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Posts with tag segway

Segway CTO Joins Apple to Build Scary Future

by Christine Whitney, posted Jul 8th 2008 at 9:39AM



We first learned about Segways, those bizarre two-wheeled electric vehicles, the same way we learned about most things -- from our favorite TV show 'Arrested Development.' Originally we thought Segways were a joke intended to poke fun at Will Arnett's Gob Bluth character, but since then have been convinced of the Segway's veracity. We even saw a Segway tour venue outside the art museum in Philadelphia. Like being a tourist isn't embarrassing enough already!

Apple founding father Steve Jobs shares our sentiment about Segways...or so we thought. When he first saw the Segway, Jobs allegedly said succinctly "I think it sucks." But now, Apple's hired Segway's CTO, Doug Field, to be its new VP of product design!

Could the hiring of the sucky product's "driving [heh] force" be a step towards phasing out the aging Jobs? bloggers are wondering. We don't know, but we sure can't wait to see what kind of freak Mac-Segway babies come out of this marriage. [Source: TechCrunchIT]
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Engadget

Segway Sales Hit All Time High, Thanks to High Oil Prices

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 18th 2008 at 9:54AM


We get that rising gas prices are putting folks in a world of hurt, but has it really gotten so bad that we're resorting to losing our dignity riding Segways? According to a recent writeup in 'The Wall Street Journal,' "sales at Segway Inc. have risen to an all-time high," and CEO Jim Norrod fully expects sales this quarter to "jump 50% from a year earlier."

Not surprisingly, many of its new customers are universities and public service divisions that are replacing traditional vehicles with the all-electric scooters, but we still get the impression that individuals are steering clear due to the their remarkably high prices (they start at $5,000) and laughable design. At least, that's what we'll continue to tell ourselves. [Source: The Wall Street Journal]
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Engadget

Amputee Vets Riding On Free Segways, Thanks to Non-Profit Group

by Ryan Block, posted May 12th 2008 at 1:14PMBreaking News

Segway creator Dean Kamen's done a lot of work over the years building technologies for the disabled, which lends a bit of irony to the fact that his most well-known consumer transport, the Segway, is seeing some increased use by veterans.

The non-profit Disability Rights Advocates for Technology (DRAFT) group has snapped up some 150 Segway units over the past few years -- 30 of which just went out last week -- to help amputees get around quicker and further than with your run of the mill wheelchair. Results of the Segs-4-Vets program sound positive, but at $6k a pop the price continues to be prohibitive for wider rollout and donation, even at discount directly from Segway. [Source: CNN]

[Thanks, Laura]
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Two Teens Invent the Electric, Zero-Emissions Unicycle

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Aug 1st 2007 at 2:37PM

Canadian Teens Build Electric Unicycle

Leave it to a couple of Canadian teenagers to take the Segway concept and improve upon it. Two Ontario teens have created the Tango, an odd unicycle-like vehicle that runs on a souped-up electric wheelchair engine.

The vehicle resembles a motorcycle folded in half. Two wheels sit side by side, creating a single (but wide) surface that contacts the ground. The included accelerometer picks up the riders' motions to help steer and balance the device.

The Tango can hit speeds up to 40 miles-per-hour, which is significantly faster than the Segway. Drivers can also ride the new contraption while sitting down, a boon to those who just can't stand.

The Tango is based on a Yamaha motorcycle frame, so mass production shouldn't be too difficult.

And good news for the green crowd: The Tango has a zero-emissions electric motor!

From Engadget

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Crazy Woman Pushes Stroller on Segway

by Terrence O'Brien, posted May 26th 2007 at 12:22AM

Crazy Lady

We have no idea what this woman was thinking. Perhaps this is part of a yet to be aired candid-camera-style comedy show. Maybe she's training the baby to be a future thrill-seeker. Or maybe the simplest explanation is best -- she simply wasn't thinking.

This is hilarious and terribly disturbing. What on earth is this world coming to? Shouldn't this count as reckless endangerment?
The picture's so wack, it even inspired one person to write a poem.

From Crunch Gear and Live Journal

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Attack of the Clones

by Tom Conlon, posted May 20th 2007 at 6:09PM

Attack of the ClonesRad2Go Q Electric Chariot
If you don't think riding a regular Segway already makes you enough of a target for laughs, insults and rocks, you can always man this cheaper knock-off instead: the Rad2Go Q Electric Chariot. Unlike the Segway, which uses a cool gyroscope system to balance you on two wheels, the Rad2Go model has four wheels and no fancy gyroscope. In fact, as far as we can tell, this is simply a regular old scooter that's been rebuilt to look like a Segway. It features a 10-watt motor that putters along at a top speed of 10 MPH for up to 15 miles on a single charge. Segways top out at 12.5 MPH and get 24 miles per charge. They also cost around $4,500, while a Rad2Go can be yours for just $900. In both cases, you must also fork over your dignity.

Spotted at UberReview
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