Starting in a few weeks Starbucks coffeeshops will offer free wi-fi in all of it's shops nationwide. There will be no registration, specific provider needed, time limits or constraints. Just free wifi- straight-up.
It remains to be seen if this will be a positive or negative effect on the bottom line but according to this article, Starbuck's goal is to bring the Starbucks experience online. However I would venture that this policy will ensure more customers visit a local Starbucks and spend more time there - which can't hurt. I can't tell you the number of times I've foregone visiting Starbucks in order to study, and consume food and drinks, at a different coffehouse where internet was free. Well, barring a closer coffeeshop, I'll probably going to the 'Bucks for my study needs from now on.
Showing posts with label Wi-Fi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wi-Fi. Show all posts
Monday, June 14, 2010
Friday, May 29, 2009
Internet Radio Pandora and Tivoli
Saul Hansell in his May 29 New York Times article, “The Ascendance of Internet Radio”, discusses the Tivoli radio with its CEO, Tom DeVesto.
For those who are unaware, Tivoli radio is an Internet Wi-Fi radio that is priced from a few hundred dollars to as high a thousand dollars. The user can select a station by genre or geography. There are probably at least 100 stations broadcasting via the Internet. Is this real competition for Pandora and Last FM? No, in my view. I purchased a similar WI-Fi radio from Acoustic Energy a few years ago, and have disconnected it since my discovery of Pandora.
The problem with Tivoli radio is just that. It is a radio. Pandora and Last FM are software based. These music solutions can be used with a desktop, a notebook or even a mobile phone like the iPhone. The computer can be easily hooked in to a stereo system with a mini pin to RCA adapter to get a big stereo sound. Moreover the music is from Pandora is customized by the user. Software leapfrogs the hard ware again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)