How big is the ‘sharing’ economy?

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A poll by Time says 44 percent of U.S. adults who are Internet users have participated in it, and 22 percent have offered goods or services.

Details:

  • 22 percent of U.S. adults have participated in ride-sharing (or ride-booking), with 10 percent driving for Uber, Lyft or Sidecar (which is getting out of the business).
  • 19 percent have been involved with services such as Airbnb, with 10 percent opening up their homes to host strangers.
  • 17 percent have participated in the service economy, using platforms such as TaskRabbit, and 11 percent have provided services.
  • 14 percent have participated in the car-sharing economy, using Zipcar and similar services.
  • 11 percent have participated in the food and goods-delivery economy, using Instacart, Caviar or PostMates.

The survey, which polled 3,000 people in late November, also found that 61 percent of the drivers/deliverers/errand-runners are male, 55 percent are members of a racial/ethnic minority, 51 percent are between the ages of 18 and 34, and 41 percent live in an urban area.

Source

Remembering the first ‘Killer App’

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This morning’s Observer column:

Tidying my office the other day, as one does at this time of year, I came upon a shabby, brown, dust-covered, A5 plastic ring binder. It was the kind of thing one throws into a skip without a moment’s hesitation. Except this wasn’t something to throw away, for embossed on the spine of the binder was “VisiCalc”. Inside was a 5.25in floppy disc and a glossy manual. And as I stood there looking at it I had one of those epiphanies that James Joyce was so keen on. I was suddenly transported back to late November 1979. I had bought an Apple II computer on a research grant – the more expensive 32k model, which had an external disk drive. An academic colleague who was on sabbatical at MIT had sent me a postcard saying that he had seen an Apple II running some weird software for business planning that was driving people wild. So I asked him to get me a copy and it arrived via FedEx.

VisiCalc was the world’s first spreadsheet program. It was written by Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston and came from an insight Bricklin had one day while attending Harvard Business School….

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The billionth Uber ride

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This from Uber:

Marvin and Ara just made our day. Their £5 London uberX ride together on Christmas Eve from London Fields, Hackney to Hoxton in Ara’s blue Honda Insight Hybrid was the billionth Uber trip.

One billion. That’s a whole lot of riders and drivers sharing the road, special moments, and celebrations together. Certainly far more than we ever imagined when we got started in San Francisco five and a half years ago.

This holiday season, we’re feeling grateful and festive crossing this milestone as we close out the year. For riding their way into our history books, we’re putting one year’s worth of free rides in rider Marvin’s stocking and our driver-partner Ara will be taking a vacation on us to the Uber city of his choice.

To celebrate the community where this special trip took place, we are also making a donation to Hackney Pirates—a charity serving the neighborhood where the billionth trip started. Hackney Pirates develops the literacy, confidence, and perseverance of young people aged 9-12 across the borough of Hackney, so that they are set up for success both in school and beyond.

Marvin and Ara’s Christmas Eve Uber ride, marking the billionth trip, is a reminder of how travel has the power to create unforgettable moments and connect communities.

Whether it’s crossing a milestone like that or simply sharing a ride with a stranger, each journey leaves behind a unique story. In the same spirit, when planning a trip to a beautiful destination like Hawaii, you can create your own memorable moments by exploring the islands in a way that suits your pace and style.

For those looking to venture out and experience Hawaii from a new perspective, scooter and moped rentals are an ideal choice. Offering great rates for short-term and long-term rentals, these vehicles give travelers the freedom to navigate the islands with ease. Whether you’re cruising along the coastline, exploring hidden gems, or simply enjoying the tropical breeze, renting a scooter or moped offers the perfect combination of convenience and adventure. It’s a fantastic way to connect with the destination while embracing the laid-back vibe of Hawaii, making each moment count.

The concierge economy is up and running.

The myopia of technological determinism

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Farhad Manjoo is one of the most thoughtful tech commentators around. But sometimes even he loses it. For example:

Silicon Valley luminaries are easily mocked as having a precious, narrow take on the world. People in the tech industry can’t see past themselves, critics often charge; they act as if the products they build sit at the center of everything.

But this year, the techies were right: Technology did rule many issues in 2015…

First, to understand the problem, consider the year’s headlines. From terrorism to protests over police abuse, from the scandal at Volkswagen to global tensions over energy and the climate, technology was central to just about every major news story that came across the wire.

Eh? “Just about every major news story that came across the wire”. What has this guy been smoking? Or has he just spent too much time in the Valley’s solipsistic world?

Here’s a few things he seems to have missed: the global refugee crisis; the civil war in Ukraine — and Russia’s role in it; the Eurozone crisis; the French regional elections; the Trump phenomenon; the British general election (and the subsequent election of Jeremy Corbyn); the thaw in US-Cuba relations; the continued rise of ISIS; the Paris massacre…

Apart from ISIS, tech is nowhere to be found in these stories.

I like Mr Manjoo’s stuff. But really he ought to get out more.

The new sun in the tech universe

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This morning’s Observer column:

The Christmas holidays are the time of year when different generations of the family gather around the dinner table. So it’s a perfect opportunity for a spot of tech anthropology. Here’s how to do it.

At some point, insert into the conversation a contemporary topic about which most people have strong opinions but know relatively little. Jeremy Clarkson, say. There will come a moment when someone decides that the only thing to be done to resolve the ensuing factual disputes is to “Google it”. Watch what happens next…

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Dave Winer would like to apologise, on behalf of the United States…

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To the rest of the world…

I would like to apologize for Donald Trump and the selfish, childish, uninformed Americans who support him.

Many Americans are from immigrant families who came here as a sanctuary. In some cases, America saved our lives. Many of us are not Christian, though we tolerate them, even though, as in this case they often act like immature entitled condescending superior brats.

I am sorry you all have to see this. But no one has voted yet. Let’s see how it turns out before we panic.

Scripting.com

Thanks, Dave. But we never held you responsible for him!

Surveillance, long-term effects of

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Interesting post by a former Federal agent:

We all have a “private self” and a “public self.” It’s no secret that we all act and communicate differently when we are alone or in a setting with people with trust. In a free country, the decision to transition from that private self to the public self is largely within the control of the individual. When a free man or woman is home spending time with family he or she inhabits the private self. Typically one transitions to a public self when they grab the car keys and open the front door to head to work. There are things you may do or say while you were acting as that private self that you will no longer do or say at work, in your car, in an email, or on a business conference call.

Now, imagine living in a place where there is no distinction between the private self and the public self. Imagine a place where only the government has the key that unlocks the door between the private self and the public self…