Barack, Do you really want everyone to know where you are? In the Googorola aftermath, Microsoft was reportedly one of the comapnies in negotiations with Motorola. And the best way to kill an iPad 3 rumor, is to squash it with another rumor that you made up. Plus, Wilson Tang of the 404 joins us in studio.
Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (640x360) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS (640x360)… Read moreThe next time you go into a Starbucks for a drink or snack, you could end up walking out with a free iPhone app too.
Apple and Starbucks have long had a partnership that gives Starbucks customers a way to download free music tracks from Apple's iTunes Music Store, and the two companies are now coming together to do the same with paid applications.
Using the same "Pick of the Week" cards the two companies have been using since April 2008, Starbucks is now using that same system to dole out iPhone applications.
Just like for music, users can find free cards waiting for them at the cash register with codes on the back that can be entered into iTunes or the App Store to get the application.
The first application to be offered for free is Shazam Encore (iTunes), a music-identifying app that sells for $5.99 in the U.S. version of the App Store. That's a considerable deal compared to new music tracks, which typically top out at $1.29.
Starbucks declined to comment on the addition of apps, including whether this takes the place of or simply joins music tracks as part of the Pick of the Week program. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. … Read more
Jay-Z and Kanye West unleashed their collaborative album "Watch The Throne" yesterday, but how did they keep it from leaking before the release? We'll tell you on today's episode of The 404 Podcast.
We'll also tell you where the new Star Trek amusement park is being built, why parents should download the first iOS app built by the FBI, and who's to blame for the four-car pileup that included Google's first driverless vehicle.
The 404 Digest for Episode 878 Duh: Facebook use and narcissism correlate in teens. How Jay-Z and Kanye West kept their new album from leaking. There's going to be a Star Trek amusement park--guess where? FBI releases child ID iPhone app. Finally, the first Google autonomous-car crash. Has Starbucks had enough of laptop loungers? Episode 878 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read moreIs there a time and a place for laptop use? And should the place never be Starbucks at any time?
It seems that staff at some Starbucks in New York have had enough of those who spend their days using the home of the troubled croissant as their permanent place of work.
The Starbucks Gossip site (which I don't read, but Gawker does) was the first to offer that certain Starbucks were covering up their AC outlets, so that customers would have to rely on their laptop batteries, rather than the company's power supply.
Back in September, we tested out the Starbucks Card Mobile app, then a BlackBerry app that kicked off a pilot program for a digital prepaid Starbucks loyalty card on your mobile phone.
Today, Starbucks is expanding the program past its pilot retail stores, including kiosks at Target. Now the Starbucks Card Mobile app (for iPhone, iPod Touch, and BlackBerry) is a digital version of your prepaid card that you can actually use in 7,500 stores instead of cash or your plastic card to buy those frothy cappuccinos and extra-hot venti decaf skinny hazelnut lattes.
We tested out the app … Read more
Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded:
Facebook revises its update to prevent you from inadvertently sharing your phone number and address
Federal regulators approve the Comcast-NBC Universal deal
American Airlines is on the outs with online reservation sites
Sprint raises its monthly fee for smartphone users by $10
Starbucks expands its mobile phone payment system to all stores nationwide
Playboy claims to be bringing its entire archive of magazines uncensored to the iPad in March, mysteriously skirting Apple's no-nudity rule
Caffeine behemoth Starbucks on Tuesday finally unveiled its revamped Web hub, a landing page that's only accessible from its in-store Wi-Fi networks in the U.S. Teaming with the likes of Yahoo (the main technology partner), The Wall Street Journal, GOOD, The New York Times, iTunes, LinkedIn, and Foursquare, Starbucks has packed the new site full of news both local and mainstream (including content that would normally be behind paywalls), free music download promos, local information like weather and bike trails, and movie trailers.
It's an interesting concept. Starbucks calls this the Starbucks Digital Network, or as senior … Read more
Apologies to all the live listeners, this morning's broadcast had to start later than usual to give Wilson some time to tweak our new studio set-up we mentioned last week.
We have an all new tricaster, new mic stands, HD video, and more, so definitely be sure to check out the video feed to see all the improvements, because we're all really excited and have Wilson plus the rest of the CNET crew to thank for helping with the installation!
As hard as it already is to stay away from Starbucks' seasonal coffee flavors, here's another reason to avoid the overpriced chain of cafes: shoppers will soon see the arrival of "ping marketing," a tactic that bombards shoppers' smartphones with electronic discount coupons as they pass by participating stores.
The vouchers are delivered in the form of a text message, and the technology relies on GPS satellites to keep track of your location in relation to the partnered storefronts. Britain's O2 network is the first to test out the opt-in service, where customers can sign up for a six-month trial that releases information about their age, gender, and interests to relevant retailers. We're all in agreement that this crosses the privacy line, but is anyone else worried that tech companies are just poaching ideas straight from "Minority Report?"
While other fathers teach their sons how to throw a baseball or catch a fish, Luke Geissbuhler went the NASA route and helped his son send an iPhone into space. They fitted a small weather balloon with an HD camera, an Apple iPhone (to track GPS location), and several handwarmers before launching the contraption into space.
Sixty minutes and 90,000 feet later, the balloon actually broke the thermal wind barrier and burst after 10 more minutes, but not before it recorded 100 minutes of footage from take-off to landing. In their self-shot video, the father/son team reported that the contraption had to survive "100 mph winds, temperatures of 60 degrees below zero, speeds of over a 150 mph, and the high risk of a water landing." Somebody needs to give Papa Geissbuhler the official "Best Father of All Time" award, right now.
Check out the rest of the full show below for more stories, including Sprint adding 4G access in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and don't forget to add @BlakeStevenson and RT this message for a chance to win Blake's awesome 404 Halloween poster!
Episode 689 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read moreI remember 1997. I always brought my Kensington cable lock with me to tie down my PowerBook at the grad school library. Honestly, I don't think I've used a laptop lock since.
I'm not alone, apparently. Kensington's new ClickSafe locking system aims to somehow make the process easier. Well, at least half of the process: the new ClickSafe lock automatically snaps onto your laptop without a key, but it still requires a key to unlock--not a surprise, since a lock that could be unlocked without a key doesn't sound very safe at all.
The Kensington … Read more
Starbucks Card Mobile App means BlackBerry owners can carry around one less plastic loyalty card in their wallets. Log in with your Starbucks Card username and password, or register a new account, and you'll be able to manage multiple prepaid cards from your smartphone.
Better yet, when credit threatens to dip below your latte threshold, you can top up your Starbucks Card by charging your credit card. The app lets you reload value from $10 to $100 (in $5 increments), and can also set up autocharging so you're never without a means to your caffeine buzz.
The app'… Read more
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