Every so often one finds a piece of technology so stunning that it invokes a sense of awe for the accomplishments of man. It seems to belong in a work of science fiction, and makes you feel worthy of living in the twenty-first century. This has been a rarity for me, but last week I stumbled upon such technology right here in Boston. I returned a few days later with Neo-Luddite Dave to grab a video of this space-aged Coke dispenser:

My roommate and I were in the Pru when he decided to check on his account balance. The nearest Sovereign bank ATM was in Copley place so we cut through the mall and headed that way. When we were done, we walked down the escalator by Starbucks, turned left toward the door, and witnessed the most futuristic piece of vending machine technology I’ve ever seen.

It was the soda machine…of the future! You would almost miss it sitting modestly in the corner of the entrance. Nearly the entire front surface is a rich touch screen display.

A collaboration of Coca-Cola and Samsung, it’s the flashiest, if not most expensive way to sell Coke.  The new Coca-Cola vending machine is truly a technological marvel, joining the ranks of the Dyson Air Multiplyer and Asahi beer-pouring robot. With such a rich, interactive interface I really had no choice but to buy a soda.

So I urge fellow Bostonians to keep an eye out for these instances of technological superiority. We may not have flying cars but I sure felt like I was living in the future buying a coke from a touch-screen computer.

*Special thanks to Neo-Luddite Dave for shooting the video. He had no verbal comment. Instead, his thoughts were captured in the photo featured below.