The "new" Starbucks reward, just how much is that free menu item?

Before:  12 transaction than received 1 free drink.   If every morning you buy 1 tall coffee (around $2.05 include tax) X 12 times, you will have spent $24.60 and can get free drink, say $10 is your drink (I use $10 as an example so we can compare to the new reward, of course you can do lot better example 1, example 2 ).


After 4/12/2016 the "new" reward for free drink is to earn 125 stars than get free menu item.  That is 2 stars per $1 spent.      Example you buy tall coffee $2.05 so you'll receive 4.10 stars.  If you don't do the bonus or the "challenges" you'll have to spend $62.50 before getting your free menu item, OUCH!

What?!?   Don't worry there are many target offers (or challenges) where you buy a few target item and earn bonus stars.  I usually go for bonus that are 150 stars.

Example:  buy 3 target items and get 150 stars.

5.74. sandwich
4.64. Espresso
4.32. Latte

$14.70 x 2 stars/$1= 29.4 stars + 150 bonus stars = 179.4 stars (more than what you need to receive a free drink)

$14.70 / 179.4 stars = $0.08 per star

If you work backward 150 stars * $0.08 per star = $10

In conclusion, if you do the challenges you can reach 125 stars pretty fast!   A quick way to think about the challenge if you can get about 8 cents per star that is a good reward!   Double star day (you get 4 stars per $1) is really a weak reward  :)

I should include http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2016/02/22/its-official-all-new-my-starbucks-rewards-starting-april-2016/  as one of place I got my info on Starbucks :)

Done in 30 minutes, caulk

I do enjoy using GE's Silicone II*, but the latest "GE Kitchen & Bath Supreme Silicone" it's $8

There is a unpleasant smell that last longer than 30 minutes, make sure you have fan to help with the air flow.

Do you want to print photo from the cloud, not just from your local device?

Does your family have multiple smart devices snapping away photos?  Maybe you also drag around big SDR camera for that perfect shot :-)

You should BACKUP those photos to a NAS or cloud?   Sometimes you may want to print a few photos to pickup the same day?  Below are my setup and my experience in try to print photo from my Android device.

OS:  Android

Backup:  Synology NAS and currently also using http://photo.google.com, include Windows’s Google Photos Backup version 1.1.0.239; this helps to load SDR camera's photo

Must have features:  

• Able to print Photo Google (cloud), optional from my NAS (network)**
• Pickup photo the same day.
• I am surrounded by Walgreens all within 2-3 miles, one CVS and Target.  

  

** if you map drive with something like “ES File Explorer” the photos will appears just like it's on your smart device.

NOTE: as app may quickly add features, my review include version number. 

 

Walgreens App ver 5.2 can only browse local device’s photo and anything you have upload to photo.walgreens.com, Dropbox, facebook, Flickr etc. There is no option to see google cloud, maybe next version.

Kicksend 3.3.2.19   local device only, even after I logged into with my google account and confirmed with SMS code I still can’t see photos I backup to google.  boooo

Screenshot below show you must select from local, there are no option to do anything else.
 

Print Photo: 1h Photo Prints! 4.2.2.- 106 Looks like easy to use interface, wish the developer would put screenshot of option in the google play (see below). I can logged into my google account and see all of my photos!!!

After select photos you can quickly preview the print, modify how many print you want and select location to pickup (make sure input your name and email).. The photo is directly send to Wagreens. I tested with 4X6 but there are other options

I pickup my photo from local Walgreens and everything looks great!

In conclusion: For now the winner is this oddly named

Print Photo: 1h Photo Prints!

Wait there is more, I'll test another app when I need to print a few photos https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.meamobile.printicular

Starbucks $andwiche$

Let's face it sometimes it's just convent to have a quick sandwich at the coffee shop.  But you don't want to become sick from the sandwich :)    I have tried Dunkin Donut, it didn't agree with me.... I leave it at that.


I tried Turkey & Havarti Sandwich  it wasn't bad at all, not soak with mayonnaise.  And I feel fine afterward.

Price is high $5.95 (see the photo above), sometimes Starbucks has special if you are "Reward Member".

Porting over to Google Voice, easy as ...

Pretty easy to do, but why would you do it?    For me it's because I have a work mobile phone, so I basically carry two phone around for the past year.  I do not give out my work mobile number to people that is not from my work.  Yes, there are some co-worker are friends so they have both numbers, but that is beside the point.

Basically I want to keep my personal mobile number that I have for the past 10 years but carry / pay 1 phone bill.

You need to have a google account,  http://google.com/voice and it does cost one time transfer fee of $20 (WAIT... but if you are still under contract you may want to wait to avoid early termination fee).

Let's start!!!


"Get a voice number".

Next screen is select "I want to use my mobile number"

Now google want you to enter your mobile number and it'll verify if it's eligible.

things you need to check off.

now it's time to verify, click on "Call me now" 

you'll get a call on the mobile phone number you entered, so google know that you are who you say you are.

time to pay with Wallet.

Now the final screen, then you wait about 3 business days.

Now enjoy all the features in the google voice.

The Voice app on your phone can switch between calling out with your cell number or change to use google voice number when dial out.

Lone Survivor, movie is here.

I read this book in "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10"  2009, it's now a movie.   Haven't seem the movie hope it's half as good as the book.    Knowing Hollywood they'll change some "facts" oh well.   Mark Wahlberg plays Marcus Luttrell in the movie, but Marcus is a tall guy (6' 5") ... and Mark maybe 5' 8" perfect to play a boxer (The Fighter).    Oh well, still a movie to watch out for!

CBS 60 minutes video

checkout the trailer.

google's way of cloud printing from other devices.

I got my "smart" phone in 2012 it does all kind of neat tricks but it doesn't connect to my home printer.


2013 Google finally has the "Cloud Print" app, but to connect to my old printer you'll to have activating Chrome to manage printer.   I used the classic printer setup (ain't nothing wrong with that!).


GOOD!
Took me about 10 minutes including reading and download the Android app (I already have Chrome on my computer).


BAD.
Well, if someone else want to print something in your house they can't because it's linked to your google account.

I'll update as I find other issues.

MAYBE?
if you in the market for new printer, maybe get one that has Cloud Printing feature.