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I appreciate my own experience is only anecdotal evidence but I see people using them all the time. It is mostly homeless people who use it to make phone calls

I appreciate my own experience is only anecdotal evidence but I see people using them all the time. It is mostly homeless people who use it to make phone calls but I've often seen people charging devices. They used to be used a lot more but I heard they started blocking video so the homeless couldn't use it to watch inappropriate content.

jessriedel 9y ago
> I appreciate my own experience is only anecdotal evidence but I see people using them all the time. It is mostly homeless people who use it to make phone calls but I've often seen people charging devices. So a free VOIP phone and a USB charger? This strikes me as a failure to live up to their stated capabilities.
- reggieband 9y ago
  I believe they also provide free wifi. That is harder to quantify since you don't have to be directly adjacent to the kiosk to use it. I'm just countering the initial claim that one person never sees anyone using it. At least in my neighborhood, especially along my walk to work, I see people physically interacting with the devices very frequently.
  - bogomipz 9y ago
    Sure but this isn't really additive since New York City already has WIFI around all subway stations. See: https://transitwireless.com/ https://transitwireless.com/ https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/8/10737408/nyc-mta-subway-wifi-mobile-payment-cuomo https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/8/10737408/nyc-mta-subway-wi... And that Transit Wireless WIFI is not paid for with advertising blight. So really the net utility added for all of this advertising is is a USB charging station. You could always make 911 calls at the phone kiosks these replaced.
arkades 9y ago
> mostly homeless people who use it to make phone calls > blocking video so the homeless couldn't [watch porn] The latter is what I used to see them used for. I've rarely seen them used since the video block went in.

jessriedel 9y ago

> I appreciate my own experience is only anecdotal evidence but I see people using them all the time. It is mostly homeless people who use it to make phone calls but I've often seen people charging devices. So a free VOIP phone and a USB charger? This strikes me as a failure to live up to their stated capabilities.

reggieband 9y ago
I believe they also provide free wifi. That is harder to quantify since you don't have to be directly adjacent to the kiosk to use it. I'm just countering the initial claim that one person never sees anyone using it. At least in my neighborhood, especially along my walk to work, I see people physically interacting with the devices very frequently.
- bogomipz 9y ago
  Sure but this isn't really additive since New York City already has WIFI around all subway stations. See: https://transitwireless.com/ https://transitwireless.com/ https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/8/10737408/nyc-mta-subway-wifi-mobile-payment-cuomo https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/8/10737408/nyc-mta-subway-wi... And that Transit Wireless WIFI is not paid for with advertising blight. So really the net utility added for all of this advertising is is a USB charging station. You could always make 911 calls at the phone kiosks these replaced.

arkades 9y ago

> mostly homeless people who use it to make phone calls > blocking video so the homeless couldn't [watch porn] The latter is what I used to see them used for. I've rarely seen them used since the video block went in.