Easily digestible tech news... http://www.techdirt.com/ en-us http://www.techdirt.com/images/td-88x31.gifhttp://www.techdirt.com/ Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:37:14 PDT Mike Masnick http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20120815/15565520065/massachusetts-realizes-that-maybe-gps-isnt-too-newfangled-after-all-reverses-order-allows-uber.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20120815/15565520065/massachusetts-realizes-that-maybe-gps-isnt-too-newfangled-after-all-reverses-order-allows-uber.shtml backing down on a bill that would artificially inflate Uber's prices. And now, it's Massachusetts. Yesterday, we noted that the Luddite Council "Sealer of Weights & Measures" had ruled that Uber had to shut down in Boston and Cambridge because of these newfangled "GPS" things (and it didn't even know what GPS stood for).

And... just like that, the "Division of Standards" has issued a "modified hearing decision" on the matter, in which it realizes that perhaps GPS isn't such a crazy, awful, dangerous technology after all. Apparently after re-examining "relevant amendments to Handbook 44 by NIST and NCWM" (National Institute of Standards & Technology and the National Conference on Weights and Measures), they've decided that Uber can continue to operate, granted "provisional" approval, which is "pending the outcome of the NIST study and/or the establishment of any standards for the use of such systems."

In other words, crisis averted for now, but wouldn't it be better for local regulatory agencies to think these things through a bit more in the future rather than defaulting to banning any new and innovative offerings?

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]]> uber-onward http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20120815/15565520065 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:40:00 PDT Mike Masnick http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090825/0453005994.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090825/0453005994.shtml upset about free competition. Some smart business folks had setup local transportation options, that subsisted on advertising and tips, rather than fares, and thus were able to avoid having to buy a (sold out) taxi cab license. But, of course, the existing cabbies freaked out and complained, and convinced the city council to declare that the free cabs had to buy licenses as well... while conveniently noting that none are available. Basically, the cab drivers got the city council to drive this competition out of town.

But, now there's a bit of a twist. A bunch of folks have sent in the news that one of the guys who pushed the city council the hardest has now suddenly set up his own free shuttle offering in place of the competition that was run out of town. He makes no qualms about the fact that he's copying the idea of the shuttles he just knocked out of business, saying they had a good idea -- he just didn't like the fact that they didn't have to buy a taxi license. Neat trick, huh? Get the government to drive your competitors out of town, and then copy their best ideas.

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]]> regulatory-capture http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20090825/0453005994 Wed, 5 Aug 2009 21:50:00 PDT Mike Masnick http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090804/0146015764.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090804/0146015764.shtml successful taxi cab operators offering free service in Tampa, Florida (pissing off existing cab companies), and it appears that the idea is spreading somewhat. Matt Cruse alerts us to a story in Essex, Vermont, involving a guy offering "pay what you want" taxi rides, and finding that people are always willing to pay a reasonable rate. Now, I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of "pay what you want" models, which seem more like give it away and pray, rather than having a real business model worked out (which makes me wonder if it's sustainable long term). But, in the meantime, it's certainly yet another example that "free," can be a useful tool as a part of a business model.

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