Hello!
I quite agree. I would love to know what prompted the late gentleman to buy it (The company) from Mr. Kamen. Incidentally nearly all of them in this country were recalled because of problems with software some years ago.
And I actually saw one being used by an older fellow some time earlier. I usually see them being used by the clones who pose as rent a cops in the malls I sometimes visit.
Despite its "gee whiz" aspects, the product had a very high price and was never a market success. Like Buck Rogers, I, too, wonder why anyone would buy the company. It's a tragedy, for certain, but I'm sure the British tabloids will have a heyday with this one.
The Segway was definitely overhyped ("cities will be designed around it") but Dean Kamen was a media genius leading up to its introduction. He even sold the book rights about how it was developed BLIND to the publisher, who had no idea what the product was when the deal was struck. The book is "Code Name Ginger", AKA "Reinventing the Wheel" in paperback. I hope it's a good read, because I just ordered a like-new hardback copy off Amazon for one cent. Plus $3.99 shipping.
That was one of the top 3 memorable marketing hypes in my lifetime. Segway, the 1965 Ford Mustang (they say if you didn't know all about it before you ever saw one, you were in a coma), and Coke's return to its original formula. That last one is still controversial.
Wow I am sorry but how can this not make you laugh at the irony .. I have to ask the obvious . Did he commit suicide the story is not to clear but how could he just drive off the cliff without attempting to stop or swerve?
Was he test drivng the off road unit?? Anyone know more.. A discussion about the technical side of this machine would be very cool to be honest I never followed it at all it just did not intrest me .. The only time I even saw one in real life was a vacation to Hawaii they had them with the scooters for rent I never saw one person ride one the whole 2 weeks even when they ran out of scooters what was suppose to be so great about them they could not tip over or something?
I never really got the Segway...I mean they are kinda cool, but what is the utlity of them? In the Salem mall(New Hampshire) some of the gaurds ride around on them and i am like "Why don't you just walk, You might lose a little weight to"
If you ever worked as oversight in a large construction site or pavilion or air terminal, you find that you are walking 5 or more miles every day. At about 3 miles per hour, that begins to be a huge waste of management's and supervision's time.
Before the Segway, the golf cart or even a bicycle was used. I suppose the 'beauty' in Sega was that gyros could finally be deployed in a 2 wheeled vehicle and make this chariot-like cart possible.
I would love to know what prompted the late gentleman to buy it (The company) from Mr. Kamen.
From what I have read recently he was quite a Segway enthusiast. Being a shrewd business man I'm sure he knew what the rate of sales of these things were and if the the company could be had at a price that gets a return on those sales then why not?.
Anyway, the Segway is a cool toy, so again if the price is right why not?
(I was never convinced the Segway had an actual practical use).
vettezr1:
Did he commit suicide....
There is no reason to think so, he was a successful guy and it seems a lot of that success had come fairly recently.
...the story is not to clear but how could he just drive off the cliff without attempting to stop or swerve?
I've been thinking about this problem.
Imagine you are tooling along on your Segway and you happen to find yourself dangerously close to the edge of a cliff or other sudden drop. What can you do?
You can't stop immediately as likely you are going to tip forward over the cliff.
In order for the Segway to stop you tipping forward it has to drive the wheels forward to regain balance...oops.
If you are even stationary at the edge of the drop if the Segway wants to move away from the drop it has to drive in the direction of the drop to get you moving. Ooops.
All problems with balancing an inverted pendulum.
If you are not agile enough to immediately jump off the thing you can easily get into an unrecoverable situation.
W9GFO
Posts: 4,010
Comments
Hello!
I quite agree. I would love to know what prompted the late gentleman to buy it (The company) from Mr. Kamen. Incidentally nearly all of them in this country were recalled because of problems with software some years ago.
And I actually saw one being used by an older fellow some time earlier. I usually see them being used by the clones who pose as rent a cops in the malls I sometimes visit.
-Phil
That was one of the top 3 memorable marketing hypes in my lifetime. Segway, the 1965 Ford Mustang (they say if you didn't know all about it before you ever saw one, you were in a coma), and Coke's return to its original formula. That last one is still controversial.
Sheesh. That's clearly my gaffe. I'm happy to pull it, and will. That's a good call.
Honestly, I've always thought the Segway device to be funny, and really just linked that.
My earlier comment stands. That's a rough way to go.
Was he test drivng the off road unit?? Anyone know more.. A discussion about the technical side of this machine would be very cool to be honest I never followed it at all it just did not intrest me .. The only time I even saw one in real life was a vacation to Hawaii they had them with the scooters for rent I never saw one person ride one the whole 2 weeks even when they ran out of scooters what was suppose to be so great about them they could not tip over or something?
Please don't set yourself up for further disappointment by expecting more from me, Rich.
Before the Segway, the golf cart or even a bicycle was used. I suppose the 'beauty' in Sega was that gyros could finally be deployed in a 2 wheeled vehicle and make this chariot-like cart possible.
From what I have read recently he was quite a Segway enthusiast. Being a shrewd business man I'm sure he knew what the rate of sales of these things were and if the the company could be had at a price that gets a return on those sales then why not?.
Anyway, the Segway is a cool toy, so again if the price is right why not?
(I was never convinced the Segway had an actual practical use).
vettezr1:
There is no reason to think so, he was a successful guy and it seems a lot of that success had come fairly recently.
I've been thinking about this problem.
Imagine you are tooling along on your Segway and you happen to find yourself dangerously close to the edge of a cliff or other sudden drop. What can you do?
You can't stop immediately as likely you are going to tip forward over the cliff.
In order for the Segway to stop you tipping forward it has to drive the wheels forward to regain balance...oops.
If you are even stationary at the edge of the drop if the Segway wants to move away from the drop it has to drive in the direction of the drop to get you moving. Ooops.
All problems with balancing an inverted pendulum.
If you are not agile enough to immediately jump off the thing you can easily get into an unrecoverable situation.