Sony and Universal launching POP "instant entertainment" vending machines in UK

Sure, downloading songs and movies is easy these days (even when done legally), but what if you don't have a computer or internet connection? "How would I be reading this post, then?" you might ask. Fair point, but there must be dozens of other people out there with portable media players yet no way to fill them, and for this market Sony and Universal have partnered to create POP, the "instant entertainment 24/7" vending machine hitting the UK this holiday season. Unlike other boxes that sell media players, this one sells content to fill them, downloaded straight to a memory card, flash drive, PMP, or other (USB-supporting) portable device. You can also purchase media-based content on DVD and Blu-ray if you like, games too, all of which "pop" out shrink wrapped and in full retail garb. Being able to buy a Blu-ray disc at midnight on a dark corner sounds mildly interesting, but with no mention of file formats or DRM or anything else, you won't find us sticking our memory cards into this thing's slots anytime soon.

[KIFF @ Oct 31st 2008 9:48AM]

You may not see the market for this, but I do. Perfect for locations such as airports where people may be tempted to make a purchase before their internet-less 13 hour flight.

[y3k.nik @ Oct 31st 2008 9:52AM]

If i was going to be flying for 13 hours, i would make sure I have enough media, and games etc to keep me entertained on that 13 hours internetless flight.

On another note, who in the world has a PMP, but no internet connection? And why would I have a sudden urge to buy a bluray middle of the night from a dark corner?

[From My Cube @ Oct 31st 2008 9:56AM]

Ive got a 10 hr flight tommorow and I could see this working well...but with the tv/pmp units in the back of each seat that already offer up free movies, games, tv shows your gotta wonder why buy something when I just shelled out 1k for the flight...not to mention battery life

[fh @ Oct 31st 2008 10:02AM]

Boo Universal.

Ars just did a piece on how Universal is attacking Redbox, which already has a vending system (albeit traditional disc, not pre-formatted content) already deployed at over 10,000 locations. Universal is demanding Redbox to fork over 40% of the sales (among other restrictions), otherwise it will pull its distributors.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081028-universal-studios-attacks-dvd-rental-kiosks.html

Looks like Universal is trying to shut down competition so that its own kiosk can succeed.

[j_g_puff @ Oct 31st 2008 10:28AM]

y3k,

You might be okay on your flight, but you forget the fact that Average Joe doesn't plan more than about 15 minutes into the future. These things will make a killing (as long as the pricing isn't stupid), but it won't be from the likes of you and me.

[tanooki2003 @ Oct 31st 2008 12:51PM]

Man I'm beat. I think I will hit the machine up for some POP.

[Lars @ Oct 31st 2008 1:49PM]

Obviously you guys have never done a lot of traveling. When you're gone for weeks or months at a time, you'll find yourself impulse buying overpriced CD's, DVD's, or books.

Internet access on the road is spotty at best, even hotels that advertise it often don't work or it's so ridiculously slow that it's practically unusable. Sometimes you'll have to pay outrageous fees if you want internet access somewhere... so you'll wind up just snagging any entertainment that catches your fleeting eye.

[inteller @ Oct 31st 2008 9:54AM]

odd, with my Zune Pass I just download whatever i want right to my Zune...this strange vending machine with analog media is confusing to me.

[Graham @ Oct 31st 2008 10:02AM]

Analog Blue-Ray? Now *thats* confusing to me.

[Valicore @ Oct 31st 2008 10:20AM]

inteller, I know what you mean, odd to me too.

Graham: that confuses me too, but never say never. They'll find a way to do it.. you'll stare in amazement and say "wtf? why?" and then move along.

[chris @ Oct 31st 2008 9:54AM]

BLACK MAGIC!!!!!!!

[Matt @ Oct 31st 2008 10:03AM]

They had this kind of thing in Schiphol airport for a while, but not so boxy and assited by nice girls. I really liked the possibility to buy some DRM-less music directly onto my PMP before taking my next flight.

[Ollie Capehorn @ Oct 31st 2008 10:08AM]

I saw two of these at the cinema I went to yesterday. They were MASSIVE. Bigger than a normal vending machine. And, within that 'collect' slot is a conveyor belt... looks pretty cool!

[Fed @ Oct 31st 2008 10:09AM]

13 hour flight = ambien

done done.

[Valicore @ Oct 31st 2008 10:12AM]

There is NO amount of media that will keep you entertained for 13 hours ::mutters about long ass international flights::.. I've seen systems like this that distribute physical media, but the interesting part of this is the possibility of Flash media of some sort as well. I have to say, however, that I'd be worried that some ass would infect it and spread a virus.

[b @ Oct 31st 2008 10:13AM]

to be honest it looks like a condom vending machine....

[Valicore @ Oct 31st 2008 10:22AM]

Damn you must have a lot of horny mofos wherever you are. You could build a condom FACTORY in that thing.

[Jesse @ Oct 31st 2008 10:16AM]

I feel like there is an obvious joke about always "using protection when sticking your media into a strange slot" that we are failing to take advantage of.

[V @ Oct 31st 2008 10:18AM]

this might pick up in countries where broadband isnt yet broad enough, and it could take amost a week to download a whole movie due to the horrific download speeds! i could just run off to the corner POP and buy me a dvd!

[kal326 @ Oct 31st 2008 10:28AM]

"you won't find us sticking our memory cards into this thing's slots anytime soon."
Yeah, I'm sure those dirty slots will get around. Hard telling what you'll catch from them.

[Coolty @ Oct 31st 2008 11:25AM]

Yeah. RedBox is flawed. You can rent a DVD and never return it, and not get charged for it. How? 2 ways:
1) Prepaid debit card
2) The DVD you rent has a barcode on it. Copy that barcode and place it on a blank DVD. return the blank dvd, keep the good disc.

[Link2877 @ Oct 31st 2008 7:01PM]

@coolty

Umm why don't you just take the blank DVD that you just throw away and copy the damn movie????

[Cj @ Oct 31st 2008 11:33AM]

DRM, DUTY-FREE Entertainment ? As long as the price is right I can see this concept moving along nicely :D

[stereobot @ Oct 31st 2008 11:35AM]

I would just wheel that sucker away, did you see those wheels? Get myself a crowbar and I'll have endless entertainment for years to come. You can take me out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of me!

[Murphy Mac @ Oct 31st 2008 12:25PM]

"...I wasn’t gonna fall in love again
But then Pop! Goes my heart..."

-Alex Fletcher

[Rob @ Nov 2nd 2008 12:29PM]

At first glance I thought it read "Poop." Silly me to think that Sony and Universal would serve their customers "Poop."

[Sanskrit @ Oct 31st 2008 1:00PM]

"Silly me to think that Sony and Universal would serve their customers 'Poop.'"

You haven't been paying much attention to pop culture lately, have you? ^_^

[Bautista @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:32PM]

i know other producto, is called t-Store (http://www.tbrsoft.com/sw/t-store)
This product burn the CD in the moment or give files by bluetooth.
Don't use credit card, only coins

bye

Bautista

[Buatista @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:32PM]

i know other producto, is called t-Store (http://www.tbrsoft.com/sw/t-store)
This product burn the CD in the moment or give files by bluetooth.
Don't use credit card, only coins
bye
Bautista

[bautista @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:48PM]

i know other producto, is called t-Store (http://www.tbrsoft.com/sw/t-store)
This product burn the CD in the moment or give files by bluetooth.
Don't use credit card, only coins

bye

Bautista

[ian @ Nov 25th 2008 6:10PM]

kinda funny to see Sony already working against its own Blu Ray format.!!!

http://www.1080pbluray.com/

[Marius Blom @ Nov 28th 2008 8:26AM]

Hey Guys. Just wanted to let you know that there are alternatives for getting music through kiosk solutions. www.prefueled.com is an online music store that has designed the Prefueled Music Fuel Tank placed in strategic transport hubs, coffe chains and shopping malls - in general where people gather and have time to spend.

The Fuel Tank allows for downloading through memeory cards, MP3 players, music mobile phones and USB memory sticks and pay either through your pre-fueled Prefueled account por by credit card.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjwgEpd0CFw

Have a look at our site then tanke a look at the Fuel Tank with interactive adverticing possible through the 32'' screen.

Thanks and have a great day.

Marius