Filed under: Feature, TECHNOLOGY | Tags: Beverages, COFFEE, Convenience store, Cooking, Doubleshot, Drink, Home, Red Bull, Starbucks, USB
STARBUCKS SENDS ME SOME ENERGY: DOUBLESHOT + A USB COOLER
Starbucks (thanks Elavia) sent me a care package this week with the essential ingredients for good blog-making: caffeinated beverages and a USB cooler as powered by my computer. Coming to grocery and convenience stores this month, you’ll find the Starbucks Doubleshot drinks.
They come in 4 flavors including vanilla, coffee, mocha, and cinnamon dulce. I sit sipping the new flavor, cinnamon dulce as we speak. It tastes like a cinnamon bun mixed with a little milk. Not exactly my drink of choice but for you sweet drink junkies out there, this is for you. I mean, I’m the girl who drinks her coffee black with no sugar. I’m also a little intimidated by the size of the can. Think of the extra large version of the Red Bull can and you’ve arrived at the size of this product. Who drinks this much beverage all at once? Luckily, my clumsiness kicked in and I spilled my can all over my desk.
My intrigue over this particular care package really comes from the USB cooler/warmer. Plug this device into your computer via USB to keep any beverage warm or cool. There’s a separate switch on the back for either. I like to let my beverage linger on my desk over several hours. Now, at least I can keep it at relatively the right temperature. Ingenius. Click here for one of your very own.
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Filed under: Feature | Tags: Barack Obama, Beverages, COFFEE, Facebook, Inauguration, MSNBC, Shopping, Starbucks
FREE COFFEE WITH YOUR VOLUNTEER WORK: STARBUCKS GETS INTO THE SPIRIT
In the spirit of giving…oh wait, the holidays are over…in the spirit of the inauguration, Starbucks is giving away a tall cup of coffee (small in normal person speak) when you pledge 5 hours of volunteer time from Jan 21st through Jan 25th.
Here’s a link to the Facebook page.
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Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: Android, Apple, Google, iPhone, Motorola, Software development kit, Starbucks, Truphone
AT&T just sweetened the pot for all of its iPhone subscribers. If you own an AT&T iPhone, you now get free WiFi access
at AT&Ts 17,000 hotspots across the country, including at most Starbucks. Although just last summer AT&T teased customers with the same freebie service, only to put up a pay wall afterwards, this time it looks like the free WiFi is here to stay. (http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2008/10/29/the-iphone-now-comes-with-free-wifi-at-all-att-hotspots 10/29)
Now, this is an improvement I can be pretty damn happy about. To be fair about this though, as of June, Starbucks has offered 2 hours of free quasi free wi-fi to anyone who purchases $5 monthly on a Starbucks reward card. In essence, 1 coffee = 2 hours daily for a month of free and clear wi-fi with or without an iPhone. Click here for more info.
Motorola Inc.’s new cellphone chief is moving quickly to scale back the struggling division, simplifying the way it makes devices and cutting additional jobs. Sanjay Jha, who also became Motorola’s co-chief executive in August, has decided to focus on Google Inc.’s Android operating system as the software platform for Motorola’s showcase phones, according to people familiar with the matter. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122523624204277979.html?mod=googlenews_wsj 10/29)
Global wireless operator Truphone has began tests on a new service for BlackBerry phones that the company says will make it less expensive and simpler for users to call overseas from their home country. Truphone Anywhere, which will work in 33 countries, is designed to operate in combination with local carriers. Total Telecom Magazine (U.K.) (10/28)
Wikileaks has posted Apple‘s controversial iPhone Software Development Kit after the company’s disclosure last week that it would discontinue its use after developers objected to what they saw as its overly restrictive terms. The document had never been publicly released, and the Wikileaks summary page says, “The agreement contains several controversial terms and claims that need to be discussed in an open forum. This is however explicitly forbidden by the agreement.” InformationWeek (10/28)
AccuWeather.com launched an advanced weather app for the BlackBerry providing up-to-date weather info., hourly and 10-day forecasts, severe weather alerts and radar images. (Cynopsis 10/29)
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Filed under: Feature | Tags: AT&T, Home, Mobile phone, Starbucks, T-Mobile, United Kingdom, Wi-Fi, WIRELESS
COFFEE AND FREE WI-FI
The Recap
In February, Starbucks ended its 7-year relationship with T-Mobile for provision of Wi-Fi services in favor or a new relationship with AT&T. T-Mobile sued Starbucks because they say they have the exclusive right to “sell, market, and promote” in stores until the Wi-Fi networks have been completely transitioned to the new system. As of this post (6/11), T-Mobile & Starbucks have settled that suit.
Free Wi-Fi For All. . .Starbucks Customers
Given Starbucks’ new relationship with AT&T, users are allowed 2 hours of free Wi-Fi daily given that they spend $5 monthly on a rewards card. Let’s face it, that’s almost a single coffee. One coffee a month for 2 hours of free Wi-Fi daily. Done and done.
The Experiment
That’s all I needed to know to venture out in my quest for free Wi-Fi at the closest Starbucks. At the time, this happened to be a Starbucks in Warwick, RI. I asked the boisterous teenager at the counter about the free Wi-Fi with over-exaggerated zeal in my eyes. To my surprise, she knew nothing about the rewards card purchase for free Wi-Fi. Regardless, I requested the rewards card, loaded up the prerequisite $5, purchased the obligatory latte and went on my way.
I hopped online, registered my card, and speeded ahead with the free Wi-Fi experience. The only confusing part of the entire transaction was really connecting to AT&T in the store while the T-Mobile Wi-Fi service is clearly still offered at the location.
Go Out and Get You Some
THIS IS AWESOME. I could only ask for more in terms of allowable hours in one day. For $10, could I work from Starbucks all day? That much Java and free Wi-Fi would lead to some insane work efficiency. Let’s forget attempting a government-enabled free Wi-Fi system. Let’s just blanket the world with Starbucks (as if that weren’t already the case). Pay $5 per month for broadband access to your java supplier rather than the $30 to your cable company.
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Filed under: MISC | Tags: Concord Music Group, Hear Music, ITunes Store, News Corporation, Starbucks, Tribune, United States
Apparently getting the jitters about the music business, Starbucks announced it would cede control of its Hear Music label to the Concord Music Group. The company will continue to work with William Morris on suitable book and entertainment ventures, such as the iTunes Wi-fi promotion. (Cynopsis 4/25, http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSWNAS968120080424 4/24)
Remember when Starbucks/iTunes launched the Song of the Day in October ‘07? Yup, me too. Wonder how it’s doing? Yup, me too. 6 million songs downloaded. Not bad. http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/story.aspx?guid=%7BBB9E786D-D1B0-42CE-8811-A369EF73D886%7D 4/15
A U.S. Senate committee is voting to reverse a federal rule that lets media companies including News Corp. and Tribune own a broadcast station and daily newspaper in the 20 largest markets. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., says the resolution aims to combat “galloping” media concentration. (Iwantmedia 4/25, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=aarb83_Kkt8s 4/24)
