If the idea of sending a priceless photo to another continent isn't your speed, perhaps a trip to your own driveway is in order.
Digitize-n-Organize Mobile Digital Archiving Service will come to your home and scan photos and important documents with their onboard equipment.
Like many business models, Digitize-n-Organize started during the search for a better way. CEO Ted Rudolph is a Cincinnati native, but lived in Oakland, CA at the dawn of the digital boom. He became a ".pdf guru" at Stevens Engineering - a controls engineer who moved company records to a digital library. Scanning businesses sprung up on the West Coast, promising to convert fade-susceptible photos to durable digital files. But they outsourced the scanning to India. "If I had my last pic, it'd be tough to mail it," said Rudolph.
When Rudolph returned to Cincinnati, his friend Steve Leonard provided more impetus.
"Steve had a fire in his house. All his pictures and documents burned up. He couldn't get a new high school diploma." Leonard, whose resume includes NIOSH and Channel 64, became the Chief Technical Officer of Digitize-n-Organize.
Rudolph and Leonard give their customers much more than photo discs. They provide pick-up service for audio and video footage, and on-site tech trainings. For people overwhelmed by clutter, they'll consult on digital solutions for organization. Last September, Rudolph and Leonard brought the Digitize-n-Organize van to Fountain Square for a Disaster Preparedness Month venture with the American Red Cross. They also contribute to the
Digital Daddies blog, which gives a perspective on how technology is changing society.
One key product is a Disaster Disc, which includes digital images of important documents, video, and photos to assist with insurance claims. Rudolph hopes to offer an info2Digital USB Flashcard, which allows users to carry four gigs of memory in a drive as thin as a credit card.
"I've found a company in Canada who can do it - I want to see if there's a local demand," says Rudolph.
Writer by: Elena Stevenson
Source: Ted Rudolph, CEO, Digitize-n-Organize
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