Do you like the idea of paying for things by using your phone? What about coffee? Well, Starbucks has announced that its mobile payment test has concluded and that the service is now available in all stores around the country.

This means that you can now pay for your coffee if you use the iPhone or a Blackberry, using the official Starbucks App. The app can be funded using either your credit card or PayPal. Once your jittery coffee fueled hands get money in your app account, all you need to do is place your order and then hold your device with the barcode on the screen under the scanner at the counter. Pretty convenient no?

The Call of Duty game franchise might have some sort of in game charge for premium content or multiplayer subscription services very soon. Possibly in April. One analyst thinks that a monetized second tier of multiplayer online gaming might arrive at about that time.

Wedbush Securities’ January newsletter states that “Activision remains a top pick, primarily due to the company’s potential to create and monetize a second tier of multiplayer online gaming for its Call of Duty franchise. We expect this to occur during the first quarter of 2011″. But the big question is whether enough gamers would be willing to pay for something like this.

As if it wasn’t already great to work for Google, the company has announced that they will be offering their employees a 10% pay increase starting in 2011. CEO Eric Schmidt said in his email to over 23,000 employees, that the raise is in addition to a $1,000 holiday bonus.

One reason for their generosity is to help prevent their talented employees from going to other companies. Last month, Google Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette said that the Internet industry is waging a “war for talent,”. Looks like he was right.

Hulu’s May 24th “Hulu Plus” subscription will apparently miss its scheduled debut, according to sources. The company is planning a $9.95 monthly subscription package which would allow access to a back catalog of streaming content; but “people familiar with the company” are now saying that Hulu Plus is unlikely to be ready in time for a launch next Monday.

If the info is accurate, no one is sure if the delay is a technical one or due to ongoing negotiations with some content providers. Rumors are that Fox, ABC and NBC, who make up Hulu’s owners, are pretty well decided on what subscribers will get for the money, but we don’t have exact details.

McAfee has had some problems of late. A security update sent Windows XP computers everywhere crashing down in a way that has never happened before with anti-virus software. Now it’s time for the company to take some steps to make it up to their customers.

The company is handing out a free two-year subscription extension to all affected customers and they will soon start a program to reimburse some expenses that customers incurred in repairing their PCs. It will apparently be starting in the next few days.

It can be a pain commuting everywhere on a bike. Especially when you forget to bring a bike chain with you so you can lock up your bike. The conceptual City Rack by designers Ilya Tkach and Nikita Gutsalenko will make life a bit easier for those who don’t have or forget their bike chain.

The rack has a lock built-in and several City Racks can be placed side-by-side, which makes for a great revenue generator for the city. The ring-shaped design makes it easy to lock your bike any which way you want. Sure, it isn’t free. But if that bothers you, then don’t forget your own lock and chain so you can lock it up anywhere.