[Tfug] An idea someone should develop and patent

[Ronald Sutherland]

Ronald Sutherland wrote:
> Joe Blais wrote:
>   
>> Here's an Idea for someone to make a software product ---
>>
>> Some time ago there was a bit of talk on TFUG about having your iPod or
>> whatever -- I don't even have a cell phone so don't ask me what -- anyway,
>> as you move into a wireless area, you are "recognized" and communicate with
>> others---
>>
>> Forget the communicate with others, communicate with the juke box.  Your
>> device accesses the juke box and you pick songs, and pay to play them
>> through your device, through PayPal, whatever.  Current juke boxes being not
>> much more than MP3 players with a processor, this is easy.  Now, they don't
>> have what you want to listen to.  But your device does have a copy.  You may
>> have something bootleged - but you want to share the music.  So you play the
>> music you have brought with you! You still pay for the play, so the record
>> companies still get a cut of money even though the music file was bootleged.
>> You may also get a much wider appreciation of music if people bring in their
>> selections to share, or play your own creations.
>>
>> Joe
>>   
>>     
> I also don't have a cell phone or a PDA but like the idea you have... 
> Lets say the iPDA is put in a WiFi area and does the DHCP thing. It gets 
> a valid address and gateway. The gateway is also running a web server 
> with a list of services (Music, Vending, Food, ...) in the area. An 
> application (it needs a name WiBick, for wireless brick and mortar 
> services) checks for the gateway address and opens a web page at that 
> address, then you can click Music and select a song and pay with PayPal 
> or what ever. If WiBrick does not get a response it does not open the 
> browser. I think WiBrick can be done in Python in about 5 lines. I  may 
> be willing to write and test the web pages that take payment for the 
> beer vending machine... lots of testing is needed. If you click Food 
> service and select a hamburger, then the robot brings one out of the 
> kitchen to your GPS location at the D&D game table. This may need done 
> in https so the shop next door can't tell what the local business is 
> doing to make a profit.
Adding a little more:

Now walking through a store with a WiBick enabled device. I get a Basket 
with a Bar Code reader and small embedded computer that is also on the 
local WiFi. I select the basket's web page and type a few letters for 
the basket ID into the page to make sure it shows on the basket display. 
I fill the basket which has a scale (same as self checkout) as I shop, 
then pay through PayPal.  The cart is also a robot with GPS (O.o) and 
after being empty its ID is reset and returns for the next user into the 
store, recharge, or whatever.

kk... now I'm off to the Game.