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While I agree with your point, did anyone except the inventor and the marketing team think Segway was going to revolutionize anything? I seem to remember all th

by jjeaff 7y ago

While I agree with your point, did anyone except the inventor and the marketing team think Segway was going to revolutionize anything? I seem to remember all the revolution talk coming from Segway people before they had even unveiled the thing. It was just a big hyped secret that would "revolutionize" the world. I remember being extremely underwhelmed when they unveiled it. It seemed like one of those things that had never been invented before, because why would you invent that.

jkestner 7y ago
Definitely not Jobs and Bezos. Jobs said what you say from a different angle—if this thing is revolutionary, why does it look so banal? Bezos pointed out the basic flaw that bedevils personal transportation to this day—will you be allowed to ride it? Guess that's what they mean by 'revolutionary'—you'd have to throw a bunch of established systems out the window to take over. https://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/steve-jobs-and-jeff-bezos-meet-ginger https://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/steve-jobs-and-jeff-bezos-meet...
- disqard 7y ago
  That was a neat article. I had no idea those guys weighed in on the Segway (and gave it a hard pass).
HideousKojima 7y ago
I remember the media regurgitated the marketing for the Segway without questioning it. IIRC it was on the cover of Time or Newsweek, for example
wpietri 7y ago
Many people did think it was revolutionary. "Venture capitalist John Doerr predicted it would reach $1 billion in sales faster than any company in history, and that it could be bigger than the Internet." https://www.wired.com/2015/01/well-didnt-work-segway-technological-marvel-bad-doesnt-make-sense/ https://www.wired.com/2015/01/well-didnt-work-segway-technol... And it wasn't totally insane, for the same basic reasons people think scooters, etc, could revolutionize cities.
- jjeaff 7y ago
  People who think scooters are going to revolutionize cities are equally insane. Reason being, scooters are ubiquitously available at a reasonable price point and have been for a long time. The fact that you can rent one by the minute is going to make marginal differences to most people. If people wanted to use electric scooters to get around the city, everyone would own one already.

by jjeaff 7y ago

jkestner 7y ago

Definitely not Jobs and Bezos. Jobs said what you say from a different angle—if this thing is revolutionary, why does it look so banal? Bezos pointed out the basic flaw that bedevils personal transportation to this day—will you be allowed to ride it? Guess that's what they mean by 'revolutionary'—you'd have to throw a bunch of established systems out the window to take over. https://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/steve-jobs-and-jeff-bezos-meet-ginger https://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/steve-jobs-and-jeff-bezos-meet...

disqard 7y ago
That was a neat article. I had no idea those guys weighed in on the Segway (and gave it a hard pass).

HideousKojima 7y ago

I remember the media regurgitated the marketing for the Segway without questioning it. IIRC it was on the cover of Time or Newsweek, for example

wpietri 7y ago

Many people did think it was revolutionary. "Venture capitalist John Doerr predicted it would reach $1 billion in sales faster than any company in history, and that it could be bigger than the Internet." https://www.wired.com/2015/01/well-didnt-work-segway-technological-marvel-bad-doesnt-make-sense/ https://www.wired.com/2015/01/well-didnt-work-segway-technol... And it wasn't totally insane, for the same basic reasons people think scooters, etc, could revolutionize cities.

jjeaff 7y ago
People who think scooters are going to revolutionize cities are equally insane. Reason being, scooters are ubiquitously available at a reasonable price point and have been for a long time. The fact that you can rent one by the minute is going to make marginal differences to most people. If people wanted to use electric scooters to get around the city, everyone would own one already.