Prototype gumball machine dispenses mystery apps via NFC for a quarter

By Michelle Haag on 24 Jul 2012 06:49 pm

I'm a sucker for a low-cost mystery, I admit it. Whether it's a mystery tee off one of those one-shirt-a-day sites or the Woot Bag o' Crap, it's really hard for me to pass up the potential awesomeness that could be delivered right to me. It's no wonder that I got super excited when I saw this intriguing invention using NFC from the folks at Razorfish.

Utilizing an old gumball machine, an NFC shield, a simple reed switch, and 2 Arduino microcontrollers, they made this prototype over a two day session at their Frankfurt office.

This is an NFC-enabled Gum Machine we have built at Razorfish that is packed with all sorts of digital goodies: Apps, movies, songs, ebooks, as well as other exclusive and location-based content that can be pushed to a phone. Simply enter a coin and turn the lever – then follow the animation and tap your smartphone next to the release chute.

That's right! Insert a quarter, get a mystery something delivered right to your phone! This concept seems like it would be fun, and with only a $.25 investment, even if you got something you didn't like it seems to me that the excitement and anticipation alone would be worth it. I'm curious if they could integrate Google Wallet or PayPal or something as well, for those of us that may not have change in our pockets. Obviously, it's just a prototype (tested on Android devices) so no word on what platforms it could eventually support. You can see several pictures of the prototype being built and find more information at the source link below.

Would you pay $.25 for a mystery download? Let us know in the comments or discuss it in the forums.

Source: Razorfish

Topics: Apps Concept NFC Razorfish Gumball News & Rumors

Michelle Haag 1142 (articles) 1620 (forum posts)

18 comments

Tsudeily Jul 24, 2012 at 6:54 pm

Okay, that is just cool.

axllebeer Jul 24, 2012 at 7:01 pm

Really?!
Ok it is pretty cool lol :)

Bobert_123 Jul 24, 2012 at 7:04 pm

Sounds pretty cool!

Xader Jul 24, 2012 at 7:09 pm

Not a chance. I won't install a FREE mystery app.

I don't install anything unless I know what it is and that it is reliable.

glamrlama Jul 24, 2012 at 7:09 pm

I think apps have jumped the shark here. Mystery apps for $.25 is pretty crazy! Usefulness level is about 0. Coolness level is about +1000000

/Device agnosticism or bust!

13david77 Jul 24, 2012 at 7:18 pm

Ha! I don't know why I like this so much, but this is just pretty damn spiffy, I must say. Seeing as smartphones are becoming ever-so-present in every day life, I'm not surprised to see a cool little contraption like this. Every time I walk into a supermarket these days, i walk past a quarter-machine covered in dust, or sometimes I'll get a gumball that has probably been at the bottom of the pile since 1984 haha Kids these days look at anything with a knob or a button, or something you have to drop a quarter in to and walk right by it with the same thought I hear ringing in most youngster's minds "those are for babies" or "that's oooold" (something like that anyway). Technology is advancing at super-speeds, and its things like this that can be utilized to get our children familiar with it--by making it fun! Ha, I see myself even getting a little gitty like a school-boy wanting to try it out lol What will they think up next?!

OniPod Jul 24, 2012 at 7:23 pm

I'd buy that for a quarter!!!!

advil_yum Jul 24, 2012 at 8:11 pm

But I really wanted a gum ball !

BruvvaPete Jul 24, 2012 at 9:39 pm

Garbage. I'll play lotto instead. At least I know I'll be disappointed

GeneralHerzog Jul 25, 2012 at 2:34 am

Gawd I love capitalism!!
This is a very neat idea and no doubt going to be a cash cow. I can see these little units popping up everywhere.

wuulfy Jul 25, 2012 at 7:41 am

whats a quarter????

Xader Jul 25, 2012 at 12:31 pm

It's a metal disk that used to have buying power. The name comes from the fact that it was "one quarter" of a dollar.

A long, long time ago, there were things that could be purchased for under a dollar.

allisos Jul 25, 2012 at 2:57 pm

Actually... the name comes from the fact that a "dollar" or "pound", or any other currency was a gold or silver coin. The coin would be cut into pie slices to divide costs. The easiest way to cut, was to cut into 8 slices. Each slice was referred to as a "bit"... The term "two bits" was one quarter of the coin. Its not particularly germane to the "dollar".

boldkeyboardholic Jul 25, 2012 at 3:49 pm

not bad, so it is "literally" a quarter of a Dollar ;)

and a bit is a eighth of a Dollar.

like a bit to a byte ;)