Platform: iPod Touch, iPad, iPhone

Price: Free

Category: Lifestyle 

Figuring out what to drink for a quick caffeine fix just got easier with the free myStarbucks app for the iPhone and iPod touch. Now everyone can have his or her favorite Starbucks beverage and snack selected long before he or she gets to Marshall Street.

The application is simple. When it first opens, the phone’s Wi-Fi connection searches for the Starbucks nearest to the user. An interactive map then displays the exact location of said Starbucks. One tap on the map displays store hours, turn-by-turn directions and the store’s phone number. Designating that location as a favorite adds it to the myStores list, allowing quick access to the information in the future.

Once the user decides which Starbucks to visit, he or she can place his or her own personal order. The app lists every offering on Starbucks’ beverage menu. Whether one is looking for something smooth and flavored or simply something filled with enough caffeine to pull another all-nighter, the app has all the information needed to select his or her preferred blend. Another option allows the user to click on a word that best describes what type of coffee he or she is in the mood for. Options range from ‘earthy’ to ‘caramelly,’ just to name a few.

Luckily, the app is not limited to a la carte coffees. The Drink Builder allows the user to modify pre-existing beverages and create new concoctions. Choosing a hot or cold drink opens a menu that displays all the different types of options available. The user can then customize the selection down to the smallest detail, including a particular type of milk or a specific flavoring to add. The thoroughness of the app is especially convenient, as it cuts time people would normally waste while waiting in the coffee shop.

If the Java Chip Frappuccino isn’t enough, myStarbucks allows the user to view every single food item on the menu, including pastries, salads and breakfast sandwiches. Like the rest of the app, the food menu is fully customizable. If calories are an issue, the user can set the menu to display menu items within a target calorie range. If food allergies are a concern, the menu can be altered to only display foods free of peanuts, soy, egg and other allergens. The user can designate an ideal snack and drink as favorites, making sure favored choices are just a tap away.

For all the aspiring brewmasters, myStarbucks also lists all locations accepting job applications. People can apply to be baristas or browse other job opportunities if serving coffee is not their cup of tea. Users can also check to see if other stores are taking applications.

The app has many features that make it user-friendly and easy to navigate. When all of those options work at once, the app seems to get overloaded. It also suffers from occasional crashes, bringing the user back to the iPhone homepage. It’s a frustrating trait, but certainly not a deal breaker. It just gets especially annoying when the user is in the middle of making a drink. The app lacks the function to save a user’s progress in the middle of customizing a drink, which forces the consumer back to square one with an empty cup.

Standing in line can take forever when some unprepared person can’t make up his or her mind. Don’t be that guy, and get the myStarbucks app.

 

nerivera@syr.edu

 

Published on October 4, 2010 at 12:00 pm