THE NEWS CHICK BLOG

Starbucks makes it easier to hand over your money

Mar 31, 2010, 1:44 PM | Updated: Mar 28, 2011, 3:46 pm

starbucksWhat’s better than the iPhone’s Starbucks store locator? Actually, many things are. But if you’re into coffee, Starbucks today launched its mobile card application.

I just downloaded the free app, even though I don’t like coffee, to test it out. The mobile app let’s people pay for Starbucks purchases through a barcode scan at more than 1,000 Target stores around the country. You can easily add to the virtual card by selecting an amount, and magically it’s paid for through your iPhone account. That was easy; thanks Steve Jobs.

This is the second major company to make mobile commerce easier this week. eBay also announced two new iPhone apps to help people keep track of their auction bids. eBay says its original mobile app has been downloaded 7 million times, resulting in $600 million in sales last year.

The News Chick Blog

The wife of Seattle attorney Danford Grant moved his car away from one of the alleged crime scenes ...

No Author

Equal justice for Seattle lawyer accused of several rapes?

Has accused serial rapist Danford Grant gotten preferential treatment because both he and his wife are Seattle attorneys?

12 years ago

The Seattle-based I Can Has Cheezburger network now includes 60 humor sites. Many of their 90 emplo...

No Author

Seattle humor network, built with funny cat pictures, becomes a reality TV show

A small Internet empire with a funny name has billions of page views on its network of 60 humor websites based in Seattle. Now, I Can Has Cheezburger has a reality TV show too.

12 years ago

President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney spent a combined $30.33 every second this election cycle. Wa...

No Author

Democracy and dollar signs – 2012 campaign spending

Washington initiative campaigns spent $34 million trying to win your vote, while President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney spent a combined $30.33 every second this election cycle.

12 years ago

Chef Tom Douglas says Seattle’s restaurants are ‘a little homemade’ compared with...

No Author

Chef Tom Douglas says ‘Seattle is a funny restaurant town’

Chef and restaurateur Tom Douglas, with 13 Seattle restaurants and more on the way, says Seattle is a "funny restaurant town."

12 years ago

Investigation continues into why a commander of the Bremerton-based Stennis carrier group was remov...

No Author

New ‘crazy’ conspiracy theory on Stennis Rear Admiral

The Pentagon shoots down theories about why the commander of the USS Stennis Carrier Group was removed from duty and sent back to the homeport in Bremerton.

12 years ago

Seattle photographer Paul Souders captures an adult polar bear up close in Hudson Bay in Churchill,...

No Author

Seattle photographer comes face to face with a polar bear

A wildlife photographer, who lives in Ballard, has taken thousands of stunning shots. None put him on "a razor's edge" more than a series of photos swimming with a polar bear.

12 years ago

Starbucks makes it easier to hand over your money