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Sony's Robotic Stores dispense gadgets like Pepsi
Either gadgets are getting as disposable as a bag of Sun Chips or consumers really hate dealing with those idiot salespeople at Best Buy, because Sony is betting people will prefer to do their tech shopping through a snack machine rather than get harassed about an extended warranty by a high school kid in a blue polo shirt. Technically it isn't a snack machine, it's a "Sony Robotic Store," but there's really no difference other than the goods inside. Already in place in Atlanta, Santa Rosa, and Boulder, with seven more planned around the country by the end of the year, the machines will allow people to buy things like headphones, PSP games, and blank CDs with credit or debit cards. Cash isn't accepted, as no one wants to wait for you to feed 50 crumpled singles into a slot to get Liberty City Stories. One cool feature they're thinking about implementing is a USB slot that would allow people to purchase MP3 files on the fly for mobile devices, which could be handy in airports and the like. Sony: bringing you one step closer to the dream of never having to interact with another human being for any reason, ever.
The New York Times, via Übergizmo
By hemdel at 7:27 AM ON 06/22/06
WOW! Thats a real innovation. Sony is truly on the cutting edge. Mars here we come!
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By undercovercylon at 9:21 AM ON 06/22/06
I look forward to the day that they can make an entire robotic shopping mall, and have it open 24/7. Imagine being able to pick up anything you need, whenever you want it.
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By Kvetch at 10:02 AM ON 06/22/06
How much for the overly happy chick in the pink?
Nick
By hemdel at 10:11 AM ON 06/22/06
Yeah She's like "how come I can't tune in MTV, Ophra, reruns of 90210" This new Plasma tv stinks!" But seriously maybe they can have vending machines for the health care industry. Like x-rays, meds, etc.... even automotive parts, Yeah thats it a giant PEP Boys vending machine!
By locrian at 11:19 AM ON 06/22/06
I still want to know why sony can make a CD player that my child can throw into the bathtub, fling down the stairs and I can run over with my car and I kid you not the $30 P.O.S. Still works while my uber expensive "adult model" breaks if I look at it. My guess is its because adults have the money...
By wirednerve at 11:44 AM ON 06/22/06
Folks, this stuff has been around in Japan for years now... You can get Sushi, clothing, small furniture, a date ;) and junk like that... Go figure, SCI-FI touts this as a new or cutting edge technology... Sigh.... What next--- Wow, look automatically flushing toilets.... Oh, wait we have that already... Maybe self-cleaning then! NO, they have those in Japan already also... Sigh, we are so behind the times here...
Hehe...
By djsmeg at 12:11 PM ON 06/22/06
So all we're doing is just waiting for the next thing that the Japanese have had for a while? Oh goody, I can hardly wait for them to export their used-teenage-girls-panties-dispensing technology. By the way, that wasn't hyperbole. The whack-jobs actually have them. No, I think maybe we'll just let this one die in flames and hope that they just let it be...
Next you'll be saying hentai is a GOOD idea...
By fenrislupus at 6:58 PM ON 06/25/06
Yeah... how much for the happy chick in the pink? Wait... in Japan... you could buy her used panties in a machine like that.... yeah we are waaayyyy behind here... lol....
By SistrWmn15 at 5:33 PM ON 06/26/06
Does anyone know where exactly the machine in Atlanta is located? I kind of want to check it out...
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SistrWmn15:
Does anyone know where exactly the machine in Atlanta is located? I kind of want to check it out......More »