MP3 fill up at the gas pump

Future sociologists will wonder how we got along without listening to music. We can take it anywhere, using our portable MP3 players, and we can get it just about anywhere as well. The latest addition to the massively growing list of places you can obtain music files is the gas pump.

Actually, this is not a new idea but it’s certainly being expanded on at CES, by Dresser Wayne, better known for just selling fuel dispensers. The company have joined the MP3 revolution, offering a full-on streaming media-ready gas pump that sports a 15-inch touchscreen and speakers. This is actually an update of a product released earlier this year. The difference here is the larger screen and increase in functionality and compatibility.

It’s a bit tricky in the details because the software is Windows-based, specifically CE, as the live demonstration showed. Files can be transferred from the pump to a compatible mobile device (Zune) and then to a similarly equipped vehicle, for seamless transition from stationary to mobile music.

All this can take place in the blink of an eye, or certainly by the time your gas tank is full.