Starbucks Digital Network launches on Wednesday

Users of Starbucks' free Wi-Fi will get a different start screen beginning Wednesday. Starbucks says the page is "a digital version of the community cork board that’s in all of our stores." The question is: Will users spend any time on the Starbucks Digital Network -- or will they just quickly jump to the websites they always visit? || Read "First Look: Starbucks Digital Network Is Here"

Comments

[meme]

very cool but we still need more individual comfy seating not couches or large tables and more outlets so cords are not strung out. Also, better accent mood lighting would be nice and better shades for the windows and maybe some indoor/outdoor carpets. This would really enhance the experience of sitting in the cafe using our digital system and feeling the wow factor.

[hmpht]

We need bigger lobbies with a room just for the computer groupies. If you want to meet up with a group, good luck, no seats to be found because the person with the computer has spread out on the biggest table with 3-4 chairs.

And don't get me started on the neighborhood kids and their phones. No parent to be seen and no purchase.

[Jim Romenesko]

I like that the Starbucks Digital Network (SDN) features the New York Times reader, but it takes much longer to load at SBUX than it does at my home with a Comcast Internet connection. As has been noted here, SBUX apparently set its Wi-Fi to a slower speed when it went free. That was a mistake, since the SDN has music downloads, etc. which can take forever.

Another observation: Starbucks is trying what everyone did in the mid to late 90s -- launch a portal. I covered technology in the late 1990s and wrote about the "portal rage," which didn't last long. Portals were starting pages with assorted content, but companies discovered that people didn't hang out at portals -- they just went to the websites that have always interested them. I suspect that SBUX will find that's the case, too.

[Doppio Con Karma]

Jim,
I have to think that the wifi slowdown from card based to open access had at least something to do with at&t restricting the bandwidth, not just sbux. Haven't had a chance to check out the SDN, not sure I'd use it, but it sounds interesting to at least check out.

[Espresso Machine]

Whatever SBUX wants to do is fine - they're giving me free wi-fi for crying out loud! And charge up your batteries before you come in and you won't need to worry about more plugs. What, you want free electricity too?

[SoCalRocks!]

too late in this game...the city i live in now offers free wi-fi so there is no reason for me to need the sbux wi-fi.

[Karldotcom]

They are whining because their batteries are dead and won't recharge...they have to run off A/C.

I went to log in to the Starbucks Digital Network on my DROID phone and after the inital screen, was given an error saying I had to log in from a Starbucks location (which I was at)... I cleared all my cookies, passwords and bookmarks and will try again tomorrow.

It did let me onto the WiFi after that error page.

[Coffee Drinker]

Very few websites these days aren't portals. Even this one is. Some just have more stuff than others. Haven't looked at the new SBUX one, probably won't since I go out for coffee to escape such things. I wish them well however ; )

[baristamclane]

Karl, I have a Droid phone as well, and I had the same issue. I guess I'll have to find something more productive to do on my breaks other than watch YouTube videos...

[Darth Sidamo]

I actually went to take a ten two days in a row this week and had to stand because literally every single table in our cafe had somebody that had been on a laptop for hours. Only four had bought a drink as the rest just came for free ice water or no 'order' at all.

Free but with a time limit would be a great idea. Possible to do by restricting an IP address over an amount of time.

[Jim Romenesko]

>>> the rest just came for free ice water or no 'order' at all.

It's reasonable for any business establishment -- including Starbucks -- to ask customers to leave if they don't make a purchase.

[wasatech]

Found out if you try to access it from a mobile phone you get the error message that Karldotcom and baristamclane wrote about . Then I read an article online that the page is optimized for Apple products. So they are using a browser sniffer to detect non Apple mobile devices and block access. You can still use the internet from your phone and you can still see the site from a laptop. But blocking the use of non Apple mobile devices is just plain dumb. There's probably even Flash on the site. Which makes it even more odd that you can't see if from a Droid (which has Flash and the Apple mobile toaster's -ipad,iphone,ipod- don't). I might be making a call to EHD to complain.

[bayareabux]

Restooms, water, and wi-fi for STARBUCKS CUSTOMERS ONLY, not freeloaders. Enforced at my store, and hopefully many others :)

[baristamclane]

What? Starbucks is discriminating against me for being raised in an Apple free family??? That's it! I'm boycotting by quitting...

Okay not really, because I've kinda gotten attached to the paychecks. But I'm going give people with iPhones dirty looks from now on. The viscous cycle continues...

[baristamclane]

^Awww, dang it. I mean 'vicious'.

[Hipsterdufus]

Luckly alot of new stores ARE being built with more seating and a cosier lobby. Sometimes at the expense of their back room storage (Example 96th and Lex in NYC).

Too bad most stores are already built and there's not much you can do about those.

As for freeloaders in the lobby, you are free to ask them to make room for paying customers.

You are also free to ask customers who have worn out their welcome to leave too.

[deborah t]

Sbux Digi Network is so 1990s...and its an injustice they keep reorganizing the marketing department to staff up the digital team...word to that team - keep a fresh copy of your resume updated...cuz you will be gone by Feb 2011...once the portal is a failure.