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  • Ginger/IT is a damp squib.

    Well it's here. The invention that was supposed to be as big as the Internet ( or was it bigger?) that would make its inventor Dean Kamen richer than Bill Gates and man of the year.


    It was what a lot of people expected a self-balancing scooter where you move forward and backward by leaning. It appears to be highly sensitive to your movments as described in the article and also pretty energy-efficient.

    The big catch: the average speed is only 8mph so it's not a substitute for even a scooter let alone a car. Kamen talks about people using this for short distances and especially in city centres but I am quite skeptical since it costs 3000 dollars.

    I am sure there will be specialized business applications where it's highly useful and perhaps the technology will be useful in other applications.

    But as big as the Internet? Come on. The actual thing is pitiful compared to the hype: I I guess that was to be expected.

    Oh well. At least we will get a few Roland cracks about the American genius for self-promoting hype.

  • #2
    :roflmao:

    I bet a few people are feeling right nitwits around now
    Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DaveDaDouche
    Read my seldom updated blog where I talk to myself: http://davedadouche.blogspot.com/

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    • #3
      Drudge has been snickering about it since early this evening...
      No, I did not steal that from somebody on Something Awful.

      Comment


      • #4
        Indeed.

        The amazing thing is that some people still refuse to believe this is IT and think that it's some big diversion in preperation for the real release tomorrow.

        See www.theitquestion.com and check out the forums.

        A lot of people were hoping it would fly and they have just fallen flat on the ground.

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        • #5
          Kautilya, et al.:

          Hmm ... the Associated Press article on AOL stated that the scooter could go up to 17 mph. Anyway, it won't sell at all to the general public at $3000. Jesus. A person can buy a decent used vehicle for that kind of money.

          Bring it down to $500 to $1000 and I might look twice.

          CYBERAmazon
          "I may not agree with what you have to say, but I'll die defending your right to say it." — Voltaire

          "Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart." — Confucius

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          • #6
            Of course it could never live up to the hype... however, it is an engineering marvel! A scooter that moves based on your motions, just running on a bit of electricity? Could you imagine what this could lead to? This could really change things in, about 20-30 years.
            “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
            - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

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            • #7
              Cyberamazon,
              There seems to be some confusion about the speed. I read it as the average being 8 and the max being 12 but maybe it can do more. 17 ain't all that much either though it would be much better.

              Imran,
              Sure the technology is very cool and 20-30 years down the line could evolve into something really mind-boggling. But so will a lot of things and in the meantime we just seem to have a very cool toy.

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              • #8
                Of course it is a nice toy.

                But like you said in 20-30 years it could be mind boggling. This is a technology that could change everything. Imagine it being integrated into cars... having just a joystick drive the car, or something. Of course, you'd have to work on that electricity thing .

                And Kaut, it already seems to be faster than a bike... and allows more flexiblity.
                “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
                - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

                Comment


                • #9
                  This is one piece of Internet hype I missed completely. Where the hell did you guys hear about this?
                  12-17-10 Mohamed Bouazizi NEVER FORGET
                  Stadtluft Macht Frei
                  Killing it is the new killing it
                  Ultima Ratio Regum

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                  • #10
                    Kautilya, et al.:

                    The two-wheeled Segway, which looks like a cross between an old rotary lawn mower and a Razor scooter, travels at a top speed of about 17 miles per hour.
                    I suppose we'll have to wait until later today to find out what the true speed of this scooter might be. If it can go 17 mph on level ground, it might not be too bad for folks like me (I live a little more than one mile from work).

                    CYBERAmazon
                    "I may not agree with what you have to say, but I'll die defending your right to say it." — Voltaire

                    "Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart." — Confucius

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by KrazyHorse
                      This is one piece of Internet hype I missed completely. Where the hell did you guys hear about this?
                      Um... all over? Yeah, that sounds right .
                      “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
                      - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        "And Kaut, it already seems to be faster than a bike... and allows more flexiblity."

                        -At 8mph it's only 50% faster than me walking, and I'm willing to bet it doesn't handle The Hill as well as I do, not to mention stairs and being something of a hassle to store while I'm in class or at lunch. While it looks like a cool toy, it's completely useless to me at this point.

                        I wouldn't mind at 17 mph, but there's are a good 300-400 ft. of 10-15% slope ground between me and my classes, and I can walk up it as fast as I walk up level ground (admittedly more tiring, but same stride rate same length of steps, while a wheeled thing would have more trouble).
                        "The purpose of studying economics is not to acquire a set of ready-made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists."
                        -Joan Robinson

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                        • #13
                          damnit, I thought I had the scoop.

                          This thing is going to be revolutionary.

                          Two words...

                          PURCHASE STOCK
                          "Chegitz, still angry about the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991?
                          You provide no source. You PROVIDE NOTHING! And yet you want to destroy capitalism.. you criminal..." - Fez

                          "I was hoping for a Communist utopia that would last forever." - Imran Siddiqui

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by orange
                            PURCHASE STOCK
                            Two words:
                            DOT COM
                            "The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
                            Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by CYBERAmazon
                              Kautilya, et al.:

                              Hmm ... the Associated Press article on AOL stated that the scooter could go up to 17 mph. Anyway, it won't sell at all to the general public at $3000. Jesus. A person can buy a decent used vehicle for that kind of money.

                              Bring it down to $500 to $1000 and I might look twice.

                              CYBERAmazon
                              Think of the first home computers! They cost $5,000 and look at them now, you can get something twice as good as what I'm typing on now for $750.

                              Besides, it will first be an industry sensation, and later move on to become a household item.

                              Think about computers, yet again. And the internet. Same deal.
                              "Chegitz, still angry about the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991?
                              You provide no source. You PROVIDE NOTHING! And yet you want to destroy capitalism.. you criminal..." - Fez

                              "I was hoping for a Communist utopia that would last forever." - Imran Siddiqui

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