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Touchscreen Kiosks to Replace 250 NYC Pay Phones

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We've got smart cell phones, now it's time for smart pay phones.

Pay phones are fast becoming a thing of the past. If you do see one on the street, there's a good chance it won't work. If it does work, there's a good chance it doesn't see a lot of use. NYC is helping usher out the old pay phones in favor of newer technology. According to GigaOm, New York City now has over 200 high-tech phone booths with touch screens that offer local information like weather and transit details, as well as emergency broadcasts and even nearby deals.

The touchscreen kiosks are the result of a collaboration between New York City, Cisco and another company called City 24/7. The idea is that while old school pay phones provided a useful and much needed surface (indeed, they were a great help during Hurricane Sandy), that idea can be improved upon and, with a dash of modern technology, offer a whole lot more.

GigaOm writes that 250 of these are now live, and City 24/7 CEO Tom Touchet says they've been tested to withstand the wear and tear such platforms might be subjected to on the streets of NYC.

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14 Comments Comment from the forums
  • lp231
    Dumb idea, in a week or so that thing is going to get busted, stolen, or spray with graffiti.
    In Japan, they even have a vending machine that runs on Core i5.
    A core i5!
    Reply
  • A Bad Day
    lp231Dumb idea, in a week or so that thing is going to get busted, stolen, or spray with graffiti.In Japan, they even have a vending machine that runs on Core i5.A core i5!
    One does not simply bust a visible property in the middle of the street without being detected. Most vandals prefer it when nobody is watching.
    Reply
  • dark_knight33
    lp231Dumb idea, in a week or so that thing is going to get busted, stolen, or spray with graffiti.In Japan, they even have a vending machine that runs on Core i5.A core i5!
    Do you even live in NYC? Like any big city there are good areas and bad. I doubt they are putting these 250 test cases in bad areas. If a payphone survived without having it's receiver smashed, ripped off, or defaced I think the touch screen has a good chance.
    Reply
  • Gundam288
    dark_knight33Do you even live in NYC? Like any big city there are good areas and bad. I doubt they are putting these 250 test cases in bad areas. If a payphone survived without having it's receiver smashed, ripped off, or defaced I think the touch screen has a good chance.till you have a TON of people use it and get a TON of finger prints to the point where it would be a turn off.

    not to mention possible identity theft because it's a public place. But, I think that will only happen if it takes off.
    Reply
  • A Bad Day
    Gundam288till you have a TON of people use it and get a TON of finger prints to the point where it would be a turn off.not to mention possible identity theft because it's a public place. But, I think that will only happen if it takes off.
    Then that's why you have maintenance workers to wipe them occasionally.

    And there's not going to be ID theft because they will be broadcasting public information, not serving as a place where you can log into an account or something.
    Reply
  • aaron88_7
    Hopefully they will include a disinfectant wipe dispenser with all of these.
    Reply
  • kcorp2003
    I travel a lot in Manhattan, the cleaners will clean it on a daily bases. But would still love one of those old working phone booth here and there. So i can do my matrix talk :) but really, it be cool to have them around to give the city that antique look a bit.
    Reply
  • ikyung
    Everything is going to be screens in the near future anyways, have to start somewhere.
    Reply
  • danwat1234
    Just have super thick gorilla glass and heavy steel chassis with good gaskets, heavy steel pole, that should taken care of most abuse I think, assuming gorilla glass is highly resilient to keying.
    Geubbered circuitry to protect against crap in case a gasket fails.

    But it won't stop someone from ramming into it with a Hummer or sawzalling it.

    Reply
  • It sounds more like these kiosks DISplaced the pay phones, not replaced. Believe it or not, not everyone has a cell phone, and on rare occasion may need to make a phone call when away from home.
    Reply