

Introducing the Uber Request Endpoint - xasos
https://devblog.uber.com/take-your-users-for-a-spin/

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philip1209
We spent a weekend contemplating fun uses for the Uber API. Here are a couple
ideas that we abandoned - feel free to use as you wish:

* "Bar roulette" where you would hit a button, an uber would show up, then take you to a random bar sourced from Yelp.

* Last-minute ticket sales to events (e.g. in the hour before they start) that include transportation

* Having bars or clubs offer to drive people there for free and bid based on demographics of the user like an ad - e.g. "We need more people in this age range, of this gender, etc." They would set a bid, and the app would ping people that matched the criteria and offer to drive them there for free if the estimated fare was less than the bid.

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nowarninglabel
That third one reads like something out of a Gibson novel. Might work best
with a pre-defined group of people (e.g., models in an agency) or something
similar.

~~~
toomuchtodo
"like something out of a Gibson novel.", "models in an agency".

While not politically correct, it would be interesting to run an outcall
escort service with this. Throw in an AirBNB API...

Disclaimer: The above is just a thought. I do not condone this use case.

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tomjen3
This is what chatroulette should have turned into.

~~~
toomuchtodo
Or Tinder even.

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NeutronBoy
An app for blind dates. Combines Tinder, Yelp, Uber, and Airbnb, with a pretty
workflow over the top. Call it 'Dial-a-date'.

~~~
pm
Airbnb might be a bit presumptuous.

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akerl_
I worry that they're just going to follow Twitter's lead: build an API, get
developers to work on interesting new ideas, pull in the good ones and the
slowly squeeze out devs by locking up the API.

~~~
danhak
This is completely different. Usage of the API will translate directly to more
rides on the platform and more $$ for Uber. The company will have every
incentive to keep developers happy if apps are increasing ridership.

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habosa
The Uber API is pretty nice to work with. I built a mobile-web surge avoider:
[http://nomoresurge.divshot.io/client/](http://nomoresurge.divshot.io/client/)

If you load that up on your mobile phone you can search for the location
nearest to you with low or no surge, and then deep link into the Uber app to
actually call the car.

Now I can implement requests directly, which is very cool.

~~~
tomblomfield
I'd definitely use this. I've noticed that I can often change location by a
couple of blocks to avoid surge charging

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belzebub
Could a "traffic jam on demand" be built using this? A la Chris Christie?

~~~
r00fus
Sounds like something that would be against the acceptable use policy... and
wouldn't be testable without quickly getting you banned.

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ngoel36
Once the Uber Affiliate Program pays out as a % of revenue (or even some sort
of flat-fee CPA), then I'll be very very interested

~~~
robbyking
Good news!

[https://developer.uber.com/earn/](https://developer.uber.com/earn/)

~~~
ngoel36
This only pays for signing up new users

~~~
nthnclrk
What's stopping someone building an interface that points to signup, validates
that sign-up and then hooks into the endpoint for [insert creative use here]?

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lnanek2
I admit this was my one complaint about their API when it was released, since
it meant I couldn't do thinks like write Uber for Glass. Their branding
document is very detailed and handy to make their buttons look good on mobiles
too, so I liked the quality of their work otherwise. Since they fixed it I'll
have to take a look at doing the hackathon, I guess. Although maybe I'll have
to put it on a watch instead of a Glass since Glass is dead.

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Lordo
Would it be possible to create something that effectively books an Uber for a
later time/date?

An example would be I know I'll need an Uber tomorrow morning at 7AM so rather
than get out my phone at 6:50AM I do it the night before and it just delays
the request until the morning? Perhaps even add in some push notifications or
something to check that you still want to book it and all you have to do is
hit yes/no.

~~~
MengerSponge
This would be great! This is where people still hire cabs in my city--If you
have an early flight, do you trust that there will be an Uber driver
available? Or do you pay a little extra and call a cab service with a
scheduled pickup?

~~~
Lordo
The difficulty is that there's still no guarantee that an Uber would be
available. It'd just take care of the request part. Would need to be some
thinking around what if there's none available in the area etc.

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osirisr
SOME UBER APP IDEAS:

* An app that allows people to search up the products of small local businesses near by, pay for them via mobile, and then have it delivered to them via a trusted Uber driver. Good for small businesses since they wouldn't be able to afford a fleet of cars. Uber delivery will increase business since they will no longer be limited by their location.

* Tinder integration would be perfect. Users can agree upon a location via a google map in the app, and then schedule Uber drivers to pick them both up (option to share ride too). No need for either person to reveal their address to the other. Will make participants feel more safe.

* Vacation package integration. Not sure if this is already being done, but vacation packages can now include a dedicated Uber driver, along with the standard hotel + plane package. Will make vacations even smoother.

* Office lunch app uber integration. An app that lets co-workers pool money together to order lunch from local restaurants, and then have it delivered via Uber. Business for restaurant is increased since they are no longer limited by seating capacity (esp during high volume times - business plaza at 12pm for example).

* This idea is a combination of some of the others. Pizza Hut, Domionos, Chinese restaurants all do delivery... why not all of the other restaurants? Imagine an app that aggregates a bunch of restaurants and allows users to place orders. As the food is being prepared the app calculates all the nearby Uber drivers, the delivery locations, etc. It then finds the most efficient 'load' for a single Uber driver to carry. For example, pickup food from restaurants A B R since the drop off locations are all near to each other. This allows an Uber driver to take food from more than 1 restaurant to more than 1 customer, maximizing the amount of $$ they can make and decreasing cost for the end customer.

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brotchie
Nice, I'll have a look at integrating it into my Android Widget
([https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.factorialp...](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.factorialproducts.uberwidget&hl=en))
so you can order an Uber with one hit from your home screen!

Pity the affiliate program only gives you Uber credits, and not actual cash.

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smackfu
What I thought Uber Request Endpoint was before reading the article:

A box containing a captive iPhone and a credit card reader. When you swipe
your card, they call an Uber to that location. So you can use Uber without a
smartphone or an acocunt.

I still think that would be neat.

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xasos
Not sure if Uber is already working on this, but I would love an Uber app for
Android Wear/Apple watch. Would be pretty convenient to just tap twice and get
a ride.

~~~
ropiku
The Uber Apple Watch app was demoed at the Apple event. Exactly as you say,
you can tap to get a ride at your current location.

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c-slice
Uber Proxy: use uber in cities where it's banned but pay the driver by drawing
an equi-distance route in a city that it's not banned in.

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tomclama
What about a babysitting app of 27k users? Parents are willing to pay a uber
to bring back babysitters.

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jaytaylor
I'm sure this will cost me some of that sweet HN karma, but:

Sweet; Now my automated dating life will really take off!

[http://robrhinehart.com/?p=1005](http://robrhinehart.com/?p=1005)

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6773841](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6773841)

