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Starbucks customers can now catch up on the office buzz while enjoying a caffeine buzz. The high-tech venture, called T-Mobile HotSpots, features high-speed, wireless connections to corporate and home networks for e-mail, Web surfing and downloading video and audio. Available at more than 2,100 Starbucks outlets in 15 states, the HotSpot service offers a comfortable setting for Web access between meetings, sales calls and classes. To go online, a user needs a laptop or PDA equipped with Wi-Fi 802.11 wireless capability, which is built into many new machines. It can also be added via small plug-in devices costing about $100. Starbucks users can pay either $2.99 for 15 minutes of access or purchase a $29.99 unlimited access monthly plan for a local market. Frequent travelers can get unlimited national access for $49.99 a month.
Three bucks for 15 minutes? And -- I know this isn't likely, but -- what if there are many users in the room? Doesn't the access speed slow with each extra user?
For now, I'll take my coffee to go.