SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego will soon have 50 digital kiosks installed on downtown sidewalks.
These kiosks will help with navigation and wifi and bring revenue to the city.
"You tap it open, and it opens up to a suite of applications," said Jessica Burton, Senior Development Director for IKE.
The kiosks provide free WiFi and public transit information.
"The kiosks do act as a WiFi hot spot component, that's about a 75-foot radius," Burton said.
They also have a list of restaurants and events located nearby. It may have you asking -
"How is this different from a smartphone?"
"If you travel with Google or Yelp, you're sort of flooded with a sea of information. So I think we're cutting through a generic internet search with a lot of local institutional knowledge," said Clay Collette, Senior Development Director for IKE.
The curated content connects directly to the City's 'Get it Done App'.
"There's also what we call an emergency call button, which in San Diego would connect to the clean and safe team," Burton said.
There are applications to support homeless populations. It helps users locate shelters and social services nearby.
"We also have information that will be available through the Regional Task Force on Homelessness," Burton said.
Critics say they would be an eyesore on sidewalks, some comparing them to Las Vegas and Times Square. But these kiosks promise to bring more than $14 million to San Diego's general fund. The money comes in over the next ten years through displayed ads and commissioned art.
Construction on the kiosks is expected to begin in six to nine months.
