FutureWire - futurism and emerging technology

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Vending Machines... They Aren't Just for Sodas Anymore

Coca-Cola will pilot a next-generation vending machine in Ireland that will sell not only soda, but digital content such as ringtones and downloadable music.

The content, which will be managed by UK-based Inspired Broadcast Networks, will be downloadable to customers' mobile phones via their carrier, Bluetooth connections, or memory cards. The machines will be networked to Inspired's command-and-control center via DSL.

The machines will be rolled out to 200 locations in Ireland over the next several months. However, it's not clear if or when these machines will enter the US market.

Source: TheRegister.com