A whole new breed of apathy.

I'm a New Yorker (albeit one living in London, but apple to the core) and that said, I am used to having a huge variety of choice. I can remember my husband's face when I asked a server for a 'scooped out bagel', which I would like to add, is not uncommon in NYC (who needs all those carbs?). In NYC, you can get what you want how you want it, an orgy of choice a la Starbucks. I'm sure there's a SNL episode on the spawn of the mocha-soya-latte-caramel-skinny-frappuccinos culture somewhere.

We're creating souped-up niches, which may put the advertising business in quite a quandary given existing business models. Anyway, I'm going off tangent - choice is being heralded as a celebration of individuality and expression (open happiness) by Coke with its development of Coca-Cola Freestyle, a new self-serve soda fountain that can dispense up to 100 different drink flavors. Though for Coke of course, it's not just about the provision of choice, but market intelligence and research:

Springwise reports:Flavoured teas, waters, juices and soft drinks will all be available from Coca-Cola Freestyle, letting customers select drinks based on brand, calorie content or caffeine levels, all through the system's touchscreen interface...Many of the flavours on offer are new to the US market.

RFID tags will keep track of the syrup the machine uses, telling retailers when to refill, and providing Coke HQ with insight into popular flavours and locations. By tracking sales, Coca-Cola gains valuable insight into which drinks would be most successful if offered bottled or canned. Which means the intelligent technology doesn't just offer a new level of choice for customers, but also streamlines supply chain management and informs new product development.

The machine is being tested this summer at fastfood restaurants in California and Atlanta, with the intention of rolling out units across the US early next year.