New York taxis are about to get smarter, by using tablets for their servicing purposes. Curb Mobility announced over the past week that they’ll be providing the NYC taxis with two types of Android tablets.
The “Dash” models will replace the standard and old school meters and also the digital meters in use right now. Then there’s the “Ryde” model, that will show media content to passengers, usually outdated night time talk shows. Android is the OS of choice on these devices, but nothing of it screams Android or even looks like Android. Of course, with Uber and Lyft growing like crazy, taxis are a rare preference nowadays.
The Dash is a digital meter that replaces the bulkier older system, through a lightweight machine, with a user friendly UI and stuff like multi language support, GPS nav, live traffic info and an emergency/panic button. Fare heatmaps are also available, helping drivers find rides more efficiently. Ryde is a 10 inch slate that shows content and thank God it supports third party apps and platforms.
You’re no longer stuck to the current Taxi TV media platform. Curb has been offering a pilot program with dozens of taxis in the city and the mass rollout starts next month.
