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More on Talking Shopping Carts
ThosLives writes "CNN.com is reporting a story about Talking Shopping Carts. (I rue the day when viruses attack these carts, telling everyone to go buy Brand X). This article also has some interesting comments about possible (and likely inevitable) uses of RFID. I wonder, in the future, will I be able to buy anything with our new funny colored cash dollars?" We've mentioned these before.
Great idea... ...as long as I know where the mute button is.
"Hi! I notice you haven't bought contraceptives in the past couple weeks. We have some excellent weight loss products on aisle 4, and our deorderant is on aisle 6", says a bright and chipper voice as I make my way to the chips and snacks aisle.
Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
I'd really like to be able to download the information myself. Maybe they could add a MMC slot to the cart (or USB drive, smart card, etc.). I don't think it would be that hard, heck, they could probally do it now at the cash registers. Load that info into a program at home (maybe even a custom program for the chain) and there you got your shopping list. On a simular note, they could have the information tie into a website which you could create a "usual" list, plus a couple of items that were featured on the website.
As I see it the real problem with the carts is the expense to wire (and upkeep) for each cart (besides, those thing get trashed quickly).
The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.
Viruses?
You think it's going to take viruses for this to happen?
-- james
Hmmm... I don't suppose the store is going to leave these outside overnight? I could use a few touch screen LCDs around my apartment, would make a nice front end for my MP3 Jukebox...
-- If god wanted me to have a sig, he'd have given me a sense of humor.
Seriously, grocery margins are as razor thin as they come, it doesn't take many stolen carts to make them uneconomically, not to mention that the wear and tear in a supermarket parking lot could cause the repair bills to be just as bad.
On the lighter side, I can already imagine the bum's stolen cart: "PLEASE take me back! I'll have them throw in a free stick of deodorant & a 40 for you!"
Children in the backseats don't cause accidents. Accidents in the back seats cause children.
(Loud booming voice from shopping cart) "Might I suggest sensual lubricants to go with those Trojans?"
-- Thou hast strayed far from the path of the Avatar.
Dave Bowman: Hello, HAL do you read me, HAL?
HAL: Affirmative, Dave, I read you.
Dave Bowman: Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
HAL: I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.
Dave Bowman: What's the problem?
HAL: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
Dave Bowman: What are you talking about, HAL?
HAL: You haven't looked at any of the sale items Dave. I have the utmost confidence you will purchase one.
With computers tracking every grocery item purchased, I thought it would be really cool if they would give you a sum total of nutritional value of your grocery purchases. Assuming that you actually eat what you purchase, this would give you an idea if you are getting the RDA of the different nutrients you need. Technology could actually help us eat a balanced diet. Imagine how cool it would be if the grocery cart told you that it looked like you were getting too many carbs and not enough protein...
Unfortunately, all of this technology is being used to make the quick short term gain of tricking people into more and more impulse buys and having the overall effect of decreasing the quality of the modern diet.
I suspect the talking cart will be a grocery store annoyance on par with screaming kids in the playland carts that are the current fad.
You prepare a shopping list at home in some format, putting onto a micro floppy disk or some other easily transportable technology. You then plug that into the shopping cart when you arrive at the store and the shopping cart gives you the most optimum path to take through the aisles in order to pick up all the items on the list. A small LCD monitor would direct you to which aisle you needed to proceed to next.
I can't tell you how often I end up backtracking when I'm grocery shopping... it probably adds 50% to my overall time, maybe even more.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'