Mechanical booksellers?
In the “what will they think of next” category, Paris has instituted several book vending machines, through which book lovers can find their favourite read at any hour of the day. But as Jenny Barchfield of the Associated Press writes, the machines are still trying to keep their product classy: “Installed in four busy Metro stops and a chic street corner in central Paris, Maxi-Livre’s distributors were designed to bypass the characteristic vending-machine-drop, which can be punishing for books. ‘We knew that French bibliophiles would be horrified to see their books falling into a trough like candy or soda,’ [Zavier] Chambon said. ‘So we installed a mechanical arm that grabs the book and delivers it safely.’”
Thanks to BoingBoing.net for the link.
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