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Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger"

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Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger"

#11

Post by davi »

nzmsv wrote: post #8
teye wrote: post #4

Awesome to read a detailed account of instant-on insight and tough questions from two giants. Steve's intolerance of business as usual is particularly inspiring.

Really? I can't believe they missed the obvious: "You have a product so revolutionary, you'll have no problem selling it. The question is, are people going to be allowed to use it?" That's Segway's problem right there. Just because something is revolutionary, doesn't mean it will sell. These business giants made the exact same mistake we all make - assume other people will get as excited as we are.

They didn't miss the obvious. I think in your quote they're talking about legal obstacles to widespread adoption. Then the next paragraph, Jobs and Bezos make your point:

Jobs said he lived seven minutes from a grocery and wasn't sure he would use Ginger to get there. Bezos agreed.

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger"

#12

Post by marknutter »

I don't want to sound cocky, but I could have saved Dean a lot of grief and time if I had the chance before he launched the segway. The reason the segway failed is because people look like fucking dorks when they ride them. I'm surprised Jobs didn't make that remark (maybe thats what he meant when he was criticizing the design).

When they revealed it on the Today show they had people riding around on them with bike helmets, sweater vests, and bowties. I've ridden one, mind you, and it is an incredible machine.. but I wouldn't be caught dead riding one of those things in public. There's a reason Jobe rides one in Arrested Development.

For all Dean's smarts, it was his inability to connect with the every day person that caused the flop. Never underestimate the power of cool.

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger"

#13

Post by InclinedPlane »

qq66 wrote: post #5
philwelch wrote: post #3

"Not a good reason, in Jobs's view, because the code could easily be reverse-engineered. No it couldn't, said Tim. Could, said Jobs." I don't know where Jobs gets his instincts about this stuff, but he was totally right: http://tlb.org/scooter.html

I don't see any evidence that this is a "reverse engineering" of a Segway - it seems to be more of a "re-engineering" from scratch.

Is there a practical difference?

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger"

#14

Post by CamperBob »

marknutter wrote: post #12

I don't want to sound cocky, but I could have saved Dean a lot of grief and time if I had the chance before he launched the segway. The reason the segway failed is because people look like fucking dorks when they ride them. I'm surprised Jobs didn't make that remark (maybe thats what he meant when he was criticizing the design). When they revealed it on the Today show they had people riding around on them with bike h…

The reason the segway failed is because people look like fucking dorks when they ride them.

Congratulations, you just killed the bicycle!

It's more than just looking like a dork... it's the image of laziness that you get from riding a Segway. The thing is useless for travelling anywhere you couldn't otherwise walk. It's fine in limited situations where one would have to walk a beat all day, or travel around a large factory floor, but most of us will never have to do that.

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger"

#15

Post by JabavuAdams »

marknutter wrote: post #12

I don't want to sound cocky, but I could have saved Dean a lot of grief and time if I had the chance before he launched the segway. The reason the segway failed is because people look like fucking dorks when they ride them. I'm surprised Jobs didn't make that remark (maybe thats what he meant when he was criticizing the design). When they revealed it on the Today show they had people riding around on them with bike h…

The Segway needs a seat -- the whole idea is wrong.

The cool kids slouch or lounge, because they're at ease (or faking it).

... or instead of feet side-by-side you go for one foot ahead, one back like a skater.

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger"

#18

Post by tlrobinson »

philwelch wrote: post #3

"Not a good reason, in Jobs's view, because the code could easily be reverse-engineered. No it couldn't, said Tim. Could, said Jobs." I don't know where Jobs gets his instincts about this stuff, but he was totally right: http://tlb.org/scooter.html

And again:

"We have a few things they can't get," said Dean. "Specialty components with only one source."

"They'll figure out a way around that," said Jobs.

"I've spent nine years looking," said Dean, "and I don't think so."

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger"

#19

Post by jordyhoyt »

teye wrote: post #10
nzmsv wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really? I can't believe they missed the obvious: "You have a product so revolutionary, you'll have no problem selling it. The question is, are people going to be allowed to use it?" That's Segway's problem right there. Just because something is revolutionary, doesn't mean it will sell. These business giants made the exact same mistake we all make - assume other people will get as excited as we are.

The obvious? I side with pg. "Too lazy to walk, ya fuckin homo?" http://www.paulgraham.com/segway.html

That's... not exactly a quote, now is it?

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger"

#20

Post by Zev »

jordyhoyt wrote: post #19
teye wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The obvious? I side with pg. "Too lazy to walk, ya fuckin homo?" http://www.paulgraham.com/segway.html

That's... not exactly a quote, now is it?

Its not a quote made by pg, but, it is a quote from his essay. Its a short essay (likely under 400 words), worth reading, if only for the context.
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