Culture
Could All Old Pay Phones One Day Become Public Smart Phones?
250 LED "SmartScreens" are heading to New York's underused booths.
In the age of the smartphone, payphones have become an anachronism. But a new company is planning to bring phone booths into the 21st century by retrofitting them with high-definition LED "SmartScreens" that display maps, neighborhood attractions and safety alerts.
Following a small-scale pilot program that consisted of about 25 touch screens in New York City and New Jersey, City 24/7 now has plans to expand to 250 installations in New York City. City 24/7 CEO Tom Touchet says the information found on each touch screen will be targeted to its specific location, and can include everything from restaurants and neighborhood amenities to traffic info and travel times.