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The unofficial independent imode FAQ
17. Cmode
C-mode: wireless networked Coca-Cola drinks vending machine with i-mode operation:
Image of the Cmode machine above (600dpi, 3000 x 2188 pixel, jpg) and other images are available for license for reproduction in newspapers, journals, books or websites here: purchase license of photographs of Cmode machine
17.1 What is Cmode?
Cmode is a service linking i-mode with special "Cmode" (or with Japanese nickname: "shimo") Coca-Cola vending machines.
Cmode services allow users to purchase or obtain free coupons, maps, and other tickets printed by the printer in the vending machine,
allow to pay cash into the user's Cmode account, obtain reward points for purchases, obtain or purchase information to be seen on the
screen, or to be downloaded into the users mobile phone.
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17.2 How does a "Cmode" vending machine differ from an ordinary Japanese Coca-Cola vending machine?
Like most Japanese vending machines, Cmode vending machines accept coins and 1000-yen bank notes, and dispense a variety
of differently flavored soft drinks. In addition to non-Cmode machines,
Cmode machines have a color liquid crystal display, a camera with bar code recognition system, have a data connection to the imode system,
a numeric input pad, a Cmode button to activate the Cmode functions, and a printer.
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17.3 Does Cmode allow users to charge soft drinks directly to the mobile phone bill?
No. To our knowledge this is not possible at this point. Users however can pay for soft drinks from their Cmode
cash account, may insert cash directly into the machine (Cmode reward points are credited to the Cmode reward point account),
or may use reward points, which are deducted from the reward point account.
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17.4 How do users pay for services?
At this point some services are free, some services or goods or softdrinks are paid for using
reward points or cash deposit in the user's Cmode cash account. The user can pay money into
his/her Cmode cash account by inserting money into the Cmode vending machine after entering
his user identification.
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17.5 When did Cmode start?
Cmode is in a test phase from September 3, 2001 until December 31, 2001. DoCoMo has not announced
what will happen to Cmode after December 31, 2001.
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17.6 Where are Cmode vending machines located?
At the moment (September 5, 2001) there are three Cmode machines installed to our knowledge.
Two are in the Tokyo-Shibuya area and one in the Tokyo-Odaiba area. We expect that more Cmode machines will be
installed soon.
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