Microsoft's 'Coffee Compass' research project

Picture You can't get much more Seattle than this. One of the more offbeat projects on display at the Microsoft Research TechFest event today was a "coffee compass" -- a mariners compass that uses GPS technology and an embedded database of Starbucks locations to point to the coffee retailer's nearest Seattle-area store.

Researchers Raman Sarin and Andy Wilson said they came up with the idea after they had a hard time finding coffee while attending a conference in an unfamiliar city. They acknowledge that no one would carry around something like this, but they say the technology could be put into something smaller, like a key chain.

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BRUGO Travel Mug at the Oscars

Chicago Entrepreneur's Product Chosen for 78th Annual Academy Award(R) Show Gift Bags

CHICAGO, March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- On Oscar night (March 5, 2006), Spero Pavlopoulos will be among the happiest in the crowd -- no Best Actor nomination required -- because he'll be watching some of Hollywood's finest go home with a sleek, cutting-edge 'trophy' of another kind as part of this year's Academy Award(R) gift bag: a BRUGO(TM).

Since introducing the world to the BRUGO(TM) Travel Mug in July of 2005, its inventor, Pavlopoulos, has seen this exceptional mug attract a whirlwind of positive attention. Coffee and tea enthusiasts have gone crazy for the mug's revolutionary, patented cooling chamber which cools hot beverages one sip-sized portion at a time. Even the toughest coffee critics have been raving about this unique product's design, including its distinctive, easily- adjustable lid settings (lock, tip & cool, and sip) that help to eliminate accidental spills and spatters as well as scalding burns. Many are also drawn to the mugs' sleek styling and 12 bold and distinguishing colors that transform these exclusive mugs into must-have accessories for the fashionable and sporty alike.

Already, the BRUGO(TM) has garnered major kudos and exposure from features in Men's Health magazine and on Good Morning America, and now Pavlopoulos is looking forward to seeing what the stars think of his special mug when it is given away at the Kodak Theatre as part of this year's Academy Award(R) gift bag.

"We are honored and delighted to have been chosen for inclusion," Pavlopoulos said. "We consider ourselves very lucky to have such a great opportunity. We know that Hollywood's royalty will enjoy them while showing the world how easy it is to fall in love with a BRUGO(TM)."

Pavlopoulos' Chicago-based company, Jolex, Inc., is dedicated to developing new and innovative products. According to Pavlopoulos, "BRUGO(TM) embodies everything we represent: powerful design and manufacturing, functionality and practicality. People today have high expectations, and we are delivering."

For more information about the inimitable BRUGO(TM) mug, visit www.brugomug.com/ .

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060301/CGW020LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: BRUGO Mug by Jolex

CONTACT: Spero Pavlopoulos, President of BRUGO Mug by Jolex, +1-708-952-
4700, spero@jolexusa.com

Starbucks to offer its first coffee grown in Rwanda

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SEATTLE -- Starbucks Corp. announced Tuesday that it will soon start selling its first Rwandan-grown coffee in North American stores.

Rwanda Blue Bourbon is the company's 10th variety in the Black Apron Exclusives line of high-end coffees produced in limited quantities. Half-pound fuchsia foil bags in decorative black boxes will sell for $12 in the United States and $16 in Canada, beginning March 13.

Starbucks, the world's largest specialty coffee retailer, said it decided to start buying beans from the central African nation after visiting it in 2004 to gauge its potential as a premium coffee supplier.

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Mickey D's New Brew

McDonald's is rolling out a premium coffee in a bid to draw the morning crowd from competitors such as Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks

NEWS ANALYSIS
By Pallavi Gogoi

America has become a nation of gourmet-coffee junkies, thanks to Starbucks (SBUX ). And if anyone doubts that the trend is here to stay, here's a wake-up call: McDonald's (MCD ) is joining the java bandwagon.

Starting Monday, Mar. 6, McDonald's patrons will be able to order a premium roast coffee to go with their Egg McMuffins. The move itself may be less surprising than the fact that the world's largest fast-food chain took so long to make it. Many Americans consider coffee an A.M. essential, and breakfasts make up more than 25% of sales at most McDonald's restaurants, so you would think premium coffee would have made it onto the menu quicker (see BW, 8/25/03, "Saving Mickey D's Bacon").


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Tanzania research institute develops new disease resistant coffee varieties

By ZEPHANIA UBWANI
Special Correspondent

The Tanzania Coffee Research Institute in Moshi has developed coffee varieties that are resistant to coffee berry disease and leaf rust.

The government will distribute six million seedlings to farmers to double production from the current 50,000 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes a year by 2015, Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Co-operatives Joseph Mungai told delegates at the recent Third East African Fine Coffee Conference and Exhibition in Arusha.

The country plans to produce 70,000 tonnes of coffee per year by 2010, Mr Mungai said. "We need to increase both production and quality, especially now that coffee is fetching good prices in international markets," he said

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