Mobile

Uber's UberX service, which uses hybrid cars and charges customers less for trips than in traditional cars, is getting a boost, the company has announced.

Uber will be partnering with more drivers in San Francisco through its UberX service, according to a company blog post yesterday. The hybrid cars meet California's requirements for driving, as well as Uber's screening tests to ensure they're fit to handle service, the company said.

UberX was unveiled in July as an invite-only service for San Francisco. At that time, the company said that it couldn't offer it to everyone … Read more

Dropbox's app for iPhone and iPad users was updated today with a few handy enhancements.

Version 2.1 of the app now provides a more robust PDF viewer. You can easily jump to any page in the PDF by clicking on a thumbnail of that page. And a search button lets you track down any word or phrase in the file. Swiping your way through the PDF is also quicker and smoother, and you can easily see each page as you pass by it.

You can now sort your files based on modified date, with the latest files popping … Read more

Buzzy calendar and scheduling app Tempo, which made a splashy launch yesterday, is recovering after being overrun by new users.

"We are excited but overwhelmed by the demand," Raj Singh, the founder and CEO of Tempo, wrote in a blog post today.

Shortly after the app went live, Tempo was forced to close down new signups, incensing would-be users and leading to a bevy of negative reviews in the App Store.

Singh now says the company is opening up the service to users in batches, and changing how it lets users access certain features. That includes once again … Read more

The long-awaited update for a Snapchat video-messaging app for Android was available briefly last night.

Snapchat announced last night that it would allow people to download its private beta Android application. However, the application was only made available for a few hours and can no longer be downloaded from the company's site. Those who were able to access the program needed to force their Android handsets to install non-market apps.

Snapchat currently offers an Android and iOS application. However, the program only allows for the sharing of photos. The Snapchat update for Android lets people send video clips to … Read more

Amazon proved No. 1 among consumers shopping for the holidays via their mobile devices, according to a new report from analytics firm ForeSee.

Released today, ForeSee's "Mobile Satisfaction Index: Holiday Retail Edition" awarded Amazon a score of 85 out of 100 based on satisfaction among shoppers who used its mobile retail store.

Apple tied with QVC for second place with a score of 83. After that came NewEgg, Victoria's Secret, Barnes & Noble, Footlocker, HSN, Costco, and Hewlett-Packard to round out the top 10.

The poll specifically focused on the 25 largest U.S. mobile retailers … Read more

Come May, Kindle Fires users can pocket virtual coins to spend on their favorite apps.

Announced today, Amazon Coins is a new type of virtual currency developed by the retail giant. The coins will be used to purchase Kindle Fire games, apps, and in-app items from the Amazon Appstore.

To kick off the currency in May, Amazon will offer shoppers tens of millions of dollars of free Amazon Coins to spend on Kindle Fire apps. The company will also let customers buy more coins directly through their Amazon accounts.

Amazon sees the currency as a boon for developers, as it … Read more

Uber, the on-demand driving service, has temporarily resolved an issue it's been facing with California, the company announced yesterday.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which regulates some driving services in the state, last year issued citations and fines against Internet-based Uber for allegedly operating a "charter-party carrier" service that failed to include insurance coverage and enrollment of its hired drivers in a substance abuse program. CPUC also argued that Uber failed to provide evidence of workers' compensation insurance.

Two other driving services, Lyft and SideCar, were also included in the citation, which fined all three companies $… Read more

RIM is trying to amp up interest in BB10 by beefing up its BlackBerry World store with new music, movies, and TV shows.

BlackBerry users will find a variety of individual songs ranging in price from 99 cents to $1.49. Full albums will cost anywhere from $7.99 to $11.99. You can preview any piece of music to help you decide whether you want to buy it.

People looking for their favorite movies or TV shows will find them available for rental or purchase. The prices are comparable to those at competing app stores, ranging from $2.99 … Read more

Yahoo may not be known as a mobile player, but CEO Marissa Mayer sees partnerships as the key to mobile success.

In her first TV interview since becoming Yahoo CEO, Mayer spoke with Bloomberg TV earlier today at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Over the course of 30 minutes, she talked about Yahoo's mobile strategy, the company's culture, and the future of technology.

A transcript released by Bloomberg to Business Insider caught some of the highlights of the interview, which reportedly attracted a huge crowd in Switzerland.

One of the questions focused on … Read more