Cutting the Line

sUnShInE · 06-01-2004, 06:26 PM

Imagine this:

You're shopping at your local grocery store. You walk in, with your handy little shopping cart. You walk over to the info kiosk and grab a small handheld. You scan a barcode with the handheld from a card in your wallet, unlocking it for use, and you're off.

You begin shopping. As you pull items off the shelf, you scan them with the handheld and plop them into your cart. If you decide against the item, you delete it from the unit.

Suddenly the unit beeps, alerting you that if you buy the larger size box of the cereal you just put in your cart, you'll save $2. As you're deciding on whether or not you'll eat that much cereal, and you start scrolling through your itemization on the handheld to see how much you've spent, you get a message that your prescription is ready at the pharmacy for pick up.

Not sure where the pharmacy is located? No problem. The handheld has a map to direct you. But first you want to grab some specialty cheese, and you wonder if the store carries it. You type your search into the handheld, and it pops up the product information, pricing and location for you.

After you pick up the prescription, you head off to the check out. You opt for the speedy aisle. You place the handheld into a machine, swipe your credit card, and walk out the door.

Sounds pretty futuristic, huh? American grocery chain Food Lion will be testing this wifi-based system in five pilot stores in the Charlotte, N.C. area by the end of the year.

doctorow · 06-02-2004, 05:02 PM

That's too cool! I cannot imagine my mom doing that though. She doesn't even know how to use e-mail

sUnShInE · 06-03-2004, 09:05 AM

My mom didn't know how to use email either... but with three geeky children in the house, we taught her.

The next thing I know she was ftp'ing stuff off my friend's server and we had to hold a "spam intervention" for her. She was really pissing off some of my aunts with all the crazy urban legends emails....

If they do it right, and I suspect they will, this FL pilot should be as easy as using a tv remote control. Maybe it will encourage kids to go to the market with their moms for quality time so they can play with the electronics though

06-01-2004, 06:26 PM	#1
sUnShInE Drama Queen Posts: 784 Karma: 11712 Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: United States Device: Palm Tungsten T\|T3	Cutting the Line Imagine this: You're shopping at your local grocery store. You walk in, with your handy little shopping cart. You walk over to the info kiosk and grab a small handheld. You scan a barcode with the handheld from a card in your wallet, unlocking it for use, and you're off. You begin shopping. As you pull items off the shelf, you scan them with the handheld and plop them into your cart. If you decide against the item, you delete it from the unit. Suddenly the unit beeps, alerting you that if you buy the larger size box of the cereal you just put in your cart, you'll save $2. As you're deciding on whether or not you'll eat that much cereal, and you start scrolling through your itemization on the handheld to see how much you've spent, you get a message that your prescription is ready at the pharmacy for pick up. Not sure where the pharmacy is located? No problem. The handheld has a map to direct you. But first you want to grab some specialty cheese, and you wonder if the store carries it. You type your search into the handheld, and it pops up the product information, pricing and location for you. After you pick up the prescription, you head off to the check out. You opt for the speedy aisle. You place the handheld into a machine, swipe your credit card, and walk out the door. Sounds pretty futuristic, huh? American grocery chain Food Lion will be testing this wifi-based system in five pilot stores in the Charlotte, N.C. area by the end of the year.

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06-02-2004, 05:02 PM	#2
doctorow Guru Posts: 914 Karma: 3410461 Join Date: May 2004 Device: Kindle Touch	That's too cool! I cannot imagine my mom doing that though. She doesn't even know how to use e-mail

06-03-2004, 09:05 AM	#3
sUnShInE Drama Queen Posts: 784 Karma: 11712 Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: United States Device: Palm Tungsten T\|T3	My mom didn't know how to use email either... but with three geeky children in the house, we taught her. The next thing I know she was ftp'ing stuff off my friend's server and we had to hold a "spam intervention" for her. She was really pissing off some of my aunts with all the crazy urban legends emails.... If they do it right, and I suspect they will, this FL pilot should be as easy as using a tv remote control. Maybe it will encourage kids to go to the market with their moms for quality time so they can play with the electronics though

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