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17 Replies Last post: Oct 4, 2007 4:05 AM by Dan Frakes   1 2 Previous Next
Click to view MW Forums's profile New Member
MW Forums
12,220 posts since
Aug 2, 2004
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Oct 2, 2007 3:00 PM

First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks

The joint partnership between Apple and Starbucks to let iPhone and iPod touch users wirelessly shop for recently played music at the coffee retailer debuted in select cities Tuesday, and Glenn Fleishman was on hand to sample the service. It's a promising offering, though there were a few glitches and one regrettable technology decision. more
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Click to view Buffyzdead's profile New Member
Buffyzdead
49 posts since
Dec 5, 2006
1. Oct 2, 2007 6:22 PM in response to: MW Forums
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbu
This review is simply dumb and useless, literally. Talk about useless complaining. Go back to this same store in a week or two and try again. I'm sure you can be critical then, somehow, and I'm sure you'll make sure it applies to the masses that will use this service for what it is and not for what it isn't.
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Click to view pdbreske's profile New Member
pdbreske
86 posts since
Nov 16, 2004
2. Oct 2, 2007 6:54 PM in response to: MW Forums
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbu
Seattle and New York are not the only places getting the new service. Apparently the South Beach, FL Starbuck's Hear Music store on Lincoln Road has the new iTunes service starting today.

The local NPR affiliate played a story today and interviewed several people who were using the service as they spoke.

Maybe some of the larger stores are taking it upon themselves to outfit their own networks before the company's scheduled timeframe?
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Click to view toma92103's profile New Member
toma92103
3 posts since
Oct 2, 2007
3. Oct 2, 2007 7:28 PM in response to: MW Forums
T-Mobile?
Isn't T-Mobile the network iPhone "hackers" use? Is there any irony that a couple of days after Apple goes on a rampage to protect AT&T, they get in bed with T-Mobile via Starbucks?
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Click to view Uncommon's profile New Member
Uncommon
160 posts since
Aug 30, 2004
4. Oct 2, 2007 8:24 PM in response to: Buffyzdead
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbu
Quote:<hr />
This review is simply dumb and useless, literally.

<hr />

No, it isn't. The second problem he pointed out - having the device remember "tmobile" as a desirable network - is a very good point, and it does seem clumsy of Apple to have that kind of setup. T-Mobile is probably happy, though, since it gives you one more reason to sign up for their service.
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Click to view Luis_Alejandro's profile New Member
Luis_Alejandro
112 posts since
Oct 5, 2006
5. Oct 2, 2007 8:43 PM in response to: MW Forums
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks
Quote:<hr />

Quote:<hr />
This review is simply dumb and useless, literally.

<hr />

No, it isn't. The second problem he pointed out - having the device remember "tmobile" as a desirable network - is a very good point, and it does seem clumsy of Apple to
have that kind of setup. T-Mobile is probably happy, though, since it gives you one more reason to signup for their service.

<hr />

Although the point on the "remembering the network" trouble is worthwhile, the whole article is, as I see it, of an histerical nature.
Is the author a newbie to technology? Clearly, I know he is not.
What's the essence of this article then?
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Click to view griffman's profile Macworld Editorial
griffman
8,057 posts since
Jan 9, 2001
6. Oct 2, 2007 8:51 PM in response to: Luis_Alejandro
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbu
The big clue about the article is there in the title: First Look. It's a first look at a new product or service. That's all it is; the write-up reflects the author's experiences using the new Starbuck's features. He had some issues, so he wrote about them. He liked some other things, so he wrote about them.

It's meant to give those who may not have been to Starbucks yet (or those like me, who never drink coffee and stay as physically far from Starbucks as possible (getting tougher every day as they proliferate)) a sense of what it's all about.

-rob.
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Click to view Glenn_Fleishman's profile Member
Glenn_Fleishman
151 posts since
Oct 13, 2001
7. Oct 2, 2007 9:41 PM in response to: Luis_Alejandro
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbu
Quote:<hr />
Quote:<hr />

Quote:<hr />
This review is simply dumb and useless, literally.

<hr />

No, it isn't. The second problem he pointed out - having the device remember "tmobile" as a desirable network - is a very good point, and it does seem clumsy of Apple to
have that kind of setup. T-Mobile is probably happy, though, since it gives you one more reason to signup for their service.

<hr />

Although the point on the "remembering the network" trouble is worthwhile, the whole article is, as I see it, of an histerical nature.
Is the author a newbie to technology? Clearly, I know he is not.
What's the essence of this article then?

<hr />


I am really missing why my article appears naive. Apple and Starbucks are mature companies. They said today is the launch day. At one of just 600 stores that were supposed to have launched, the service was wonky. That's a misstep. Yes, they'll clean it up, but this is a major partnership with a multi-billion-dollar set of companies. Hysterical? No. Just surprised Apple can't get Starbucks to live up to Apple's standards. (Another store I checked wouldn't allow laptop access, either, by the way.)

The idea, as Rob pointed out just above, is to talk about how this particular service works given that it's only in a few cities. If the folks who hated my article can explain in greater detail what their problem is, I'd love to know!

I'm surprised by the Florida launch. This isn't controlled by individual stores. Starbucks doesn't franchise. Locations are all under central control.
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Click to view ncj37's profile New Member
ncj37
45 posts since
Jan 5, 2005
8. Oct 2, 2007 10:10 PM in response to: MW Forums
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks
IMO, the iTunes WI-FI Store and the Starbucks partnership are going to be a notable flop. Apple will try to place a brave face on the entire matter and will report "industry leading" numbers (or some other vague or meaningless measure) for a quarter or two but over time this entire effort will be forgotten and the WI-FI Store will fade from view except as a small footnote on Wikipedia. There will never be any really significant sales though this service. It's questionable as to whether it will even be able to "pay its way" (i.e. earn back to either Starbucks or Apple what it cost). In my opinion it's going to turn out to be just a big waste of time and effort for everyone involved (for Apple, Starbucks, and even their customers).

Having said that, I should add that I think the iPhone is a pretty cool product. It still needs some improvements but I think it will be a significant success for Apple and with a few tweaks here and there in the hardware and software it should turn out to be the next "big thing" for Apple (perhaps one day even surpassing the iPod).
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Click to view rhp's profile New Member
rhp
16 posts since
Mar 9, 2006
9. Oct 2, 2007 10:28 PM in response to: MW Forums
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbu
If you went to the University Village shopping center, it could be that it was trying to connect to all 3 of the Starbucks there...I swear, I've never been in any other store where you were you could look out the window and see another store of the same name...
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Click to view TenaciousN8's profile New Member
TenaciousN8
42 posts since
Jun 25, 2007
10. Oct 2, 2007 10:31 PM in response to: Buffyzdead
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbu
Quote:<hr />
This review is simply dumb and useless, literally. Talk about useless complaining. Go back to this same store in a week or two and try again. I'm sure you can be critical then, somehow, and I'm sure you'll make sure it applies to the masses that will use this service for what it is and not for what it isn't.

<hr />


Dude it's not a review, it's a first look. Writing this article a week later would negate the purpose of a first look. Chill out man.
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Click to view Glenn_Fleishman's profile Member
Glenn_Fleishman
151 posts since
Oct 13, 2001
11. Oct 2, 2007 11:46 PM in response to: rhp
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbu
Quote:<hr />
If you went to the University Village shopping center, it could be that it was trying to connect to all 3 of the Starbucks there...I swear, I've never been in any other store where you were you could look out the window and see another store of the same name...

<hr />


They're all busy all the time, too, amazingly.

No, I was in the U District, not University Village. I checked at another store, too. I know they'll get it all sorted out eventually. But it was a pretty rough start. I haven't seen reports from all over -- not sure how many people cared enough to test it straight off.
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Click to view rhp's profile New Member
rhp
16 posts since
Mar 9, 2006
12. Oct 3, 2007 12:20 AM in response to: Glenn_Fleishman
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbu
Quote:<hr />
They're all busy all the time, too, amazingly.

<hr />


Yes, they are...even when school isn't in session...The "funny stuff" ain't in cool-aid--it's in the coffee!!! To all of those naysayers about the iTunes/Starbucks deal: have a sip of the coffee and see if you aren't compelled to buy all of the espresso brownies and rock out to whatever tune is playing!! I dare you!

And, yeah, I'm sure they will get it sorted out...this is the only article I've read about it, so probably not many have bothered. I'm glad they started out with a smaller sub-set of stores so they could get the bugs worked out...
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Click to view KPO'M's profile Enthusiast
KPO'M
1,290 posts since
Nov 29, 2001
13. Oct 3, 2007 1:19 AM in response to: MW Forums
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbu
I wonder if the "terrible" technology system is just another glitch in a "not quite ready for prime time" setup that will be fixed once the service is up and running. Basically, the 600 stores are being used as test markets (or guinea pigs, if you prefer), and the "real" launch will take place once the service has been rolled out across the country.

That said, I wonder if T-Mobile has a contractual relationship with Starbucks requiring the network to advertise itself as T-Mobile to promote their hotspot accounts. Again, this gets me back to the question of if Apple had to do it over again, might they have courted T-Mobile more aggressively so that they could have offered an EDGE/Wi-Fi bundle similar to what they offer in the UK with O2 and the Cloud?
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Click to view Glenn_Fleishman's profile Member
Glenn_Fleishman
151 posts since
Oct 13, 2001
14. Oct 3, 2007 11:44 AM in response to: KPO'M
Re: First Look: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbu
Quote:<hr />
I wonder if the "terrible" technology system is just another glitch in a "not quite ready for prime time" setup that will be fixed once the service is up and running. Basically, the 600 stores are being used as test markets (or guinea pigs, if you prefer), and the "real" launch will take place once the service has been rolled out across the country.

<hr />


I suppose, but it's so open and public -- New York and Seattle are hardly unsophisticated and uncomplaining technology markets. What they're doing is pretty simple behind the scenes. A few hooks on either end; it's not like they're building a new distribution system. Starbucks has a whole apparatus in the store to show what music is playing already.

Quote:<hr />
That said, I wonder if T-Mobile has a contractual relationship with Starbucks requiring the network to advertise itself as T-Mobile to promote their hotspot accounts. Again, this gets me back to the question of if Apple had to do it over again, might they have courted T-Mobile more aggressively so that they could have offered an EDGE/Wi-Fi bundle similar to what they offer in the UK with O2 and the Cloud?

<hr />


T-Mobile negotiated their Starbucks deal in 2002 in a real position of weakness, acquiring a contract and relationship from a bankrupt firm. As far as I know, Starbucks holds the cards, but both sides are apparently happy.

Really, I was surprised that AT&T didn't do anything with Wi-Fi. They have a Wi-Fi network they resell to their DSL customers, but mostly ignore otherwise.
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