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Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger" (2003)

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Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger" (2003)

#11

Post by colanderman »

Camillo wrote: post #4

I would say that ultimately the Segway was a failure, but that perception is partially affected by the hyperbolic hype that preceded it. I wonder what its own inventors think. How popular did they expect it to get? How did they expect people to use it? How did they not foresee the backlash to its incredible dorkiness? Would a smaller, handle-less form factor (like the Chinese clones now known as "hoverboards") have b…

Riding a Segway telegraphs either "I am fit enough to balance standing on a moving platform, yet rich enough to drop several grand on a vehicle whose only benefit over a bicycle is not having to move my legs," or "I have respiratory issues." At least today's so-called "hoverboards" and electric skateboards are an order of magnitude more affordable (and transportable).

I wonder if an inexpensive automated rental model (à la HubWay or other bicycle sharing systems) could have been successful in negating the "rich douche" image by eliminating the price barrier. As it was, the multi-grand price tag and overall impracticality screamed "entitled".

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger" (2003)

#12

Post by bagels »

Camillo wrote: post #4

I would say that ultimately the Segway was a failure, but that perception is partially affected by the hyperbolic hype that preceded it. I wonder what its own inventors think. How popular did they expect it to get? How did they expect people to use it? How did they not foresee the backlash to its incredible dorkiness? Would a smaller, handle-less form factor (like the Chinese clones now known as "hoverboards") have b…

Segway will always be tainted for me by the hyperbole that surrounded its launch.

"Steve Jobs, Apple's co-founder, predicted that in future cities would be designed around the device"

This was said before any of us knew what 'Ginger' was due to the secrecy surrounding it and its marketing hype.

In this context, it is a failure. I've barely ever even seen one of the things in the wild, and certainly haven't seen any cities redesigned for the Segway.

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger" (2003)

#13

Post by nahnh »

mjfl wrote: post #3

A (feeble) plug for my hometown, Manchester NH (where Dean Kamen is currently located): I just visited the Millyards and they have apartments there that would cost $3500/month in Boston (more in SF) for $1400/month, Dean just pledged $300 million to biotech startups right there. Not much nightlife but not many distractions either, and they've put these beautiful restaurants in the old mills. It's about the same dista…

It'd be very difficult to live in a place that is 85% white though, which unfortunately is diverse for New Hampshire.

I think Jobs was right, you'd have a tough time convincing great talent to locate themselves there. Cost of living certainly is a factor, but it's only one of many.

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger" (2003)

#14

Post by mdonahoe »

mastazi wrote: post #10

> "Its shape is not innovative, it's not elegant, it doesn't feel anthropomorphic," said Jobs, ticking off three of his design mantras. I was wondering what exactly did Jobs mean when he said that the design was not "anthropomorphic". I mean, the shape of an iPhone does look very different from that of a human figure. EDIT: perhaps he meant that it wasn't ergonomic?

The iPhone is sort of like a face, maybe?

The Segway looks likes farm equipment

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger" (2003)

#15

Post by tunesmith »

mastazi wrote: post #10

> "Its shape is not innovative, it's not elegant, it doesn't feel anthropomorphic," said Jobs, ticking off three of his design mantras. I was wondering what exactly did Jobs mean when he said that the design was not "anthropomorphic". I mean, the shape of an iPhone does look very different from that of a human figure. EDIT: perhaps he meant that it wasn't ergonomic?

I think he used the word more abstractly, like in terms of having a direct human interface to it, like using your finger on the iPhone's touchscreen almost like turning the page of a book, etc. I don't know how that would translate to a Segway, though - maybe something that made motion feel more immediate than just leaning.

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger" (2003)

#16

Post by seanp2k2 »

nahnh wrote: post #13
mjfl wrote: post #3

A (feeble) plug for my hometown, Manchester NH (where Dean Kamen is currently located): I just visited the Millyards and they have apartments there that would cost $3500/month in Boston (more in SF) for $1400/month, Dean just pledged $300 million to biotech startups right there. Not much nightlife but not many distractions either, and they've put these beautiful restaurants in the old mills. It's about the same dista…

It'd be very difficult to live in a place that is 85% white though, which unfortunately is diverse for New Hampshire. I think Jobs was right, you'd have a tough time convincing great talent to locate themselves there. Cost of living certainly is a factor, but it's only one of many.

Yeah, one could live in the middle of Texas for $400/month in a place with low crime...and nothing to do, no infrastructure, and no jobs. Jobs won't come there any time soon, because people don't want to be there, hence the low CoL.

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger" (2003)

#17

Post by seanp2k2 »

colanderman wrote: post #11
Camillo wrote: post #4

I would say that ultimately the Segway was a failure, but that perception is partially affected by the hyperbolic hype that preceded it. I wonder what its own inventors think. How popular did they expect it to get? How did they expect people to use it? How did they not foresee the backlash to its incredible dorkiness? Would a smaller, handle-less form factor (like the Chinese clones now known as "hoverboards") have b…

Riding a Segway telegraphs either "I am fit enough to balance standing on a moving platform, yet rich enough to drop several grand on a vehicle whose only benefit over a bicycle is not having to move my legs," or "I have respiratory issues." At least today's so-called "hoverboards" and electric skateboards are an order of magnitude more affordable (and transportable). I wonder if an inexpensive automated rental model…

Mall cops and airport security also have them now, so that ship has more or less sailed. They still do Segway tours across the country in tourist trap areas. They're a novelty with some limited niche commercial uses.

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger" (2003)

#18

Post by tunesmith »

Camillo wrote: post #4

I would say that ultimately the Segway was a failure, but that perception is partially affected by the hyperbolic hype that preceded it. I wonder what its own inventors think. How popular did they expect it to get? How did they expect people to use it? How did they not foresee the backlash to its incredible dorkiness? Would a smaller, handle-less form factor (like the Chinese clones now known as "hoverboards") have b…

I think the only way it really could have been revolutionary is if it were faster, smaller, lighter, and safer (both for riders and for people around them) at once. Think of something that doesn't measurably increase a human's form factor, slows to human speeds when around walkers but can go much faster otherwise, packs down to be easily carried, etc. Then you'd have the use case where an individual person could take walkways for car-commute distances. But since that wasn't possible, it ended up being a worst-of-many worlds kind of device - too unsafe (for riders) for roads, too unsafe (for pedestrians) for sidewalks, too slow (in practice) for its cost, too expensive for its benefits, too heavy, etc, etc.

Re: Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger" (2003)

#19

Post by seanp2k2 »

xt00 wrote: post #5

Using a Segway on a college campus would be great.. Wish they had convinced campuses to buy them for students. The unveiling was so lame.. People wearing khakis and super lame helmets and going over little bumps and looking so non-cool.. I watched way back when and was like... Uh... No.. First should not have helmets on.. Should have been very attractive people and should have showed how quickly they could get from p…

Some companies in the Bay had them for getting around campus and eventually got rid of them because of too many incidents, so the helmet and small bumps thing was probably for the best. I rode one and it seriously goes faster than I'd be comfortable ditching it. It's also very possible to fling yourself off, tip over, etc. I'm not generally comfortable with a transportation device until I find the limits (so I know where they are), but it was scarier than it should have been. You have to basically trust it not to slam your head into the pavement, but I guess I've just been around dodgy electronics long enough to not be so naive.

Then again, now we have electric longboards, which are like an order of magnitude more dangerous. At least with the longboard, you still have 4 wheels if all the electronics give out. Then again, some of the DIY stuff out there...I would not trust my life to a rPi descending a hill in SF with traffic. The foot brake always works.

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