add post about my hatred for stupid touchscreen coke machines

Author: Matt Swanson

_posts/2012-09-05-new-coke-ux.md

@@ -1,9 +1,68 @@
 ---
 layout: post
-title: "New Coke UX"
+title: "New Coke User Experience"
 categories:
 - blog
-published: false
+date: 2012-09-25
 ---
 
-Why the new touch screen Coke machines are awful
+If you've been to any fast food restaurant lately, you may have noticed the fancy, new
+[Freestyle Coke machines](http://coca-colafreestyle.com/).
+
+<div class="pic">
+  <img alt="Coke Freestyle Machine" src="/static/freestyle.jpg">
+</div>
+
+It's got a touchscreen. It's got 187 flavor combinations. It's the Way of the Future&trade;.
+
+Unfortunately, these machines provide an awful user experience. 
+
+Let me walk you through my first few encounters with a Freestyle.
+
+The first step is to get ice for my soda. Right off the bat, I run into issues. 
+Unlike the traditional soda fountains, the Freestyle has only a single "prong" instead of
+the four to eight prong design. The only instructions for getting ice after engraved in 
+the clear plastic prong &mdash; which is not super easy to read because it is not at eye-
+level and there are shadows due to the recessed nature of the dispensing area.
+
+Next comes the selection of the flavor. I notice that the touchscreen is laggy. I don't 
+know if this is a hardware (the machines use a [projected capacitance screen][pc]) 
+or software issue, but when people are used to super responsive tablets and phones, 
+even minor slowness sticks out.
+
+[pc]: http://www.zytronic.co.uk/news/media/zytronic-partners-with-the-coca-cola-company-on-new-beverage-dispensing-platform
+
+Upon selecting the base syrup, you can pick any flavor add-ons. I opted to pass and go 
+with regular old Diet Coke. You might expect to just press on the big circular buttons
+on the touch screen to start dispensing your sugary goodness, but alas, it is not that
+simple. To dispense your soda, you have to press a red button below the touch
+screen.
+
+So to recap: to get ice, press a prong. To pick a drink, use the touch screen. To 
+dispense the drink, press a physical button.
+
+But hey, I've got an engineering degree. I can figure it out.
+
+If those were the only issues, I could probably get over it. But those are only the user 
+interface grievances I have.
+
+Here's more interaction issues that bug me about the Freestyle:
+
+* It's hard to operate with a tray of food in one hand. I have to put the cup into the 
+recessed area (after clearing off stray ice cubes) and hope that it does tip over and is
+positioned correctly under the nozzle
+* There is a delay between pressing the dispense soda button and the stream actually 
+starting and stopping. This makes it very difficult to top off your drink after the fizz
+settles.
+* I got a little squirt of someone's Raspberry Sprite in my drink. I don't know if the
+tubing is "flushed out" between drink selections, but there was a visible bit of pink 
+liquid dispensed into my drink.
+* Only one patron can operate it at a time. No more of the "step to the left and let the 
+guy behind you get ice". And it takes people way longer to get their drink as they play
+around with all the new flavors (I've seen groups of teenagers spend five minutes mixing
+different flavors until an employee asked them to make a decision).
+* Watch a younger kid try to use it. They can't reach the screen, they make a big mess.
+
+Maybe I have an irrational hatred for the Freestyle. But whenever I see one, I can't help
+thinking this is my generation's New Coke. Same great taste, now with a touchscreen 
+slapped on it!

css/screen.css

@@ -134,6 +134,15 @@ ul.posts span {
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 }
 
+.pic img 
+{
+  padding: 5px;
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+  box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.055);
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+
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