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Filed under: Software, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, First Look, App Review

Caffeinated apps: Starbucks intros myStarbucks, Starbucks Card Mobile App

by Steven Sande (RSS feed) on Sep 23rd, 2009

The Microsoft of the coffee biz, Starbucks, announced this morning that they've introduced two new iPhone / iPod touch apps to help customers make the most of their coffee addiction. myStarbucks and the Starbucks Card Mobile App [iTunes links] are free apps available in the iTunes App Store today.

These apps were the subject of much speculation, particularly in the Mac Rumors forums, after Phil Schiller showed the myStarbucks app on the screen at the September 9th, 2009 "It's Only Rock and Roll" music event.

While the company could have combined the two apps into one monster app, it's apparent that they're for two very different purposes. myStarbucks is primarily targeted at finding stores (as if there isn't one on every street corner in America...) and educating consumers about the drinks and food items available in those stores. The Starbucks Card Mobile App, on the other hand, is pointed towards the professional coffee slurper who already has a Starbucks Card in his or her quivering hand. Let's look at the two apps in a bit more detail.

myStarbucks starts with a geolocation feature to find the nearest dozen or so Starbucks stores within a few miles of your present location, shown on a map or in a list. If you haven't had your morning coffee fix and need directions, the app will fire up Google Maps and provide you with driving, transit, or walking instructions. For each "official" Starbucks franchise, there are icons indicating whether or not the store is open, as well as whether or not they have Wi-Fi or oven-warmed food.

Continue reading “Caffeinated apps: Starbucks intros myStarbucks, Starbucks Card Mobile App”

Tags: app, app review, app store, AppReview, AppStore, coffee, ecommerce, iphone, ipod touch, IpodTouch, payment, starbucks

Filed under: Software, Odds and ends, Freeware, iPhone, App Store

Dunkin' Run lets you live in the future, Dunkin' Donuts style

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Jul 2nd, 2009

Ever wanted to order a bunch of coffee and doughnuts along with your friends online, and then go and pick them up in the store? There is, in fact, an app for that. Dunkin' Donuts has released Dunkin' Run (iTunes link), an app that not only connects you and your friends together (through a strange love of pastries and java), but will allow you to set up an order and then go straight to the store and pick it up.

Sound unnecessary and lame? Maybe -- though it is free, even if it's adware as adware can possibly get. And apparently the app is really badly designed, not to mention that we do feel a little dirty telling you about it: you should probably eat something a little healthier, like a banana or even an (wait for it) apple.

But let's not forget where we started out here -- back in the day, we dreamed of ordering coffee on our iPhone, and now that day has basically come. Unfortunately, the best parts of the dream haven't yet materialized -- Dunkin' Runs only lets you tally up orders among your friends, not actually deliver them to the store. For that, you've still got to show the cashier your iPhone screen, and/or read them off the order. But it is a step closer to the dream. If companies are going to make apps that are actually useful for us, they have to start with apps like this, no? And if nothing else, it's an app that will tell you where Dunkin' Donuts is -- that's all I use my Bank of America app for anyway.

Tags: app, app-store, bank-of-america, coffee, design, dunkin-donuts, dunkin-run, freeware, iphone, order, pastries, social-media, social-networking

Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone

TUAW on the Spot: Secret Barista to report on Starbucks 'retraining'

by Erica Sadun (RSS feed) on Feb 26th, 2008

Wanting to get the scoop on the new coffee generation, I put in a call to my secret barista, Ms. Coffee. "Quick, tell the dish about the nationwide Starbucks retraining this afternoon!" "Wish I could -- got nothing to tell. All the stores close at 5:30 pm local time, no matter where they are. We have no idea what the training involves." So I extracted a promise: any mention of AT&T, the iPhone, EDGE networks or WiFi and she is to dash to the bathroom on a "weak bladder" excuse and call.

For those of you who are completely caffeine deprived, Dunkin' Donuts will "ensure that no coffee lover is denied a delicious espresso-based beverage," offering lattes, cappucinos and espressos for $0.99 between 1pm and 10pm today.

So what do you think, TUAW readers? Is this the big AT&T intro we've been waiting for?

Thanks Nick

Tags: coffee, starbucks, wifi

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