07 August 2002

Pinto's Point: How do you get the news?

By Jim Pinto

Do you still read newspapers? If you're like me, you're drifting away from reading the daily news in an old-fashioned newspaper. In a fast-moving world, news is available quickly and constantly on TV and on the Web. By contrast, a day-old newspaper usually has old news by the time you get to it.

Unless you don't have much else to do, if you still get a newspaper, you probably just scan the front page and then read a few other pages: the sports page, perhaps the business page, and the currents or gossip columns. And even when you do that, you have to skip from a brief introduction on the front page to other inside pages. You plow through lots of advertising to finish reading any specific item completely.

When you travel, you don't usually get your local news but rather whatever happens to be local wherever you may be, plus a sprinkling of national and international news.

A new public-access vending machine provides the latest editions from the world's most influential newspapers at the touch of a button. International travelers can now select their preferred newspaper at any location in world. An interactive, user-friendly interface guides customers through a simple, electronic kiosk-type, video touch screen selection menu.

After you make your selection and pay with your credit card, your selected newspaper is printed on high-quality, notebook-sized paper in black and white, 20-pages duplex, stapled, unedited, and up to date. Simply put it in your briefcase, along with your other files, to read on the plane or at your leisure.

Interesting sideline in terms of advertising: While you're waiting for your newspaper to print, you're entertained with commercial videos and general local information.

Personalized newspaper vending machine

Behind the byline

Jim Pinto is founder of San Diego-based Action Instruments. You can e-mail him at jim@jimpinto.com, or view his writings at www.JimPinto.com.