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Gadgets New Segway Scooters Launched
Brandon Hill (Blog) - August 14, 2006 10:33 AM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 67 comment(s) - last by GNStudios.. on Aug 16 at 4:13 AM
The Segway gets a makeover

Segway is ushering in a new age in personal transportation today. The machine that was once billed to revolutionize the way we travel from place to place was expected to sell between 50,000 to 100,000 units per year -- total sales of Segway HT have instead totaled in the tens of thousands since it first went on sale in 2003. Despite lower the originally forecasted sales of the original device, the company says that its revenues have been increasing by 50% each year and today launched two new models to its lineup of personal, automatic up-right transporters. The first of the two new models is the i2, which is a simplified version of the first Segway design and the second version, called the x2, is designed for "cross-terrain" or off-payment transporting duties.

The i2 does away with the original's "steer via handlebars" control scheme in favor of "LeanSteer." LeanSteer, as its name implies, allows the rider to lean his or whole body along with the device to turn left or right.  Riders can still proceed forward and backwards by leaning in the appropriate direction. Power comes via Saphion lithium-ion batteries which give the i2 a 24 mile range on a charge (dependent on terrain). The 105 pound device has a top speed of 12.5 MPH and can carry up to 260 pounds.

The other more interesting addition to the Segway family is the x2. This model brings a touch of HUMMER to the lineup with all-terrain tires, heavy duty fenders and revised software programming to allow the device to traverse trails, hilly terrain or beach sand. The x2 also has 1.5" greater ground clearance and an increased track for greater stability. The increased functionality comes at a price as weight increases to 120 pounds and the operational range drops from 24 miles to 12 miles.

Both the i2 and the x2 use a Bluetooth wireless “InfoKey” that monitors, speed, distance traveled and battery life. The InfoKey also incorporates a security system to keep thieves at bay. It remains to be seen whether the new generation will retain the slow selling pace of its forbearer or see a significant boost in popularity. The sales success of the i2 and x2 will be largely depended on pricing and while pricing for the x2 has not yet been announced, the i2 will start at $4,995.

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$4995
By Suomynona on 8/14/2006 11:30:48 AM , Rating: 5
The current entry price for being a douchebag is... $4995. Honestly, who buys these? You can get a lot more entertainment for a lot less money without demonstrating your douchebaggery to the world.




RE: $4995
By bigboxes on 8/14/2006 11:37:13 AM , Rating: 2
LOL

Thanks for the laugh of the day. QFT


RE: $4995
By retrospooty on 8/14/2006 11:40:48 AM , Rating: 2
douchebaggery... Definitely the word of the day, if not the word of the year.


RE: $4995
By jmunjr on 8/14/2006 12:55:53 PM , Rating: 2
Wow, if I had a choice of being a douchebag or ignorant, I think I'd choose ignorant(though ignorance may be a subset of douchebaggery).

There is a market for these, and most are not sold for entertainmain purposes(well not directly). I was hired as an IT admin back in 2001 by some chemical company, but it turned out the owner of that company was the guy who won the Amazon Auction for the "first" one to market and he paid something like $60,000 for it. Anyway, he was so sold on it he started a company to distribute them from Texas, an dI was "forced" to work some of my time in a store in our fancy shopping mall in the Galleria. that was pretty humiliating, but another new coworker embraced the job, kissed the owners read end constantly, and became his darling little b - itch.

Guess what? This kid was a douchebag.

Anyway I do know in Europe there are some tour companies that use Segways to give guided tours. That's a pretty good use for them.

Oh and you guys need to shut yer traps until you have actually ridden one of these. They are kind of neat but not worth the price and really dorky. I was embarrassed to be seen on one, but oh well.


RE: $4995
By KristopherKubicki (blog) on 8/14/2006 6:41:48 PM , Rating: 2
The cops all over Chicago use these, so I guess there is a market.


Chicago PD
By therealnickdanger on 8/15/2006 4:30:39 PM , Rating: 2
I was just going to post that. Back in January I was there for a visit and saw some cops tooling around on what looked like offroad Segways. Even with a "bulk discount", I would be outraged if I were a Illinois taxpayer. Well, n/m, there are plenty of other things to be peeved about in IL. Either way, we all had a good laugh at CPD's expense.


RE: $4995
By ET on 8/15/2006 8:27:44 AM , Rating: 2
There's a tour in San Francisco on these things. No self respecting geek should avoid it.


RE: $4995
By rrsurfer1 on 8/14/2006 11:37:21 AM , Rating: 2
I can see these being used if/when the price drops far below $5G. Seriously, I live in the city and could see myself taking this to work instead of a car IF

1) The price was lower, maybe 2 grand.
2) There was some place to store the thing where I wasn't afraid of it getting stolen. Along the lines of a bike rack but for these.

Both I think are possible in the semi-near future.


RE: $4995
By xsilver on 8/14/2006 11:42:07 AM , Rating: 2
what's wrong with your legs?

if you're worried about storage why not rollerblades or skateboard?

seriously, not enough people with suits on skateboards!


RE: $4995
By rrsurfer1 on 8/14/2006 11:46:41 AM , Rating: 2
12 Mph top speed would not be easy to keep up with, using my legs ;) I work far enough away that it would still be a looong walk. I don't have that kind of time... or I do but it would mean getting up at 5:30 !


RE: $4995
By MrSmurf on 8/14/2006 11:50:09 AM , Rating: 3
Ride a bike if you're so worred about not driving your car. Or does the thought of pumping your legs scare you off?


RE: $4995
By rrsurfer1 on 8/14/2006 12:00:21 PM , Rating: 2
I do ride my bike sometimes. More often recreationally. But this article was concerning the segway, so thats where my comments are directed ;)

Seriously, you guys need to relax a little. We're talking alternative transportation here, not everyone wants to walk/ride a bike at all times. Proven by the amount of traffic we have to deal with. Segways could really largely replace cars in cities if it become cheap enough.


RE: $4995
By xsilver on 8/14/2006 11:56:06 AM , Rating: 2
12mph "top speed"
having not owned one I cant say for sure
but I highly doubt the accuracy of that, down a hill on ice, probably...


and you'd be surprised how fast a light jog actually is. you can probably break 5mph easy.. and also etiqutte using this thing? would you give way to people on the sidewalk or expect people to give way to you? I certainly wouldnt give way to a $5000 shopping cart


RE: $4995
By rrsurfer1 on 8/14/2006 12:01:35 PM , Rating: 2
Yea you can break 5 mph but you'll be a sweaty mess after half an hour or so. I don't want to take a shower when I get to work, nor do I have that choice.


RE: $4995
By psychobriggsy on 8/14/2006 12:08:19 PM , Rating: 2
Isn't a 'light jog' one of the worst things you can do to the joints in your legs?

A brisk but maintainable walk is between 4 and 5 mph anyway. If you're 6 miles from work, that's still between 72 and 90 minutes. With a segway that'd be a feasible 30 minutes. A bike would be the economical and obvious solution however, if the route is bike friendly.

I'm now going to bring back memories of the South Park "IT" episode to cheer my next hour or so at work.


RE: $4995
By leviat on 8/14/2006 12:58:53 PM , Rating: 2
Yeah, I'd like see someone do a light-jog to work for 5 miles in 95+ degree weather. By the time you got to work you would have to take another shower and a change of clothes. I don't have a shower where I work.

Yes this thing is expensive, yes it's a little funny looking, but let's be honest. If people were to use more of these in the cities rather than their own vehicle/cab, it would go a long way to clear up the streets and rush hours messes.


RE: $4995
By alcalde on 8/14/2006 1:37:53 PM , Rating: 4
The choice isn't between a 5K Segway and walking. Fact is, there are other alternative transportation choices out there that blow away the Segway on most all fronts.

I used to live in a place surrounded by bars, restaurants, beach and tourist attractions such that in the summer if you went out on a Friday, your parking spot would be taken until Sunday evening. My solution? I got a Targa LX moped, like the one below:

http://www.hometownusa.com/photoads/photos/21994

The price was around $1500 at that time, new. The top speed under optimal conditions was 30MPH... modifications could increase that. It did not require mixing gas and oil like other 2-strokes, so you could fill up right at the gas station, unlike needing to find a plug to charge a Segway. The MPG was somewhere between 80-100(!). It had a gallon tank plus a small reserve, so the cost to fuel it and the range were both significantly lower than Segway. It had a horn, turn signals front and rear and a headlight for safer and night travel, unlike Segway. There's also the luggage rack in back, to which I'd sometimes strap a milk crate and take it shopping over the weekend to avoid losing my spot. I could carry a few small bags of groceries home this way, which was enough to get by for the weekend, as I was single. You could also add saddle bags and carry more if you wanted. This was also better than the Segway. People (even cops and one former moped dealer) mistook it for a motorcycle or modified dirtbike more than 90% of the time, so there was less of a geek factor than the Segway. You could chain it to a bicycle rack (took it to malls during sales and opening night at the movies and didn't have to hunt for a parking spot!). It's also an automatic, so there's no gear-shifting to learn for those used to automatic transmission - this makes it easy to ride. I can't say which of the two has the shorter learning curve though.


So all in all, a moped (at least this one) gives you the same advantage of having a mechanical means of travel for far distances or hot weather, but beats the Segway on price, range, fuel, refueling availability, speed, carrying capacity, and geekiness.

For not much more (maybe $1800), you could go for one of the many asian-style (non-Vespa) scooters (which I've been thinking about doing):

http://www.scootersus.com/images/DSCF2197.JPG

and get all the advantages of the moped above but with highway legality, 65MPH top speed and greater carrying capacity. Heck there are even 250CC automatic transmission motorcycles and "convertable" scooters with roofs now, for around $3000 or less.

This is why I find it funny that the Segway is so often touted as a transformation of travel... they're a step backward from mopeds and scooters, at a significantly higher cost. Moped, scooter and motorcycle sales are up significantly courtesy of high fuel prices, so hopefully more people will catch on to how great these things are for short/medium distance travel, regardless of the cost of fuel.


RE: $4995
By Lord 666 on 8/14/2006 3:37:59 PM , Rating: 3
Reminds me of the old joke, "Fat girls are like mopeds; their fun to ride until your friend sees you on one."

Mopeds or scooters are even dorkier than the Segway and regulated by DMV. You should see how many get taken away by the NYPD because people don't realize you actually have to get them registered.


RE: $4995
By retrospooty on 8/14/2006 11:43:49 AM , Rating: 2
Try walking, exercise is a very good thing mentally as well as physically. For those that are incapable, a lark (or any other sit down model) would probably be what you need.