Uber's New Service Will Let You Travel Like a Local
If TripAdvisor met Yelp, that would be Uber Local, a new product the taxi hailing company is working on.
“We use real-time data of our trips, obviously in an aggregate way, to show the hot spots to show where most Ubers are dropping people off,” Alex Otrezov, Uber’s head of search and examination, told Cheddar in a recent interview. “Whether points of interests, or restaurants, whatever it may be, we want to make sure that we share that data with our users.”
The executive unveiled the product at eTail West 2018 on Tuesday. Uber Local’s technology would allow it to predict social trends based on time and seasons and personalize the data for each user.
Otrezov said Uber is pushing its real-time technology business model further in developing this personalized operating system. He says that Uber Local aims both to make traveling easier and to enhance the local experience.
“The way we move more into personalization is kind of knowing whether there’s a specific event going on and creating auto-generating ads for that audience,” he said. “And really moving into that space where we can actually tell them, ‘Hey, are you looking to go to Coachella?... Take an Uber.’”
A Senate bill unveiled on Wednesday looks to tackleonline safety for children by regulating Big Tech and social media platforms to deter users from content that can harm their mental health. Irene Ly, a policy counsel for the age-based ratings and review organization Common Sense Media, joined Cheddar News to break down the potential of the Kids Online Safety Act. "We can't be imposing such a big burden on parents to be doing it all on theirselves," Ly said. "I think you also have to keep in mind that parents often didn't grow up with social media, so they don't understand what it's like to be addicted to social media or really understand how they work."
While many still remain skeptical about the metaverse, big tech firms and even one big bank are ready to expand their virtual worlds. Facebook parent company has pivoted so hard it will now call its employees 'Metamates,' and even JPMorgan Chase has created its own digital lounge on one virtual platform. While the sector remains young, there seems to be significant investment opportunity, especially with companies like Nvidia. Adam Johnson, a portfolio strategist at Adviser Investments, joins Closing Bell to discuss which companies could win in this space, consumer appetite, and more.
Marc Blinder, Co-Founder and CEO of Aikon, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he discusses how his company is helping businesses use blockchain applications without needing to learn the intricacies of the new technology.
Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have introduced a new bill to afford greater protection to minors on social media. The genesis of the Kids Online Safety Act came from a Facebook whistleblower case exposing the harm apps can have on the mental health of young girls.
Ride share competitors Uber and Lyft both posted their fourth quarter earnings days apart from each other. Both companies have been trying to get back on their feet after taking some pandemic-related hits, but the Omicron variant had other ideas as the year came to a close, with each company taking a hit in ridership in December. Lance Ippolito, head trader at The Future of Wealth explains how Uber and Lyft measured up this earnings period and why Uber may still have an edge over the competition.
