New York City is debuting a number of “smart screen" platforms intended to replace old-style pay phones, Gigaom reports.

The pilot project, based on the increased usage of pay phones in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, seeks to place 250 of the iPad-like devices across all five New York boroughs.

The kiosks have the capability to display maps, offer local coupons, and show local ads.

Cisco’s Jeff Frazier told Gigaom how the screens could function in an emergency, integrating “both the emergency 911 system and New York’s 311 public information services.”

He called them “a powerful fusion of data and communications" that are intended to stay secure and online even during a disaster.  

The screens have been tested for durability and cleanability in high traffic areas such as Penn Station and the streets of Newark, NJ.

The companies involved in the project plan to expand to other world cities in the future.

Would you like to see touchscreen platforms in the area? Are they a good idea? Let us know in the comments.