Not that we've never seen
Surface-like
touch tables interacting with mobile devices before, but now that the whole thing is being repackaged as "the magazine stand of the future" and those trendy tablets are involved, we might as well have a look. Cynergy is demonstrating a seamless method for purchasing digital content from one of these kiosks using your e-reader or tablet pc. It's just a matter of plopping your device -- which already knows your identity and available credit -- atop the display table and then flicking the particular magazine or newspaper you want onto your storage. It looks effortless and all, but it also requires that you have the "custom designed and built" software from Cynergy, which you'll have to pump funds into in order to get the seamlessness going. We don't know how we feel about yet another proprietary ecosystem floating about, but you can make your own mind up after watching the video after the break.
posted March 16th 2010 8:21AM
Or, you can just have the users browse this selection of magazines and purchase them from any place with an internet connection and current technology, and save $$$ not buying a biga$$ touchscreen which people can browse only one at a time.
@TareG
Yup, the two exact points I had in mind.
(1) Browsing/Purchasing one your own device is much easier
(2) People have to deal with a line to wait and use the surface
@25i
Is this supposed to be a joke?
Why would you wait in line if you have a tablet PC that you use as an eReader?
@25i You have to in a real line, but if it were on our devices, we could deal with the rushed scenario presented much better. If I'm standing in an airport and Im about to miss my plane, I don't want to wait in line to buy 5 magazines for my devices.
@25i There's a difference between waiting in line to purchase a hamburger and waiting in line to download something...If all I'm getting is a digital file, the touchscreen stuff is fun but there should also be a wireless way to do it.
@iamPro:
1. Some people might like the idea of browsing on a larger screen than on a tablet device, and of course a larger screen will enable to let you compare magazines or articles better, given the more ample real estate.
2. There could be more than one Surface table to browser at, and not all times of the day are necessarily busy. There are many magazine racks in local and big bookstores that aren't really crowded to the max.
I think this entire desperate concept proves that the physical newsstand doesn't have long to live in the e-reader world.
It looks great, but if you step back, it just makes no sense.
@notfred : Yeah, because everyone will have an eReader or electronic device? Sorry, but there will still be people that will just prefer the physical edition or won't have an eReader to take. Physical newstands will still exist.
And how can I regret?
oooo I love polygamy!!!!
@25i it has nothing to do with big love. I just really love polygamy!
Anybody else notice they created a iPhone/iPad-style home-button in the software? What's up with that?
@graey I did too, it's clear they don't plan on staying long on the HP tablet
@neogin
It's odd - it looks like the doctored the video to blur out that button, just not fast enough for the engadget super sleuths.
In general though, this thing is ridiculous. It's nice software that does something that nobody needs. Why the hell would you walk into a bricks and mortar store, e-reader in hand, to buy magazines? It would be like going to a record store to fill your PMP.
What ? drag book from table to tablet is their most important concept to show up ? Oh my god...
Am I just the only one that think that the "slide" gesture to buy is just useless and that a simple "Buy" button would be better ?
@neogin
Get with the show. Buttons are so early-Q1 2010.
@NHAnimator
It's so me, I'm always out-fashioned : think about it, I still haven't pre-ordered my Ipad !
While it clearly has some limitations that others have already mentioned, this kind of thing does allow people to browse in a manner more like they are used to with traditional books, magazines etc. so this sort of thing does have a place alongside the online stores you can access on your device of choice.
@crowl
I agree but I think they are missing the good opportunity that is to sell articles and not issues. To re-use their example " I'm planning to go to Afghanistan, let's download a bibliography of the last 10 articles of Nat Geo about it "
@neogin
That would be a good way for them to expand their concept and you would hope it was something they would introduce since there's no real need to limit the digital versions to simply be a 1:1 version of the dead tree edition, but for now it might simply be the case that only want to show the basic mechanics of the system.
@crowl : Glad to see someone can look beyond a narrow scope as to how this can work in real life.
whats up with the zune´esque win mo 7´esque interface on this?
@baandoptager : It's called 'Metro' and it looks awesome in this demo.
@touchmygadget
When they zoom in on the table right after he put the tablet on the table it shows that the guy has 10 credits. Prolly have to buy credit beforehand.
Magazines are really vehicles to deliver advertising. I can see the sense of paying for an actual paper magazine that get's delivered to my door and even for a single issue I buy at a newsstand
BUT
I can't see the need to charge people for magazines full of advertising.
Magazines should be free for download in a variety of formats pdf or whatever - they can even include rich video formats and interactive ads with clickable links (my favorite hobby magazine already does this)
Every new issue I get a dowload link emailed to me, I click and a few minutes later I have the issue stored to my HD and can read at my leisure.
All costs abosrbed by the advertiser.
Think how huge magazine readership would become if they were free. Advertisers would have a much larger audience.
With the massive amount of free content available I find it less likely that I will pay for content ever again.
They forgot all people don't have credit/debit cards ?
Whats the point if I still got to stand in line at-least with the other place (store) I can buy perhaps some chips and a soda