A Couple Things to Make Your Commute Less Painful
Posted: September 2, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple Maps, BMW iVentures, Google Maps, Parking, Stephen Colbert, Waze, ZIRX Leave a commentYou may use Google Maps or the vastly improved Apple Maps to get around…OR, you may be into Google’s Waze app, with it’s heavily crowd sourced information and whimsical emoji. Now, bgr.com reports they’ve added to Waze’s selection of celebrity guests. A NFL player and Neil Patrick Harris have been included, but the real ‘get’ is Stephen Colbert, who was quoted as saying “For years, I navigated the roadways using a compass, a sextant and the guidance offered by the stars, but now I can just listen to my own dulcet tones instructing me on Waze.” And you just heard that in your head in his voice, not mine!
The other help for drivers…particularly in parking deficient places like San Francisco…is from on-demand parking startup ZIRX. According to techcrunch.com, BWM i Ventures has signed on as a strategic investor. The car maker may be looking to integrate the service right into the dash of their cars, particularly electric ones…which may have a more limited range, and can’t circle around forever trying to find that parking spot. ZIRX customers can also get help finding car washes, oil changes, and gas stations. The plan to add finding smog checks, tire pressure checks, and tire changes soon. ZIRX is presently in San Francisco, San Diego, LA, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and New York.
Apple Eyes Jumping into Producing Original Programming
Posted: September 1, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Apple, Lyft, Netflix, Original programming, Sharing economy, Top Gear, TV, Uber, Unions Leave a commentAs they showed when they came out with the iPod years ago, somewhat late to the mp3 player party, only to dominate that category, and later did with smartphones, Apple is eyeing getting into producing original programming. According to bgr.com, the Cupertino colossus has held early talks with Hollywood execs. It’s not known if they are looking to do TV series, movies, or both. What is known is that they’d be muscling in on the likes of Netflix and Amazon. Apparently, Apple bid on picking up the ‘Top Gear’ stars when they left BBC, but Amazon won the day, and Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richarad Hammond will be doing an automotive show for them. Some speculate at this point that Apple may build its own content capabilities, or even buy a studio outright.
Lately, radio commercials have been promoting Uber, and have featured people who drive for them singing the virtues of the flexible working conditions offered by being a contractor. A report in geekwire.com may point to why. A Seattle council member has introduced legislation that would let Uber, Lyft, and cab drivers unionize….gasp! That thought alone has sent chills through the so-called ‘sharing economy.’ The plan would allow drivers taking part in a minimum of trips to join a driver representative organization, and negotiate to make the $15 an hour Seattle minimum wage, plus other benefits.
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