Vending Machine Sells Cell Phones In Las Vegas Airport

Travelers walking through Terminal 2 in Las Vegas' McCarran Airport this week are greeted by a huge vending machine shaped like a mobile phone. Information Week reports. According to 011 Mobile, the telecom provider that operates the machine, many people are pumping money into the vending machine to purchase mobile phones and SIM cards before they hit the town's slot machines. "It's a very new concept and it catches their eye," said Shane McFarland, 011's director of corporate relations, in an interview. "They go right to the screens. They can purchase everything from lower price-point phones all the way up to PDAs." What really clinches sales, though, is the price of calls -- 1.5 cents a minute to the U.K and not much more to other international points. ... The touch screen displays on the vending machine are set up to operate in 12 different languages, although most of the traffic so far has been from English and Spanish speakers. " Other cell phone vending machines Picture from LetsGoMobile. permalink (November 7th, 2007)

A vending machine for mobile gadgets

The Christian Science Monitor reports on new vending machines that sell iPods, cellphones, USB drives, headphones, DVDs, and other gadgets. "This latest development in the $30 billion-a-year vending industry (a figure that only includes food and beverage sales) is a natural outgrowth of consumer clamor for control and round-the-clock convenience, say industry observers. ... There are 7 million vending machines in the United States and more than 100 million Americans use them every day. Half of all machines sell soda, and the number of machines that dispense high-end or nonconventional products remains low, but it's growing, Kasavana says. Since 2005, Zoom has installed more than 300 machines carrying high-end products in locations as varied as airports, department stores, and college campuses. For those worried about swiping and not getting what they asked for, a lot of machines have built-in technology called "surevend," says Ms. Clark. This is a laser beam that sweeps the tray to make sure your product is there. If it's not, your card will not be charged. And if swiping weren't easy enough, several companies are experimenting with cards equipped with a chip, which you only need to tap or wave at a card reader to make a payment. Related: -- Motorola unveils "Instantmoto": cellphone 'vending machines' -- Cell Phone and iPod vending machines -- Vodafone introduces first mobile-vending machines in U.K. permalink (January 19th, 2007)

Motorola unveils "Instantmoto": cellphone 'vending machines'

Consumers needing a cellphone or accessories on the run have a new option now that Motorola has rolled out a series of what the company calls "robotic stores." USA Today reports. "The vending machine-like stores, run by Zoom Systems and unveiled Wednesday will carry about 30 products, initially including 12 phones and 18 accessories, said Bob Many, Motorola's director of automated retailing. The "Instantmoto" will go into 20 malls and airports nationwide as part of a pilot program. Chicago has three outlets operating, including one in the Macy's store downtown. ... Unlike vending machines, however, they don't drop the products from their racks. Instead, the products are gently delivered to consumers by a robotic arm. Related: -- Cell Phone and iPod vending machines -- Vodafone introduces first mobile-vending machines in U.K. permalink (September 21st, 2006)

Cell Phone and iPod vending machines

Bottles of mineral water and cans of Coke are making way for iPods in vending machines installed at the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta, according to the Travel section of the Times Online. "The airport's Zoom Shop machines sell iPod minis and Shuffles as well as digital cameras, photographic supplies and batteries. The machines are the work of San Francisco-based Zoom Systems, which calls them "robotic retail stores", and it has installed them in around a dozen airports, including Hartsfield-Jackson and San Francisco International. It has also installed similar machines in branches of car rental firm Avis, stocking mobile phones and headsets". permalink (June 1st, 2005)

SMS-enabled chocolate vending machine

An SMS-enabled (Cadbury) chocolate vending machine launched today in Mumbai, India, reports The Hindu.

A BPL mobile customer only needs to send a message to a short code number displayed on the LCD panel of the machine; the machine then displays the customer's mobile number and asks for the choice of chocolate. When the chocolate has been dispensed, the customer receives an SMS confirming the transaction.

A similar vending machine exists in Switzerland for dispensing coca cola, in a partnership with mobile operator Swisscom.

permalink (August 8th, 2003)

Cellphones as Credit Cards? Americans Must Wait

Imagine a technology that lets you pay for products just by waving your cellphone over a reader, writes The New York Times.

The technology exists, and, in fact, people in Japan have been using it for the last five years to pay for everything from train tickets to groceries to candy in vending machines. And in small-scale trials around the world, including in Atlanta, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area, nearly everyone has liked using this form of payment. But consumers in the United States won’t be able to wave and pay with their cellphones anytime soon: The myriad companies that must work together to give the technology to the masses have yet to agree on how to split the resulting revenue.

Read full article. permalink (January 25th, 2009)

The ‘Quickphone’ Kiosk

Spotted on Trendhunter, The ‘Quickphone’ Kiosk, one of the 42 amazing vending machine featured in their gallery.

The idea is to provide a ‘Quickphone’ for travelers or phone users who know what they want and don’t need the boring patter of a sales person counting out endless features.

Also featured: "The used underwear vending machine", "the bicycle vending machinE", "the boyfriend vending machine", "the innovative idea vending machine", "vending by mood"... Links to Other cell phone vending machines. permalink (October 31st, 2008)

Japanese skirt to ward off crime

The Age reports on concepts from Japan designed to ward off crime. Unlike the American way which would be to learn self-defense and carry pepper spray, the above skirt serves as a disguise, by converting a person into a vending machine, to elude pursuers. In a somewhat stretched relationship to this blog's focus, such a skirt could also be considered as another "Isolation from cell phones idea". But read full article, which mentions other Japanese amazing defense devices:

Take the "manhole bag", a purse that can hide your valuables by unfolding to look like a round sewer cover. Put it on the street with your wallet still inside, and unwitting thieves are supposed to walk right by. (Picture posted on Gizmodo) There is also a line of knife-proof high school uniforms, and a book with tips for mothers on how to dress even the most modest children like "pseudo-hoodlums" to scare away schoolyard bullies. (Picture posted on Gizmodo)

Interesting, The Age writes that "the frequency of violent crime in Japan is actually low by international standards. But the creators argue that Japan's ideas about crime prevention are the product of deeper cultural differences". permalink (October 20th, 2007)

NTT DoCoMo aims to make phone swiping obsolete

NTTDoCoMo, unveiled a concept phone that lets users make electronic payments while it stays in their pocket. Reuters reports. "Using mobile phones to pay for goods electronically is common in Japan, the world's biggest market of third-generation (3G) mobile users, where phones are swiped at ticket gates or vending machines to pay for train fares or drinks. DoComo's prototype cellphone, unveiled on Tuesday, would allow you to do all that without taking it out of your pocket. The phone, which uses a sensor made by start-up Kaiser Technology Co., sends electric signals through the human body to transmit data, enabling electronic payments or data transfer at the touch of a finger. Doors to secure areas would open as your phone transmits your ID code through your feet, or you can get in a car and have the car instantly adjust the seat and steering wheel to the perfect angle, said DoCoMo spokesman Takushi Koinumaru. But it will take several years before the new touch-sensitive handsets are ready, reliable and safe for Japan's nearly 9 trillion yen ($77.81 billion) mobile market, if ever. "We don't know yet if we can commercialize this technology," Koinumaru said. "We need to conduct more research. Then we need to see if there actually is a market for this." permalink (October 2nd, 2007)

Pigs With Cellphones, but No Condoms

The The New York Times reports on a commercial which aired for the first time last night on two of the four major networks. It caught my eye only because cellphones are used as a prop, but it's interesting. [via TV Barn Ticker] In a commercial for Trojan condoms that premiered last night, women in a bar are surrounded by anthropomorphized, cellphone-toting pigs. One shuffles to the men’s room, where, after procuring a condom from a vending machine, he is transformed into a head-turner in his 20s. When he returns to the bar, a fetching blond who had been indifferent now smiles at him invitingly. Fox and CBS both rejected the commercial. Some networks draw a strong line between messages about disease prevention — which may be allowed — and those about pregnancy prevention, which may be considered controversial for religious and moral reasons.”. In a written response to Trojan, though, Fox said that it had rejected the spot because, “Contraceptive advertising must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy.” In its rejection, CBS wrote, “"hile we understand and appreciate the humor of this creative, we do not find it appropriate for our network even with late-night-only restrictions.” Amazing that it was rejected. VWatch the commercial and see for yourself. permalink (June 19th, 2007)

UK gets first phone vending kiosk

The UK's first vending machine to dispense mobile phones was due to be unveiled today, according to Sctosman News. "Vodafone's Quickphone kiosk has been installed in the company's stores in Manchester, with stock including handsets and sim packs. If successful, the pilot scheme could "become a common sight everywhere from festivals to train stations", the company says. Each machine will offer the customer a choice of three phones, and will be the first vending machine to use chip and pin technology, in addition to allowing customers to pay in cash." It uses 3G technology to monitor stock levels, enabling the vending machine to be used in even the most remote locations." Sorry, no picture yet anywhere of the Quickphone kiosk. Above photo is of a NTTdoCoMo cell phone vending machine in Tokyo. Update - Engadget has a picture! permalink (October 27th, 2005)

Buying drinks and snacks via mobile phone in Spain too

Spanish operator Telefónica Móviles is launching a new service that will allow subscribers to pay for vending machine snacks and drinks via their mobile phones, reports Noticiasdot. At first, 60 vending machines will be equipped with the system, they are located in airports, train stations, malls and universities in Madrid and Sevilla. Telefónica Móviles plans to add 250 new machines by the end of January and to extend the service to the whole country in 2005. To promote the service, the operator offers the first product for free. permalink (January 13th, 2005)

Phones As Payment Devices Catching On In Japan

Japan's NTT DoCoMo said Wednesday that, since July, it has sold one million phones that can be used to make payments, reports Mobile Pipeline. "The phones use built-in smartcards that enable users to swipe the devices near point-of-sale terminals to pay for purchases. The wireless carrier launched the service last summer and there are about 13,000 shops and 2700 vending machines in Japan that accept that sort of payment. The wireless operator sells five separate handsets with the built-in payment capabilities." permalink (December 17th, 2004)

Buying ice-cream by SMS

Since this summer, food giant Nestlé in partnership with French mobile operator Orange, has been selling ice cream by text messaging, in a test project involving between 300 and 400 ice cream dispensers placed in community swimming pools, shopping malls and other public places. To order an ice cream from the vending machine, the customer need simply to send an SMS, indicating the code under the flavour of ice cream he would like to purchase. The ice cream will then drop down on to a shelf and the customer received a confirmation message of payment. From: Que choisir permalink (December 18th, 2003)

2003: Cell Phones - for so much more than just talking

For the next couple of weeks, I will be posting a series of entries rounding up the most interesting mobile news (best and worst) reported this year. They will be filed away under a new category, Textually 2003 - The Year in Review. Cell Phones - for so much more than just talking Other than using a cell phone to communicate by voice and text messaging - features now commonly used by families and friends, industries, corporations, government, police forces, the media and the entertainment industry, marketing, sports, the arts, religion, fund raisers, retailers, colleges, scientists, terrorists, pornographers...- or to organize a busy life thanks to contact and calender features, in 2003, cell phones have been used to take pictures, view videos, follow a picture soap opera, watch TV, listen to real music, hear the radio, buy a coke from a vending machine, pay for transport fare, concert tickets or update a parking meter, translate a text message, play games with other people in real time, locate a child or a stolen car, search for a prostitute, remotely control a computer, a household appliance or the security system in a private home, detonate a bomb, open a locker door, display contemporary art on a cell screen or join a symphony orchestra. Cell phones have reportedly been used to repel mosquitos, log sunshine reports to avoid sunburn thanks to tiny ultraviolet light sensors, act as a smoke detector or be used as a lie detector. And a system used with earphones and camera phones could help blind people to see, thanks to soundscapes. And down the road, research is working on cell phones which can warn of gas leaks (thanks to sensors that verify changes in the atmosphere) and cell phones that will be able to warn about the presence of bacteria and viruses (thanks to bio-sensors) or detect dirty bombs (thanks to detectors that can upload information to a central database). Wild. permalink (December 11th, 2003)

Punch and pay: SMS shows the way

Thomas K. Thomas for The Business Standard publishes an insightful report on Mobile Commerce, "the next killer application for mobile phone users", giving many examples of what's soon to come:

- retrieving comparative pricing information
- banking and credit card transactions
- paying for items through your phone bill (such as a parking fine, chocolate or a soda from a vending machine, ordering food, airline tickets or even consulting a doctor in an emergency (for a premium rate), playing the lottery and gambling)

Very interesting, "in Hong Kong 15-20 per cent of an operator's revenues comes from m-commerce applications.

Europe and Asia Pacific show the greatest potential for expansion, and more than 12,000 m-commerce applications will be available by 2005.

Adventis, the Boston-based consultancy, predicts that the big ticket m-commerce applications are just 18-24 months away".

permalink (October 9th, 2003)

Coke Reaches Consumers by Phone

Switzerland has coke dispensing machines that allow you to buy a soda with your cell phone, but in Japan, the Coca-Cola company is sending text messages to Japanese consumers, urging them to purchase a beverage from from one of hundreds of high-tech vending machines around the country.

The lure? Those who bought a can from one of Coke's machines that day or the next get a free download of a company ad jingle for their cellphone ring tone. Sales jumped 50% among those who received the message, according to the WSJ.

permalink (September 8th, 2003)

Text me a chocolate, please

Chocolate maker Cadbury and wireless carrier BPL Mobile have announced the launch of SMS-enabled chocolate vending machines in India. Customers of BPL mobile will be able to buy candies from vending machines by sending SMS commands from their cellphones. Link to story

permalink (August 11th, 2003)