Internet will be ubiquitous very soon and this is future tech so I don't think the network connection is really a problem.
I'm excited for more real world applications of bitcoins that work like this.
Once armory is lightweight, it's watching wallets will be perfect for this.
Not even close, the people running vending machines are not the same people running local shops. And its not easy to get cooperation for internet access. Which leaves 30$+ cell data connections accounts that will NOT accept bitcoins as payment
Why does the cell phone need to accept btc as payment to fund it's cell data plan....thats irrelevant.
Atop that, Who says this thing is even connected to the internet? On that topic, All it really needs to do is ping every 10mins to keep the prices correct, Why do i think it doesnt need the internet?
Well. Because my fucking GameBoyColour could trade pokémon without the internet.
the machines could simply use someform of LAN styled Wi-fi gateways, Like how you cell phone or NDS can act as a "Hotspot" for everyone to use it's connection, If it has one.
"Turn on vender" "Phone see's WIFI access point and connects" "Vender see's phone" "phone says, 'i want this product'" "Vender says 'give me money first at his QR code'" "phone says OK and sends 1btc to that QR encoded address" "Vender gets the coin, And drops the food"
I dont see a need for the internet with this One transaction, But for continuous usage it would look more like
"Turn on vender, PRICE CHECK,via dialup56k internet" "Phone finds WiFi gateway" "Vender allows phone to connect" "phone asks for product" "Vender says product costs yz.abcdefgh, Send money to this QR code" "Phone says OK and sends yz.abcdefgh" "Vender gets the coin, and drops the food" "MARKET PRICE CHECK every 30mins via 56kdialup"
The machine Does Not Need to sync to the blockchain, Unless someone can give me a reason as towards otherwise why it must.
