HP/Starbucks bringing iTunes to coffee shop near you?
I was on Google News today and I saw this story: HP, Starbucks Team on Digital Tunes.
Since HP has iTunes on its computers and will begin rebranding the iPod soon, does this mean that iTunes will be in available in Starbucks? Sounds like a win for Apple.
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Since HP has iTunes on its computers and will begin rebranding the iPod soon, does this mean that iTunes will be in available in Starbucks? Sounds like a win for Apple.
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Comments
Anyway, here is the link to the article on pc world.
Here is the text:
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Hewlett-Packard and Starbucks are launching next week an in-store service that lets the coffee shop chain's customers create custom CDs with songs chosen from a digital music library, the companies have announced.
The new service will be unveiled Tuesday at a press conference at Hear Music Coffeehouse in Santa Monica, California, which is owned by Starbucks. The companies are releasing few details in advance of the event.
Both Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz and HP Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Carly Fiorina will participate in the event. The companies said they would give few details in advance of Tuesday's announcement, but Schultz and Don MacKinnon, Starbucks' vice president for music and entertainment, talked about the announcement at length with Business Week magazine.
In-Store Equipment
The service will let Starbucks patrons call up and listen to songs on HP PCs located in Starbucks stores and coffee shops, according to the Business Week report. Customers will reportedly be able to choose from some 250,000 songs. The service is expected to be available in about 2500 Starbucks stores within two years.
HP will also supply Starbucks with other necessary equipment for providing the service, such as CD burners and printers for the stores and back-end servers, according to Business Week.
Also on hand at the debut event on Tuesday will be recording artists Sarah Harmer and Rufus Wainwright. They are scheduled to perform on the Santa Monica Promenade after the press conference, according to the statement issued Friday by HP and Starbucks.
The coffee shop chain has long been tech-friendly, as it was one of the first retail outlets to widely implement wireless Internet access.
Originally posted by Eugene
There's no mention of Apple in any article thus far, so it's not a safe assumption at all. In fact I would wager against it.
Since we know that HP has an iPod deal with Apple, and iPods only work with iTMS, then HP would be cutting their own throat to use anything other than iTMS. So I believe it would be a given.
Doesn't the itunes music store offer over 500,000 songs now?
Originally posted by Mac Voyer
Since we know that HP has an iPod deal with Apple, and iPods only work with iTMS, then HP would be cutting their own throat to use anything other than iTMS. So I believe it would be a given.
That's a silly assumption. Megacorps like HP, IBM, etc. don't EVER put all their eggs in one basket. That's one reason why IBM has been so stable on Wall Street forever. There are certain tidbits here that lead me to believe the service will NOT use iTunes.
Nobody knows. It is not a 'given.'
Whatever.
Originally posted by Eugene
That's a silly assumption. Megacorps like HP, IBM, etc. don't EVER put all their eggs in one basket. That's one reason why IBM has been so stable on Wall Street forever. There are certain tidbits here that lead me to believe the service will NOT use iTunes.
Nobody knows. It is not a 'given.'
And what tid bits are you referring to?
We know they are producing iPods and supporting iTMS on all of their machines. For them, it is the next big thing. So tell me why you believe they will be simultaneously launching a downloadable music venture that does not involve their latest, biggest, partnership? They would need to be some pretty big tid bits to lead you to believe otherwise.
Originally posted by iPeon
Burn CD's? What is that?
Whatever.
That was my reaction. Totally! Why would I want to pay someone to burn music onto a CD for me, only to have to rip the CD into iTunes and then transfer the songs onto my iPod anyway?
Might as well just take my PB into a (US) Starbucks, d/l wirelessly straight from iTMS into iTunes and then sync with my iPod.
Duh!
This seems a really bad implementation of technology to me. Why? I ask. Who is this for?
They go to Starbucks, pick a few songs and burn them to play in the car etc.
It isn't something that most of us would ever use, but there is a market for it I guess. Something tells me they aren't going to meet those goals they set.
Originally posted by JohnHenry
Sound like it might be for those who don't have a computer that can burn CD's or don't have a broadband connection...
Correct me if you think I'm wrong, but I imagine people who go to Starbucks to buy exceedingly expensive coffee, pastries and sandwiches will have a computer that burns CDs and access to some kind of internet connection...
Anyway, is the set-up meant to be that they give you a "song menu" when you order and you go and sit down and choose your songs? Or do you get headphones and a chance to preview the songs at a computer "in the back" or something?
Starbucks (in London) are cramped and tiny -- where will the extra staff and equipment needed to do this fit in?
Then again, people that go to Starbucks are morons.
Originally posted by JohnHenry
If it is itunes, then why only 250,000 songs?
Doesn't the itunes music store offer over 500,000 songs now?
a lot of tracks are only available as an album download. there are also a lot of apple exclusive tracks that would likely not be available through an HP/Starbucks deal. or maybe starbucks is trying to streamline the process, weeding out the more obscure stuff that's available? or maybe one or two of the majors wouldn't play nice, because of corporate holdings that compete with starbucks? lots of potential (and reasonable) explanations.
Originally posted by Mac Voyer
And what tid bits are you referring to?
We know they are producing iPods and supporting iTMS on all of their machines. For them, it is the next big thing. So tell me why you believe they will be simultaneously launching a downloadable music venture that does not involve their latest, biggest, partnership? They would need to be some pretty big tid bits to lead you to believe otherwise.
I know more than you, that's for sure... The Santa Monica store will officially be known as a "Hear Music Coffeehouse." You may recall Starbucks purchased a company by that name a while ago.
http://www.starbucks.com/hearmusic/default.asp
http://www.starbucks.com/hearmusic/s...name=New+Store
Different pricing, WMA, no registration necessary.
Why does Sun use both Intel and AMD when they have their own line of CPUs? It's called hedging your bets, sir.
Happy now?
Originally posted by Eugene
I know more than you, that's for sure... The Santa Monica store will officially be known as a "Hear Music Coffeehouse." You may recall Starbucks purchased a company by that name a while ago.
http://www.starbucks.com/hearmusic/default.asp
http://www.starbucks.com/hearmusic/s...name=New+Store
Different pricing, WMA, no registration necessary.
Why does Sun use both Intel and AMD when they have their own line of CPUs? It's called hedging your bets, sir.
Happy now?
Yes.
Originally posted by InactionMan
Then again, people that go to Starbucks are morons.
Sorry but
What I want to know is do you talk to some one who pics the music out for you or do you actually go up to the computer and download your music and then burn it yourself?
You think they might use iTunes for the actual burning and storing?