Last week, Google, Citi, MasterCard, First Data and Sprint announced and demonstrated Google Wallet. It’s an app that turns your phone into a wallet, so that you can pay for stuff (like coffee) quickly and easily using your phone. It’s currently in a field test and will be available to consumers this summer, according to the press release. They’re calling it the next step in mobile commerce and uses near field communication to make secure payments simple and quick by tapping your phone an any PayPass-enabled terminal when you checkout. Looks good, we’ll have to see if it lives up to the hype. Read the full press release here on Businesswire.

So you’ve learned how to make good coffee in the comfort of your own home. If you read that post, you’ve already found out there is no secret. But what do you do when you’re on the road and you want a good cup of brew? Making your own coffee isn’t quite the same when you’re far from home. I won’t deny that there’s a temptation to head straight for the nearest coffee shop. But the cost of those latte can sure add up if you do that every day. So for anyone who wants to save a little money, or a lot in some cases, here are some tips on making better coffee on the road. Continue reading “How to Make Coffee on the Road” »

With coffee hitting 30 year highs, it’s no surprise that the investment world has become fascinated with ways to make money off of everyone’s favorite beverage. Can you really make money by drinking coffee? Some people think so. Here’s an article on some ETF’s (exchange traded funds) that may benefit from increasing coffee prices. These investment vehicles can provide you with exposure to the coffee sector, anywhere from around 10% up to 100%. Read the complete article here on minyanville.

According to this article in the Chicago Tribune, Caribou Coffee has plans to open up to 10 new coffee shops in the Chicago area over the next year. Currently there are 56 stores in the area and that may increase to as much as 300 during the next five to 10 years. Caribou is an 18-year-old chain with approximately 450 U.S. locations. The company has ambitious plans to grow by 10 percent annually. You can read the entire article here.

On Friday Marketwatch reported that coffee futures fell by almost 2%, touching levels not seen since early April. More importantly ICE Futures US, one of the major exchanges worldwide where coffee futures trade, are taking steps to dampen the volatility. I’m sure this will be welcome news to many as the last few months have seen increasing instability on top of record prices. You can read all the details here.