I mean, I appreciate a nicely designed card as much as the next person, but the reality is they're a waste of paper and a major inconvenience--for both parties.

A much smarter solution: , a free service that lets you build dazzling-looking digital cards with just a few clicks, then share them using whatever method suits you.

I started with the Web version of InstaCards, though it's also available in . (An Android version is in the works.) Using a simple, attractive browser-based interface, I chose a photo to use for my card's background (an optional step), then applied a theme.

Instacards offers about 30 of them, all very fancy and professional-looking, and all making you think, "This looks expensive. I'm glad I'm not paying to have these printed."

From there I typed in the usual personal details: name, company, phone number, e-mail address, and so on. Every addition or change I made was instantly shown in the main card-preview area.