An Israeli startup has a whole new take on one of the most loved beverages on the planet. With their Ripple Maker, the folks at SteamCC are working to Reinvent Print using coffee as both substrate and ink. Their Ripple Maker can print almost any message or image in foam atop a cup of coffee.
In about 10 seconds.
And while that’s really cool, all by itself, there’s much, much more to this story.
This amazing machine is only about $1,000 USD, but you don’t just purchase the machine. You also need to sign up for service plan – starting at $75/month. That price includes access to the content library, a supply coffee pods and service if the machine needs it.
From where I’m sitting, it appears this might be the first coffee maker in history that inflicts a click-charge on it’s owner. That’s a fitting twist, as SteamCC is funded in part by Benny Landa, the inventor of the HP Indigo digital printing press.
And while a coffee click charge is just a little strange, things get really weird if you look very far over the horizon. This cool little machine might be seen as the jumping off point for a personalized physical ad delivery network (think… This Ad IS Real!y hot). Mashed up with with loyalty cards, it might become possible to put a personal message in the hands of one specific individual. (A coffee advertising network… How could that possibly go wrong? : )
Whether for business, romance or fun, this amazing new machine may get some people re-thinking the Power of Print.
Another milestone of progress in the effort to Reinvent Print!
HT – Bolt
More at: www.timesofisrael.com