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Leaving Las Vegas: Uber suspends operations in Nevada
The home of Las Vegas is meant to be a paradise of unhinged abandon, where consequences don't matter and everyone has a great time. Unfortunately, no one at the Washoe County District Court got that memo, since it's just slammed Uber with a preliminary injunction preventing it from operating in the state. It was the usual roll of objections that have stopped the service, since Uber vehicles aren't subject to the same safety, insurance and licensing rules that taxis are. The company, for its part, has pledged not to abandon the state, saying that it'll work with Nevada's leadership to come to a useful solution. Maybe at the same time it'll try to clean up its reputation after a series of blunders, gaffes and PR disasters.
Sound Off! Do ridesharing privacy issues make you nervous?
Uber is not having a good week. Between surreptitiously tracking journalists' trips inside 'God View' and an executive implying the company should dig up dirt on reporters critical of the service, the company has been on a pretty bumpy road. However, they're still one of the most popular ride sharing services. Does the company's seemingly callous disregard for customer privacy change whether you still use its app? Head over to the Engadget forums and share your thoughts on ridesharing. [Image credit: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Senator Al Franken questions Uber about its privacy policy, 'God View'
Uber's PR nightmare of a week is getting even worse, as Senator Al Franken has joined those questioning the service about its ethics and commitment to user privacy. In a letter (PDF), Franken laid out ten specific questions for CEO Travis Kalanick to answer by December 15th, aimed at nailing down things like who has access to the controversial "God View" tool, and what (if any) disciplinary steps the company took as a result of executive Emil Michael's comments about a plan to dig up dirt on journalists critical of Uber. Michael's comments, originally reported by Buzzfeed and reportedly aimed at PandoDaily's Sarah Lacy, started a round of critique of the company's culture that doesn't look like it will end anytime soon. While we wait for this to shake out, PandoDaily cites several examples (two articles and a series of tweets by Ashton Kutcher) of what it's seeing as a smear campaign against the media by Uber and its backers. Oh, for the old days when car-sharing services and their riders only had to worry about regulators, robberies and hammer attacks. [Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Uber offering more perks to its full-time US drivers
Uber has been up against the ropes lately. For one, it's dealing with the fall out from an exec's suggestion it should be investigating critical journalists. Plus it's combating a report that claims a 'God Mode' allows its employees to track customers' whereabouts. No doubt keen to shift the spotlight back on its services, the company is launching a new rewards scheme today in its ongoing bid to boost driver numbers. The program is called Momentum, and it gives eligible US contractors a few different benefits, including discounted car maintenance and cheaper smartphone contracts. The Financial Times reports that drivers will qualify for the scheme provided they drive between 30 and 50 hours for Uber each month. Available perks include up to 15% discounts at major car repair outlets including AutoZone, Firestone, Maaco, Meineke, Midas, Jiffy Lube and Valvoline, as well as between 15 to 18% off phone plans from AT&T and Verizon. Lastly, Stride Health has agreed to advise Uber drivers on choosing a healthcare plan.
How to uninstall Uber
It's been a strange couple of months for on-demand transportation startup Uber. A Medium article published in September by entrepreneur Peter Sims revealed that Uber's all-seeing "God View" tracking software was occasionally (or perhaps frequently) used for non-business purposes, and while a claim like that is obviously a huge privacy no-no, it was just the start of Uber's woes. The following weeks brought an "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau, allegations that the company pushes its drivers into dangerous subprime auto loans, and evidence that Uber will ban its drivers simply for tweeting about stories that are unfavorable to the company. Things haven't gotten any better in the past 48 hours, as Buzzfeed revealed that a high-ranking Uber executive proposed a million dollar smear campaign against journalists who have written negatively about the company. Oh, and this morning we found out that Uber is investigating yet another instance of an employee misusing its extremely powerful -- and privacy destroying -- tracking capabilities. If this is all a bit too much for you to stomach, allow me to guide you through the process of cleansing Uber from your life. It's pretty long and kind of complicated, but it needs to be done. Let's get started: Hold your finger on the Uber app icon until it starts to wiggle. Tap the "x" on the corner of the icon and confirm you decision to kill off the app. Feel the weight lift off your chest. Realize that your Uber account isn't actually cancelled because the company will still hang on to your information for a full year unless you ask them not to. No, seriously, there is no way to just have your account cancelled via the app or website. You need to email them. Go to your computer and bring up your email client of choice. Send an email to support@uber.com requesting deletion of your account. Include your account information and nearest city so they can find and remove you quickly. Breathe a sigh of relief. Wait, don't finish that breath. We still need to find an Uber replacement. Browse the App Store and realize that Lyft -- Uber's main competitor -- is probably the best alternative. Read up on Lyft and realize that the company has had a few minor controversies of its own, mostly related to angry passengers who claim they were charged incorrectly. Decide that Lyft is definitely the lesser of two evils and install it. Mix yourself a drink because it's been a long day.
Uber looking into violations of its 'God View' customer-tracking app
Uber has more explaining to do following a report that one of its employees tracked a Buzzfeed reporter's location without her permission. Earlier this month, reporter Johana Bhuiyan was greeted by Uber's New York general manager Josh Mohrer, who pointed at his phone and told her "There you are. I was tracking you." The same reporter said that Mohrer previously sent her logs of her Uber trips -- in both cases, without permission. That's a clear violation of Uber's privacy policy, which it posted yesterday following another firestorm over executive Emil Michael's statement that the company should investigate journalists.
Uber CEO gives exec public slap on the wrist for threatening journalists
By now, there's no question that Uber exec Emil Michael said some seriously concerning things about the potential merit of digging up dirt on journalists critical of the company at a private party in front of reporters and celebrities. For the record, no, he never said that Uber was actively digging up dirt on seemingly pesky reporters, nor did he suggest that Uber plans to. Still, the very fact that he responded to the issue of seemingly slanted journalism with a pretty detailed plan of attack set off a media firestorm. This whole thing prompted Uber CEO Travis Kalanick to take Michael to task on Twitter today, noting that his comments at that dinner demonstrated a distinct lack of leadership and humanity.
Uber says it won't track journalists after (allegedly) doing just that
Uber, which keeps lurching from one PR disaster to another, just found itself in hot water again. At a private dinner attended by a Buzzfeed reporter, exec Emil Michael mused that Uber should spend "a million dollars" to dig up dirt on the "personal lives..., families" of reporters. In particular, he keyed in on Pando Daily journalist Sarah Lacy, who wrote about deleting her Uber app after its (very distasteful) tie-up with a French modeling/escort agency. Incredibly, he suggested that since Uber is supposedly safer than taxis, Lacy should be held responsible for any women who are sexually assaulted after deleting their Uber apps.
Uber brings Spotify streaming to your morning commute
Reports surfaced last week that Uber riders would soon be able to blast tunes from Spotify during the commute, and now the partnership is official. After hailing a car via the handy app, you can decide what music you're in the mood for, and when the car arrives to pick you up, it'll already be playing inside. You'll need to connect that paid streaming account inside Uber's mobile software to opt in, but doing so not only sets the music beforehand, but allows you to control it for the duration of the trip. The collaborative effort is set to launch on November 21st in London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, Stockholm, Toronto and Sydney with a widespread rollout in the weeks that follow. Of course, the driver will need to connect their phone to the car's stereo for you to take advantage, but Uber says those folks are excited about sorting your playlists. If the car you hail chooses not to play music, the option to play Spotify won't show up in the Uber app.
Uber cars will soon stream passengers' Spotify playlists, reports say
Spotify and Uber might launch a collab as soon as Monday -- one that'll have you jamming to your favorite tunes with the service's drivers. According to TechCrunch, the ride-sharing company's iPhone and Android apps will soon come with the capability to blast your Spotify playlists through an Uber car's speakers. The publication has obtained two screenshots (embedded after the break) captured from within an Uber app: the first asks drivers if their cars support auxiliary audio input. That's because they need to connect their Uber-issued phones with their vehicles' stereos for customers to be able to take advantage of the Spotify integration. On the other hand, the second screenshot shows what passengers will see on their screens. The passenger's interface apparently features a music console that shows song titles and artists, along with pause and play buttons, superimposed on a map.
Uber launches in Leeds, its third UK city
Uber's UK footprint might be small, but it's already come in for some heavy criticism, especially in London. As competitors ready new services in an attempt to leverage more custom, Uber has decided its ready to expand beyond London and Manchester by heading to Yorkshire, or more specifically, Leeds. As of now, city residents will be able to pull out their smartphone to hail an UberX ride (the company's lowest-priced service) to move about the city. Hailo already operates in the area, but only offers traditional taxi pickups, giving Uber the opportunity to steal a march its rivals with its popular private hire service.
New York attorney general fights rule that curbs services like Uber
New York City isn't always kind to ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber, but those companies have just gained an important ally. BuzzFeed News has learned that state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman recently sent a letter to NYC's Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) opposing rules that would limit firms to dispatching exclusively affiliated drivers unless they strike deals with rivals. To Schneiderman, that creates "serious antitrust issues." Companies would frequently have to collude with each other to grow, and the rule would favor well-financed outlets that can lure drivers away, such as Uber. Instead, the official suggests an approach where transporters can affiliate with any company that shares the same worker's compensation system.
Google Maps app gets overhauled, adds Uber and Opentable
Google Maps, otherwise known as the mapping app that Apple Maps so desperately wishes it could be, got a little bit better today with an app refresh. The update brings with it a cleaner look and less clutter, which happens to match the post-iOS 7 aesthetic perfectly, along with support for third-party apps such as OpenTable and Uber. For restaurants which already accept OpenTable reservations, Google Maps users will be able to claim time slots right from within the mapping app itself. Likewise, when plotting directions in the app, Uber customers will be able to see estimated pickup times and pricing information, as long as they already have the Uber app installed on their phones. Google notes that the update will roll out within the next few days, so keep an eye out for the new and improved Maps.
Google Maps gets a makeover with built-in restaurant reservations
At long last, Google Maps has received the Material Design revamp that many were expecting -- and it's more than just a skin-deep upgrade. New versions of Maps' Android and iOS apps focus on the super-flat graphics and lively animations that you'd expect from Google's new design language, but they also include built-in restaurant reservations through OpenTable. If you're in the US, you can now book a table right from a place page instead of visiting a website or launching another app.
Uber brings on-demand flu shots to Boston, NYC and DC for a day
If there's one thing on-demand car startup Uber likes more than ferrying people around, it's trying to grab people's attention with kooky promo stunts. Uber for barbecue? Uber wedding packages? Pairing riders with attractive lady drivers? Been there, done that (for better or worse). Every once in a while though, Uber cooks up something genuinely useful and today is one of those days: if you live in Boston, Washington DC or New York City, you can order an on-demand flu shot for you and up to nine of your friends until 3PM Eastern.
'Dorothy' lets you click your heels to hail a cab
What if you could click your red heels to get home, like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz? A new wearable concept -- aptly dubbed "Dorothy" -- might let you do just that. It consists of a small clip called "Ruby" that attaches to your shoe and communicates with your phone via Bluetooth. The clip has an accelerometer and, when you tap your heels together three times, it sends an alert to the companion app. What the app does with that alert is up to you, but the company behind Dorothy, iStrategyLabs, is working to integrate the Uber API to automatically call an Uber to your location.
Uber brings its larger-car option to London and Manchester
We haven't heard much out of Uber since it reduced the price of trips across London in its standard vehicles a few months ago. Today, the disruptive taxi service is back on our radar with the announcement of a new fleet of vehicles intended to serve bigger parties, and those who must bring at least five suitcases on their week-long holidays. Through the new uberXL tier (which debuted in San Francisco earlier this year), Londoners can hail a six-seater motor, while Mancunians can expect an eight-seater to turn up, though Uber warns "availability may initially be limited." As you'd expect, they're a little more expensive than standard uberX vehicles at £2.15 per mile, with minimum fares of £7 in London and £5 in Manchester. If you've got seven mates to split the fare with, though, it'll still work out much cheaper than getting two separate cars. Result.
You can now take Lyft and UberX cars to San Francisco's main airport
It was only a matter of time before San Francisco International Airport allowed direct visits from app-based ridesharing services besides Sidecar, and those floodgates have officially opened. Both Lyft and Uber (specifically, UberX and UberXL) now have the all-clear to stop at SFO's terminals. If you need a ride to your hotel, you no longer have to pay for an expensive taxi or else brave the mass transit system. It's difficult to know how this increased competition will work in practice, but a successful rollout could get other airports following suit. [Image credit: Angelo DeSantis, Flickr]
Uber offering UberPlus in LA for 'balling on a budget'
In an appearance-obsessed city like Los Angeles, image, dahling, is everything. That's why you can't simply take a taxi between auditions, the juice bar and hanging out at your agent's office. Your ride should be stylish, but thrifty, since an UberBlack would empty your bank account in the better part of a week. That's why Uber is launching UberPlus, a service that slots in between Uber X and UberBlack and offers "balling on a budget." Rather than rolling up in a Prius, you'll have a pick of lower-level executive rides like a BMW 3 Series, C-Class Benz or an Audi A4. Even better, is that UberPlus' minimum fee is just $5, $3 less than UberBlack, which is good, since the only thing standing between you and moving back home is the residuals from that vitamin infomercial.
Sidecar is the first ride-sharing app to officially serve San Francisco airport
One of San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón's many complaints about ride-sharing services is that none of them had the permits necessary to take customers to SFO. Sidecar, however, has ticked that box by obtaining official permission to take passengers to and from their flights, albeit with two pretty big caveats. The first is that the permit is for a pilot program that SFO is running to study traffic congestion, so there's no word on how long this license will last for. Second, is that ride-sharing -- enabling several people to share a single car and reduce congestion -- is still not permitted at the airport, thanks to the California Public Utilities Commission. It's an odd piece of logic that Sidecar CEO Sunil Paul is more than happy to point out, and hopes that the CPUC iron out the holes in its thinking sooner rather than later. For the rest of us, we can be comforted in the knowledge that Sidecar will resume airport rides within the next 30 days.
