First, this sounds really cool! I was really into the idea until I got to here:
> Cana will automatically replace ingredient cartridges (which should each last around a month) as needed at no cost. However, you'll pay for the device's concoctions on a per-drink basis. Each will cost between 29 cents and $3, though Cana claims the average price will be lower than bottled beverages at retailers. The system also requires sugar and spirits cartridges — both of which are replaced automatically — and a CO2 cylinder.
I was initially hesitant about the prospect of proprietary lock-in and oh dear was I right to be. By "automatically" I assume they mean, "this requires a network connection and runs the risk of becoming a $500-$800 paperweight," and frankly, the idea of paying varying prices for each drink just sounds bizarre and unjustified. If the technology in this thing is so novel, surely they have enough control over their IP that there's no need for this kind of pricing model or lock-in. I could, of course, be missing something of my own accord, but it feels like they're trying to hide or obfuscate something.
Even that doesn't quite make sense, because there's 80 ingredients in there, and if you're only ever drinking 3-4 drinks, you probably won't use a large portion of that cartridge.
Right now, you get the cartridge for free but pay basically for what you use. You can think of it as paying for the part of the cartridge you use (the drink), and they recycle the unused ingredients when you send it back to them, refilling it for free.
Other than being a "silicon valley drink maker", there's almost nothing alike. Juicero is honestly closer to something like a Nespresso than this. What juicero claimed to do was "press" the fresh juice out of special pods, which just ended up being normal pods that you could press with your hands even.
The promise of this is being able to have hundreds of drink come out of a single small device, not sure how that's anything like buying individual juice pods.
Juicero didn't fail because it was juice packets. It failed because of the ludicrous business model. I'd wager Juicero would be fine if they would have just sold a refillable high-end juicer.
I like their marketing catch, "Molecular Printer" It's bound to catch every geek's, geeks with money, idea of a futuristic food replicator. It's just concentrated flavors, water, co2 and alcohol but the marketing pitch makes it so much more. I'm always amazed how proper marketing can make everything so much better. Good for them I hope they sell a lot.
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[ 3.1 ms ] story [ 29.2 ms ] thread> Cana will automatically replace ingredient cartridges (which should each last around a month) as needed at no cost. However, you'll pay for the device's concoctions on a per-drink basis. Each will cost between 29 cents and $3, though Cana claims the average price will be lower than bottled beverages at retailers. The system also requires sugar and spirits cartridges — both of which are replaced automatically — and a CO2 cylinder.
I was initially hesitant about the prospect of proprietary lock-in and oh dear was I right to be. By "automatically" I assume they mean, "this requires a network connection and runs the risk of becoming a $500-$800 paperweight," and frankly, the idea of paying varying prices for each drink just sounds bizarre and unjustified. If the technology in this thing is so novel, surely they have enough control over their IP that there's no need for this kind of pricing model or lock-in. I could, of course, be missing something of my own accord, but it feels like they're trying to hide or obfuscate something.
The ingredients costs vary tremendously from drink to drink. You expect black coffee and a Hurricane to cost the same?
Right now, you get the cartridge for free but pay basically for what you use. You can think of it as paying for the part of the cartridge you use (the drink), and they recycle the unused ingredients when you send it back to them, refilling it for free.
The promise of this is being able to have hundreds of drink come out of a single small device, not sure how that's anything like buying individual juice pods.