June 26, 2003
Mobile phone lockers
After buying drinks from a vending machine and paying parking meters with your mobile phone, here's the latest app reported in the Asahi Shimbun:
Cellphones turn the tumblers of keyless coin lockers. A timely call has opened many a door, but who would have thought coin lockers, too? Keyless coin lockers, operated by an ordinary cellphone, are answering the call at two train stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area. That's good news for those more apt to lose their keys than their cellphones. And, as an added plus, the rates are cheaper than key-operated lockers, starting at 100 yen for three to six hours.
The keyless lockers were developed by the Tokyo-based space-rental firm X-Cube Co., in collaboration with the NTT group. So far there are about 50 such lockers in use at three locations in Tokyo and Shinjuku stations.
