Multi-Channeled over a Cup of Joe.

I've long hoped that wireless access would become an expected utility when you enter a business like lights and air conditioning. Unfortuantely, some of the Third Places in our lives still can't get two plus two to equal at least four:

Get up, go to get in line at coffee counter, ask why code from card does not work. Barista comes over to my table, takes me to a completely different url on the Starbucks site where I have to set up a full account with ATT. Hmmmm. Just for Wi-Fi. And I'm supposedly pretty advanced in terms of this crazy interweb space. If I were an average customer and not an experience collector I would now just give up, because it has already been 30 minutes and I am still not on. Barista cheerfully explains to me that the account set-up is necessary because the card I bought is actually a rewards card and now I would be eligible for all sorts of special stuff from Starbucks! I look at the $5 coffee card I bought and it says nothing at all about rewards. Or that it is a rewards card. Barista who sold it to me said nothing about it being a rewards card.