Viewer's Video The Week - Our 1st: "I bought a piece of crap!"
September 17, 2012 Post a Comment 
Giz Wiz viewer Paul Griesbaum submitted our first viewer’s “I bought a piece of crap!” video. And, his piece of crap was something he bought after hearing me talk about on the Daily Giz Wiz! It was almost two years ago to the day, Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 Netcast 1183 to be exact, that I talked about the just introduced Numi Key. First here’s the info from 2 years ago -- then we’ll see where it is two years later.
The nümi key is a new tiny device that allows consumers to carry all their loyalty/frequent shopper cards on one digital device. That was it could be used at any checkout lane with a laser bar code scanner. The company says the average US household has more than 14 loyalty/frequent shopper cards and it’s growing. How does it work? The nümi key converts any bar code to light that imitates a bar code when beamed into any existing laser bar code scanner. It has very successful read rates with bar code scanners. In contrast, smartphones that generate an image of a bar code often have less than 50% successful read rates at bar code scanners. Adding cards to the nümi key is simple. There is no software to install. Go to www.myloyaltycards.com, connect your nümi device to your computer with a USB cable, select your retailer from a pull down list, type in your cards’ numbers as they appear and load them to your nümi key. This is something I’m waiting for: In the very near future Mobeam will offer the ability to add digital coupons and gift cards on the nümi key. I'm not so much interested in the coupons but I always end up not buying something in a store because I know I have a gift card sitting in the dresser at home. With numi key, I'd always have it with me. List price is $35.00, but it's on special for $19.99. At the link below, click on the buy button for the sale price.
UPDATE: Tuesday, September 17, 2012. The mobeam website doesn’t mention numi key any more. (At least I couldn’t find it.) But they still are making devices aimed at businesses to integrate couponing into smart phones. The “my loyality cards” website is still up and the numi key is pictured; still on sale for $19.99. But if you click on “buy”, it goes to Amazon where it says: “currently unavailable”. So I assume the numi key is history, being replaced by smart phone apps.
Here's Paul’s “I bought a piece of crap” video:
The original 2-year old netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1183
This new show: www.twit.tv/giz1382
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