LITTLE ROCK — What do jet packs, weaponized lasers, cloaking devices and holograms have in common?
They are all used by James Bond, you say.
Sigh. Yes, OK.
They also employ technology our 1960s selves thought we’d have by 2011. And here’s another — unlimited soft drink choices.
Surely in the days of Woolworth counters and soda jerks we anticipated a future when we would press a few buttons on a giant — hovering? — box and, presto, steampunk alchemy in your cup.
How come our soft-drink dreams went so unfilled?
In fact, selection has been strangled and streamlined from the days of yore. Then, soda jerks truly created your favorite refreshment out of seltzer and cola syrup or acid phosphate, cherry or sarsaparilla or peppermint flavoring. It was mixology, and, like barbecue joints, it wasn’t outrageous to prefer one soda counter over another.
Most of us are too young to remember this. Our fountain drinks came from eight-valve manifold dispensers all calibrated to deliver five parts soda to one part syrup. Today, no one ever says they prefer the Dr Pepper from the movie theater over the same fountain version at the corner gas station.
THE FIRE HOSE
Enter “the fountain of the future” — the Coke Freestyle. A touchscreen-operated drink station with microdispensing technology developed by Dean Kamen, who made his first billion on medical technology used in blood dialysis, insulin pumps and chemotherapy, and his second on the Segway.
It’s not like everything’s changed. But something, at least, is chang- ing.
The algebra is simple. Each machine has more than a dozen drinks Coca-Cola distributes: Coca-Cola and Dr Pepper and their calorie-free and caffeine-free alternatives; Powerade and Minute Maid and Dasani filtered water. Each machine also has a range of natural flavors: cherry, lime, vanilla, raspberry, etc. Nearly every drink can be augmented with one of the natural flavors — raspberry Sprite, peach Dasani, peach sparkling Dasani, cherry vanilla Coke. Mello Yello comes in cherry, grape, orange and peach.
“Peach has been pretty popular with a lot of folks,” says Tim Cobb, co-franchisee of the Chenal Parkway Firehouse Subs location. His business partner is Steve Armstrong.
At this moment, the only Freestyle machines in Arkansas are at the seven Firehouse Subs locations in central Arkansas and Jonesboro, the Five Guys Burgers in North Little Rock, and the Wingstop in Pine Bluff.
“I’m not big on peach,” Armstrong says.
“I think it has a funny aftertaste,” Cobb admits.
Still, who can argue with selection? The wide range of calorie- and sugar-free options, Armstrong says, is an especially novel advancement for diabetic and dieting folks used to limited choices.
“Looks complicated,” Wendy Ooley of Cabot grumbled before she even stepped into line. Later, faced with the touchscreen interface, she groaned.
“Ugh!”
Ooley’s reaction may fairly fit into the paradigm developed by Swarthmore College professor Barry Schwartz, which he calls the “Paradox of Choice.”
Instead of flying cars and teleportation, what the future has really wrought is a virtually paralyzing array of decisions.
SMILE FOR THE FREESTYLE
Another bit of futurism that has kept pace with our imagination is market research: consumer metrics, polling, crowdsourcing, surveillance. Coke Freestyle is a kind of test-fountain for future Coca-Cola products. The machine uploads data about beverage preferences and consumption to corporate headquarters. If grape Mello Yello takes off, maybe you’ll see it on store shelves.
Cobb says Coke plans to personalize Freestyle further. In the near future, frequent customers may go on the Coke website, create a flavor or simply log their favorite flavor, download it onto their smart phone, and in the future, wave the phone in front of any station to bring it up without manipulating the touchscreen.
All of this is mere stopgap technology, of course.
We still anticipate the 2019 roll-out of iSoda, a portable refreshment device and 7Gpowered tablet with cloud-atomizing nozzle and telescopic straw.
How Come is a new series that will investigate lingering questions and surging trends. If you’ve noticed something trending in your life, share it with me:
Style, Pages 29 on 12/13/2011