SodaStream mixes up cloud-connected carbonation of anything

SodaStream's carbonation on demand has its appeal, but try to carbonate anything besides water, and you'll soon have an explosive mess splattered across your ceiling. The SodaStream Mix aims to change that, with cloud-powered smarts capable of recalibrating the carbonation process for whatever it is you're trying to add bubbles to -- a potential game-changer for anybody with sparkly dreams of fizzed-up juice, wine, or booze.

The Mix was crafted by renowned Swiss designer Yves Béhar, founder of the brand management firm Fuseproject. Not surprisingly, it has plenty of high-end countertop appeal, with a slick-looking black-and-red build, a slim profile and a full-color touchscreen. The Mix is built to accommodate any size SodaStream bottle, with easy, ingredient-specific controls for the intensity and duration of the carbonation process.

There's Bluetooth packed inside, too. Pull up SodaStream's app on your smartphone, and you'll be able to dial into your desired settings with a few taps, browse recipes or share your favorite concoctions with your friends. That seems a bit superfluous to me given that the device already has touchscreen controls stamped on its forehead, but it does position the Mix to join the new generation of connected, app-enabled cooking gadgets.

This isn't Béhar's first smart-home gadget. He's the designer, co-founder and chief creative officer of the August Smart Lock , and chief creative officer of Jawbone , too. He's also the creative muscle behind the Edyn smart gardening system, as well as the Ouya gaming platform. Béhar's relationship with SodaStream dates back to 2012, when the Israeli brand tapped him to help design the Source line of home soda makers, a design that largely carries over into the Mix.

The Mix isn't expect to arrive until 2016, and pricing and availability aren't known yet, though I'd expect it won't come any cheaper than the highest-end Source soda maker, which sells for about $250.