. Poken are little tiny plastic character things with freakishly large left hands. You program your Poken with your contact info, and if you find someone else with a Poken, high five them to swap phone numbers, emails, etc. via RFID. When you get back home, rip off your Poken’s hand and plug it into your USB port to add your new friends to your Poken social network.

The problem with Poken is, of course, that in order for them to be at all useful, enough people must have them that you can reliably expect to Poken or be Pokenized. Otherwise, there’s not much point to carrying one around, is there? The pricetag of $20 is quite reasonable, it’s really just a question of whether they’ll catch on or not. I’d totally use one, if a.) it would work with my iPhone and b.) I could get it in some slightly less fruity design.

Marketing vid for your enjoyment, after the jump.

[ Poken ] VIA [ Gearfuse ]