The Newspaper Vending Machine Of The Future?

Birmingham Alabama resident Scott Walker bought an old newspaper vending
machine on eBay. Then he went to work. In the top half, where the newspaper customarily displays, he placed a video screen. In the bottom, out of site, he hooked up his Mac. Every morning, the Mac downloads front page images from Newseum, and displays them in the top half of his retrofitted conversation piece. But it got us thinking. Why couldn't this be the vending machine of the future? All daily newspapers have websites, so it wouldn't be hard to find content. And digital signage firms routinely use the internet to program electronic displays.

Wired: June 29, 2007
By Charlie Sorrel

The Digital Newsstand: Newspaper Vending 2.0

Birmingham, Alabama resident and hardware hacker Scott walker has married old and new media with a project that pulls newspaper front pages down from the web and displays them in a customized newpaper vending box.

When the 3-foot-tall, 85-pound box turned up from an eBay auction, Scott set to cleaning it up and filling it with gadgetry; a Mac Mini and an LG flat screen LCD monitor. The Mac runs an Applescript every morning, which automates the download of front page images from Newseum, chops them in half for the authentic folded look, and runs a slideshow along with some early morning music.

Sure, it's not a cheap way to do things, but with a Mac Mini inside, this is a full home entertainment center.

How-to and gallery [Design on Deadline]