Tech lift to productivity overlooked? The Fed doesn't think so

San Francisco

STEVE Gutmann used to have a basement that he never used. His Honda Civic sat idle in front of his Portland, Oregon house.

Now strangers use Getaround.com to book Mr Gutmann's US$6-an-hour car for errands and travellers stay in his newly refurbished basement apartment, listed at US$115 a night on AirBnb. Mr Gutmann and a business partner are developing a new app that lets people get more use out of their possessions.