Starbucks Online Taking a Coffee Break
Not so fast. Don’t just yet try to get a free entry for the Win Starbucks for Life contest. You’ll see this message about the site being down.
Starbucks for Life, How About You?
What would you do if you won Starbucks for Life? The first two winners have been announced.
I think I’d have a nervous breakdown – from the shock of winning and eventually from digesting all that caffeine. Or I could gain weight from daily caramel macchiatos.
Don’t forget to enter today!
Holiday Gift Guide 2014: The Art of Social Media
It’s not too late to become a “social media giants.” You can learn the proverbial ropes of how to use social media to build your brand and online presence by reading Guy Kawasaki’s latest book, The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
Just published, this contemporary book is rated at 4.8 out of 5 stars after 144 reviews, so you know it’s gotta be good! If you’re gifting this book to a future social media-ist consider the Kindle version that can conveniently launch the book’s links. Read it, see it, do it. Can’t be much easier to pick up the tricks and start mastering the art of social media.
More suggestions from the Pulpconnection Holiday Gift Guide, 2014 edition.
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Win Starbucks for Life Impossible Audio CAPTCHA
Wait, what was that again?
So if you’ve been entering the Win Starbucks for Life contest, you’ve experienced the CAPTCHAs getting harder and harder. In the first few days, the image-based CAPTCHAs used to verify your contest entry were of one group of numbers like an address on a house.
Today, the CAPTCHAs evolved to two words, not just one grouping of numbers, and one of the words is usually gibberish. Not only is one word gibberish, the look is so distorted that it’s really hard to discern the letters. So I switched to the audio mode of the CAPTCHA. The system reads aloud a set of numbers, and you have to type in those numbers. Sounds easier right? Here’s the audio CAPTCHA I was given.
Can you solve this audio CAPTCHA?! Say what???
Bah Humbug Is the Enemy of Win Starbucks for Life
For the next month, you can win Starbucks food or drinks for life if you can face they enemy known as “bah humbug.” I mean it’s really easy to enter the Win Starbucks for Life contest. Heck, you don’t even need to make a purchase to enter, but you do have to overcome your own lethargy.
Say you do make a purchase at Starbucks, don’t just walk away from the register after paying. Ask for your printed receipt that has a contest entry code at the bottom. That’s the only way to enter when making a transaction at Starbucks – the code on the receipt. With the receipt, you have to manually enter that 22-digit code at starbucks.com/play along with your email address and an increasingly challenging CAPTCHA code. Bah humbug!
Then you need to acknowledge the conditions of the contest and opt in/out of a Starbucks newsletter (each and everytime you enter). And I’m guessing with up to two entries per day, these codes expire each day, so you shouldn’t be lazy and check your codes tomorrow. Do it today. Bah humbug!
As of Starbucks iOS mobile app version 3.2, I can’t see a way to virtually retrieve codes found on the printed receipts. The codes can only be found on old school receipts that you remembered to ask for and didn’t throw away. Bah humbug!
But remember, you don’t have to purchase anything at Starbucks to enter the contest. You can get a free code online daily… if you’re willing to provide your first name, last name, email address, and mailing address each and every day. Then you may need to wait up to one hour for your code to arrive via email. Don’t let your full inbox make you forget about this code! Bah humbug!
But maybe, just maybe, you do win free food or drinks from Starbucks for the next 30 years. All is forgiven right? Bah humbug!
Us the Duo Sings the Hits of 2014
Here’s a cool mashup of the pop hits of 2014 done by Us the Duo in less than three minutes.
Though I don’t know much about the duo of Michael Alvarado and Carissa Alvarado, I’m thinking Carissa could be the voice of Moana in Disney’s next feature film.
Starbucks for Life. I Won…
…a Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop. Nope, not the free Starbucks for Life grand prize. Seems like every Starbucks Rewards member got a free code, but I didn’t win. My win came from an iced coffee purchase and entering in the long code on the bottom of the receipt.
Playing this contest is kinda weird. First you go to the Starbucks Play site. Then you enter in a long, long code (or copy & paste from an email). Then you have to answer a CAPTCHA-like question.
Getting past this CAPTCHA on a mobile device, you then erase the glitter to see what’s underneath. On mobile Safari, don’t get too excited with your swipes and trigger a back swipe in the browser.
Most times, you’ll see the consolation entry for a chance at the Starbucks for Life giveaway. Hopefully, you do see a prize or two (like a cake pop) come your way.
Up to two entries per day, and I don’t know if the codes expire at the end of the day, meaning be sure to enter your codes right away. You can also request a code without making a purchase. Good luck!
Starbucks January Free Refill Tumblers Are Here
Yes, Starbucks is doing another free-coffee-refills-in-January tumbler, and yes, they are now available in Hawaii. There seemed to be a slight delay in Hawaii, but the special $30 tumblers did release over the Thanksgiving weekend. You may have to try different locations, but when you find them, you may find a lot of them.
The small location in Enchanted Lakes, Kailua, had an entire basket of these available. Check out the Starbucks Melody blog post about the restrictions and limitations of this tumbler.
I Must Be Slipping
I pretty much don’t have pictures from Black Friday at Ala Moana. Maybe it’s because I didn’t have any caffeine coursing through my veins not wanting to wait in this ridiculously long line at Starbucks Macy’s.
Brown Wednesday Before Black Friday?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are well established in our shopping lexicon but what about shopping for the deals before then? What are those days called? Brown Wednesday? Grey Tuesday? Anyways CVS née Longs Drugs has started their specials, and I had to partake since I was tipped off.
These Tiger Sahara Cool stainless steel insulated water bottles are going for 50% off as a buy one, get one free deal. Either the 0.8L or 1.0L capacity in green or pink ($32.99 for 0.8L and $34.99 for 1.0L). Can’t go wrong for roughly $17 each. Grab bag gift perhaps?
Kahala Starbucks Drive Thru
It’s getting there. I’m not sure when the new Starbucks Drive Thru in Kahala Mall is supposed to open, but it might beat the end of 2014. I thought this new store was going to be more in the corner of the Kahala Mall parking lot, but it’s on the side of the mall.
And according to the Pacific Business News, this location is only a drive thru. You can’t walk up and order a drink. That’s kinda too bad since the inside Starbucks location is typically swamped, and a second location would offer some relief.
Holiday Gift Guide 2014: APL Vision Basketball Shoes
Banned in the NBA for providing players with an undue competitive advantage, you may see shoes made by Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) on the neighborhood courts. Outfitted with APL’s special Load ‘N Launch technology, these kicks supposedly give you more hops. I’m not talking Spud Webb springs but hey, if your dream is to jam one home, then maybe the Load ‘N Launch is the missing piece.
According to the company’s FAQ, the average increase in jumping ability is 3.5 inches. An added 3.5 inches to your vertical ain’t nothing to ignore. Perhaps you can be like 5-5 tall Porter Maberry, throwing’em down in APLs.
Check out the APL basketball and now running shoes this holiday season.
More suggestions from the Pulpconnection Holiday Gift Guide, 2014 edition.
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