Eventually, machines like Skatescribe, Elite, and others will eliminate all hand sharpening. There is just too much variance regardless of the skill level when sharpening by hand. The technology has been around for a very long time but faces issues with cost, mass production, manufacturer support, and consumer adoption. I think we are at an inflection point though where the younger generation of player is more open-minded as opposed to the typical beer league guy in his 40s, which will accelerate the transition.
That being said, I will not sharpen my skates on a Sparx and instead sharpen them by hand myself. For me, the difference is very noticeable. However, when done on a more professional machine like Skatescribe or Elite, I find it nearly impossible to tell the difference between a good hand sharpen and a machine.