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Agreed this type of analysis of Uber is hilarious, your example is the best I can think of. Imagine an article from 1997 with detailed charts and data around th

by gfodor 12y ago

Agreed this type of analysis of Uber is hilarious, your example is the best I can think of. Imagine an article from 1997 with detailed charts and data around the book market, and using that to question Amazon's business model. It's almost charmingly short-sighted. All you need to know about this article is the phrases "self driving car" and "autonomous car" appear zero times.

kylebgorman 12y ago
but "driverless car" does, as you would know if you had RTFA.
- MarkPNeyer 12y ago
  the dude totally dismisses driverless cars as something that uber could do 'because it hasn't succeeded yet.' they've already spun up 'on demand' services for ice cream, pedi-cabs, mariachi bands, kittens... multiple times. so it's not like they haven't demonstrated they could start new markets. once driverless cars become common, do you really think people will just have their driverless car sitting at home doing nothing all day? wouldn't it be nice if you could hook your driverless car up to a API that would keep it busy and give you a cut of the revenue? uber could do that. so now imagine a world where cars now generate revenue for the people who own them, without them needing to hire a driver, find customers, or do anything besides pay for occasional repairs. 17 billion is a bargain.
  - FireBeyond 12y ago
    they've already spun up 'on demand' services for ice cream, pedi-cabs, mariachi bands, kittens... multiple times. so it's not like they haven't demonstrated they could start new markets. Now, apparently, gimmick/publicity ‘for a day, in one city’ is “showing you are able to start new markets”? Seriously?
zacharycohn 12y ago
Uhm... why don't you read paragraph 8 one more time.
Spooky23 12y ago
Do VCs have the patience to wait for the availability and legalization of autonomous taxis and transport vehicles? Amazon basically reinvented the Sears catalog for the modern age, it was business mobile known to work.

by gfodor 12y ago

kylebgorman 12y ago

but "driverless car" does, as you would know if you had RTFA.

MarkPNeyer 12y ago
the dude totally dismisses driverless cars as something that uber could do 'because it hasn't succeeded yet.' they've already spun up 'on demand' services for ice cream, pedi-cabs, mariachi bands, kittens... multiple times. so it's not like they haven't demonstrated they could start new markets. once driverless cars become common, do you really think people will just have their driverless car sitting at home doing nothing all day? wouldn't it be nice if you could hook your driverless car up to a API that would keep it busy and give you a cut of the revenue? uber could do that. so now imagine a world where cars now generate revenue for the people who own them, without them needing to hire a driver, find customers, or do anything besides pay for occasional repairs. 17 billion is a bargain.
- FireBeyond 12y ago
  they've already spun up 'on demand' services for ice cream, pedi-cabs, mariachi bands, kittens... multiple times. so it's not like they haven't demonstrated they could start new markets. Now, apparently, gimmick/publicity ‘for a day, in one city’ is “showing you are able to start new markets”? Seriously?

zacharycohn 12y ago

Uhm... why don't you read paragraph 8 one more time.

Spooky23 12y ago

Do VCs have the patience to wait for the availability and legalization of autonomous taxis and transport vehicles? Amazon basically reinvented the Sears catalog for the modern age, it was business mobile known to work.