Music downloads from a vending machine?
We thought that the Japanese had the monopoly on crazy stuff available in vending machines. Apparently not. Inspired Broadcast Networks, the company which supplies networked jukeboxes to pubs, bars and shops, is extending its service to allow customers to download music tracks. The company, which has 7000 itbox terminals and 800 networked jukeboxes, has got together with Entertainment UK to allow consumers the chance to buy music downloads using cash or a credit card using a vending machine.
Users will be able to download tracks to all sorts of different gadgets, from mobile phones to music hard drives. The terminals will be located in pubs, but will also be embedded into things like drinks vending machines and music listening posts. Trials are currently going on in train stations and other choice venues in association with company’s such as lastminute.com, Coca-Cola and Woolies. The terminals will also offer lastminute.com travel and concert tickets and mobile phone top-up cards.
The company is planning to invest at least £50million along with its partner companies over the next two years, creating Digital Vending terminals all over the place. It’s a pretty neat idea as far as we’re concerned. But how long before you can just buy fully loaded flash players with the weeks top 30 on? Alternatively, we’d settle for vending machines selling used pants and cans of self-heating coffee.
