This generation will also be able to hawk digital wares, from music and movies to paperless train tickets. And that promises to fundamentally remake the business by allowing vendors of electronic goods to bypass Japan's complicated distribution system by restocking their machines from a remote computer. One gigantic network, that is. Omron Corp. knows all about versatility. It also lets them upload images onto the Internet, freeing up digital camera memory for more picture taking.
Customers can download the images onto their PCs when they get home.
Last month, Omron upgraded the machines, allowing customers to download music from a satellite transmission system. These features cost about the same as a couple of soft drinks. Omron spokesman Osamu Harasawa envisions a DCS terminal that can electronically dispense movies or books onto PDAs or other portable devices. No more running around to do all those errands. In fact, errands are already getting easier.