Though I never really ride taxis, once in awhile I will get the urge to get really drunk over at my friend’s house in downtown San Francisco.  For those occasions, I will resort to calling at least 2 or 3 taxi companies and watch to see which taxi comes first.

Now here’s a website that might change all that calling.  It’s a website called RideCharge that finds your taxis AND you can pay online.

Of course, any site in beta needs a lot of work before they actually work for you as I typed in some random addresses in downtown SF only to find that I need to call the Taxi company.

I am thinking that part of the problem lies in the fact that the RideCharge really needs to partner up with all the cab companies first and set up the system.

UPDATE: Now Luxor Cabs shows up on the system and you can book online.  I will definitely try this route next time I need a cab.

Of course, this will take millions of dollars if you need it working in all metropolitan cities.

Not that I am complaining but I’d like to be able to use this service, if at all possible, in all areas of San Francisco where people do often take taxis.

Anyone can use RideCharge travel software for taxis, sedans, and shuttles. It improves the travel experience, and helps organizations track spending. RideCharge does three things:

1) BOOK online or with a Blackberry: Helps travelers find and book reliable service in unfamiliar cities, online or on a Blackberry / Windows Mobile device. Price comparisons, immediate booking confirmation, an Outlook reminder, and a message to your mobile phone when the car is on the way make using RideCharge very convenient.

2) CHARGE: Let travelers charge rides on a credit card, so they don’t have to carry cash.

3) EXPENSE: Email travelers electronic receipts so they don’t have to collect paper receipts. And, provide travel managers with consolidated reporting.

via mashable

Well, this is a blog about whether Icahn’s new decision will make a better internet for all of us or not.

What is proposing is a serious push for Yahoo (YHOO) and Microsoft (MSFT) to merge, this is great for investors, a serious threat to the internet community.

To Icahn’s letter and his new Nominees, the only concern I have is that MicroHoo will not be so great for us consumers.

Why?

Well, Microsoft has proven itself “useless” with its new Vista operating system. I do not condone “monopolized” technology that does not work well. If Vista proved to be otherwise, I might not think this way but especially after how Microsoft and all its partner PC retailers including Dell, HP, and others have NOT PROVIDED an XP solution to the new computers, this MicroYahoo thing will just kill off Yahoo completely and eventually we are all going to end up using crappy software and web search engine from Microsoft.

On the bright side, Microsoft has done some good things like the TellMe service for blackberry and the World Wide Telecope. They are doing more things to make the internet better but I am just afraid of what’s on the back of their mind.

I won’t even go back to the Netscape Microsoft era but I think Microsoft will do better if they stayed completely away from the search engine market as much as possible. Heck, they have Live search, why do they need to aquire Yahoo?

What I’d rather see than MicroHoo

Personally, I would rather see Google (GOOG) + Yahoo (YHOO), a GooHoo search engine would be more likely better fit for us consumers.

Microsoft is going to pushing its Live products including search, video, IM, and e-mail through partnering with Blackberry.

We did get the early signs couple weeks earlier at the Web2.0 Expo, where Microsoft subsidiary TellMe voice activated service was already using Microsoft’s Live search and maps.

Now, it’s official and I think it’s a good marriage of the two companies. Although Blackberry run proprietary OS, Microsoft does have so much to offer in terms of search and maps.

Did Google miss out?

Heck yeah they did but Google will always develop applications for Blackberry so I don’t see GoogleMaps falling off the Blackberry users hands any time soon.

Microsoft will have to innovate like their TellMe service to get a share of the mobile Blackberry market.  Although I am not a Live service user myself, I am impressed how well the TellMe service runs on my 8830.

Microsoft purports that this deal will enable BlackBerry users “an enhanced level of integration” by employing the benefits of “push” technology as well as online sync to manage both inbox and outbox activities to bring convenient near-real-time communications to a potential user pool of some 250 million existing Live Hotmail users.

As for activity on the Live Messenger side, BlackBerry users will be given the option take part in standard one-on-one chat sessions as well as group discussions, plus additional features like the ability to sent and receive pictures and files right on their handsets.

via mashables

Here’s a cool new service that let’s you converts your voice to twitts. Although Twitter has an SMS built-in and Twitter mobile platforms, this new TwitterFone service might be great for those of you who cannot type fast on your Blackberry or your favorite cellphone device.

The service launched moments ago into private beta. To use it you need to verify your phone number and Twitter account, and TwitterFone will then give you a local phone number to call to leave messages (they support the U.S., UK and Ireland now, adding more). Then, any message you send will be transcribed, and posted to Twitter along with a link to the recording (here’s a test message I left). If the message is longer than 140 characters, just the first part is transcribed, but the entire recording is still available. There is a time limit of 15 seconds on the recording.

via techcrunch