It's easy to make fun of John McCain for not using a computer, but as an "old soul" myself, I constantly find myself reluctant to embrace certain types of new technologies.

I am an early adopter on many technologies -- I had a Palm Pilot back in '97, a TiVo in '99, and I bought the first-generation iPhone the day it was released. I love the bleeding edge when it comes to gadgets.

But when new technology threatens something I consider to be nostalgically pure -- like adding nanotechnology to khakis or the electric razor's challenge to old fashioned wet shaving -- I often reject it outright. So, the notion of a "one-button cappuccino" just sounds unnatural to me. One should have to grind the beans, brew the espresso, and hand-froth the milk. The truly Old School should roast his own beans. It should take at least 15 minutes to make, and that is why I end up spending far too much money at cafés -- I just don't have the time to do it the way my old soul would require it done.

Having recently added Capresso coffee machines & automatic coffee centers to our site, and receiving a demo unit of the Impressa Z5 for the showroom, my worldview has been shattered. I am absolutely awestruck at how great the espresso is considering how easy the machine is to use; in my worldview, the harder something is to make, the better it must be. Yet, every shot we have made has been topped with a rich layer of crema, and we have all read the instruction manual cover-to-cover so we can maximize its functions.

Aside from making a cappuccino with the push of one button, the Z5 is incredibly customizable and programmable. Customizable in that you can have the beans ground as fine or coarse as you like, the espresso brewed as scalding hot or warm as you like, the ounces poured in any drink adjusted, and even set the hardness of the water (try asking your barista to do that for you).

If you're spending $3 a day on a coffee at your local coffee shop, this is an "investment" worth considering. My days of drinking an iced mocha with a straw are over!