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Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by _jal on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @02:30PM (#22948672)
Those are toys. Back in the day, Kamen was going on about redesigning cities around them.
Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by vikramkr on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @02:45PM (#22948845)
They're toys that a lot of people use as their primary methods of transport, along with other micro mobility solutions like electric scooters amd good old fashioned bikes. In a way, the future took the path of least resistance and redesigned micromobility around cities instead. And we might still end up redesigning cities around some of those options

The segways itself doesnt make much sense to me though. I dont remember too much about the hype when it was released, but like, I'm still unclear about what it was supposed to be able to do that an electrified scooter or bike couldn't.

Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by mikestew on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @04:14PM (#22949701)
I'm still unclear about what it was supposed to be able to do that an electrified scooter or bike couldn't.

When the Segway was released? It could do this one cool trick: actually exist. Electric bikes and scooters (at least at any sort of scale) were at least ten years off.

There were other factors. Ungodly expensive for what it was, and poor enough range that I questioned whether it could get the six-ish miles from the house to Microsoft's main campus with that WA-520 hill to contend with. Now my Boosted Rev scooter can almost do the 7.5 mile round trip to work, with that same WA-520 hill, and for 1/3rd the price the original Segway was going for.

EDIT: oh, wait a minute, the max speed on the original Segway was like 20kph/12mph, right? Yeah, the Rev would easily make the 15 mile round trip if I were riding it that slowly.

Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by kd5bjo on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @03:11PM (#22949097)
> I'm still unclear about what it was supposed to be able to do that an electrified scooter or bike couldn't.

Segways have much better low-speed handling characteristics than bicycles, which makes them safer to intermix with pedestrians: Travelling at a slow amble speed in a crowded environment is extremely difficult on a bicycle, but no big deal for a Segway (or similar)

Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by mumblemumble on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @06:10PM (#22950746)
The primary fault that causes bikes to mix poorly with pedestrians occurs between the handlebars and the helmet. Bikes are, in fact, super easy to operate in close proximity to and at the same speed as people who are on foot. The trick is to not have it between your legs.
Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by intopieces on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @03:32PM (#22949300)
I know the market is small but the Segway was a fantastic upgrade for some people with limited mobility. A classmate of mine in college (2007 or so) who has cerebral palsy got one and it totally changed her ability to get between classes. More maneuverable than a wheelchair, faster than walking with crutches.
Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by closetohome on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @06:52PM (#22951075)
I finally got to try one around 2002, and I have to say it completely changed my opinion. The price didn't matter, the wacky overhyped introduction didn't matter, self-balancing was such a revolutionary technology that I immediately saw where it was going.

Now I ride a Onewheel.

Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by nsxwolf on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @03:10PM (#22949079)
It let you stand up, and it wouldn't fall over.
Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by chris_wot on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @04:20PM (#22949753)
Unless your last name is Bush.
Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by throwawaybbqed on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @03:32PM (#22949295)
Your comment raised the hair on back. I was a naive student in those days. Kamen's build up to the announcement and some of the posts of people who had tried "it" - they broke my heart and took away some of my innocence. You reminded me of all the hype pre-announcement. I couldn't sleep because of it.

I still respect Kamen but take every pre-announcement I hear with a strong degree of skepticism.

Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by jsight on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @03:27PM (#22949246)
I think tools like this can be much more than toys: https://www.ewheels.com/product/new-gotway-msuper-x-msx-1600...

60 miles of range!

Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by Fricken on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @02:48PM (#22948861)
Urban planners are still all about micrcomobility
Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by nordsieck on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @03:03PM (#22949004)
> Those are toys.

If you're referring to electric unicycles e.g. SoloWheel, they are probably the perfect compliment to mass transit.

Re:Magic Leap reportedly slashes jobs and steps away from co... by wongarsu on Wednesday April 22, 2020 @03:14PM (#22949105)
That may still happen. The trend is very recent and cities aren't redesigned in a day.