While the Post Office is trying new ways to save money and deliver mail more efficiently, one Austin startup is taking a very different approach. Outbox wants to take your snail mail, open it, scan it and then digitally deliver it to your computer or iDevice. Three times a week, Outbox collects your mail, then opens, scans, stores and sends it like e-mail. Need a hard copy? Request it within 30 days and they’ll deliver it to you. After that window, the mail is shredded and recycled. Packages still get delivered to your door like normal. Sound convenient and cool for five bucks a month? Definitely, but also creepy. Outbox’s Privacy Policy states that it keeps scanned images of your mail on its servers. That’s sort of scary. But if you’re looking for the added convenience and have given up hope of any sort of privacy in this digital age, keep tabs on Outbox’s trial run in San Francisco. Maybe the USPS could learn a thing or two.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.