My husband and I were watching CNBC earlier this week and saw the new Coke Freestyle Jet Machine.  We were both equally intrigued.

Coke Freestyle Jet Machine actually launched in 2009, but is currently being test marketed across the country.  It is a drink dispensing machine that offers consumers 100 different flavors.  You use the touch screen to develop your custom coke product, including anything from Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Coke to flavored waters and energy drinks.  You can even get products not currently sold in the United States.

This got me thinking about our recent trip to Vegas when I saw flowers in a vending machine.  And I have grown accustom to see Red Box (a glorified vending machine) selling movies and video games in my local grocery store.

After some quick research online, I saw that everything from high-end products including iPods to digital cameras and digital music are being sold in vending machines across the country. And the locations of vending machines have expanded to military bases, airports, fast-food restaurants and hospitals.

The bottom line is that vending machines aren’t just for candy anymore.  And as consumers prefer to be in control (from airport check in kiosks to scanning your own groceries), this trend will continue to expand and we’ll all be more comfortable with purchasing everything from custom soft drinks to the iPad from a vending machine.