Cabs with a view

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Found this story on ITWorld about cabs in metropolitan areas being outfitted with Windows XP Embedded Information Appliance devices built into the back of the driver seat. The passenger can surf the web, check sports, view TV guides, find the nearest Jitters Coffee shop, whatever. The manufacturer is Targeted Media Partners and the device is “Interactive Taxi” which has been installed in cabs in New York, Chicago, Boston & San Francisco. You've probably seen something very similar in London a while ago.

Check out this cool video presentation! (require Flash)

As the video and pics below show, the touchscreen has ads on the right and a lot of textual info on the left of the screen. This area is refreshed through wireless every five minutes and includes:

  • Local news, provided by news organizations.
  • National news, provided by CNN.
  • Entertainment news, provided by Entertainment Tonight.
  • Theatre and movie listings.
  • Nightclub and restaurant guides.
  • Hotel and museum listings.
  • Local government information, including safety messages.
  • Amber alert messages/emergency news.

Besides the fact that the advertisements are fresh instead of the usual stale 3 month old placards on the roof or side of the cab, you can deliver content or ads in real time to the customer, making it more relevant, more compelling.

These devices are running XPe, wirelessly networked, have touch screens and a 2 GB CF. Also, the Taxi Commissions can keep tabs on the cabs so the flow of information is both ways.

(screenshot below)
 

- Andy