[mmxiii]

We should look at the bigger picture though, past our subjective preferences.

Lyft/Uber should be exciting from a business perspective to the HN community because it represents a business model that has been uniquely enabled by changes in the landscape. Ten years ago, this business wouldn't work, but the rise of the smartphone, and then GPS implicitly enabled this entire new segment. People, for better or worse, no longer need to be trained taxi drivers to drive people around the city because of smartphone GPS.

The more interesting conversation is about how this trend could have been anticipated.

[rayiner]

You've been able to use a phone to call a cab for a lot longer than 10 years.

[pavel_lishin]

I think mmxiii is saying that the phone+GPS combo has enabled people to become cab drivers, not to summon them. Previously, you'd either have to either be very familiar with geography, or purchase a GPS unit - probably not very expensive, but still an investment for a very part-time job.