Yesterday Starbucks released an update to their iPhone app. The app allows you to view and update info of your Starbucks cards, and since December it has allowed you to pay with your iPhone at 16 test stores. The test stores were mainly in Starbucks’ home town of Seattle, as well as San Francisco and a few other cities.

Apparently the test is going well. Yesterdays iPhone app update revealed 1019 total stores that accepted payments via iPhone. Most of which appeared to be in-store Target locations.

However, the update seems to have been in error, perhaps a little too early of a release. Today’s Starbucks iPhone update took the stores available back down to 16. Although there is still a note saying that the update allows for more stores which will be coming soon. I think the error is an indication that we’ll see this new functionally rolling out very soon, at least at Target stores.

Payment by iPhone is functionality that has the potential to be huge. Imagine a world where you no longer have to carry a wallet, but instead scan your phone for all gift card purchases, credit card purchases, airline boarding passes (already available with Delta), and maybe even your ID. The world is changing.

What the Flock?  A new Web browser?  That’s right – the folks at a new company called Flock have developed a new Web browser built on Mozilla (the guys behind the beloved Firefox Web browser).  Flock is a new browser made especially for bloggers and social networking freaks like me (and probably you).

Flock is a powerful Web browser built on the Firefox architecture.  It has everything Firefox has (including extensions), but it also has everything a social network power user could want – including a built in sidebar they call the “People Sidebar” that connects you to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and more, a “MediaBar” that lets you subscribe to your friends photos, videos and more and alerts you when they upload new media anywhere on the Web, and probably coolest of all – the Facebook SocialBar stays active at the bottom of the browser, alerting you of new IMs and Facebook updates, even when you visit other sites besides Facebook.

Don’t worry, you can use your Firefox Extensions in Flock!
Admitedly, I first ran into Flock a couple months ago and didn’t even give it a chance.  I’m so dependant on my Firefox extensions that I can’t live without them.  But what I didn’t realize the first time is that any Firefox extension works with Flock.  In fact, to add them to Flock you visit the same Add-ons page on the Mozilla Website and install them the same way as Firefox.  Everything from Shareaholic, Better Gmail, PingFire, PowerTwitter, and more work perfectly for me in Flock just as they do in Firefox.

The list of integrated features goes on and on – from Webmail, to RSS feeds, and more.  If you use Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking sites – or if you’re a blogger – then try Flock and you’ll quickly realize how easier it makes using the Internet.  Bloggers will especially love the way it connects with your blog (whether that be Blogger, Wordpress, Typepad, etc).  In fact, this blog post was created using the Flock Blog Editor.

Go to http://www.flock.com to download Flock and try it out.

Even when Chrome comes out with Extensions its going to be hard to pull me away from Flock – we’ll just have to wait and see.  Try it out and let me know in the comments how you like it.

Technologic Overkill – The First Music Video Shot on an iPhone 3GS from Steve Ellington on Vimeo.

Outlook 2010 is currently in Beta, and from what I’ve seen looks pretty slick.  But there’s one problem.  A BIG problem.  Microsoft has decided to abandon Web standards when it comes to rendering HTML in e-mail programs – causing an uproar from those of us involved in e-mail marketing.  They have confirmed that they plan on using the Word rendering engine to display HTML emails in Outlook 2010.  Sure, it sounds like a good idea – except that Word sucks when it comes to rendering HTML.

What does this mean?

It means that HTML e-mail designs (you know, all the emails you get with pretty graphics in them) will now need to use tables for their layout (tables? What is this 1999?), they will have no support for CSS, including the ability to use background images, and tons more.  Read all about it here: http://www.email-standards.org/blog/entry/microsoft-to-ignore-web-standards/

Basically, for people like me that manage e-mail campaigns (like the Daily IQ), we will now need to build two e-mails to send to our subscribers: one built for Outlook 2010 users which will feature less functionality and visual design, and another email for everyone else.  We’ll also have to use an e-mail platform that will support the ability to detect the user’s e-mail software and deliver the appropriate format.

What can I do to help?

Use the power of Social Media to send a strong message to Microsoft that Web Standards are there for a reason and that this change is not a good one.  Outlook 2010 is still in beta, meaning Microsoft is gather feedback from their users on it and still has time to make changes before the final release.

Head over to http://fixoutlook.org/ and do your part to use Twitter and other Social Networks to tell Microsoft how you feel about this.

By the way, the folks that built FixOutlook.or are geniuses – that’s the coolest site I’ve seen in awhile.

Dunkin’ Donuts has released a new interactive Website and iPhone App aimed at making your group coffee and donut runs more efficient and automated.  Using the App or the Website you can send out an alert to your friends and coworkers letting them know you are going on a run to Dunkin Donuts.  They can reply to the request via their iPhone or from the Website and put in an order for what they would like.  Everything from frozen latte’s to donut holes is on the interactive menu.  Once all the data is collected you can check the App on your iPhone, or print it and present it to the staff at Dunkin to place your order.

From the www.DunkinRun.com Website:

The Dunkin’ Run is the easiest way to grab that delicious pick-me-up for you and your friends. Here’s how it works:

• INVITE: Start a run at DunkinRun.com from your computer, mobile device, or our iPhone application . You are now “the runner”, and pick which friends you’d like to invite by providing their email or mobile phone number (no spaces or dashes e.g. 1234567890).
• ORDER: Select what you want from the menu, and we’ll contact your friends and tell them to do the same.
• RUN: Go get the goods. We’ll compile all orders for you, and you can print it out or have it sent to your mobile device (if you print it, just hand the print out to the Dunkin’ crew member at the shop and they’ll take it from there).
• ENJOY! Bring the goodies back, and enjoy the deliciousness, along with the hero worship from your friends.

It also includes tie-ins to Facebook to update your coworkers on the status of your run, as well as let’s you save past runs and favorites.

What would make this even more awesome?  If it sent the order directly to Dunkin so that it was waiting for you when you get there.  A step further would be to let each individual pay for their order via the App or Website – making collecting money from everyone less of a hassle.

This is a brilliant and very well executed marketing campaign that will last for years.  I know I will use it.  What we need is something similar for Starbucks.

“iPhone 3GS announced: $199 16GB, $299 32GB, June 19″ The old 3G is now $99 – http://ping.fm/TI78j

Oh Snap! “New iPhone 3GS announced” #WWDC – http://ping.fm/6h9tg

Here we go: “We think you’ll love 3.0 — it’s free for iPhone users, $9.95 for touch users. And it will be available June 17th.”

Listening to: CTO and Co-founder of TomTom, Peter-Frans Pauwels announcing new TomTom App for iPhone at #WWDC

From #WWDC – “29 carriers will support MMS when we launch… AT&T will be ready at the end of the Summer.” Ouch! AT&T…always behind.