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Insert catchy Coke slogan from the past here.
Finally, something that isn’t cell phone news. It’s definitely refreshing, as refreshing as, say, an ice cold Coke Vanilla from a soda fountain?
Ok, maybe Coke Vanilla isn’t the best drink in Coca-Cola’s arsenal, but it’s decent and popular and represents a drink that isn’t as widely put into drink dispensers as Coke Classic or Diet Coke. So for the people that love it and maybe can’t find it at a store, Coke is here to bail you out in almost ridiculous fashion.
These new fountains are straight out of the future. If you sat in your room 15 years ago and wondered how restaurants in the future would serve beverages (c’mon, we all did) in 2009, these probably are quite similar.
So according to the story at Gizmodo, the project which was originally called ‘Jet’ and now featuring a title that makes a little more sense in “Freestyle”, Coke is going to be releasing soda fountains that offer 100 different drink alternatives in one machine.
Yes, you read that correctly, one machine. So no more of those completely random combinations where you can’t get what you want.
And if you can’t find what you want with 100 different options, you may be a little too addicted to soda.
The coolest part about this might not even be the ability to choose from all those different beverages, ok it is, but another feature that is awesome is the screen itself.
From the video you see that the entire thing is used by engaging a touch-screen UI that allows you to find the way to your favorite drink. It’s pretty nifty, although it may spawn long lines because of the shear amount of options.
Picture it:
“Ok, I want a Diet Vanilla Coke Zero. Wait, no. Diet Sprite. No, no, that’s not it. What do I feel like? Diet Coke? Oh, let me see the Fanta options.”
And so on and so on.
Well, at least people will be familiar with touch-screens because of smartphones dominating the gadget market as of late.
A few of these machines have already been released for testing with many more to be released by the end of summer.
And so now the wait begins for Pepsi to release a similar soda fountain that offers the customer 150 drinks.
Tick tock.
For more info: Contact Adam: admillios@gmail.com
Comments
I can feel my teeth rotting. Where's the beer option?
I wonder if it will taste different with the "super concentrated" cartridges?
Why is Count Dooku making soda machines? Seems like a demotion.
hmm. Neat idea, but you can't do multiple drinks at once like you can with current machines. When the waiter gets sodas for a table, getting 4 drinks is fast. This will be a lot slower, especially if he has to hunt for the drink.
Also, this thing is huge. I can see it replacing canned soda machines, but most places that this would be used have tiny nooks on counters for the soda machine.
And for places like theaters where they have 5-6 sets of soda fountains, this thing will never fit.
I'm guessing this will be oriented more toward customer use, where they fill their own glasses.
Good concept I think but needs a somewhat different design for use in most places.
It mainly is intended for a fill-your-own drink establishment, and they aren't terribly huge. In fact, compared to normal soda fountains, they are about half the size. Plus there is less risk of germ contamination by eradicating the push-lever from normal fountains. Yes, it may take a while to catch on, but whose to say they can't/won't make it smaller (apart from Coca-Cola higher-ups that is?) An establishment could easily have 3-5 of them installed side by side.
I'm with LowerHaight!
Pelosi blinks more than this guy. Now if only this was combined with a crushed ice machine of the future.
Bri,
There actually was a huge discussion on another message board as to whether this guy was an android and if his stare could kill you in person.
Needless to say, yes is probably the smart answer to either of them.
Adam
Why they don't let you combine ANY flavor with ANY drink is just a cock tease. I love the concept but give me full control not just a taste. I love adding flavors and I love this machine. The future of the soda machine is now, and the future is gooooooood.
The major problem with the new touch screen coke fountains, while attractive, they produce bad tasting products. The coke tastes off (strange) and flat - even when the system is flushed out with water.
The new fountains are slow and the touch screen is frustratingly unresponsive at times. (If this system is here to stay, an improvement might be to place a "water" button on the start screen so customers can flush out the system with out having to go though multiple screens, and just to go back to the "flavor" they actually want.)
The touchscreen fountains with 80-something combinations still don't offer caffeine-free regular coke. There are probably good reasons, but with all those other options, it is a bit silly.
I appreciate the new modern "smart phone" look, but I hope the touchscreen fountains are in Beta and will not be released to mass market. The new machines compromise the taste.
there is no alcohol button because this is for coke products not ALCOHOL you idiot
Do they have any of the coke machines in Minnesota?? Beacuse having the option of chosing your own drink out of tons of flavors sounds AWESOME!!!!! Oh and happy MLK day!!!!!
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