Sony Products Sold in Automated Kiosks

Posted Jun 22, 2006 at 1:15PM by QJ Staff Listed in: News Tags: automated kiosks, Sony, Zoom Systems

Sony Automated Kiosks

Sony wants its electronic products to be readily available to consumers via automated kiosks strategically placed in malls and other such places.

But be sure not to call these vending machines. Gower Smith of Zoom Systems, which is providing the technology for Sony, says that these are robotic stores and not vending machines. These specially-designed kiosks will come in either of two versions, one four feet and the other eight feet wide, both with a touch screen where displayed products' info and specs, as well as trailers and music videos, will be shown. Movie will also be shown in here.

To purchase a product from the robotic store, the consumer only has to select a product from the screen, swipe his credit card and wait for the robotic arm to deliver the purchased item.

This "experiment" will only be considered a success by Sony if it actually increases sales. The company will be watching the early sales returns of the three robotic stores placed in Santa Rosa, Ca., Atlanta and Boulder, Colorado. Thanks to jpcguy89 for the heads'-up!

Via NYTimes

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Comments

# Wow! — Guest 2006-06-13 17:09

That's soooo awesome! get me one of them...

Swipe: One for me..

Swipe: One for me....

Swipe: One for you

Swipe: One for me....

Damn i'd get addicted

# ... — groggo 2006-06-13 17:39

"That 'robotic store' just ate my change" just doesn't sound right

# Robotic Store? — Alastair 2006-06-13 20:16

Why not call it a vending machine?

I can't think of any horrible/cheap connotations...

And I saw one of these things (not sony...but other electronic products) when I arrived in the states 8 months ago.

And I'd seent hem on TV years prior...

# the letters — Guest 2006-06-14 08:48

Standard --- Oil --- New --- York (SONY) : cute hue?, seems that Standard got kick out of the U.S. back in WWII and opened it offices in Japan. So enjoy all the benefits that come from trading with an enemy of this Republic once upon a time. Oh yeah, the once oil giant was trading with the enemy.

# ha — Guest 2006-06-14 16:04

hmmm

Right.... typical vending machine scenario... u pay for your stuff and then what does it go and do but get snagged on that crazy dispencing mechanism just as its meant to fall.

Here are the possible solutions:

1. You end up hitting the machine violently, the laram sounds and you get arrested. 5 years in jail + hefty fine

2. Shake/tilt/roll the machine and it ends up landing on you crushing you to death. which isn't fun, trust me.

3. You buy the product above it so it will come down hitting the thing you wanted in the first place. This time it just so happens to be AIBO which is on sale at $600 when all you wanted were some headphones at $10

You end up with your headphones if your lucky and a crazy dog that doesnt leave a mess.

4. you put your hand up the dispencer and either get arrested if your found or starve to death if your not.

and imagine this...

OH CRAP I ENETERED THE WRONG BLOODY SELECTION!?!?! that must have happened to every single one of you.

I see this catching on....really...i do.... 0_o

# Safeway — Guest 2006-06-15 13:24

This vending machine is at the Safeway here in Boulder. Next time you steal someone's wallet, just head over there to use those credit cards before they are cancelled!

# not the 1st time — Guest 2006-06-16 01:52

Not bad but not as easy to use than the one in Asia: they have vending machines for almost every products you can think of ! Electronics (Sony,Panasonic ,etc) , Books, Soup, Cellphones, even Sexual Gadgets !!

# Lol — Guest 2006-06-22 08:55

How long untill the touchscreen is broke?! Lol

Look at those DEMO DS's !!

# Unpractical — Guest 2006-06-22 09:08

I've seen these before. They have them at airports and stuff. But the ones I saw werent Sony. They have some that sell iPods. I think there pretty cool but not really practical. I think they should be called vending machines though. I also agress with 10. I guarentee some idiot is gunna scrape up the screen with a key or something.

# oiy...this aint good... — Guest 2006-06-22 09:16

a "robotic store"

yes bcuz we dont alreadi kno how 2break n2 vending machines, crack volts, n hack systems.. rite

not 2mention we ***** wit ATMs all the time ... but that wont happn here...

of course....

# nice idea! — Jx1 2006-06-22 09:21

Good Idea, yet to see in practice.

Sure maybe some might steal games easily and such, but then again depends what countries were speaking of.

# Version ? — Guest 2006-06-22 09:22

Which firmware does this vending machine have ??? Can we brick this machine ???

# Old news? — Guest 2006-06-22 09:26

I remember reading about this on Dcemu almost a month ago so I was very surprised to see it posted here for the first time. Now back on topic, I would imagine this would attract more theifs than actual customers but it will definately be used by impulsive buyers.

# . — FLai 2006-06-22 09:33

now this, i like

# 2 for 1 — lukahn 2006-06-22 09:35

Imagine putting your money in, and the crane grabs 2 items

I think I saw some memory sticks in there.

Considering the price of sony products, a machine like this will get looted often, and when you do buy something, it goes clunk upon landing on the floor so you can take it out.

And if you DO want these expensive products, you go to a sony store, and electronics store, or online, not from a vending machine. It's kinda like condoms, you buy from a machiine or a chemist.

Just my thoughts on a silly idea, but who knows, it could be really good.

# Malls? — Guest 2006-06-22 09:35

Why would they put it in malls? Chances are that there are already stores that sell these games, and the robotic stores will probably cost more in the first place. Better places to sell them would be airports...

# omg lol — Guest 2006-06-22 09:41

we got some frigging awesome funny comments here! keep it up!, i like 10 and 14! lol!

Ok, anyone got a crowbar? hammer? ax? or even a screwdriver? i kinda have to have that digital camera bad... or the psp in the corner wouldn't hurt...

# i need a job — Guest 2006-06-22 09:50

so much for part time work now

# . — Guest 2006-06-22 10:05

A masterpiece of automation engineering!

Here goes a big thumbs up for Zoom Systems and their developing crew ^_^

. Roberto Civille Rodrigues

# Umm — Necreia 2006-06-22 10:13

A "Vending Machine" is a Machine which is a Vendor.... that's exactly what this is.

# o.O — Guest 2006-06-22 10:24

nice boobies o.O

oh there's a machine in that picture, too? cool...

# Old news!!!! — Guest 2006-06-22 10:29

^Title says it all

# Robz it ! — Guest 2006-06-22 10:48

I say we get a gun, shoot it up and rob all the PSP's

that way we are the pwnz0rs :)

jk, old news

# Cool. — mbslrm 2006-06-22 10:52

Hopefully they won't eat your change etc....

# Big Brother — Guest 2006-06-22 10:57

OH NO! The Robotic age has arrived. Soon we will answer to our new robotic overlords.. what a horrible fate.

# Right.. — Guest 2006-06-22 11:00

Yes i'd just LOVE to spend 400$ on a vending machine...oh i'd trust it, no problem.

# Credit Card?? — Guest 2006-06-22 11:20

HA! I knew there had to be a catch :P...lol. Interesting though,saves the wait in line while an underpaid grumpy clerk scans your item slow as a snail :P.

# Ive seen it — Guest 2006-06-22 11:23

I saw one of these machines in santa rosa just a few days ago. it had the psp core pack, several first party games, and some umd movies, as well as 1GB and 512mb memory sticks, some headphones, and some digital cameras.

the items dont fall like other vending machines, they are pulled out by an arm and delivered to the pick up stop.

I wouldnt worry about getting the product you paid for, though there is that chance.

# Dear god! What have we done...... — Guest 2006-06-22 11:24

What's the difference between a vending machine and a sales person?

-One doesn't scream when you beat them up for taking your money.

# Interesting — Guest 2006-06-22 11:56

The inherent problem with these types of machines is you still need to buy content for them. So if it has games, then good, but if it doesn't there's no point in it.

# i saw it already — Guest 2006-06-22 12:21

am in atlanta and i saw one at lenux mall, for the dude that said what if you push the wrong number and got the wrong product? well that can happen but it does not give you your product immediately it asks you to confirm if that was what you wanted before it goes through the process and wala you have your memory stick or whatever you pushed.

# great — BULL3TPR00F 2006-06-22 12:23

i think this is a great idea.

and @7

the machine wont have those stupid little swirlie things that dispense your product, thats jus plain common sense. if they did, your game wud fall down and brek, or if you buy a console it will fall down and shatter. there is obvsioyl going to be some sort f roboticsa that brings the item down from behind and into the front boottm.

# @32 — BULL3TPR00F 2006-06-22 12:28

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH A LOL O MAN

... its funny cuz its tru.

but hey, its a robot, maybe it will scream... hmmm....

# i like them — Guest 2006-06-22 14:09

i dont know what u guys are gettin all worked up about. the've had these type of machines here in Japan for about a decade. ive never had any problems with them. they r easy to use and u dont have to wrry bout language barrier cause most have a language option

# My chips are stuck. — Guest 2006-06-22 15:02

Imagine the frustration when a $200 item gets jammed in the machine!

It seems very possible, but I guess I would trust the thing to dispense my goods. Actually I am going to have to make it a point to buy something out of one of these machines. Maybe a umd movie or some thing. These would be the crunk potato at airports.

The End.

# hmm — Guest 2006-06-22 15:08

would they charge you tax? $200 psp + 7% FL sales tax = $214...

# i wonder if they'd charge more for the stuff — drew4237 2006-06-22 15:11

and to t33n1ckXIII(to damn ignorant to sign in) just sign in once and have it remember u everytime u come back that is what i did

# where exactly in Santa Rosa — Guest 2006-06-22 15:31

OK so where exactly is this thing in Santa Rosa, plz be as detailed as possible. The name of the mall or wherever its at, the cross streets. Everything plz

# Problem: — Guest 2006-06-22 15:47

How will they control ESRB ratings? A nine year old can go and by GTA if they want now. And we all know how much the media would hate that.

Unless they don't sell anything above everyone. Which would make it suck.

# nine year old w/ a credit card? — Guest 2006-06-22 16:39

Yeah, well not alot of nine year olds have credit cards...

# #43 — Ninkul 2006-06-22 16:40

Credit Card. 18+ to apply for one. Though im pretty sure they'd make sure they're all PG games or something

# ... — Guest 2006-06-22 17:34

I think this is stupid. When people want to spend a lot of money on electronics, they want to talk to sales people usually before making a purchase...I just dont see the need for these....hmmmm

# Hehehe — Guest 2006-06-22 19:06

*Friend puts in money to buy PSP*

*I unplug machine and look around casually*

# to fallingangel, the location of the machine — Guest 2006-06-22 19:40

its in the santa rosa plaza mall, near the escalator outside of JC Penny, close to the babbages & cinnabun.

theres only 2 malls in santa rosa, but if you dont know where that is, just google & google map it, respectively.

# What about Returns??? — Guest 2006-06-22 20:04

What do I do if I need to return the electronics. Obviously I cant add an extended warranty to the hardware? (Like I usually do with expensive stuff from Best Buy or Circut City)

You surely have to mail it in? Seems like might be a problem for expensive stuff, but still Id like to buy something from it, cuz its a robot machine !!!!!! for god sakes tho put a midget in there to deal with the returns

# huh — Guest 2006-06-23 01:25

why does that chic have white stuff dripping down her boobs

# im getting them all! — Guest 2006-06-23 02:48

You Don't need money to buy these, just break the window!

# ... — Guest 2006-06-23 02:52

its called Sunlight you knob-end, you know, the stuff you see when you get to come out of your basement? tard..

# Noooooooooooooo oooooooooo — Guest 2006-06-23 04:52

nocomment

# awesome — Guest 2006-06-23 07:21

I just can't wait till i hear "hello sir, did u bring in your trades today"...ah not really, but it would be pretty cool. and they should have it where the robot atually could fix a ps2 or psp or somethin. but yeah, i guess we'll just have to leave it only to sell sony products :)

# lame — Guest 2006-06-23 08:27

not a vending machine? more $ony arrogance at play here. . .

# cool — Guest 2006-06-23 15:45

This would be cool to use about 1 time, for something like a game but something expensive, i'd have to think twice. I guess it would be good for new release games if they updated the stock regularily. Also, coke machines have a code (which u can access from the net) that lets u mess around with prices and things, u could possibly hack this sony robotic thing.

# ... — Guest 2006-06-24 16:54

What flavors do they have

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