This Awesome Gumball Machine Dispenses Apps Instead of Candy

As a kid, there was nothing more exciting than inserting a coin into a machine and getting a surprise goodie. While gumball machines are still around, their magic is all but gone–who really cares about a gumball or a piece of plastic toy anymore? Good thing there are people like the guys at Razorfish in the world, who’ve come up with a gumball machine that dispenses content.

Are you excited already? I know I am. Razorfish is a marketing agency that may have invented the coolest vending machine known to man. Its gumball machine makes use of near field communication (NFC) technology, and dispenses apps, music, ebooks, movies, and other location-based content straight to your phone. In other words, you never know what you’re going to get.

As you can see in Razorfish’s video (below), the machine is very simple to operate. Simply insert a coin into the slot, turn the lever, and hold your phone next to the opening where the gumball would normally come out. Once you do that, your phone will be loaded with your new piece of content.

These machines are only an elaborate idea as of now, but it’s a truly brilliant one. More than the actual content you might get for a quarter, the element of surprise will play a crucial role with these machines. I, for one, will gladly pay 25 cents for an unknown app, eBook, or maybe even a local coupon.

What about you? Do you see yourself using this awesome machine?

[Razorfish via The Verge and Macgasm]

Yaara is a foodie, horse-lover and biologist who enjoys being a geek as a full-time job. You can also find her on MakeUseOf and tweeting her time away on @ylancet.

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