Paypal Demos Change-Free Gumball Machine

Found on All Voices on Thursday, 25 November 2010
Browse Technology

The client simply loads a QR code scanner such as QuickMark and scans the code on the machine. Their PayPal account is debited, a Tweet is sent to their phone via Twitter, and the machine delivers a gumball, all in seconds and without any physical interaction with the machine.

Imagine that you read the first chapter of a book at a friend's house and would like to buy it to read the rest. Pull out your phone and with two quick taps a copy is being shipped to you through Amazon.

What, people still trust Paypal? With their history of abusing user accounts and retarded ways to verify customers, nobody should trust them when it comes to money. Paypal claims it's a bank; but it's far from that. I won't touch such a gumball machine with a 10' pole; and besides, if a friend of mine has an interesting book, I borrow it. The subtle implication that I could only read a book if I bought it is somewhat amusing.