Engadget

ShelfX's Vending Fridge nixes the cashier, uses QR codes, RFID to 'know what you took'

Joe Pollicino — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:35:00 EST

QR codes and RFID tags aren't uncommon when it comes to automated payment applications, and now Colorado-based ShelfX has purposed them for its new wireless-equipped Vending Fridges. Eliminating the need for a cashier -- or cash, for that matter -- each unit allows you to purchase any items packed inside by scanning a QR code with your phone (using the company's app) or an RFID badge. Upon presenting either method to the machine, it's able to tell who you are and unlocks its door. From there, you can grab whatever you'd like, while ShelfX automatically pulls funds your account for what's been removed. The system is also smart enough to know when goods are put back, so you won't have to worry about being charged while making up your mind. All of the money goes through ShelfX, allowing it to take "a small percentage" for itself before sending a monthly payment to owners. The Vending Fridge is currently on sale for $600, and a retrofitting kit for your own fridge is also available for half that amount -- no word on whether it has kid-blocking or crab-proofing options, though. You'll find more information in the press release just after the break.

Continue reading ShelfX's Vending Fridge nixes the cashier, uses QR codes, RFID to 'know what you took'

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Japanese vending machine doubles as WiFi hotspot -- no purchase required

Edgar Alvarez — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:46:00 EST

It looks as if facial scans for snack-dispensing purposes isn't the only mind-blowing feature on the whiz-bang generation of vending machines. Japanese company Asahi has just unveiled an advanced dispenser that's capable of doubling as a WiFi hotspot, so good luck getting through the mobs of leechers just to buy a soda. The machine sends out the internet waves free of charge and covers about 164 feet around it; of note, there's a 30-minute limit on each session -- but it's nothing that a fresh login can't solve. Asahi is planning on rolling out 1,000 of these in the upcoming year, but if you don't call the Land of the Rising Sun your home, you won't be able to experience the smart vendors anytime soon. Now, if only this same magic would slide over to park benches, blades of grass and molecules of oxygen, we'd be content.

Japanese vending machine doubles as WiFi hotspot -- no purchase required originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kraft vending machine teases children with adult-only pudding dispenser (video)

James Trew — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:22:00 EST

We've seen odd and law-swerving vending machines before, but none as meanspirited as Kraft's collaboration with Intel that only gives pudding samples to adults. The unimaginatively titled iSample denies the youthful its sweet nectar by taking a facial scan and determining dessert deservedness based on biometric data, like how far apart your facial features are. Part experiment, part publicity stunt, Intel is trying out technologies that could recommend products based on age. The company also claims it may retrofit the technology into existing machines to let companies study who's buying its products; Kraft is clearly in it just to deny children some pudding. To see if you have spent enough time at the fountain of youth, head down to Chicago's Shedd Aquarium or New York's South Street Seaport, and take your place in the line of parents ordering one for their progeny. Check the promo video after the break to see the machine wiping disappointment all over the kids' little faces.

Continue reading Kraft vending machine teases children with adult-only pudding dispenser (video)

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Nokia's Foursquare-enabled vending machine offers free smartphones, Butterfingers (video)

Joe Pollicino — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:14:00 EST

Sure, it's one thing to hit up the vending machine at work to get your Doritos fix, but free gifts? That's exactly what Nokia's doing at the Skypark in Glasgow for the city's Social Media Week with the help of 1000heads. Dubbed the "Nokia Gift Machine," it allows event attendees to obtain one free gift per day including candy from the US of A, Nokia accessories and even smartphones for a lucky few. All it takes is a quick Foursquare check-in with #NokiaConnects followed by a share over Twitter, and a goodie-filled tube will be yours for the taking. It'll only be in place until the 23rd, so if you're there and haven't given it whirl, consider this a quick heads-up from your friends at Engadget. Plus, who doesn't love getting awesome stuff for free? Exactly. Full details in the PR past the break.

Continue reading Nokia's Foursquare-enabled vending machine offers free smartphones, Butterfingers (video)

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AutoWed vending machine concept offers marriage of convenience, nuptials at $1 a pop (video)

Christopher Trout — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:24:00 EST

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to introduce to you perhaps the most outlandish concept we've seen all year. Looking something akin to a Moroccan Barbie accessory, and sporting a small portrait of Jesus Christ, the AutoWed Wedding machine has blasphemy written all over it. Pop in a dollar or a pound, depending on your location, and in moments you're served with a pair of plastic wedding bands and a personalized certificate, (unofficially) sealing the deal. And to think we ever raised a brow at that live crab vending machine.

Continue reading AutoWed vending machine concept offers marriage of convenience, nuptials at $1 a pop (video)

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Japanese vending machines to get EV chargers, will quench both thirst and range anxiety

Tim Stevens — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:48:00 EST

Everywhere you go in Japan there are vending machines. Whether you're in a Buddhist monastery or a botanical garden you're never far from a cold bottle of Pocari Sweat or Gokuri Apple. Soon Japanese drivers will never be far from a place to charge their EV, either. Forking Company, which oversees 1.2 million vending machines across Japan, is going to start working with Panasonic to deploy chargers for electric vehicles along with those machines. It's a potentially perfect solution, since these stations already having power and, often, connectivity. Over the next 12 months the plan is to deploy 10,000 such chargers -- and probably just as many menacing looking posters of Tommy Lee Jones hawking his particular blend of coffee.

Continue reading Japanese vending machines to get EV chargers, will quench both thirst and range anxiety

Japanese vending machines to get EV chargers, will quench both thirst and range anxiety originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android turns average man into El Vendor! (video)

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 03:30:00 EST

You might not know Greg Bell by name but you've certainly been affected by his work. The man who directed Logitech's amusingly creepy Lonely TV viral ads has returned with a series of videos meant to promote Android. The premise is, of course, absurd: middle manager, trapped beneath a fallen vending machine, continues to work because his Android powered smartphone allows him to be productive even without the full use of his hands. In a bit of video magic, the handset with a 32-day battery is the Nexus S running Gingerbread... but only when shot from the front. Otherwise it's a Nexus One when shot from the back, presumably because this was filmed before the S' launch. Regardless, the result is a series of clever videos encapsulating an everyman's transformation into nerd superhero, El Vendor -- we dare you to not click all five.

Continue reading Android turns average man into El Vendor! (video)

Android turns average man into El Vendor! (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PA Walmart stores getting CCTV-enabled, breathalyzin' wine vending machines

Joseph L. Flatley — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:01:00 EST

Whenever technology is used to solve a real problem, it warms our hearts. It really does. But when technological perambulations are needed to work their way around antiquated state liquor laws (the likes of which have tormented at least one poor Engadget editor since he reached the age of majority), it just seems sad. For instance, it's illegal to sell alcohol in grocery stores in Pennsylvania, but it's not illegal to install a vending machine that dispenses wine: as long as the user is asked to take a breathalyzer test, swipe their state issued ID or Driver License, and then show their mug to a state official sitting somewhere in Harrisburg, who is keeping an eye on the proceedings via CCTV. Simple, right? Maybe not, but it does protect the state's monopoly on liquor sales. The Pronto wine vending machine is currently only available in select grocery stores in the state, but it's just been announced that the PA Liquor Control Board has given Walmart preliminary approval to put the things in some of their locations outside of Pittsburgh. We'll try one out ourselves, as soon as they start carrying Blue Nun.

PA Walmart stores getting CCTV-enabled, breathalyzin' wine vending machines originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flix on Stix kiosks coming soon: it's like Redbox, but with USB thumb drives

Darren Murph — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 14:58:00 EST

The concept's far from new -- Warner and Paramount signed up way back in the heyday known as "2009" to offer movies on SD cards, and select Blockbuster rental kiosks have been popping 'em out ever since. But Flix on Stix is an expected twist on the models that are already out there, and it's one that will no doubt face some difficulty in reaching the same level of acceptance as Redbox. Put simply (or as simply as possible), consumers waltz up to a kiosk, select a TV show, game or movie, and then they choose whether they'd like to purchase or rent the title. The outfit has yet to come clean with specific pricing, but the (presumably mocked up) video embedded after the break shows rental rates of $1, $2, $3 and $4 for 3, 6, 9 and 12 days. There's also no clear indication how TV episodes and games will be handled, but we're hearing that users can either bring their own USB stick (USB 3.0 is accepted!) or opt to procure one directly from the machine. Swipe your Visa or Mastercard (c'mon, no Discover or AMEX?), and then... wait.

In fact, this is apt to be the biggest hurdle. What are the resolutions being offered? What if you select a 1080p film that's 7GB, and only have a 4GB USB drive? Or better yet, what if you've got a 8GB USB 2.0 drive and a doctor's appointment in ten minutes? Comically enough, the demonstration video actually shows the patron playing a game of poker while she waits for the transfer to complete -- something tells us that's not going to go over well with prospective customers waiting in line. We're guessing that most folks will peace right on out if the wait to purchase something from a box exceeds a few minutes, and given the very nature of this scheme, it sounds like that scenario is almost guaranteed to happen ad nauseum. At any rate, expect to see the first of these popping up in two to three months, and meanwhile we'll be digging for more details on pricing and distribution plans.

Continue reading Flix on Stix kiosks coming soon: it's like Redbox, but with USB thumb drives

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Live crab vending machine makes us think there could be better uses for vending machines (video)

Joseph L. Flatley — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 09:41:00 EST

Yes, it's true: an entrepreneur in Nanjing, China, has stocked a vending machine with Shanghai Hairy Crabs. The delicacy (if anything with "hairy" in its name could be a delicacy) is kept at 5° Celsius, where it hibernates until it is sold for ¥120-600 (between $1.40 and $7.30), which is apparently a thirty percent markdown from retail. Even the Japanese media seem to find this one peculiar -- and this is a country that sells liquor, pornography, and Maine lobsters in its vending machines. See it for yourself in the video after the break.

Update: Our man on the scene in China (actually, he's in London, but whatever) noticed a few additional details in the video, including the fact that the prices in Chinese Yuan range from ¥10 to ¥50, and that the owner of the machine offers a pretty sweet guarantee: if your crab is dispensed in a "dead" condition, you get three as compensation. Sounds more than fair to us!

Continue reading Live crab vending machine makes us think there could be better uses for vending machines (video)

Live crab vending machine makes us think there could be better uses for vending machines (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giant touchscreen vending machine at CEATEC stares us down, offers us a frosty beverage

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 20:52:00 EST

So we tracked down one of those crazy new touchscreen- and camera-enabled vending machines being deployed across Japan's mass transit stations at CEATEC today; one of their claims to fame is that they're WiMAX-enabled in order to receive ads and other high-bandwidth content, so local WiMAX provider UQ installed one of the units in its booth as a showcase of the kinds of wild and crazy things you can do with ludicrous speed. As much as we hate to admit it, we're pretty sure we'd be consuming more overpriced juice, soda, tea, coffee, and water if we had one of these near our homes -- seriously, how can you resist those cute rectangular eyes staring at you, slowly stealing your soul while asking you to "come by?"

Of course, the scary part about that is that the machine really can see you -- it's got a camera right above the display that detects your presence, makes some snap judgments about you based on largely accurate stereotypes, and recommends certain beverages (though you're still free to choose whatever you like). The machine supports Suica payments -- a popular NFC system in these parts -- using either a Suica card or your appropriately-enabled phone, which makes blowing hundreds of yen on cans of Georgia Vintage coffee frighteningly simple. Follow the break for some video of the machine in action... or if you're planning a trip to Japan in the next couple years, expect to see these around town in some of the high-traffic train stations.

Gallery: Giant touchscreen vending machine at CEATEC stares us down, offers us a frosty beverage

Continue reading Giant touchscreen vending machine at CEATEC stares us down, offers us a frosty beverage

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Gold To Go ATMs dispense precious metals to the superwealthy, heading to the states this year

Joseph L. Flatley — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:39:00 EST

Goldline might be a bust (sorry, Glenn), but you're not gonna let that stop you from preparing for the imminent collapse of society. Or maybe you just want to hang with your friends at the Ayn Rand Book Club (The Fountainhead again?) and they prefer Krugerrands to the fiat currency of the USA. Any way you slice it, Americans (including our friend Scott) have "gold fever." Luckily, it turns out that the Gold To Go vending machines we saw early this year are on their way to the states. Stocked with up to ten different gold bars or coins, these bad boys accept cash or plastic and use a VPN to phone home to Germany for updates on the cost of precious metals every 10 minutes. They also feature an ID scanner / camera combo for preventing (or at least slowing down) potential money launderers. The devices can be found currently in the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, Bankshop in Reutlingen, Germany, The Westin Palace in Madrid, and the Orio al Serio International Airport, and they'll be hitting Las Vegas and Florida sometime this year. There might also be one next to the Coinstar machine at the Murray Ave. Giant Eagle (we'll check it out and let you know).

Gold To Go ATMs dispense precious metals to the superwealthy, heading to the states this year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drug vending machines start trial in UK, allow awkward videophone conversations with your pharmacist

Vlad Savov — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 07:36:00 EST

You've got to imagine the Japanese are green with envy right now, as the BBC report not one, but two different drug vending machines are being tested out under Her Majesty's watchful eye. The first of these experiments is run by supermarket chain Sainsbury's, which has installed a pair of drug dispenser machines in its stores. They identify users by their fingerprint or a unique number, demand PIN verification too, and then finally accept your prescription. Then -- and this is the really silly part -- a pharmacist comes along, picks up your prescription, fills it out, and deposits it in the machine for you to pick up. So it's impersonal and unnecessarily convoluted, great. PharmaTrust seems to have a slightly better idea with its videophone-equipped, ATM-style robo-vendor: it's intended to allow pharmacists to approve prescriptions off-site and out of usual working hours by letting them speak to you via videophone. It could in fact be a big benefit in more remote areas, depending on how patients take to it -- we'll know more when the trial starts up in participating hospitals this winter.

Continue reading Drug vending machines start trial in UK, allow awkward videophone conversations with your pharmacist

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Japan takes vending machines to their logical, 47-inch touchscreen extreme

Vlad Savov — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:22:00 EST

Time for us to admit another entrant into the hall of unnecessary, but cool inventions. Installed at Tokyo's Shinagawa Station yesterday, this latest spin on the vending machine dispenses with those silly windows unto what you're buying and furnishes its user with a 47-inch touch panel from which to make his (or her) selection. An embedded camera will recognize your gender and age, allowing the machine to recommend a beverage suitable to whatever stereotype is attached to your particular circumstances. And don't worry, it'll store your purchasing history too, so you can be freaked out by tailored ads every time you use it. 500 more of these WiMAX-equipped units are planned to be installed in and around Tokyo over the next two years, with operating company JR East expecting them to tally up 30 percent more sales than their analog brethren. More bling equals higher revenue? Sounds about right.

[Thanks, Kyle]

Gallery: Japan takes vending machines to their logical, 47-inch touchscreen extreme

Japan takes vending machines to their logical, 47-inch touchscreen extreme originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Share Happy vending machine dispenses ice cream for a smile (and your soul)

Joseph L. Flatley — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:03:00 EST

We thought the Let's Pizza machine was wild, but this next item is downright scary... and delicious! The brainchild of Unilever (the company that owns Ben & Jerry's, Good Humor, Breyers, Klondike, and Wall's), Share Happy is a $20,000 Sapient-built ice cream vending machine that takes your picture, using facial recognition to determine if you're smiling and Photo Booth-esque features (superimposing "funny hats, a mustache, glasses, bow tie, afro hair, things like that," on your mug) to coax you into smiling. And once it determines that you are smiling, it gives you a free ice cream treat -- but not before collecting valuable demographic information by analyzing the image for things like gender and approximate age and asking you to sign away your likeness for promotional use. The images are sent to Unilever HQ a few times an hour, using either Ethernet, WiFi, or 3G. Camera shy? Don't worry, you'll still be able to pay for your junk food the old fashioned way. Currently being tested in Singapore, Lisbon, and Paris, with a UK test planned "soonish." Check the thing out on video by hitting the source link.

Share Happy vending machine dispenses ice cream for a smile (and your soul) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Tim Stevens — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:41:00 EST

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.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Sony and Universal launching POP "instant entertainment" vending machines in UK originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coca-Cola readying 100-flavor soda fountains

Tim Stevens — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:52:00 EST

Your typical soda fountain in a fast-food joint features eight boring choices, usually offering nothing more exotic than "Orange." It's been that way for decades, but one of the oldest players in the market is finally shattering that paradigm. Coca-Cola is introducing a machine that can pour 100 different flavors. Early prototypes underwent testing earlier this summer and second-gen units are headed for limited markets early next year -- the same thing they said about those self-cooling bottles last year. Assuming they do come to market, swapping out the highly-concentrated flavors is likened to changing a print cartridge, meaning new choices can come and go quickly depending on popularity. It all sounds refreshing, but we're not looking forward to the lines as the thirsty yet indecisive ponder 15 different flavors of Diet Coke.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Coca-Cola readying 100-flavor soda fountains originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Passive Aggressive Anger Release Machine smashes fine china, doesn't give your quarter back

Nilay Patel — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:01:00 EST

Proving that money can indeed buy happiness, artist Yarisa Kublitz's Passive Aggressive Anger Release Machine vends various fine china into a fine powder. We're confident there's a reason destroying a porcelain kitty costs $.25 more than a plain white vase, but we'll leave speculation on the deeper meanings of smashy time as an exercise for the reader. Essays are due Friday at noon in the main department box.

[Via MAKE]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Passive Aggressive Anger Release Machine smashes fine china, doesn't give your quarter back originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese vending machine offers free drinks for watching ads

Darren Murph — Thu, 10 May 2007 12:55:00 EST

In a marketing case that just sounds too good to be true, vending masters Apex Corp. have purportedly laid out plans that will bring free or subsidized non-alcoholic beverage to thirsty consumers who are willing to watch a 30-second commercial before partaking. Aiming to launch next month in Japan, the MediCafe project will give users the option of plunking down the ¥70 ($0.58) to ¥120 ($1) required to purchase an item, or watching an advertisement for half a minute while the machine dispenses their liquid of choice. It was noted that not all drinks would be free, as some advertisers would only be offering up discounts in exchange for your attention, but this still sounds like a much more legitimate way to receive gratis soft drinks than other alternatives we've seen.

[Via PlasticBamboo]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Japanese vending machine offers free drinks for watching ads originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2007 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kingston unveils flash storage vending machine in UK

Darren Murph — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 21:15:00 EST

We wouldn't recommend hopping on the next non-stop flight to London Gatwick Airport's North Terminal or anything, but for those passing through in dire need of an extra SD / CF card or USB drive, Kingston's got your back. Joining SIM cards, iPods, digicams, shoes, and all sorts of other bizarre goods, Kingston's self-branded vending machine will doll out presumably overpriced flash memory to travelers in need. Reportedly, New Jersey-based MyMemory will be operating the machines, and of course, they will all be open 24/7 for your late night (and mid-day) flash storage requirements. Interestingly, the UK units will supposedly utilize the oft hacked Chip & PIN technology, which means the countdown to gobs of free memory (and a high-speed police chase) has officially begun.

[Via EverythingUSB]

Filed under: Storage

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Soda machine "hack" yields extra beverages

Darren Murph — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 05:01:00 EST

C'mon, we've all wondered just what it'd take to nab an extra snack or soft drink from that soulless, computerized vending machine, right? Even if you haven't pondered such mischievous thoughts, you've probably muttered to yourself more than once how the robo-fridge took your money and didn't give you a tasty treat. So this "hack" goes out to you with a bone to pick, here's how to turn the tables on those carbonated money snatchers. In a video documentary shot by two (intelligently) undisclosed individuals, they trick one of those fancy conveyor belt-equipped pop boxes into thinking it has failed at dispersing the requested beverage. Once it believes that you're fuming mad and only moments away from striking the machine, it simply returns your money while the drink remains on the belt. If you haven't figured out the rest, you simply reinsert your recently refunded coinage, and repeat the process until the belt runs out of room (or you hear someone coming). While this one may not be not founded on more idealistic principles, we can bet it sure feels good to know if we really wanted to be, we could finally be on the duping end of the ever-dubious soda machine confrontation -- now, somebody give this a whirl on one of those iPod / digicam vending machines. [Read link possibly NSFW.]

[Thanks, RedBull Runner]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Soda machine "hack" yields extra beverages originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Sep 2006 05:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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