“Starbucks Corp. plans to give away 50 million free digital songs to customers in all of its domestic coffee houses to promote a new wireless iTunes music service that’s about to debut in select markets,” Elizabeth M. Gillespie reports for The Associated Press.
“From Oct. 2 to Nov. 7, baristas in the company’s more than 10,000 U.S. stores will hand out about 1.5 million ‘Song of the Day’ cards each day. The cards can be redeemed at Apple Inc.’s online iTunes Store,” Gillespie reports. “Thirty-seven artists with featured songs include Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell — the first two to sign on with Starbucks’ Hear Music label — along with Joss Stone, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Annie Lennox and Band of Horses.”
“Also on Oct. 2, Starbucks will start selling iTunes digital release cards that allow a full album of music and bonus material to be downloaded online,” Gillespie reports. “Starbucks also will offer a limited-edition reloadable purchasing card that includes two free iTunes downloads when customers register their cards online.”
“Earlier this month, Starbucks and Apple announced a partnership that will allow users of Apple’s iPhone and new iPod Touch to download songs playing in a Starbucks shop directly to their portable devices,” Gillespie reports.
“The coffee chain’s icon will light up on the iPhone or Touch whenever a user is within range of a Starbucks shop’s Wi-Fi signal. People with the devices — or a laptop with iTunes software — will also be able to use the signal for free to browse and buy other iTunes music. The service will launch at 600 Starbucks shops in Seattle and New York on Oct. 2, then roll out in San Francisco in early November,” Gillespie reports. “Starbucks plans to have the service up and running in a quarter of its stores by the end of next year and in all U.S. stores with wireless networks by the end of 2009.”
Full article here.
So will general web surfing be free too at starbucks?
I guess this means that iPhone users should receive an update which allows for Wireless downloads by Oct. 2.
General web surfing free?
Seems like it could be “hackable” to allow that, huh?
I think Starbucks would be smart to be go ahead and make it free. I’ve always thought the coffee places that offered wifi for FREE were smart- if you’ve got it for free chances are I’m staying for longer and ordering more food, etc.
We Macheads are definatly a highly sought after target market.
So happens I like Starbucks…
Visited their first store in Pike’s Market Seatle WA.
Why was I so close to Redmond? Well M$ has it’s spies and moles too. Except M$ moles you don’t have to pay to get inside information…
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PS: Stevie B does have high blood pressure and fits of temper. He’s seeing a therapist, (at the zoo then a hotel room, she’s “into” monkeys, how fitting…)
And that folks is your morning humor, brought to you by the invisible man. Thanks I will be here all week, in some form or another.
Uh, no, John. It means you can download iTunes music for free, and if you have the new iPod Touch, that at select Starbucks locations, you will be able to download music at one or two of their stores directly. I recommend that you re-read the original Apple/Starbucks announcements for details.
But no, it does not mean that general Web surfing will be free at their stores. Sad, but true. I hope you understand, bokay? Peace out. Namaste.
Everyone has the same reaction when they learn the actual terms.
a) General Web Browsing is NOT free
b) You can only browse music and purchase songs;
c) You can NOT browse or purchase TV shows and movies;
d) You can NOT browse or download podcasts
This Starbucks deal is anemic at best.
Oh great, Paul McCartney is on board. He already gave away his single “Nod Your Head”, and that was more than enough of free McCartney. [/shivers]
Haven’t been to Starbucks in years (costs to damed much), so I could care less, besides there’s no place to plug my new aluminum iMac into.
now if only Starbucks had good coffee
You said, “Everyone has the same reaction when they learn the actual terms.
a) General Web Browsing is NOT free
b) You can only browse music and purchase songs;
c) You can NOT browse or purchase TV shows and movies;
d) You can NOT browse or download podcasts
This Starbucks deal is anemic at best.”
You are right.!! So, do NOT get their FREE songs next month, and DO not use their service to down load songs that you buy there for free.
YEP, today if its free and its not a new car, its not worth it.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” /> SHeeeeezzzzeeeee. Some people are so cranky. 🙁
So, Bit me, ok. Free is free. If you do not like it for free, how about offering to pay for it??? What is up with people today.
Er, ok, its a monday too, so one more cup of coffee and I will be better.
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en
The Starbucks / Itunes deal is boring and Starbucks coffee is mediocre at best. Their coffee flavoured sugared milky beverages are adequate, but who drinks that rubbish once they’ve had high quality brewed coffee?
The deal is not for me, but it will be interesting to see how many folks find it useful. It is getting press though, and that’s good for APPL.
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It’s good that Apple Inc. got past Apple (Beatles Label) in order to do this deal. Yes? No?
I’m sure that’s what Steve was holding close to the vest during negotiations–the idea that Apple, Inc. could be a music distributor/kind of a label in itself, also.
This is just a first step, to free wifi at Starbucks.
Also, I believe it was Andy Inhatko, on the Apple iPhone Show podcast last week that said that the Starbucks wifi will allow you to surf all of Apple’s websites. So, you may be able to go to Apple’s Quicktime movie trailer website and watch movie trailers, or the Apple Store and buy a new skinny keyboard.
I really love this idea of the iTunes WIFI Store showing you what song is currently playing in Starbucks. I’m the guy that is always asking, “What song is that right now?”
—
Scott Rose
ScottWorld
Certified FileMaker Experts. Since 1992.
http://www.scottworld.com
Starbucks WiFi signals are all free around here. In fact I was shocked when I went to Denver on a business trip and T-Mobile wanted to charge me for access. Gotta love Oregon. WiFi should be free baby!
I remember helping a guy from Starbucks who put in the first wi-fi routers in Fountain Valley and other Orange County locations years ago. He bought several Apple Base Stations (the original silver, UFO-shaped ones) and it was free. Then I think he made a proposal up in WA and it became the T-Mobile deal it is today. I bet he got a big promotion.
Swing Geeer
Where do you get your high quality brewed coffee?
We would like to know.
Good question. Where is this high-quality brewed coffee that you speak of? I’ve tried quite a few coffee shops and really, no-one’s yet touched the Frappaccino (sp). The only way to get better than Starbucks is to make it yourself. If you’re willing to invest the time and money into that, then you go boy.
This would be cool if the “roll-out” would happen over 30 days to all stores or something…. but 2 states? and rollout through 2009???? Who cares? Is this even going to be remotely relevant or interesting in 6 months? Why don’t they just DO IT so it’s done?
I can’t access the Starbucks site on my iPod Touch. It says the screen resolution is too low.