Costa Coffee
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This reusable coffee cup has contactless payments built in
The UK's love of takeaway coffee is causing a huge waste problem, with less than 1 percent of disposable coffee cups being recycled. But Costa thinks it has a solution that will not only get you your daily caffeine hit faster but also help you do your bit to save the planet. The soon-to-be Coca-Cola subsidiary is launching a reusable cup with its own detachable contactless chip powered by Barclaycard's payment tech.
Costa's iPhone app gains Passbook support, but doesn't use its best features
Costa might be the coffee shop king in the UK, but updates to its mobile apps have been slow going. After finally launching a digital version of its points card, the company today added some fresh iOS functionality in the form of Passbook support. Dial back your expectations though, because this is hardly a revolution in mobile payments or loyalty schemes. For one, there are no push notifications, so when you stroll into your nearest store you'll need to remember to pull out your smartphone, which negates Passbook's built-in location features. For another, there's still no option to actually pay for your order. Starbucks, on the other hand, can handle both requirements. That means you're still only able to collect points using Costa's app, which can then be exchanged for free drinks and grub. Still, this is Costa's first stab at Passbook, so it's possible these features will be patched in with a future update -- if the company actually wants you to buy a gingerbread latte with your phone.
