Bored with cola-flavored Coke?
Have you been unimpressed of late with your Coca-Cola that just tastes like soda?
Coke is rolling out a bunch of fancy new fountains (Coca-Cola Freestyle) that allow you to choose from over 100 different beverage choices and flavor combinations so you’re not stuck with the plain old Classic stuff. [crochety] May I add that in my day, a Co-Cola was enough of a flavor extravaganza in and of itself and we didn’t have to sexy it up with flavor combinations? [/crochety]
The technology behind the new Coke machine was actually developed for a far more serious purpose. From Fast Company:
The “PurePour” technology was originally developed to measure extremely precise amounts of dialysis and cancer drugs. Beyond that, RFID scanners are used to match cartridges to dispensers, and the onboard computer confirms everything is in place.
The machines sport a slick touchscreen interface and offer waters, juices, teas and sparkling drinkables. And it doesn’t just offer a more nuanced experience on the consumer end- the Freestyle bleeps info back to its master constantly, transmitting sales data and preferences to Coca-Cola. Or in the event of a recall or something similar, Coke can immediately halt distribution of affected product.
I’m a dyed in the wool Pepsi drinker and remain skeptical that anything can top the orgasmic glory that is Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi. But I really want to peep one of these things in the wild. I’ll have to wait though- test markets always skip over metro New York in favor of boring places like California and Utah.
Commenters, has anyone spotted one of these things?
