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Japanese vending machines offer free wi-fi
3 Jan 2012

People in parts of Japan will be able to benefit from free wi-fi on their mobile phones thanks to new vending machines.

Asahi Soft Drinks has introduced the gadgets, which allows passersby within a 50-metre radius to connect to the internet on their mobile phones.

They can log on to whatever websites they like for 30 minutes, but once this period expires, users can go straight back on again for more free internet time.

On the first pages, there is local information and a splash page promoting Asahi Drinks.

It is hoped there will be 10,000 of the vending machines across Japan within the next five years, allowing citizens all over the country to use the internet for free.

Last month, Technabob reported that a collaboration between the Sanden Corporation, Intel and Okaya Electronics in Japan had resulted in a new type of vending machine that can recognise faces, suggest drinks and store information about past purchases.

Both of these machines could use near field communication and contactless payment technology where it is necessary to make purchases.