Too bad it is read-only. :( TechCrunch Disrupt is coming up next month and I would have loved writing an Uber client for Google Glass. Having the user login on a desktop or mobile and then using their oauth credentials on a companion Glass app is all doable. They simply don't have any API for requesting a ride, however, once you have the credentials:
https://developer.uber.com/v1/endpoints/
They have some deep linking APIs to start their apps on Android, iOS, or a mobile web site - but none of those will work on Glass. I suppose, theoretically, I can make the HTTP requests to their mobile site as if I were a browser and a user tapping the right buttons, but that it is a lot more brittle than having an API. It will break any time they change their web site.
Being able to say, "OK, Glass,""Get me a ride" and the car shows up would be exciting. "OK, Glass" "Show me the cost and time estimate to go to the Design Center" is just a boring advertisement. Right now their API just allows boring advertisements, pretty much.
As mentioned in the blog post, that API is built but in whitelist-only mode:
What about requesting a ride? Yes, we’ve implemented that endpoint as well, but because calling it immediately dispatches a real driver in the real world, we’re releasing it in a more controlled fashion, starting with a small set of partners. Stay tuned for more on that, and please let us know if you’re interested in being added to the whitelist.
Agreed it's a shame this is read only - I'd like to build this for Android Wear, among other things.
You could build a companion app, send the HTTP request you mention, which would trigger a push notification to that user's companion app/device, which could then trigger a deep link to the Uber app :)
Hard to completely released the ability to order cars through any app to any person. Although, the API is largely going to be a part of the marketing more than anything else I would assume.
They have some deep linking APIs to start their apps on Android, iOS, or a mobile web site - but none of those will work on Glass. I suppose, theoretically, I can make the HTTP requests to their mobile site as if I were a browser and a user tapping the right buttons, but that it is a lot more brittle than having an API. It will break any time they change their web site.
Being able to say, "OK, Glass,""Get me a ride" and the car shows up would be exciting. "OK, Glass" "Show me the cost and time estimate to go to the Design Center" is just a boring advertisement. Right now their API just allows boring advertisements, pretty much.