Starbucks Gets Mobile Payment System

Achievement unlocked by DNS-and-BIND · 2011-01-20 01:08 · Score: 5, Funny

Achievement unlocked: ability to be even more pretentious whilst in line at Starbucks

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Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!

Re:Achievement unlocked by Magada · 2011-01-20 01:26 · Score: 0

It would be more along the lines of:
Achievement Unlocked! - 'Pretentiouser and pretentiouser.' (4 of 10)
with a bit of flavor text beneath:
Not only have you publicly paid 7 bucks for an over-sugared cup of burnt coffee, but you managed to do so in a way that let you flaunt your pimped iPhone!

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Something bad is coming when people are suddenly anxious to tell the truth.
Re:Achievement unlocked by masterwit · 2011-01-20 01:29 · Score: 1

You beat me to the joke.
But seriously though, this is "cash money" for the Starbucks market. As for a Windows phone, meh, that is like these people not driving a hybrid...

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We should start a new Slashdot and return control to the geeks. It actually wouldn't be that hard to get some users to
Re:Achievement unlocked by B1ackDragon · 2011-01-20 03:00 · Score: 1

This'll never work. How are people going to annoyingly talk on their phones while ordering?

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The snow doesn't give a soft white damn whom it touches. -- ee cummings
Re:Achievement unlocked by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 03:10 · Score: 0

Extra loud, I'd guess.
Re:Achievement unlocked by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 03:52 · Score: 1, Insightful

Not only have you publicly paid 7 bucks for an over-sugared cup of burnt coffee, but you managed to do so in a way that let you flaunt your pimped iPhone!
And, clearly in no way shape or form would someone with a Blackberry ever do this ... after all, it doesn't say right in TFS that this will also work on Blackberry's. And, they'd never be in the process of doing this for an Android phone either, as they would make no sense. What self respecting person with an Android would ever do this, what with all of the web servers they're running and neck-beards they're growing to show how anti-cool (and therefore cooler) they are?
Clearly, the only people ever doing this will be using iPhones and dressed in the requisite black turtle-neck, and the rest of the world will have to stand in line like chumps and pay with old fashioned money.
Oh, wait ... no ... Starbucks wants this available on every major smartphone so they can sell as much coffee as they can.
Regardless of your phone platform of choice ... pretentious wankers of all stripes will soon be paying "7 bucks for an over-sugared cup of burnt coffee" via their phone.
Vent your spleen at Starbucks and its patrons, not the iPhone. I bet as many Blackberry's and Androids go in as iPhones.

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Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Re:Achievement unlocked by shikaisi · 2011-01-20 03:52 · Score: 1

Pretentious? Moi?

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No left turn unstoned.
Re:Achievement unlocked by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 04:05 · Score: 1

This'll never work. How are people going to annoyingly talk on their phones while ordering?
With a blue tooth earpiece, and multi-tasking on the phone?
Give it time, and they'll just text their order, pay, and collect their beverage all while talking on their phone and checking that important email that just arrived.
Of course, I'm glad to see an increasing number of stores with signs up that say "we will be happy to serve you when you are done your phone conversation" ... there's nothing worse than seeing the guy in front of you standing there on a conversation too busy to actually place his order or interact with the cashier.

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Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Re:Achievement unlocked by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 04:29 · Score: 0

With a blue tooth earpiece, and multi-tasking on the phone?
So, only if they've got a iPhone 3GS or 4 then.
Re:Achievement unlocked by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 04:38 · Score: 1

So, only if they've got a iPhone 3GS or 4 then.
Well, I don't think anybody who can't afford to upgrade their phone could actually afford to buy a coffee at Starbucks. ;-)
Those people just scavenge empty cups from the garbage and pour the coffee from their thermos into it. You know, like putting rims on your rusted out car.
TFS also mentions Blackberry now and Android coming soon, so fear not!

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Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Re:Achievement unlocked by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 04:41 · Score: 1

Who pissed in your 7 buck over-sugared cup of burnt coffee and iPhone this morning?
Re:Achievement unlocked by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 05:00 · Score: 1

Who pissed in your 7 buck over-sugared cup of burnt coffee and iPhone this morning?
Every self-righteous, condescending little prick that walks around saying "zomg, teh Apple is teh suxors and you have no freedom but teh Android is da bomb and I can run puython on it".
The fact that these people actually believe they're better than people with iOS devices gets more than a little irritating -- it's all just fanboi-ism, and it's a phone, get over yourselves and fuck off.
Re:Achievement unlocked by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 05:01 · Score: 0

This'll never work. How are people going to annoyingly talk on their phones while ordering?
That's why AT&T is claiming simultaneous voice & data as a selling point for AT&T iPhones over Verizon iPhones. Duh.
Re:Achievement unlocked by Magada · 2011-01-20 05:04 · Score: 1

The achievement for Blackberry users would be phrased differently, with more of an EVE Online flavor, as opposed to the tongue-in-cheek WoW way of doing it.

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Something bad is coming when people are suddenly anxious to tell the truth.
Re:Achievement unlocked by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 05:09 · Score: 1

The achievement for Blackberry users would be phrased differently, with more of an EVE Online flavor, as opposed to the tongue-in-cheek WoW way of doing it.
Wow, I know what most of those words are, but I have no idea WTF you're talking about.
I think the universal translator must be offline again. ;-)

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Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Re:Achievement unlocked by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 05:10 · Score: 0

Ac'lly, I'm better than you because I don't drink the overpriced mass-produced slop *$$ calls coffee (which marks me as a person of at least minimal good taste and self-esteem), not because I don't buy overpriced shiny stuff from Apple (which just says I'm a bit stingy and don't care much for form over function).
Seriously. Starbucks is the McDonalds of coffee and I don't mean that in a good way.
Re:Achievement unlocked by Magada · 2011-01-20 05:30 · Score: 1

Flavor text. I'm talking about flavor text.
If there were achievements for Blackberry users, they would probably get a serious, corporate-sounding statement along the lines of "You are now amongst those at the forefront of the digital payment revolution" as opposed to the auto-ironic stuff fit for iPhone-wielding hipsters.

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Something bad is coming when people are suddenly anxious to tell the truth.
Re:Achievement unlocked by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 05:39 · Score: 1

If there were achievements for Blackberry users, they would probably get a serious, corporate-sounding statement along the lines of "You are now amongst those at the forefront of the digital payment revolution" as opposed to the auto-ironic stuff fit for iPhone-wielding hipsters.
Wow, such wonderful stereotypes in your world ... I see corporate people with iPhones and hipsters with Blackberry's. In fact, increasingly, I'm seeing iPhones in the hands of stodgy looking business men who are in their full suit for a 7am breakfast meeting. I've also seen emo kids with Blackberries.
So, what's Android, then? Yo, Dawg, I hear you like to be pretentious, so I installed some pretentious so you can be pretentious while you're being pretentious. I also changed all of your buttons, and installed an Apache server so you can let your friends surf your pretentious at the same time. When PROLOG finished compiling, it'll be wack, 'yo.

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Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Re:Achievement unlocked by Magada · 2011-01-20 05:51 · Score: 1

I'm just playing with some stereotypes (as you have noted). This was all supposed to be in good fun, yet you seem to have a bee in your bonnet about snotty Android users. Talk about stereotyping.

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Something bad is coming when people are suddenly anxious to tell the truth.
Re:Achievement unlocked by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 05:55 · Score: 1

I'm just playing with some stereotypes (as you have noted). This was all supposed to be in good fun, yet you seem to have a bee in your bonnet about snotty Android users.
*laugh* No, but you did leave them out ... I just figured in the interests of fairness they needed a some flavor text for being pretentious as well.
After all, I figure anyone paying for their Starbucks coffee with an app on their smart phone has got to fall into that category. ;-)

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Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Re:Achievement unlocked by Ihmhi · 2011-01-20 06:13 · Score: 1

The coffee isn't burnt, it's well done.
Just don't ask for a Venti Frappachino Rare. Blood and coffee do not mix well.

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Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)
Re:Achievement unlocked by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 06:32 · Score: 0

McDonalds do coffee too, you know ...
Re:Achievement unlocked by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 10:20 · Score: 0

I own all sorts of Apple devices, and yes Apple is "teh suxors" because there is no freedom. While I love the design and ease of use of the devices, it drives me up the bloody wall that I need Apple's permission to determine what I can and can't use easily. When's the last time a car manufacturer told you where you can drive your car? They don't cause that would be stupid. Yet a phone manufacturer is allowed to tell me what apps I can use?
Re:Achievement unlocked by Ster · 2011-01-20 13:29 · Score: 1

This'll never work. How are people going to annoyingly talk on their phones while ordering?
Bluetooth. You can talk and run apps at the same time (even ones that access the Internet), at least on iPhones on AT&T. I hear that it might be different on Verizon w.r.t. the Internet, but non-Internet apps should work too. If all it does is display a the barcode for a debit account number, then there you go, no network required after initial setup.

Is it me by Dunbal · 2011-01-20 01:09 · Score: 3, Interesting

Or is this an incredibly stupid idea? Nothing says "hack/steal my phone" like turning into a cash machine.

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Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.

Re:Is it me by MikeDirnt69 · 2011-01-20 01:13 · Score: 1

Coffee adicted Kleptomaniac: Check!

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Am I eval()? - http://www.monst3r.com.br
Re:Is it me by jo_ham · 2011-01-20 01:41 · Score: 4, Insightful

So, what? The thief buys 200 coffees on your account and sells them for cash to punters outside?
I think it would just be easier to sell the phone itself if you're going to go to the trouble of stealing it.
Re:Is it me by Chapter80 · 2011-01-20 01:51 · Score: 1

Or are credit cards an incredibly stupid idea? Nothing says "hack/steal my wallet" like turning into a cash machine.
There, fixed it for ya.
Re:Is it me by Dunbal · 2011-01-20 01:55 · Score: 4, Insightful

That's not it. Right now it's Starbucks, but soon it will be McDonalds and Wal Mart and the gas station, etc. Watch, you'll see.
Now you could argue that there's no difference between this and a credit/debit card. However there is one huge difference. With a credit card the merchant obtains the equipment from the bank, and you obtain your card from the bank. They work together, the card never leaves your presence, the card reader never leaves the merchant's point of sale, and it's hard (but not impossible) for someone to get in between both of them.
With a cell phone the "equipment" is partly in the hands of the public and relies on software and encryption to prevent hacking and "man in the middle" exploits. Well the first rule of security is never give someone physical access to your system... If the bank is assuming that the cell phone/reader combo is "safe" and does little checking (which is probably the case: banks are masters of "security by obscurity"), soon you'll be able to bill more than a coffee to someone else's account.
Where's the defectivebydesign tag when I need it?

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Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
Re:Is it me by Dunbal · 2011-01-20 01:59 · Score: 1

See my reply to jo ham.
But also - credit cards DO get forged and stolen, PIN get stolen, or people get a gun to their head and asked to enter the PIN at a cash machine.
So what happens if you devise a means of payment where you don't need to show id and the cashier is just waiting for the machine to go "beep" or the green light to turn on?

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Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
Re:Is it me by Stooshie · 2011-01-20 02:04 · Score: 2

How would a "man in the middle" exploit be done with a barcode?

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America, Home of the Brave. ... .and the Squaw.
Re:Is it me by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 02:16 · Score: 0

"cash machine" you have to purchase a starbucks gift card and load it onto this system. It is not connected to your bank. Tinfoil hat not needed.
Re:Is it me by Americano · 2011-01-20 02:30 · Score: 2

So what happens if you devise a means of payment where you don't need to show id and the cashier is just waiting for the machine to go "beep" or the green light to turn on?
Just a round number guess, but I think what happens is that 95+% of transactions that go through this way are faster, easier, and more convenient for customers.
I'm not sure why you see more risk with this than there is with a credit card. When I go to the store and use a credit card today, the clerk just waits for the machine to go beep and the green light turns on. They rarely-if-ever compare signatures, and it's not like they're trained in handwriting analysis anyway. When's the last time that a cashier compared the signature on the back of the card with the signature you put on the receipt? Or asked for an ID if you didn't have a signature on the back of your card? I can't even remember the last time I was asked for an ID - part of this is apathy on the part of the cashier, and part of this is the fact that we tend to go to the same places repeatedly, and the cashiers get to know their customers by name & by sight.
Re:Is it me by GameboyRMH · 2011-01-20 02:35 · Score: 1

It's no worse than carrying around a credit card.
Also this should be harder to hack than NFC, and doesn't require any hardware changes. Any old phone could do this.

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"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
Re:Is it me by GameboyRMH · 2011-01-20 02:47 · Score: 1

If it presents the same barcode every time, you just copy the barcode and it's just like a stolen credit card number from there. I hope the people behind this idea aren't so retarded, but based on what I've seen with other banking mechanisms, I wouldn't be surprised if it was that stupid.
Instead it should get a piece of data specific to the transaction from another source (could be from a web server, or a code keyed/scanned into the phone, security isn't that important for this number) which it then hashes with some private string known only to the retailer and the phone (this string is the key to the castle and must be kept secret!), and then the barcode presented by the phone is based on that. That way if anyone "MITMs" you, all they can do, if they're really fast, is pay for your current transaction...that you were in the process of paying for anyway.
I basically just described md5-challenge authentication BTW, but you'd use a better hashing algorithm these days.

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"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
Re:Is it me by cgenman · 2011-01-20 02:50 · Score: 1

The same realistically could be said of credit cards, though. You can clone them pretty easily, and once a swipe has gone through you no longer know what is approved.
For each i-device user, you could generate 100,000 random codes on the server. When validating the transaction, you only validate against the first code on the stack, before popping it off. You could also require part of the transaction to be validated via SMS code to that particular phone, and a short user secret code. Now you know that the user knows the password, has the initial password database you sent out, and has the account's phone. Even successful spoofing would show up to the user as texted attempts to use their phone.

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The ______ Agenda
Re:Is it me by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 02:55 · Score: 0

Howdy friendly looking stranger: my credit card battery just died, can I make a quick purchase on your credit card...not exactly the same.
Re:Is it me by WaldorfSalad · 2011-01-20 02:58 · Score: 1

I don't think you understand how credit card processing works. Honestly, this system is just as open to man-in-the-middle and info hijacking as your credit cards are. Banks don't have a secret vault full of "secure" credit processing systems to give to their customers. Hell, most banks don't want anything to do with it, which is why there are scads of credit card processing companies around.

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You can't have a battle of wits against an unarmed opponent.
Re:Is it me by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 03:03 · Score: 0

That's not it. Right now it's Starbucks, but soon it will be McDonalds and Wal Mart and the gas station, etc. Watch, you'll see.
Now you could argue that there's no difference between this and a credit/debit card. However there is one huge difference. With a credit card the merchant obtains the equipment from the bank, and you obtain your card from the bank. They work together, the card never leaves your presence, the card reader never leaves the merchant's point of sale, and it's hard (but not impossible) for someone to get in between both of them.
With a cell phone the "equipment" is partly in the hands of the public and relies on software and encryption to prevent hacking and "man in the middle" exploits. Well the first rule of security is never give someone physical access to your system... If the bank is assuming that the cell phone/reader combo is "safe" and does little checking (which is probably the case: banks are masters of "security by obscurity"), soon you'll be able to bill more than a coffee to someone else's account.
Where's the defectivebydesign tag when I need it?
My bank does not issue (smart)phones. They do issue credit cards. They do insure my purchases with said cards. I don't have to scan barcodes at places that don't have barcodes today. 99.999% of the reason I use credit cards is for convenience.
Now, if I can get a burnt $2 coffee for like $.75, I might suffer and look like a dork scanning a 1 or 2d barcode with my phone that is running out of battery life, but I don't see any of these things becoming a reality.
Re:Is it me by AmberBlackCat · 2011-01-20 03:13 · Score: 1

I've left my debit card places. I've lost it before. Two big reasons to prefer the phone over the debit card are 1. phones can have a passcode while you can just swipe the card. and 2. Phones can often tell you where they are while cards won't.
What they really need is a way for the phone owner to remotely disable the mobile payment apps.
Re:Is it me by kitsunewarlock · 2011-01-20 03:44 · Score: 1

Or the thief buys tons of starbucks gift cards, claiming they are for an office event or something if the cashier lifts a brow, and sells them back to people outside. Or some of the merch starbucks has--cups, books, board games, CDs. They sell far more than just coffee.

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Ginga no Rekshiya Mata Each page.
Re:Is it me by Duradin · 2011-01-20 03:53 · Score: 1

"Or are *debit* cards and *cash* an incredibly stupid idea? Nothing says "hack/steal my wallet" like turning into a cash machine."
There, fixed that for ya.
(Debit card and cash: once the money is gone, it's gone, bank won't care, it wasn't their money. Credit card: it's not your money in the first place and the credit card company will care because it was their money.)
Re:Is it me by timeOday · 2011-01-20 04:28 · Score: 1

You're mistaken about debit cards. So long as you report them within two business days after realizing the card is lost, your liability is limited by federal law to $50, same as a credit card. And you're not responsible for any unauthorized transfers (not involving the loss of the card) so long as you report them within 60 days.
And that's just what the law requires. In practice, I think every Visa or Mastercard debit or credit card has stronger protections than that - I've had unauthorized charges show up on a few cards, both personal and corporate, and never been held liable for anything beyond a $5 card replacement fee.
Re:Is it me by Duradin · 2011-01-20 04:36 · Score: 1

And if your debit card is cloned and not lost? You'd probably never notice those charges in the whole two days you get. Two days is pretty short even for physically losing the card if you don't use it all that often.
Re:Is it me by ivogan · 2011-01-20 06:44 · Score: 1

Credit cards forged and stolen - yep, although there are protections where people are not liable for fraudulent transactions
PINs get stolen - only if people write them on their card or nearby, or tell someone their PIN = their responsibility
Enter PIN at ATM under duress - it happens; get the proper police report filed and you do have some recourse
In the first and third scenario, there are protections. Protections that are afforded through insurance premiums and monitoring services paid for by the bank. Then there's the thing about interchange fees (service fee paid for by the merchant to process a card transaction). I'm sure plenty of people have heard the squabble about those fees. Have you ever wondered how your bank is able to (in most cases) give you a card for free? Ever wondered how your bank is able to offer you $0 liability on fraudulent transactions? How about monitoring your card activity to detect fraud, for free? I can tell you the card networks do not run on magic pixie dust, or repair themselves, or keep themselves upgraded to support the traffic. The interchange fees help pay for all of that. It is commonly known that by virtue of a merchant accepting plastic for payment, their gross sales increase by 30%. A big benefit? I think so.
Disclaimer: I do work in the banking industry

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Who was that pointy-eared bastard?
Re:Is it me by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 07:17 · Score: 0

Not true. My debit card number got stolen and someone used it to charge a lot of money at a Target store. I called my bank about it, and they immediately gave me a provisional credit for those transactions. I filled out a fraud report and sent it in to them, and after a couple of weeks those credits became permanent.
Re:Is it me by timeOday · 2011-01-20 07:21 · Score: 2

Like I said, if the card is cloned and not lost, you have 60 days to notice and report the charges (actually it's longer - 60 days from when the bank sends out the paper statement on which the charge appears).
Even if you physically lose the card, the two business days is from when you notice it. That's how the regulation is written.
Re:Is it me by cayenne8 · 2011-01-20 10:10 · Score: 1

No bother to me.
I refuse to have a Debit card. Last couple times, they tried sending me an ATM card, it doubled as a debit card. I sent them back, the bank apologized, and sent me an ATM only card.
I don't like the idea of if a thief gets a card, or in this case my phone...the cash is GONE out of my account then and there, until "I" can somehow prove that it wasn't me who took it out.
I don't like debit cards...I'll certainly not be allowing my phone to be signed up to purchase things.

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Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
Re:Is it me by CheerfulMacFanboy · 2011-01-21 05:33 · Score: 1

That's not it. Right now it's Starbucks, but soon it will be McDonalds and Wal Mart and the gas station, etc. Watch, you'll see.
Gee, I wonder how much easier a job will "Find My iPhone" have if the thief walks around paying Lattes and Big Macs with the stolen phone, grinning stupidly into the CCTV?

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Fandroids hate facts.

Similar to the new boarding pass system by rhsanborn · 2011-01-20 01:09 · Score: 3, Insightful

This sounds very similar to the boarding pass system being used at some airports. They send you a copy of a barcode which acts as your boarding pass. The only trouble I ever had was with a blackberry screen not being big enough for the scanner to pick it up. After I got a Droid, I preferred the digital pass to finding a printer every time I needed a boarding pass.

Likewise, this may be a nice way to manage one's coffee addiction. The only problem is that seeing all your past purchases might not be good for Starbucks. People may finally realize how much money they're spending.

Re:Similar to the new boarding pass system by Thing+1 · 2011-01-20 01:43 · Score: 2

People may finally realize how much money they're spending.
One could only hope; but, if they treat it anything like their credit card receipts/statements, they won't.

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I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
Re:Similar to the new boarding pass system by uncanny · 2011-01-20 02:18 · Score: 1

I think people who spend $4+ for a cup of coffee know how much money they are wasting anyways.
Re:Similar to the new boarding pass system by Anubis350 · 2011-01-20 02:37 · Score: 1

The coffee from the crappy stand near the subway stop next to my house, or the bodega down the street: Both $1

The better coffee from the bakery near my house: $1.25 (though they're raising it to $1.50 this week apparently)

Starbucks, somewhere between crappy stand and bakery in quality: $1.70

Point is: It's only slightly more expensive, and perhaps not quite as high quality, but it's not *ludicrous* if all you want is a cup of joe. Now when you start getting into the half-cafe soy latte with the barista's poodle and an elephant on top... then it starts getting pricey.

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"goodbye and hello, as always" ~Prince Corwin, from Zelazny's Amber series
Re:Similar to the new boarding pass system by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 02:48 · Score: 0

Having been to a number of coffee shops in southern Ontario, from the small ones, to the big chains like timmy's and starbucks. I would say that I have a toss up between Starbucks Pike Place, and Coffee Culture's Organic. As for espresso, I find that Starbucks does the best job at this, other than my nice Breville at home with Illy espresso beans, ground in my grinder. They seem to use relatively good quality coffee for their espresso, and their normal roasts are pretty good too. I'm willing to pay a little bit of a premium for something that doesn't taste like shit in a cup (Tim Hortons).
Re:Similar to the new boarding pass system by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 02:52 · Score: 0

That extra cost also helps pay for the benefits that Starbucks offers to their employees. I'm glad to see them do that and am willing to pay a little more for that.
Re:Similar to the new boarding pass system by realityimpaired · 2011-01-20 04:47 · Score: 1

Not a coffee drinker, but I am a regular at Starbucks... I go there for other drinks that you don't usually find anywhere other than specialty coffee shops. I would be amused to see the expression on the face of the person at the bakery if you asked them to make you a London Fog, for example.... (since Wikipedia is somewhat lacking, it's basically a cappuccino made with Earl Grey tea, instead of coffee). Even something a little more common than that like a
The thing is, for the kinds of drinks that you only find at specialty coffee shops (and not your basic cup of joe), Starbucks' pricing is right in line with the rest of the market. When you compare their prices for specialty drinks against shops like the Second Cup or Bridghead, they're just about par. More expensive for some drinks, less expensive for others. The reason I go to Starbucks is because it's my guilty pleasure of the day... that little bit of fat and sugar that I don't count against my diet. :) There happens to be a Starbucks about a block away from where I work, and that's the main reason I go there and not the Second Cup that's 2 blocks away. (makes a difference when trudging through the snow in -40' wind chill)
Re:Similar to the new boarding pass system by ChunderDownunder · 2011-01-20 08:29 · Score: 1

Eeeeew, you put milk with your Earl Grey?
Pretty sure Jean Luc Picard drank it straight black. :)

Good for them by MrDoh! · 2011-01-20 01:10 · Score: 2

The stakes to get phone payments working everywhere are so incredibly high. Can see why they'd want to get this in quickly.

Though... I actually like the idea of a barcode, something I have to select on the phone and hit 'display' (after entering my pin or something first to display it so that if it's stolen, just having the phone to tap against nfc contacts isn't enough to clear my account out). Then swipe/display the barcode as normal. Seems a more flexible way to handle it than embedding NFC stuff in hardware.

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Waiting for an amusing sig.

Re:Good for them by cbope · 2011-01-20 01:52 · Score: 1

Yeah, like we really need another thing that can be used to pay for overpriced Starbucks coffee... like cash, credit cards, debit cards and the like are completely useless.
I'd also like to state that "cash" means paper money, mainly large denomination bills of course, not coins. You'd need a pack donkey to carry enough coins around to pay for Starbucks coffee.
Re:Good for them by Tim+C · 2011-01-20 02:14 · Score: 1

That sounds great for fraud prevention, but a lot more effort than just shoving my card in the reader and tapping in my PIN.
(YMMV according to availability of "chip and PIN" payment systems in your country, of course, but that's how it works here in the UK and much of the rest of Europe)

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It's official. Most of you are morons.
Re:Good for them by Macrat · 2011-01-20 08:38 · Score: 1

Yeah, like we really need another thing that can be used to pay for overpriced Starbucks coffee... like cash, credit cards, debit cards and the like are completely useless.
It's not "another thing" for buying at Starbucks.
It simply lets you deduct the purchase from your existing Starbucks account by using the app instead of the Starbucks account card.

Why? by thethibs · 2011-01-20 01:16 · Score: 1

All that trouble to get overpriced weak coffee.

A toony at Timmy's gets you good strong coffee and change, without interrupting your call.

Can you tell I'm Canadian?

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I'm a Programmer. That's one level above Software Engineer and one level below Engineer.

Re:Why? by jspayne · 2011-01-20 01:25 · Score: 1

Sorry friend, I can and do say a lot of good things about Timmy's, but it is definitely not stronger than Starbucks.
Re:Why? by bastion_xx · 2011-01-20 02:07 · Score: 1

My Canadian fiends rave at the quality of Tim Horton's coffee, but I don't get it. To me it tastes pretty much like the *old* McDonalds or QuikTrip coffee did. Now the doughnuts I did like.
Re:Why? by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 04:17 · Score: 1

My Canadian fiends rave at the quality of Tim Horton's coffee, but I don't get it.
And a lot of Canadians don't get Starbucks, though it's definitely increasing in popularity. To me, they burned it when they roasted it, and then brewed it at too high of a temperature to finish ruining it. It tastes like bad diner coffee that has been sitting on the warmer for 3 hours.
Tim's tastes more like what the coffee that comes out of my coffee maker tastes like, which is what I want, not some designer beverage.
And, the few times I have no option but Starbucks ... I find myself in line trying to figure out how the fsck to order a coffee ... just WTF is a tall venti grande skinny double half-caf machiatto with sea foam and acai berries and cinamon??
I want a coffee with cream and sugar, why can't I find that? WTF is wrong with "small, medium, and large?" And why is this coffee five bucks?

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Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Re:Why? by RicktheBrick · 2011-01-20 04:21 · Score: 1

I live in a small town where someone built a building for Starbucks and two other businesses. Well Starbucks did not last even one year so now the building is empty so I have very little faith in anything Starbucks does.
Re:Why? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 04:48 · Score: 1

In addition to starbucks-speak, they speak english at starbucks too, so just order a small coffee, and you will get exactly what you mean. i think you have to add cream and sugar yourself, though. it probably won't cost 5 bucks either - i think that is for the fancy drinks. plain coffee is less.
Re:Why? by realityimpaired · 2011-01-20 04:51 · Score: 1

Tim's coffee is pretty revolting, actually. They're probably the worst coffee I've ever tasted. Even McD's coffee is better, and it's cheaper.
But you don't go to Starbucks for an XL double-double. You go to Starbucks for a whole milk chai latte with a vanilla shot. Ever tried ordering something other than a plain cup of joe at Timmy's? If it isn't coffee, hot chocolate, or orange pekoe tea, then don't bother. And if it *is* one of the above, go to McDonald's... they're better on every front, and they have a wider selection of teas. The only reason I ever set foot in Tim's is if I want donuts or timbits.
Re:Why? by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 05:07 · Score: 1

In addition to starbucks-speak, they speak english at starbucks too, so just order a small coffee, and you will get exactly what you mean
I actually tried that once, and I got back a stream of adjectives which may have been a question, so I just nodded and said yes. :-P
The problem, is even if the servers can serve you coffee in English (which I'm sure they can) you still have to try to decipher the menu -- I can never find anything that says "small coffee", so I'm staring in bewilderment at this thing trying to see WTF I need to be ordering.
Generally, I just save myself the embarrassment (and the cost) and drink the free coffee in the office. I actually find it tastes better than Starbucks anyway. :-P

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Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Re:Why? by rad_chad · 2011-01-20 06:17 · Score: 1

I'm not sure why I'm defending Starbucks, but I highly doubt you'd have any trouble ordering a small coffee. Why do you feel like you need to find where it is on the menu before ordering? And I'd assume whatever the clerk mumbled was something like "room for cream?".
Their size names are pretty stupid, but it is good marketing. The fact that people talk about the difference between tall and venti means they are discussing Starbucks, which is good for business. It has become cool to bash Starbucks and how smug their customers are, but it is just a coffee house that mostly serves milkshakes. A black coffee may be a bit more than other places, but the environment is (usually) pretty nice for reading or talking or whatever. You can't lounge around in a comfy chair with a book at most places. And in my experience locally owned coffee shops, while they have better coffee, always close way too early.
Re:Why? by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 06:35 · Score: 1

but I highly doubt you'd have any trouble ordering a small coffee
In fairness, it was just the once, but it was confusing as hell. The first time I asked for that she looked at me like I was crazy and repeated back the sizes ("we don't have small") and several other coffee-related adjectives that made no sense to me. I don't know if she was new, or pulling my leg, or what ... but she really didn't seem to know what I was asking for.
I also once ordered an iced coffee (not some coffee smoothie, just coffee poured over ice) ... it took a full 3 minutes to explain to the girl that, yes, I did in fact mean for her to fill a large cup with ice, and then pour in coffee. I miss places that just kept a pitcher of coffee in the fridge for people like me.

Why do you feel like you need to find where it is on the menu before ordering?
Because, like I said, I check the menu to try to confirm that there is something which is called coffee -- from what I've seen on the menu, there isn't. They look at you like you're a tool if you don't use the right secret code.
Next time I might just ignore the signage and try what you say and just order a small coffee. It has failed in the past.

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Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Re:Why? by Macrat · 2011-01-20 08:40 · Score: 1

All that trouble to get overpriced weak coffee.
Actually, bringing up the app is easier than trying to find the Starbucks account card in your wallet.
Re:Why? by thethibs · 2011-01-20 14:22 · Score: 1

I have a dim memory of a study indicating a genetic base for this.
For some people, Arabica tastes like dishwater; that's not hyperbole, it really tastes like soapy water. The more Robusta in my coffee, the better I like it. I also prefer Merlot to Chablis and have a taste for really hot, clear your sinuses, spices.
It's anecdotal, but among my friends and family, everyone's with or against the lot.

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How does this compare to contactless bank cards? by jemnery · 2011-01-20 01:19 · Score: 2

Just curious - I'm in the UK and have a bank card that I can just sort of wave at a payment terminal for transactions = £15 - handy when buying lunch. This seems a more elegant solution - do you have these in the US?

The Windows Phone 7 user can't afford Starbucks by phonewebcam · 2011-01-20 01:22 · Score: 1

He says he has to save all his money to pay his phone bill

Re:How does this compare to contactless bank cards by confused+one · 2011-01-20 01:25 · Score: 2

Yes, but not all the bank cards and card readers / sales terminals have that feature.

Security Issues by snookiex · 2011-01-20 01:25 · Score: 1

I always have found exotic to pay anything from my [high-end] mobile device. Call me oldschooler, but I still think they're too insecure, and they're not as insecure as they could be. That's really scary.

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Is finding a Starbucks a problem? by PolygamousRanchKid+ · 2011-01-20 01:32 · Score: 0

The app also lets users manage Starbucks accounts and find nearby stores.

The last time I visited the US, I had the feeling that I couldn't swing a dead cat around my head without hitting a Starbucks. They seemed to be everywhere. (Starbucks that is, not dead cats)

"In Soviet Russia, Starbucks finds you!"

Maybe the app will give you a beep and a pop-up when you are near a Starbucks?

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Re:Is finding a Starbucks a problem? by lee1 · 2011-01-20 02:39 · Score: 1

You may have a point.
Re:Is finding a Starbucks a problem? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 03:45 · Score: 0

Maybe the app will give you a beep and a pop-up when you are near a Starbucks?
I feel like my phone would be doing nothing but beeping and chewing through its battery. Six blocks from my house there is a Starbucks across from a Starbucks.
Re:Is finding a Starbucks a problem? by T-Bone-T · 2011-01-20 07:49 · Score: 1

I tend to want to go around the time they close, so being able to see which ones are still open is nice.

Wow Dumb... by Lumpy · 2011-01-20 01:44 · Score: 1

So I get to waste time putting money on that special card so that the app can act as the card at the register.

Anyone else think this is incredibly dumb? I can whip out my debit/credit card faster than you can load your starbucks app.

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Re:Wow Dumb... by theVarangian · 2011-01-20 02:37 · Score: 1

So I get to waste time putting money on that special card so that the app can act as the card at the register. Anyone else think this is incredibly dumb? I can whip out my debit/credit card faster than you can load your starbucks app.
The professor teaching me reactive systems theory insists that a computer scientist is a reactive system that outputs coins to obtain coffee so that he/she can output/publish papers. Given that analysis I'd say that any alternative ways of obtaining coffee other than just using coins, bills or credit cards, will make computer scientists (and most other professionals for that matter) more productive. Imagine if you forgot your wallet at home, no cofee..... productivity..... grinding.... to.... a.... halt........ With this app you'd still be able to get your fix and earn your paycheck. This app contributes to the economic growth that is essential to pull us out of this recession and propel us into the next bubble. So no, this is not such a dumb idea after all.
Re:Wow Dumb... by Lumpy · 2011-01-20 03:11 · Score: 1

See you need a processor upgrade. if I leave my wallet at home, I run a subroutine called. Go home to get wallet. Because I will need that wallet for more than coffee.
Also typically if I forgot my wallet, then I forgot my phone because I don't have my phone surgically implanted to my arm. So I can not say that I will have my phone 100% of the time...
By your logic, you need to get your Starbucks prepaid card bar-code tattooed to your wrist.
That would be a seg-fault to me.

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Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Re:Wow Dumb... by hAckz0r · 2011-01-20 03:43 · Score: 1

A slight modification to your professors theory here. Computer scientists don't write phone apps, programmers do. Programmers are an interrupt driven technology where management and marketing are the interrupt prioritization arbitrator, which is synthetically sensitive to the smell of money. Unfortunately the smell of money is also more addictive than coffee, so much so, that your brains soon melt and you soon have no common sense when it comes to proper Information Security practices. The usefulness of using an app to display a barcode is marginal at best considering the setup, configuration, separate billing cycle, and the time required to thumb-up your app to display it. Wouldn't a barcode glued to your wallet do just as well?
Besides that, it takes only 15 seconds (i've seen it done) for a professional to breach your phone once they have the right information, with not physical contact, and all your accounts would be on it to be exfiltrated in seconds after that. Maybe you might not be too afraid of someone getting a free cup of coffee by presenting your barcode instead of your own, but there will likely be other information stored on that phone which puts that 'professional' one step closer to owning all your bank accounts. My advise, Don't put any banking information on your phone unless you want to live in the poor house. Trust me, your going to see a lot of angry people being swindled based on what they thought was safely stored on their phone. Its going to be the next crime wave. Just watch.
Re:Wow Dumb... by Amouth · 2011-01-20 05:05 · Score: 1

not that i'm advocating anything.
but i have my phone with me all the time - i have a spot right on my belt with aholder for it that i put it and it keeps me from forgetting it.
for some reason corp jobs frown on chains on a wallet.
so there have been many days where i have forgotten my wallet, and only once in the last 10 years have i forgotten my laptop, but I've never forgotten my phone.
and no i'm not one of the text/constant talk/crack addicts.

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Re:Wow Dumb... by Lumpy · 2011-01-20 05:40 · Score: 1

There are days after pulling 72 hours of non stop work that I have left the house without pants.
So that belt thing will still fail.

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Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Re:Wow Dumb... by Macrat · 2011-01-20 08:42 · Score: 1

So I get to waste time putting money on that special card so that the app can act as the card at the register.
Anyone who buys coffee at Starbucks on a regular basis already has a card for the free "extras" associated with using it.
In my case, I have a card from back when it allowed you to get access to their wifi. Now the wifi is free to anyone.

um... by Charliemopps · 2011-01-20 01:46 · Score: 1

"To pay with their phone, app users simply select 'touch to pay' and hold up the barcode on the screen to the 2D scanner at the register"

and hope no one has a camera phone pointed in your direction at the time?

Re:um... by oodaloop · 2011-01-20 01:56 · Score: 1

Thank FSM no one can take a picture of my credit card when I'm using it. Or take a video of me inputting my PIN at the ATM. Or just take my wallet. How does this raise any more security concerns than what you're currently using?

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Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
Re:um... by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 04:22 · Score: 1

and hope no one has a camera phone pointed in your direction at the time?
What the hell would that have to do with anything?
You phone scans the barcode, and then presumably does some form of exchange with the server, which then causes the register to beep and indicate you've paid. If I take a picture while it's decrypting something, it's not like I can get the cipher key from that.
I'm betting the bar code for the same beverage looks the same over and over.

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Re:um... by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 09:26 · Score: 1

My apologies, sir. Upon re-reading the description of this, the bar code is on the phone.
You raise a valid point, please disregard my previous post. I am apparently having a stupid day. :-P

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Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Re:um... by ampathee · 2011-01-20 09:41 · Score: 1

A camera phone is not going to take a readable picture of a 2d barcode from any appreciable distance.
In any case, I am sure they are one-time codes, or at least time limited.

Makes customers sponsor VISA svc by wrencherd · 2011-01-20 01:47 · Score: 1

Doesn't this just "off-load" the cost (usually paid by vendors) to use the credit card payment services?

That would mean we're paying twice, since we already pay for the system in the menu prices, no?

Re:Makes customers sponsor VISA svc by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 05:17 · Score: 1

That would mean we're paying twice, since we already pay for the system in the menu prices, no?
Actually, Visa has the effect of making everybody pay more.
Since the merchants can't directly pass on the Visa costs, they embed it in the cost everyone else, including those who pay cash.
Visa's merchant rules basically mean everybody pays a couple of percentage points more for everything.

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Lost at C:>. Found at C.

Boycott Scarbucks by fredrated · 2011-01-20 01:59 · Score: -1, Offtopic

I quit buying their coffee when they decided that people wearing guns could come into their stores and gave a b.s. answer when asked why.

Re:Boycott Scarbucks by lwsimon · 2011-01-20 02:22 · Score: 1

Meh - you don't shop at Wal-Mart, BestBuy, or a dozen other national chains either, do you? I've never had trouble carrying into any of their stores, openly or concealed.

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Re:Boycott Scarbucks by uncanny · 2011-01-20 02:22 · Score: 1

Yeah, boycott them for siding with that stupid ol' constitution! Next thing you know they'll start letting muslims in?
Re:Boycott Scarbucks by fredrated · 2011-01-20 02:42 · Score: 1

Siding with the constitution? This is open to interpretation. For example, the 2nd amendment starts “A well-regulated militia being necessary to the defense of the country” which in fact is no longer true since we have a standing army. Since the premise is no longer true it is arguable that the conclusion derived from the premise is thus no longer valid.
In addition to this, since stores are allowed to refuse entry to people carring guns, it would appear that this is also constitutional, i.e., 'siding with the constitution'.
Re:Boycott Scarbucks by fredrated · 2011-01-20 02:45 · Score: 1

And I have never had a problem buying the things I need from other sources if one source makes it a stated policy to allow carrying guns into the store by the public.
Re:Boycott Scarbucks by uncanny · 2011-01-20 03:20 · Score: 1

Its their right to say you can't bring a gun onto private property, but its my right to carry one (I CHOOSE) not to, but as much as I dislike Starbucks, I commend them on agreeing with our constitutional right.
Re:Boycott Scarbucks by Duradin · 2011-01-20 03:58 · Score: 1

Do you also avoid places with multi-ton murder machines (A.K.A. automobiles)?
Re:Boycott Scarbucks by imamac · 2011-01-20 04:06 · Score: 1

A well regulated militia (in our current case, the army) is necessary for defense of the country. The right to bear arms is necessary to ensure the freedom of individuals against that standing army if it becomes corrupted.
Re:Boycott Scarbucks by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 04:32 · Score: 0

I quit buying their coffee when they decided that people wearing guns could come into their stores and gave a b.s. answer when asked why.
See, the rest of the world is reading this going WTF???
Why the hell do you need to be wearing a gun to buy a coffee? This whole "open carry" system for firearms is the most baffling thing I've ever heard of. Who the hell needs to be walking around with a gun for day to day activities unless they're police or something like that?
Is this common? People just walking around with a big old hand-gun strapped to themselves? Why? Just because? Or are you expecting to have to round up a posse or something?
I don't think I'd want to spend too much time in a place where everyone is walking around strapped and ready to throw down. That would make me far too nervous.
Re:Boycott Scarbucks by realityimpaired · 2011-01-20 04:58 · Score: 1

"well-regulated", I think, are the words that get ignored the most in that phrase. That phrase makes it pretty clear, to me, that they were actually in favour of *controlling* the types and quantity of weapons that people were allowed to have. Just because you can have a rifle to defend your land does not mean you can have a P90 or MP5 for hunting squirrels.
Re:Boycott Scarbucks by lwsimon · 2011-01-20 07:06 · Score: 1

While I completely respect your decision to do that, are you truly aware of how often the people around you carry a firearm?
Unless you live in a major city, Illinois, or Wisconsin, something like 3% of people can legally carry a firearm on a daily basis, outside of their job or other special consideration. In my state, Arkansas, there were about 2.85m people in 2008, of which about 62,000 had concealed carry permits. That alone is over 2% of the population. Add in police, federal employees, retired police officers, and all of the other various legal qualifies and you probably meet at least a couple of dozen people carrying firearms every day.
If the mere presence of firearms was dangerous, you are already in considerable danger walking out your door. IRS and EPA field agents can carry a concealed weapon, for God's sake. Or even indoors - everywhere in the entire country it is legal to keep firearms in your own home.
Besides all that, Starbucks doesn't even have a policy encouraging carry in their stores - only a lack of a prohibition and no will to create one.
Like I said, if that's your decision, awesome. I just fail to see how any rational justification can exist for it.

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Re:Boycott Scarbucks by lwsimon · 2011-01-20 07:13 · Score: 1

Actually, the 2nd Amendment (sans archaic punctuation, which is inconsistent between copies) read "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"
While this applied to external threats at the time of the founding, it also applies to internal order. This position is supported by the writing of the delegates at the convention.
Also, we do not technically have a standing army. Per the Constitution, the budget and authorization for our military is renewed every two years. If Congress does not approve the military, it is to be disbanded - that's one of the checks against the power of the executive.
Finally, your basing the value of the clause on the premise of the first has been rejected by the Supreme court - first in Heller v DC, and then incorporated against the several states in MacDonald v the City of Chicago. While you're perfectly capable of holding that opinion, it has no basis in fact.

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Re:Boycott Scarbucks by lwsimon · 2011-01-20 07:15 · Score: 1

The meanings of words change over time. In 1791, "well-regulated" was synonymous with today's "well-trained" or "well-practiced".
To my knowledge, no court has ever accepted the meaning of "well-regulated" to mean "subject to federal oversight".

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Re:Boycott Scarbucks by lwsimon · 2011-01-20 07:17 · Score: 1

Um.. Okay. I suggest you don't emigrate, then. Enjoy yourself wherever you happen to be.
And yes, I'm sitting at my desk right now, with a .45 ACP handgun on my belt. I don't expect to have to use it. I also carry a flashlight - does that you think that I expect the sun to go out?

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Re:Boycott Scarbucks by Fnord666 · 2011-01-20 08:35 · Score: 1

Since the premise is no longer true it is arguable that the conclusion derived from the premise is thus no longer valid.
It is equally arguable that the conclusion derived from the premise remains valid. In fact, if the premise is false, then no conclusion can be drawn at all.

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'The tyrant will always find pretext for his tyranny.' - Aesop's Fables
Re:Boycott Scarbucks by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 08:58 · Score: 0

And yes, I'm sitting at my desk right now, with a .45 ACP handgun on my belt. I don't expect to have to use it. I also carry a flashlight - does that you think that I expect the sun to go out?
Are you lugging spare food and water? Some rope? Maybe some candles and safety matches? How about an emergency blanket and a compass? Snake-bite kit? What's the threshold for what you'll carry that you don't anticipate needing? I know lots of people who carry a small maglite -- because one actually uses that on a fairly regular basis, but a handgun? Wow!
Coming from a country where normal people don't just walk around with guns, I can't even begin to grasp why you would be walking around with a .45 "just in case". I can understand there might be contexts where you might carry it, I just can't see that as being part of my normal daily attire.
And, don't worry -- I have no desire whatsoever to emigrate to the US. Too many guns. ;-)
Re:Boycott Scarbucks by lwsimon · 2011-01-21 10:27 · Score: 1

With the exception of the snake bite kit, yes, I have all that in my car's trunk. My flashlight is a Surefire 6P, which is probably a bit overkill.
Honestly, a big part of why I started carrying a handgun is because I could. It's a fundamental right that is denied most people. That said, since I've started a family, I see it as my duty to protect them, and to be prepared to do so if I need to. That means carrying a handgun when I'm with them, and being able to get home to them when I'm not. It's a responsibility that I take very seriously.
If you met me on the street, I guarantee you would never guess that I was armed. It's not a macho thing, like a big blued steel dick I whip out to impress people. In fact, it's a pain in the ass. Guns are heavy things to carry every day, and they've got sharp edges. It's uncomfortable to sit in most car seats, and you've got to wear a tight, sturdy belt to keep everything it in place. I can't recall who said it, but "carrying a gun is supposed to be comforting, not comfortable".
I can't imagine someone carrying a firearm because they thought it was cool doing it for very long.

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Re:How does this compare to contactless bank cards by chemicaldave · 2011-01-20 02:05 · Score: 1

We have those in limited numbers. However this payment system is IMO a pain the ass. I have to unlock my phone and start the app, as opposed to just getting a card out of my wallet. It's not elegant at all, and I'm sick of hearing the media have a wet dream thinking this is revolutionary. It's just a reduced version of those apps that combine your discount card barcodes into one program.

Uhh, old news? by Striikerr · 2011-01-20 02:08 · Score: 3, Informative

I've been using my iPhone app to pay for my Starbucks purchases for a few months now in Florida (so this is hardly new). It has been in the Target stores for a while and in many (but not all) standalone Starbucks stores. It works quite well and I prefer it to using my Starbucks card. I always have my iPhone with me and it's more convenient to use it. Also, it's great because I can reload my card from the same app (which I have done while waiting in line). I'm not concerned about someone stealing my phone and retrieving anything. My phoen is password protected, I can easily wipe the phone if it is stolen and can contact Starbucks to report the lost / stolen cards so that transactions are blocked.
I had originally thought it to be a waste of time and pointless until I decided to try it out. It's actually quite nice.

Re:How does this compare to contactless bank cards by Tim+C · 2011-01-20 02:15 · Score: 1

I assume by "=" you actually mean "<=", right?

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It's official. Most of you are morons.

Re:How does this compare to contactless bank cards by Ruprecht+the+Monkeyb · 2011-01-20 02:18 · Score: 1

Actually, this is probably an improvement. Half the people in line already have their damn iPhones out anyway, paying more attention to someone's inane tweet than to actually ordering or paying for their coffee.

Story Redundant by ufpdom · 2011-01-20 02:22 · Score: 1

Why is this even a story.. This mobile payment system has been around for quite awhile. Its not something new that launched last week. Locally to me the only known Starbucks that has this technology is in Target which I rarely go to but never get anything from that location. Even my most visited Starbucks doesnt have this and its in a very busy city location. And yes, still waiting on a android version of this software.

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It's not bad. I did it this morning. by gte275e · 2011-01-20 02:23 · Score: 1

I bought my coffee this morning using this method. I actually like stuff like this so I don't have to carry a card around all the time and don't have to pull out my wallet. There will be training issues the first few times each employee uses it. What mine had to do is put their register on the Tender screen and then select Starbucks card before it would work.

So where is the APP for the tip box? by Shivetya · 2011-01-20 02:26 · Score: 2

Seems they are as common as coffee at Starbucks. I can't imagine that the workers will be pleased if this catches on as their chance of tips will decrease. In some stores it is almost a given if you don't dump the change you get back (at least the coins) you coffee cup won't be as full, let alone having a special drink

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Re:So where is the APP for the tip box? by Dakman · 2011-01-20 03:03 · Score: 1

If they're expecting tips, then maybe they should be paid the $2.33 an hour (in Wisconsin) a tipped employee makes.
Re:So where is the APP for the tip box? by QwkHyenA · 2011-01-20 05:01 · Score: 1

I couldn't agree more. I haven't tried the app yet but as a regular bux customer I only use cash so I can give them a tip. I always feel bad using a CC because there isn't any way to tip them when using plastic.
It sure would be nice if they had some cool tipping options on the app. (Such as, "Round up to the nearest dollar", "25 cents", "50 cents", "75 cents" and a dollar.)

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LFS. Have you built your system today?
Re:So where is the APP for the tip box? by QwkHyenA · 2011-01-20 05:10 · Score: 1

Clearly someone didn't get their cup of coffee this morning...

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LFS. Have you built your system today?
Re:So where is the APP for the tip box? by Dakman · 2011-01-20 05:19 · Score: 1

Multiple cups of coffee have now been consumed. My actions completely contradict what I said. I tip both the pizza guy and a my bartender. Though having said that, considering how simple my order usually is (black coffee), I don't think a tip is needed.
Re:So where is the APP for the tip box? by fl_litig8r · 2011-01-20 06:41 · Score: 1

Mr. Pink, is that you?
Re:So where is the APP for the tip box? by QwkHyenA · 2011-01-23 10:16 · Score: 1

And I totally agree; you probably don't need too. I however usually get a latte w/ soy milk which takes a bit longer and so I tip.

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LFS. Have you built your system today?

Re:How does this compare to contactless bank cards by Whalou · 2011-01-20 02:39 · Score: 1

I'd say "==".
It would be awesome if it were really an "=". Buy a car, wave the card and get a huge discount. Kind of a card version of a Jedi mind trick.

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English is not this .sig mother tongue...

Security of iPhone and Android app by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 02:46 · Score: 0

A mobile security firm performed a security review of the Starbuck's iPhone app and they also reviewed the look-alike-but-not-official Android Starbuck's app and found it stored nearly everything (including full credit card information) insecurely. DOH! It's great to see the new functionality, just wish more attention was paid to security of customer data.

I love the convenience of this by scourfish · 2011-01-20 03:00 · Score: 1

I mean, all you have to do is start up a $500 electronic device, log into a web service, and generate a bar code that has to be scanned at the register. In the past, i had to go through the painstaking hassle of quickly sliding a small piece of plastic across a device after audibly saying "I would like a coffee."

Re:I love the convenience of this by hawguy · 2011-01-20 03:22 · Score: 1

you've obviously never been to Starbucks, if you order a 'coffee' there they'll say "huh? what kind of coffee".
It's not about making it easier for you to buy a coffee, it's about reducing their CC transaction fees. If they can drop the fees a fraction of a percent, that's a huge win for them.
I don't own any of the devices that they have the app for (iPhone, iPod, or Blackberry), but I don't have to *start up" my $500 Android device, at Starbucks I probably have it in my hand already after checking email, so I just enter my passcode (takes about a second for my 5 digit code), and then could start up the app from my home screen. Faster than I could fish out my wallet and extract the credit card.
Re:I love the convenience of this by vondo · 2011-01-20 03:43 · Score: 1

Try it before you knock it. You don't have to log in to anything. You turn on your phone (which was probably on already), click once to start the app, click again to pay now. Scan it. The alternative is to pull your wallet out of your pocket, open it, pull out the card, swipe it, put it back. It's basically the same AND I get to have one less card in my wallet. (I have a Starbucks card for the 15 times a year I go there). The one less card is really the nice thing for me.
Re:I love the convenience of this by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 11:42 · Score: 0

I probably have it in my hand already after checking email, so I just enter my passcode (takes about a second for my 5 digit code), and then could start up the app from my home screen. Faster than I could fish out my wallet and extract the credit card.
You can do it even faster than that using Starbucks Card Widget for Android... Place a widget on your home screen, get bar code and pay for drink in one press. http://www.appbrain.com/app/starbucks-card-widget/com.birbeck.starbuckscard

Automatic ordering? by hawguy · 2011-01-20 03:18 · Score: 3, Interesting

This would be more interesting if it let you pre-enter your drink order in the app then when they scan it, it automatically prints out the drink label.

That way, those people that order incredibly complicated drinks don't need to yell over the sound of the barista frothing milk 2 feet from the register.

I even have a hard enough time getting them to hear my simple drink order "Tall coffee with room for cream. Ok Grande coffee, do you want room? No, I asked for a 'tall'! Sorry it's loud here, ok tall latte"

I order the same thing every time I go in, there could be a single button click on the app that says "repeat last order".

Re:Automatic ordering? by koreaman · 2011-01-20 03:52 · Score: 1

If you're ordering plain coffee at Starbucks, you're doing it wrong. Their coffee is of lower quality and higher price than McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts, and a myriad of other major chains that almost certainly exist near you if you are American.

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Re:Automatic ordering? by hawguy · 2011-01-20 04:57 · Score: 1

Wow, you must have a vast knowledge of the entire united states to know what coffee is cheapest and closest to me. My nearest McDonalds is over a mile from me (which is a long way if you're not in a car), I don't know of a single Dunkin Donuts in this city. Are you available to tell me what else I'm doing wrong in my life?
My train drops me off 10 feet from a Starbucks and I pass no other coffee shops on my way to work. I could walk an extra block out of the way to an independent shop, but they actually charge *more* than Starbucks.
I'm no coffee connoisseur, so Starbucks coffee is everything I need -- it's black (which I cover up with cream and sugar anyway) and has caffeine, and is very consistent in flavor, I know it will taste the same tomorrow as it did yesterday.
The other alternative is the coffee of inconsistent strength from the work machine (too weak, too strong) and powdered "non dairy" creamer.
Re:Automatic ordering? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 06:13 · Score: 1

Are you available to tell me what else I'm doing wrong in my life?
Yes, you masturbate too much, those pants don't fit you, and you're an autumn, not a winter ... stop wearing pale blue. It makes you look ill.
You need a haircut, and you don't call your mother enough.
Re:Automatic ordering? by Macrat · 2011-01-20 08:45 · Score: 1

If you're ordering plain coffee at Starbucks, you're doing it wrong. Their coffee is of lower quality and higher price than McDonald's,
Especially when right now any size cup of coffee at McD's is only $1.
Re:Automatic ordering? by adolf · 2011-01-20 09:31 · Score: 1

As a coffee snob, I'd say that by ordering anything from Starbucks, you're doing it wrong.
Perhaps this isn't an option for everyone, but where I'm from we don't have a Starbucks or a Dunkin' Donuts. We do have a few small, family-owned coffee houses which serve excellent coffee, and many of which even give you an explicit choice as to what sort of bean you'll be having today. (I'm partial to about anything from Ethiopia and Guatemala, it turns out.)
In terms of consistency: The two of them that I most often frequent will start getting my order ready for me before I've even made it through the front door, as they see me coming through the windows. I don't need to yell over the frothing of the milk or the roaring of a blender, wait in line, or futz around with my phone trying to get some pre-paid money from the device into their till -- I just need to smile, toss some cash on the counter, take my coffee, and leave.
In terms of diversity, one of them is owned and operated by a nice older lady who makes an awesome fried egg sandwich on toast. Another has live music in the evenings. Another doubles as a wonderful cigar shop, with a nice walk-in humidor. And another has so many different coffees, teas, and specialty drinks to pick from, it's unreal.
In terms of geekdom, all of them have free WiFi, and always have since it became a useful item -- and one of them still has Ethernet jacks next to the tables from before the existence of 802.11b.
With so much good stuff around, I don't want to go to Starbucks and pay a giant corporation. Thankfully, I don't have to.
(And McDonald's? Are you fucking serious? When I'm out of town looking for a caffeine fix and all I find is a set of golden arches, I loath to pay them for coffee. Sometimes, it's quite good, but other times it is so unbelievably acrid that I'd rather consume the caffeine from my own piss. Usually it's a neither-happy-nor-sad sort of "meh" that I can tolerate, but do not enjoy.)

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Wish they'd do this for supermarket club cards by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 04:08 · Score: 0

Then maybe I could squeeze my wallet into the pocket of my disco slacks ;)

Re:Wish they'd do this for supermarket club cards by koreaman · 2011-01-20 04:10 · Score: 1

At every supermarket I know of, you may enter your phone number on the card reader instead of swiping an actual card.

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Use with iPad by QuincyDurant · 2011-01-20 04:26 · Score: 1

I'm going to pay with my iPad today--and then see if I do anything stupider during the remainder of January than carry a 1.5 pound device through the checkout line instead of a 1/64th ounce Starbucks card.

Re:How does this compare to contactless bank cards by gstoddart · 2011-01-20 04:35 · Score: 1

How does this compare to contactless bank cards?

This has bar codes ... and smart phones.

A bank card is just passee -- the chav's and WAGs will never go for it. ;-)

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They have the authentication backwards. by thisisauniqueid · 2011-01-20 06:04 · Score: 1

They have the authentication backwards. All anyone ever needs to do is take a screenshot of your account screen and plaster it all over the Internet, and anyone can order coffee on your tab. (Unless of course your app generates a different unique QR code for each transaction, which is unlikely...) The way it should work is the cash register should display a QR code that contains the amount and the vendor account details to pay to, and you should scan it to initiate payment from your phone using some (not quite yet existant) secure mobile payment mechanism.

Re:They have the authentication backwards. by DutchUncle · 2011-01-20 06:13 · Score: 1

I'm more worried that people can generate random barcodes and it'll charge to random accounts, including mine.
Re:They have the authentication backwards. by ampathee · 2011-01-20 09:43 · Score: 1

(Unless of course your app generates a different unique QR code for each transaction, which is unlikely...)

Why is that unlikely? Seems pretty sensible to me. Otherwise, why use a phone? Why not just print the damn thing on a card?
Re:They have the authentication backwards. by ampathee · 2011-01-20 09:45 · Score: 1

Are you also worried about people generating random credit card numbers? Do you know how much information can be encoded in a 2d barcode? The odds of someone successfully randomly generating one are pretty astronomical.

Its about you spending more $ by DirkDaring · 2011-01-20 06:07 · Score: 3, Informative

When you use cash it hurts (taken from Dave Ramsey). Using a credit card diminishes that 'hurt'. He talked of a study that when McDonalds put in credit cards the average sale went up by 47% (Source: http://www.daveramsey.com/article/the-truth-about-credit-card-debt/)

Waving or scanning your phone diminishes it even more.

This is more about getting you to spend more than it is about just providing a new way to pay.

Is it secure? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 06:16 · Score: 0

Hmm I wonder if the barcodes represent your order in a database. Or if the barcodes are just regular barcodes per item. And then, could you just screenshot the barcode and use it over and over again...

Unofficial Android version is already on market by Anonymous Coward · 2011-01-20 11:49 · Score: 0

There is a 3rd party app for Android already out called "Starbucks Card Widget" that has all the same functionality as the iPhone and Blackberry apps.

http://www.appbrain.com/app/starbucks-card-widget/com.birbeck.starbuckscard

A bar code? Really? by osgeek · 2011-01-20 11:55 · Score: 1

The iPhone has wifi, blue tooth, and the ability to use a PIN which would allow the app to cryptographically sign each transaction and they used a bar code?

WTF is so wrong with doing things the correct way in financial transactions? Why does every company have to screw it up so hard?

I'm looking at you, Blue from American Express...

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