Hasta La Gadget!

One of the reason car services like Uber, SnapCar, and LeCab are popular and starting to gain more traction is because they offer conveniences and act as an alternative to taxi services. Unfortunately it looks like over in France, the French government has recently passed a new law in which it requires car services, like Uber, for example, to wait a good 15 minutes before picking anyone up. This law has been passed as a means to help protect local taxi drivers who are starting to feel threatened by these new services. The reason behind this is because in order to get a taxi license, at least as far as France is concerned, it takes quite a fair bit of time and expense to do so, as opposed to car services which do not seem to have the same requirements which admittedly does seem unfair.

The passing of this law actually comes as somewhat of a surprise to everyone in France, especially since even the French competition authority has deemed the law to be ill-thought-out. A spokesperson for the private car companies has called the new law “absurd, unjust and incomprehensible” and has vowed to fight it. We have to say that this new rule does not make much sense because why should someone have to wait 15 minutes even if they’re just around the corner? What if there were no taxis in the area? Is someone expected to stand in the rain or in a dodgy neighborhood just to satisfy local taxi drivers? What do you guys think of this new law?

French Government Passes Law That Makes Uber Customers Wait 15 Minutes original content from Ubergizmo.

Uber on-demand car service, which is gradually expanding operations in various cities around the world, now lets customers pay via PayPal. It has released new versions of its iOS and Android apps which include PayPal built-in as a form of payment. To promote this new partnership, both the companies are running a promotion till November 28th. Customers can get $15 off on rides they pay for using PayPal.

The on-demand car service already accepts credit cards and Google Wallet as modes of payment, however PayPal integration will aid its global expansion, says Uber CEO Travis Kalanick. PayPal integration only allows customers to pay fares for their rides at this point in time, however its possible that Uber might incorporate more features in its app in the future, such as allowing customers to check their account balance from within in car service’s app. The partnership is also beneficial for the payments company, as it gets to show off its new mobile SDK. PayPal’s mobile SDK will go live next year and it will allow third-party developers to add PayPal’s payment option in their own apps. Thus their users won’t have to exit the app to pay via the company, which would automatically enhance user experience.

Uber Car Service Now Lets Customers Pay Via PayPal original content from Ubergizmo.

The California Public Utilities Commission approved ridesharing companies early this year, but it offered only a few temporary guidelines while it worked on a formal rule set. Today, the regulator has published those definitive rules. Companies like Lyft, SideCar and Uber now have to get a CPUC license to operate under a new Transportation Network Company category. To maintain that license, they’ll have to run background checks, train drivers, hold a minimum level of insurance, inspect cars and drop employees who abuse alcohol or drugs. The requirements won’t necessarily eliminate tension with Los Angeles and other cities that believe they have jurisdiction over taxi-like services. However, the CPUC’s move gives California ridesharing companies a degree of comfort — they can keep operating in many cities without fear of being shut down.

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: California Public Utilities Commission (PDF)

If you’re a Back to the Future fanatic who wasn’t able to snag a Delorean on eBay or hitch a ride in a time-traveling taxi cab, then you might want to head to the City by the Bay this weekend. Uber has partnered with GE as part of the latter’s Brilliant Machines campaign to offer rides in, yes, a Delorean, but only in San Francisco and only for the following three days. They’ll be operational some time between 12 to 9pm on Friday and between 12 to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday — you’ll know a Delorean is available if you see an option pop up on the app (as seen in the screenshot after the break). However, Uber told us there’ll only be four of them on the road. Due to the limited availability, you’re restricted to just 15 minutes per trip and only one passenger per vehicle. The company’s pulled publicity ploys like this before — remember the ice cream trucks and those $3,000 helicopter rides? — but we have to admit this one makes our inner Marty McFly smile. So if you’re feeling lucky, take a trip to SF and try your hand at hailing one of these 1.21-gigawatt-powered beauties. Be sure to ask the driver if he can reach 88MPH.

[Image credit: Maile Kraus, Twitter]

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Source: Uber

The folks at Uber have had a busy, globe-trotting summer. After plans to ride into China, India and other parts of Asian crept out in June, the private car service has taken its expertise to Dubai. Arrival near the world’s tallest building marks the outfit’s first entry into the Middle East. Interested customers can use the iPhone app to request a ride in vehicles like the BMW 7-Series with more cars being added on the daily. No word on plans to expand into desert-bound dessert delivery just yet, though.

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Uber