April 30, 2009

Keep track of your Segway keys

or your employees may steal it while you are out for coffee and make movies about it

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March 1, 2005

The SUV of Segways...

Well it looks like Segway is not dead yet. First they tempt us with a four wheel bandit (that they never shipped), now they actually ship something cool: Segway | Models and Specifications | Segway XT. The XT is basically a ruggedized Segway with the new LiOn batteries, chrome wheels, and big bouncy monster truck tires. Range is no better than the existing HT (Probably inpart due to the extra 20 pounds), but it looks like fun. I wonder if they will sell an upgrade kit? The price is the same as the old HT as well which they have now discounted. Looks like they are trying the "premium" model strategy to keep price power in addition to a low end model. Interesting....

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January 23, 2005

Spinners for my Segway

Josh Rubin: Cool Hunting: Segway Spinners Ordering now. The only thing interesting out of CES.

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December 9, 2004

Here is the official Segway Concept Centaur video and specs page

Segway | Concept Centaur. They are calling it a concept which means it won't be in production any time soon. More importantly, I am waiting for the LiOn batteries next year.


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November 17, 2004

Segway's new monster!

a four wheel downhill monster. Where do I buy??? I love it! Now if the company would only stay around long enough for me to buy.

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October 27, 2004

The world at 10 mph

Thanks to Alex for pointer to American Dream :: Segway across America at 10 MPH. I had heard about these guys and that they were making a movie. Cool site. My Segway is currently broken. I can't boot it. I was told by the local dealer that I have to remove the batteries. That is on the list for this week.

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July 2, 2004

Segway bashing

Apparently some people don't like the segway. Sure it is overengineered and costs a small fortune. But that is why geeks like me love it!

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March 5, 2004

Segway at Pike Place Market Foundation auction

Ok, so I just bought a Segway P series for donation to the Pike Place Market Foundation travel auction. Come by and bid! We can start a Segway polo team...

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January 19, 2004

Segway Clone

A Segway Clone was launched at CES. Not really a clone, because it doesn't have gyroscopes. It has four wheels. Just two big ones and two small ones. It looks like a Segway though and is cheaper. It is a clone in the way that it is a scooter that can get you from point A to point B. But not in the way that it is a true revolution in transportation. Which I still believe the Segway truly is.

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December 2, 2003

Segway has competion coming in Embrio

Bombardier Produits récréatifs / Bombardier Recreational Products has created a comcept vehicle which is basically a one wheeled motorcycle using the gyroscopic principals of the Segway. This one is built for the road though rather than the sidewalk. It goes 35mph! Straight out of Minority Report. Can't wait to get a demo...

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October 13, 2003

Poor man's Segway

Many people have been tracking my experence with my Segway here. A friend found this post: Building a Balancing Scooter It is basically a home-made Segway. It is self-balancing and has electric motors. It runs on a standard controller, tractor wheels, and some wheelchair parts. A couple of the parts were made for the battlebots hobbiest. I love finding tinkerers who do stuff like this. There is no market for this home-made one because it doesn't have even rudimentary safety features (like redundancy) that a commercial product needs, but it sure looks like fun! I bet one of the really cool things you could do with it is make it go as fast as you wanted! Something I am still trying to figure out with my Segway...

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September 24, 2003

Buy my segway wheel

I was doing bunny hops on my segway and popped a tire! You have to buy a whole new wheel assembly from Segway, so I have the old one. Coffee table? <a title="eBay item 3628642101 (Ends Oct-01-03 09:38:55 PDT) - Segway wheel (flat tire)" href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3628642101">eBay item 3628642101 (Ends Oct-01-03 09:38:55 PDT) - Segway wheel (flat tire)</a>

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August 26, 2003

Bush is not a gadget guy

I did notice at the Bush fundraiser Friday that he didn't have any of the normal gadgets associated with power. But I guess at a certain level the LACK of gadgets is the ultimate power. He has "people" to deal with everything including e-mail. <a title="CNN.com - Bush says he's 'not a gadget guy' - Aug. 25, 2003" href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/08/25/techie.president.ap/index.html">CNN.com - Bush says he's 'not a gadget guy' - Aug. 25, 2003</a>

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June 18, 2003

Bush dumps Segway!

<p>I love my Segway. I have never fallen off of it. I tell people it is just like a weeble wobble. Apparently President Bush can break anything. Here he is falling off it! <a title="Yahoo! News - World Photos - Reuters" href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/030612/170/4dnhg.html&e=11">Yahoo! News - World Photos - Reuters</a></p>

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April 21, 2003

Poor man's Segway


check out the Police Chariot... <a href="http://squadfitters.hypermart.net/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=911&Product_Code=PSchariot&Category_Code=01b">Squadfitters Online Store: Police Special Chariot</a>

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April 1, 2003

Segway first impressions

So I got my Seg<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00007EPJ6/martinandalex-20/104-9365267-4530368">way Human Transporter </a>yesterday. I got an e-mail Friday from the company with a tracking number saying the thing had shipped. So I hacked together a script to reload the DHL tracking site with my number every 5 minutes. The package got to Bellevue Monday, but somehow had the wrong address on it so they sent it back to the warehouse. Five calls later and a visit to the warehouse finally yielded a 110 pound box of joy.
When I got it home it was a snap to put together. Just plug together two color coded plugs, insert the handle into the base and plug it into the wall. The manual says to charge for 15 hours to ensure a full charge to the batteries, but of course I couldn't wait. After about 20 minutes I unplugged it and rode it around the house. I had already rode one at the official Segway training and a courtesy ride from <a href="http://www.bookofseg.com/">Phillip</a> the local lucky early delivery winner. I applied for early delivery as well, but told them the first thing I would do was try to hack it, so I guess they didn't like that part.
Stepping on for the first time is a real thrill. It is deceptively easy (as advertised). Just like stepping onto a stool or ladder. It is a little weird for the first 1/10 second to have something under you trying to balance, but your body naturally adjusts. Especially if you do any balance sports like surfing or snowboarding or wakeboarding (I do them all).

My first ride was just around the house. In the first five minutes I ran into a door going too fast, but didn't hurt myself or the Segway. It takes a couple of tries to stop quickly from a fast run. But it is actually very natural. You just kinda sit down and pull back on the handle bars. I was able to maneuver around all the furniture, over the rug, into the bathroom with ease. With only about half an hour of sun left I was dying to take it outside and try it on the streets. The first challenge was to get it down the 20 stairs from my apartment to the street. The Segway has a power assist mode that lets you crawl it slowly up and down obstacles like stairs. In power assist mode, you turn the handle to go forward or backward. I tried two strategies going down the stairs. First time I turned the handle to give some power assist down each stair and stopped on the one below, then took a step down myself, gave another turn, step, etc down the stairs. That worked fine, but was a little herky jerky since each turn was of different length and intensity meaning the power assist level varied. It took a couple stairs to get it right. In the middle of the stairs I tried to see if I could apply a constant amount of power assist and just walk down the stairs with the segway decending at a constant rate. That actually worked much better and felt smoother.

Once outside, the big question I had was how obstacles would be handled. Going up and down curb cuts. Uneven pavement. Other pedistrians. There is no suspension on the Segway, so all jolts and jars are telegraphed directly to your arms. You need to hold onto the unit with both hands at all times. For someone who usually walks holding a latte, that is an issue. And maybe a bigger issue for Segway in the Seattle market overall. My strategy was to approach all these obstacles slowly. That seemed to work. It was especially easy since the thing stops so quickly and starts so quickly, it didn't seem like an inconvenience to slow down for things. So I motored up to the store to get some icecream for desert. I went right up the handicap ramp and into the store back to the icecream isle. The clerks looked funny at me, but didn't say anything. I picked out the icecream and went up the the cash register all the while on the Segway. It worked great, and was in total control. Your footprint while on the unit is no more than walking, so it is not an imposition. The clerk asked what it was and I told her, paid her and was on my way. Just great. Next I went up the cobble stone street in the <a href="http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/">Pike Place Market</a> to get some money from the bank machine. The cobble stones are rough and uneven, but the Segway just rode over them fine. I had to hold on because the thing was jerking around, but not uncomfortably and no more than riding a bike over it. I rode up to the cash machine and took out some money, all without getting off the Segway.

Riding home lots of people waved and honked. Lots of fun. Today has been in the office leting everyone ride it. With literally 15 seconds of instruction everyone was able to ride it. Only<a href="http://www.tongfamily.com/"> Rich </a>ran into a cube! It automatically adjusted to the weight and height of everyone in the office.

More to come

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