Roundup: Virgin Mobile acquires Helio, Starbucks to stop music sales and more
Here’s the latest action:
New partnership brings Helio to Virgin Mobile — Virgin Mobile USA will acquire the U.S. arm of South korea-based SK Telecom, namely, a mobile operator called Helio, according to the Financial Times. Both mobile operators have been struggling to make money by piggybacking on the infrastructure of existing carriers. This announcement doesn’t offer any sense of how they might bounce back; it just seems loaded with more bad news, like the estimate that… Continue Reading
Starbucks rolls out free Wi-Fi, peddles its rewards cards
Beginning today, Starbucks across the country will offer free Wi-Fi Internet to paying customers. This is great news. Unfortunately there is some fine print behind this “free.”
First of all customers will have to buy a Starbucks Card, which requires that you put a minimum of $5 on it to purchase, according to USA Today. Second, you’ll have to register online for the Starbucks Rewards Card program. Third, this card will need to be used at… Continue Reading
Friday roundup: pirates beware, Wii gamers despair
Avast ye pirates! The Bush Administration is accusing China, Russia and seven other countries of failing to protect American producers of movies and other entertainment from piracy. The question comes to mind: why did it take so long for the U.S. to figure this out? Also included on the list are Argentina, Chile, India, Israel, Pakistan, Thailand and Venezuela. Somehow it seems like this conversation should have taken place, oh, maybe 10 years ago?
Don’t expect… Continue Reading