Memory vending machines begin to tip up

WHAT IS BILLED AS the world's first Flash memory vending machine has today been installed at London Gatwick Airport's North Terminal.

The box will dole out Kingston Memory's SD cards, CompactFlash cards and DataTraveler USB drives and other bits and bobs to travellers bustling through the airport.

Kingston is supplying the memory products to Jersey-based firm MyMemory which operates the vending machines. According to Kingston sales director, Ann Keefe, consumers "want instant access to SD cards and USB drives as they need them 24/7, so vending machines in public spaces was the most obvious solution."

The vending machines operate using chip and pin card transactions and are likely to be installed in other in "high-traffic" public spaces across the UK, if the scheme proves successful. µ