Short Edition is an French online publishing company that teamed up with the city of Grenoble, France to provide free short stories to the public in an innovative way.
Eight locations in the city now feature short story-dispensing vending machines for the public if they wish to spend some free time they may have reading. The terminals are each about one meter tall, and feature an interface that lets users pick how much time they are looking to kill.
Different randomized stories from Short Edition's community of authors are then dispensed ranging from stories that take about one, two or five minutes to complete. The short stories are printed on paper and provide a nice break away from the usual time-killing activities in the digital age that involve staring at a screen.
Short Story Vending Machines
These Public Dispensers by Short Edition Provide Free Short Stories
Trend Themes
1. Short-story Dispensing Machines - Short story-dispensing vending machines are becoming more prevalent in public spaces, offering a new way for people to experience literature.
2. Innovative Public Service Dispensers - The rise of unique dispensing machines in public spaces presents opportunities to offer free public services in a convenient and accessible way.
3. Time-killing Alternatives - As people look for new ways to pass the time, more opportunities arise for creative and engaging alternatives to screen time.
Industry Implications
1. Publishing - Incorporating technology into the publishing industry can create new ways to distribute literary content, as seen in the short story-dispensing vending machines.
2. Public Services - Offering unique public services through innovative dispensing machines creates new opportunities for access and outreach.
3. Retail - Vending machines that offer unique products or services, such as the short story-dispensing vending machines, can provide a new point of sale in retail settings.