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Uber fires executive who obtained rape victim's medical records
Uber's problems with corporate culture aren't over just because it fired 20 people. Both the New York Times and Recode have learned that the ridesharing company has fired Asia-Pacific president Eric Alexander (shown above) after word got out that he obtained the medical records of a woman raped by her Uber driver in New Delhi, India. Uber would only confirm that Alexander is no longer an employee, but it's more than a little unusual for a transportation exec to get sensitive information relating to a criminal case. And if the sources are accurate, the reasons behind the move are equally strange.
Former New Delhi Uber driver convicted of rape
A former Uber driver has been found guilty of rape in a case that caused New Delhi to ban the ridesharing service. Shiv Kumar Yadav was convicted of rape, kidnapping and criminal intimidation and now faces a maximum life prison term, according to Reuters. The driver somehow slipped past Uber's safety and background driver checks, despite the fact that he was on bail for a separate 2011 assault. Uber India President Amit Jain said that "sexual assault is a terrible crime and we're pleased he has now been brought to justice."
Google Maps unveils new features in India, New Zealand and 150 universities worldwide
Google is bringing voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation to Android smartphone users in India. While the functionality's been available since January if you've rooted your device, the official version lands today with a localized "Indian English" voice option. At the same time, it's adding live traffic information for major roads in big cities like Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad -- with both arriving today on handsets running Gingerbread and up. At the same time, it's giving Google Map Maker and Biking Directions to users in New Zealand -- and college students at over 150 universities worldwide will now be able to find themselves thanks to Street View maps on campus. Of course, that does mean you can no longer use Google as an excuse as to why you missed Phys. Ed. 202 next semester. [Thanks, Devanshu]
India's Dish TV rolling out HD by year-end
India has another option for high definition on the way, satellite provider Dish TV (not Dish Network) is planning to launch MPEG-4 HD broadcasts by the end of this year. Managing director Jawahar Goel says the company is still in talks with 2-3 TV channels for content, but with more broadcasters coming online we figure things will start to pick up. The Hindu notes competing provider Tata Sky says its equipment is ready for HD broadcasts but are waiting for content before launching, while Barti Telemedia is similarly on HD-compatible equipment already but still holding off launching services. Hey, anything prior to 2010 is a start.
India could get free 2Mbps broadband internet by 2009
Entire cities getting free WiFi used to be quite the sensation, but now the real hotness is in connecting up an entire nation. According to IndiaTimes, the government is proposing that all citizens of India receive complimentary 2Mbps internet by 2009, and the service would be provided by the state-owned BSNL and MTNL. Officials backing the plan are hoping that giving all residents access to high-speed internet would "boost economic activity" as the citywide free WiFi implementations apparently have in America. The nation's department of telecom will purportedly be laying "an extensive optic cable network across the country, permitting the resale of bandwidth, setting up web hosting facilities within the country, and asking all internet service providers to connect to the National Internet Exchange of India." Unsurprisingly, this issue has created very polarized camps, as consumers cheer on the idea, current telecom providers are shaking at the mere thought of all future telephone calls being converted into free VoIP dialogue.[Via Slashdot]
