(image via: digitaltree515)

Does anyone read magazines anymore? Most of us get our news and entertainment online, so naturally the magazine industry has some catching up to do in the form of making e-mags easier to buy and read. This concept, presented at SXSW 2010, would let customers simply set their tablet computer down on top of a browsing table and flick their chosen magazine onto their device to purchase. The technology is already developed, fully functional and available today – it’s just a matter of getting it into place in retail locations.

The two devices communicate with each other seamlessly, so that the table recognizes the user logged into the tablet and the tablet receives data from the table effortlessly. Pre-loaded credits on the user’s account allow him to buy a magazine with just the flick of an on-screen icon. A device like this would be incredibly useful in places like airport terminals, where there are always customers but not always a full around-the-clock staff to serve them. Even without cashiers, customers could still feel free to browse the magazine selection and pick up the latest issue of People without the hassle of human interaction.