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Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

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Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They do have access to Google Maps data which provides sizable competitive edge

If it we were in 2012 that would be true. There are multiple competing mapping suppliers now which are perfectly good enough for taxi navigation, including Uber's own system, not forgetting Tomtom's third party stuff, AAPL's heavy investment, etc. This looks like too little too late.

And yet Uber still uses Google Maps.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#32
post #3

Honestly I wish they wouldn't try to compete on price. Maybe I'm alone with this, but I'd rather not feel obligated to tip a driver because the ride is so cheap. Pay them a living wage, let me pay the exact fee, and let me not have to carry goddamn cash like I used to in the era of Taxis. e: Addressing common replies: "This is for people commuting already" -- okay, point taken; my point about Uber/Lyft still stands.…

"Living wage"? Are you suggesting that uber and other drivers are all dead?

\s

(I know "living wage" is the hip buzzword, but it is a poor phrase, is hyperbolic, and creates a false picture that when these workers finish their shift they are going to go find some secluded gutter to die in from malnutrition)

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#33
post #4

read: "Google ride-share is to Uber as Windows Phone is to Android". Late to the party, tragically deficient in first-mover network effect advantage, and on the decline in credibility since they're shutting down all moonshots, including, as we saw as recently as today, halving the staff at Google Fibre. Talk about panic catch-up with no intrinsic advantage, nor vision. "Mountain View, start your photo-copiers". We kn…

Why is this being downvoted? Honest question.

After Glass, G+, Fiber and possibly Boston Dynamics, I'm failing to see any moonshots living up to the hype as well. At least up until now.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#34
post #4

read: "Google ride-share is to Uber as Windows Phone is to Android". Late to the party, tragically deficient in first-mover network effect advantage, and on the decline in credibility since they're shutting down all moonshots, including, as we saw as recently as today, halving the staff at Google Fibre. Talk about panic catch-up with no intrinsic advantage, nor vision. "Mountain View, start your photo-copiers". We kn…

Well sure it could turn out like Google+ vs Facebook or it could turn out like Google Maps vs Mapquest or Gmail vs Hotmail.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#35
post #4

read: "Google ride-share is to Uber as Windows Phone is to Android". Late to the party, tragically deficient in first-mover network effect advantage, and on the decline in credibility since they're shutting down all moonshots, including, as we saw as recently as today, halving the staff at Google Fibre. Talk about panic catch-up with no intrinsic advantage, nor vision. "Mountain View, start your photo-copiers". We kn…

I hesitate to predict how it will play out, but the article reports "the company has said it aims to make fares low enough to discourage drivers from operating as taxi drivers," which seems fundamentally different.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#36
post #7
post #3

Honestly I wish they wouldn't try to compete on price. Maybe I'm alone with this, but I'd rather not feel obligated to tip a driver because the ride is so cheap. Pay them a living wage, let me pay the exact fee, and let me not have to carry goddamn cash like I used to in the era of Taxis. e: Addressing common replies: "This is for people commuting already" -- okay, point taken; my point about Uber/Lyft still stands.…

I took an Uber home from the train station last week and it was less than $15. I'm not sure how much a taxi would've been, probably at least $25. I don't feel good about it. How can someone provide good service if they're taking home so little? I fear that soon Uber will be overrun with poor service because all the quality drivers have been driven out by low costs.

Uber also subsidizes your ride sometimes. I had a ride that Uber paid the driver about $60 for (we were talking about the economics of the service and this came up), and I paid only $3.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#37
post #9

How are they vetting drivers? I wouldn't trust a driver if all they had to do to qualify is download the Waze app.

Google knows everything. A person's search/browsing history is more revealing, and arguably more predictive, than a dated background check.

They have the ability, but whether they actually violate everyone's privacy is hopefully a theoretical matter.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#38
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I took an Uber home from the train station last week and it was less than $15. I'm not sure how much a taxi would've been, probably at least $25. I don't feel good about it. How can someone provide good service if they're taking home so little? I fear that soon Uber will be overrun with poor service because all the quality drivers have been driven out by low costs.

Talk to your drivers about it. So far they've all told me that they get more passengers thanks to the app, and the pay from Uber's base rate outweighs unpredictable tips. [edit] NYC, and the drivers are pretty candid about still picking up rides from black car dispatchers and competitors. I have no reason to question their honesty.

All drivers I’ve talked to (mostly in the London area) told me they are very unhappy with their pay, but because Uber is so cheap, they can’t drive for their old cab companies anymore (all business moved to Uber).

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#39
post #9

How are they vetting drivers? I wouldn't trust a driver if all they had to do to qualify is download the Waze app.

Once they have a critical mass of robberies, stabbings, etc., then the machine learning can easily filter out undesirable drivers. Not a problem.

Are you ironic? Do you see what's strange in that? Machine learning isn't exempt of racism. Google has a lot of background on people, but it's generally accepted as unethic to filter undesirable people based on generalizations, even if they were statistically correct.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#40
post #33
post #4

read: "Google ride-share is to Uber as Windows Phone is to Android". Late to the party, tragically deficient in first-mover network effect advantage, and on the decline in credibility since they're shutting down all moonshots, including, as we saw as recently as today, halving the staff at Google Fibre. Talk about panic catch-up with no intrinsic advantage, nor vision. "Mountain View, start your photo-copiers". We kn…

Why is this being downvoted? Honest question. After Glass, G+, Fiber and possibly Boston Dynamics, I'm failing to see any moonshots living up to the hype as well. At least up until now.

Probably because it's a middlebrow dismissal that's barely even middlebrow.
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