A Coke, M&M's... or an iPod?

On the way out of Summit Mall last night, something a bit different caught my eye. Just inside Macy's entrance from the mall was an iPod vending machine.

A what??

Macy's department stores have installed these iPod vending machines inside 400 of their stores across the nation. The 28-square foot machines will allow you to swipe your credit card and then, just as a vending machine would, drop your item into a door where you can take your chosen item.

Surely I don't go to the mall enough to know the exact day (or three-week span for that matter) this was installed, but it is fairly recent as there were a number of curious onlookers checking it out as well.

Taking the idea from Europe and Asia, ZoomSystems has parnered themselves with: Apple, Sony, Proactiv, Rosetta Stone, Belkin, Samsung and MyVu.

Want to see what ZoomShops are near you? Click here.

Hold on, there's more. Next on the list is Best Buy according to recent news. Located primarily in airports, these vending machines will offer memory cards, travel adapters, headphones, gaming devices, digital cameras, cell phones, chargers and even various computer accessories. This just eliminated making extra stops on your way home for the holidays.

And to think, this is just in time for the Holiday season! Hmm, do you think that was planned?

-k