Coffee is the new Data

Ok, so what the heck is with this trend to deliver data via alternative indicators? For example, Ambient Devices makes the Orb, which changes shade of color to determine weather, stock trends, etc. We've all heard the little chirp of the IM client as a message comes in (like you couldn't see the window spawn). But this one takes the cake...er, cup.

News Brews brings the world of RSS feeds, dynamic data monitoring and on demand computing together with...a cup of coffee. Yep, the system monitors RSS feeds for the mention of certain countries and dynamically, once a minute, changes the brew of coffee it makes, in response. As TechDigest says,

"The concept behind News Brews is, why read the news when you can just drink it? The steampunk-style machine contains a wide geographical assortment of coffee beans, and generates a custom blend every minute depending on what coffee-origin-country is in the RSS fees. If Ethiopia scans at 33%, Kenya at 50% and Costa Rica at 17%, you'll get coffee that's half Kenya, with an Ethiopian buttress and a Costa Rican topper. Your tongue will, theoretically, know the difference."

Has to be seen (tasted?) to be believed. Check the website for a nice video pitch.

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