Charge It in a ChargeBox

There is a new vending machine making its way into hotel lobbies: the ChargeBox. Sitting next to the ATM and the candy machine, it looks like a storage facility for your valuables. Insert a coin (in the UK where I first saw the device, 2 pounds) and you can connect your cell phone or iPod for up to 40 minutes of charging.

For those in a pinch, the ChargeBox could turn out to be a lifesaver, but when was the last time you needed a charge and didn’t have a charger? If you are in the UK, you can send a text message to ChargeBox and they will tell you were the nearest ChargeBoxes are located.

The UK is full of unusual vending machines. You can buy books at a vending machine and even the plastic bags you need to keep your 1 ounce fluid bottles in for airport security.

Image from www.fsis.usda.gov.