oom Systems, a leading provider of automated retail solutions, has signed on Apple as its latest client. Zoom Systems has developed a vending machine that is a shot from the future. The automated 'Zoom Shop' provides detailed information to consumers using a touch-screen. The purchase can be made through a credit or debit card. Lest manufacturers worry about the handling of the product, the robotic arm gently picks up the product and places it on the robotic delivery pocket. The optical technology ensures that the product is delivered before the customer is charged for the purchase. All the purchase information is transferred through the internet to a central bank of service.

The 40 square-foot robotic store can display up to 150 products at a time behind the glass pane. Company CEO and founder Gower Smith said in a statement, "Zoom Shops are not your parents' vending machine. Unlike vending, we have developed the technology and intelligence to offer consumers the hottest products from $10 to $200, from the best brands. It's like shopping online, but consumers have the instant gratification of getting their product."... more