Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing elongated articles such as straws, including: a container for holding the elongated articles; a hopper to receive some of the elongated articles, where the hopper is reversibly movable between a closed state and an open state; and a manipulator for performing a cycle to release a single elongated article by isolating a single article and then moving the hopper from the closed state to the open state, thereby releasing only the single elongated article.

Abstract: Device and methods for dispensing flavored ice drinks, the device including one or more containers for holding a concentrated drink, water supply, a mixing unit for mixing the concentrated drink with the water into a substantially homogeneous liquid mixture, an ice making unit assembly for freezing freshly produced liquid mixture into ice cubes containing substantially identical ice quantity, a crushing and blending unit for crushing a pre measured amount of the ice cubes into small, drinkable ice particles, and blending the ice particles with a pre measured amount of freshly produced liquid mixture. The device also includes a vessel dispensing unit for dispensing a vessel to hold the ice drink, and a computerized control unit for controlling aspects of the process of producing the ice drink.