Scanty details about SBC and Barnes & Noble's plans to install hot spot service: SBC will build out 2,000 locations (where and what timetable unknown), while Barnes & Noble will test locations in Atlanta and Seattle. Cometa is probably the latter's partner based on a report from Ken Berger a few weeks ago who heard a Cometa exec speak at HP.
Although the report says SBC will roll out to hotels and airports, among other venues, that's a mixed bag. Most of the major hotel brands already have commitments to STSN, Wayport, or one of the in-room interactive box providers. The airports have made plans that haven't all been executed on yet. There's not a lot of space to fill that market in.
Interesting plan considering that many B&N stores have Starbuck's inside....
Subtle point: Starbucks has only "unwired" standalone stores, a fact not always made clear. Their kiosks in airports, Barnes, and elsewhere were never part of the main plan because of venue sharing issues and other complications.
Actually, B&N do not have Starbucks in them - they sell Starbucks coffee but are not owned/managed by Starbucks. However, the issue of nearby host spots conflicting with one another is increasing a possibility!
Margo is partly correct. Within about ten miles of me, there are two Barnes & Noble stores. One has a Starbucks, and the other has a "Barnes & Noble Cafe" which sells Starbucks products. Not really a fine distinction, since every in store Starbucks I've seen has been distinctly isolated from the bookstore, while the Cafe is an integral part of the B&N store.