Hands On With the Free Android Tablets at LinkNYC's Sidewalk Kiosks

With LinkNYC's blazing-fast Wi-Fi already operational, the public-private consortium today activated the other innovative feature that its sleek boxes provide: a built-in Android tablet.

That's right, New York Urban center residents and visitors now have free access to Cyberspace-connected tablets at each i of the dozens of LinkNYC stations installed so far. Mayor Neb DeBlasio today joined other urban center officials and representatives from the LinkNYC consortium to declare the kiosks fully operational. But earlier this week PCMag got a hands-on preview of the tablets, which are custom-designed for the kiosks and powered by Qualcomm processors.

For now, the options are fairly uncomplicated. You tin browse the Cyberspace, access city services, get maps and directions, and make costless phone calls to whatever U.Due south. number.

Each of the functions volition feel familiar to anyone who's used an Android tablet. Later on tapping on the Internet icon at the bottom of the screen, we browsed to YouTube and started streaming a video, which loaded instantly thanks to the gigabit Wi-Fi the kiosks also provide.

For city services and maps, LinkNYC provides a link to the 311 spider web app (New York Urban center'southward information service) and the Google Maps app. They both work the same every bit they would on your ain tablet.

Phone calls use VOIP and are powered by Vonage in an interface that looks very similar to the Vonage Android app, minus your personal address volume and Vonage credit for international calling. In addition to using the screen, yous tin can type numbers on the keypad built into the kiosk.

A built-in speaker will broadcast the voice of whoever'south on the other end of the line. It's loud enough to exist heard over honking taxis and idling delivery truck engines, but that also means anyone walking by will be able to hear both sides of your chat. A standard 35mm audio jack is provided should you want a piffling more privacy. There'due south too a ane-touch 911 button placed prominently next to the keypad for emergency utilize.

Finally, two USB charging ports are besides bachelor adjacent to the tablet. We can't imagine using them in the winter, merely when the atmospheric condition's overnice, the combination of power and a tablet to use while you're waiting for a accuse to revive your expressionless phone could be handy.

Ane thing we noticed almost the screen was that information technology feels like borer on a window pane rather than a tablet display. That's understandable, since information technology's tested to withstand temperatures every bit low as -20C, vandalism, and even a vehicle crashing into it, according to a LinkNYC spokesperson.

The toughness means that it'south not quite every bit responsive as you lot'd wait from a tablet. In some instances, it took more than than one tap earlier the tablet recognized our input.

The tablets take security seriously. After a minute or two of no inputs, the session will automatically end and all data will be erased. Users can also tap an "cease session" button when they're finished to manually log out.

Though the current functionality is pretty basic, LinkNYC has large plans for the future. The consortium volition roll out more apps and services, including a planned customs events calendar, as more stations are installed.

To discover the 1 nearest you (hint: all of the currently operational stations are along 3rd Artery in Manhattan), cheque the map on LinkNYC'southward website. By July, 510 kiosks will be installed in all v boroughs, with the full vii,500-potent network planned to be finished in 4 years.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.