A vending machine that can dispense ebooks

There seems to be a vending machine for just about everything nowadays. From a vending machine that dispenses wedding rings, to another that dispenses USB cables to LCD displays, to more practical vending machines such as the one by the Red Cross that exchanges chocolates, drinks, and even an iPod for money to be donated to their cause, so it’s really not surprising to see another vending machine that has the ability to dispense ebooks.

You might be asking, “How do you dispense ebooks since they’re not physical?” Well in this case, all the user would have to do is insert money into the machine, and the machine will then proceed to dispense a receipt with a QR code on it along with other information. The user can then scan the QR code with their ebook reader or smartphone, and proceed to redeem it.

The machine is made by a Japanese company called Glory, which they had debuted last week at the Tokyo Ebook Fair last week. Currently the machine still remains a prototype, although it is a pretty interesting concept that we hope will be made into reality, and also be available outside of Japan.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Concepts, Gadgets
Tags: ebooks, Japan, Kindle, nook, vending machine