iPod Vending Machine

[JPK]

I think someone joked about this a while back, but it is reality.

I was traveling through Atlanta -Hartsfield yesterday and they had a vending machine in my concourse that was filled with iPod nanos, Airport Extremes and various iPod accessories.

At first I thought "how cool is that". Then I thought "why would anyone buy an ipod at the airport". You would need to charge it and download music to it. I don't imagine most people can accomplish this on the fly and the people that could probably already have an ipod.

I was also shocked at how many on my plane (Atlanta to Chicago) had ipods. I would guess 1 in 10 on my plane. That is amazing.

JPK

[Lux Interior]

How many people carry that much loose change?

[OWC Larry]

Suppose when you get off a long plane trip.... see them and can think, dang - would be nice for the return flight. Purchase, charge, move library too (assuming have computer, etc) - and there ya go. Or even on the return, an impulse buy for the person who's been thinking about getting one and just hadn't gotten around to it.

Are the prices normal or tagged up?

[rgG]

JPK Wrote:

Then I
> thought "why would anyone buy an ipod at the
> airport".


It Would be great if you needed a quick gift for someone, say you were on your way home from a business trip and realized it was your wife's birthday and you hadn't remembered to get her anything. That would be much better than the usually overpriced junk you can buy at most airports. Just a thought.

[grad]

l

[JPK]

I didn't check the prices. I was rushing to get on an earlier flight stand-by and I didnt plan on buying.

I would guess there would be a pretty good premium because there are a lot of hands out to pay when you want to sell something at a municipal airport. (unless you are a friend of the mayor or governor in Chicago!)

JPK

[SteveJobs]

http://www.google.com/search?q=ipod+vending+machine&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

[SteveJobs]

h**p://www.google.com/search?q=ipod+vending+machine&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

[Seacrest]

I actually bought one (a shuffle) from the machine at the ATL when I was flying into FL for XMas. This was when there were virtually no shuffles available anywhere (online, Apple store, Walmart, Target) and it was a last minute "bonus" gift.

The price was the same as retail, and it's got this great little robotic arm and really good UI.

They have the machines all around the malls and in Macy's in Union Square SF.

[wurm]

If you've even flown stand-by, you know you'll have plenty of time to charge it.