http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/ Engadget Comments for MooBella, the robotic ice cream dispenser http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/Feb 7th 2006 1:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/Feb 7th 2006 1:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.cantaloupesys.com]]>Feb 7th 2006 1:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/Like a Baskin Robins without the clerk...
But, no free samples.]]>Feb 7th 2006 1:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/
"Mommy, America isn't gaining enough weight, how do I help?"

Well little Timmy, now you can!

With MooBella's new ice cream dispenser *you'll* be the one going moo in no time!]]>Feb 7th 2006 1:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/
Oh, and they had test runs of these machines at the Boston Museum of Science.]]>Feb 7th 2006 2:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/Feb 7th 2006 2:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/It is probably the best food on campus. (which should be read as we have really bad food on campus)

]]>Feb 7th 2006 2:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/Feb 7th 2006 2:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/
Put in money, freezer pops open, pneumatic arm goes into freezer, vacuum grips a ice cream, etc. It is awesome...]]>Feb 7th 2006 2:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/Feb 7th 2006 3:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/
The icecream is ok, but weirdly smooth.

My main objection was that they replaced the soft-serve frozen yogurt machine with the Moobella machine. The Moobella machine was more expensive (I believe it was $2 or $2.50 vs. the frozen yogurt, which was sold by weight, so an equivalent amount was about $1) plus it is higher in calories and fat. The frozen yogurt area also had lots of dishes of candy for mixing in, while the Mobella machine only had 3 or so mix-ins available.

The machine was also slow to reset between users, so if a lot of people wanted icecream, the line would move slowly (and clog up the sundry shop, since it was a small space to begin with).

I did see the machine getting rebooted at one point, and it looked like it was running Linux.

In the end, I guess it wasn't very successful, since they ended up taking it away after a couple months.

So now we don't have icecream OR frozen yogurt. =(
]]>Feb 7th 2006 4:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/
Anywhere we can find what ingredients this thing uses? Judging by the comments describing it I'm guessing it's packed full of preservatives.]]>Feb 7th 2006 4:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/
Assuming Tim didn't just make up those numbers (on the Internet, no one knows you're a bowling ball), he is way buffer than the Governator, never mind you and me.

Back on topic, there have been a number of ice cream shops opening around here lately who make "homemade ice cream" that I suspect is much like this stuff: overly smooth, almost plasticky, and available in any number of flavors with any numbers of mix-ins. The common themes seem to be (a) ice cream machine in the back, and (b) the ice cream itself is put in those broad, flat buffet serving trays.

I would rather have soft-serve than these new "homemade" ice creams.
]]>Feb 7th 2006 4:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/
Never been a fan of the cheap stuff, which makes me wonder just what's in this MooBella stuff as it sounds even cheaper, much like Minute Fudge, I wouldn't touch it, I'll stick with real homemade ice cream. There really isn't more information on this yet? I'd want to know what's in it before it was approved for mass-use.]]>Feb 7th 2006 5:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/ At Cal Poly in Pomona they have a homebrew robot (vacuum, dorm room freezer, pneumatic arm, odd bits) that functions as a is coin operated ice cream sandwich vending machine.

We had one of those in high school. It'd been there since probably about 1999.]]>Feb 7th 2006 6:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/Feb 7th 2006 8:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/
It has passed food safety testing, so no worries on the product. It is cheaper because of the distribution model; ship @ room temperature and stored @ room temp instead of in freezers.]]>Feb 7th 2006 9:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/Feb 7th 2006 11:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/Feb 8th 2006 9:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/07/moobella-the-robotic-ice-cream-dispenser/Feb 8th 2006 1:46PM