Gizmodo: Kiosks

Blockbuster Planning In-Store Downloads, Not At Home Streaming?

Jason Chen — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:06:20 EDT

This is an interesting turn to the Blockbuster media streamer rumor we heard last month. The Hollywood Reporter says Blockbuster will be going for the in-store kiosk download scheme where customers can download a movie within two minutes onto portable devices (we're thinking iPods as opposed to USB hard drives).

The plan is to have a fee of about $10 a month as well as a free device, but the pilot test in the Dallas area will only work with Archos players. Individual movie rentals will be $3.99, but if you're going to have to go down to the store AND pay about the same amount for a movie as you do already, why not just rent a DVD? [Hollywood Reporter]

Update: Looks like we heard about this before. Well now it's official.

Dell Closing its Retail Store Kiosks

Jason Chen — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:40:04 EST

Those friendly Dell kiosks you've been seeing in the mall are all going away as Dell shutters all 140 stores in favor of going back to their online sales and bigger name retail outlets (like Best Buy). All their inventory-less stores will be closed, meaning that you will have to order online from the comfort of your own home instead of trekking down to the mall and doing it. [Reuters - With special shout-out to our man Nate]

iPod and iPhone Media Download Kiosks Coming January 2008

Jason Chen — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 13:45:36 EDT

Although the "upcoming" Zune music kiosk download feature seems obvious thanks to the player's Wi-Fi capabilities, being able to download music onto your iPod or iPhone on the go seems less obvious. However, 22Moo has just announced a date for their iPod- and iPhone-compatible internet kiosk station that lets you download movies, videos, games and music onto your player when you're on the go. The launch is planned for January '08 at CES and MacWorld. [iPhoneTower]

Fast Food Self-Service Kiosks Coming, Silicon Lifeforms Taking Over World

Charlie White — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 09:57:51 EST

The conquest of the human race by robots marches on, and now the quaint phrase "do you want fries with that?" may be within the province of those cold, silicon-based lifeforms. Fast food giants McDonald's, Subway, Jack in the Box, Burger King, Taco Bell and Carl's Jr. are toying with the idea of self-service kiosks made by IBM and NCR that work just like the ubiquitous ATMs as well as those ticketing machines sprouting up at airports all over the world.

It's starting. Three Jack in the Box restaurants in San Diego are testing the custom-made fast food ordering kiosks, and twelve Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf shops in Los Angeles will be the next to try them. Others are experimenting in small tests around the US. Hey, we don't mind if those machines begin to chant the mantra "To Serve Man," as long as that's not the title of a cookbook. – Charlie White

Jack in the Box Orders Up Experimental Self-Serve Kiosks [San Diego Business Journal]
Self-service coming to fast food [Dallas Morning News]

Japanese Wiis Are Unsurprisingly Small

Jason Chen — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 15:25:59 EDT

The Wii Kiosks are going up all over Japan, allowing Nintendo faithfuls, a.k.a. the entire population between 2 and 80, to have a go at the Wii before launch. And by "have a go", we mean look but don't touch.

The big screen shows the instructional video over and over, similar to the infinitely repeating instructional video at the Star Trek: The Ride Ride we rode on in Las Vegas—much to the despair of said ride workers.

More pics after the jump.

– Jason Chen

Here It Is... Japan's Wii Kiosk [Kotaku]