Chinese Ninebot Buys US Rival Segway 134
An anonymous reader writes Xiaomi-backed startup Ninebot, a Chinese maker of electric-powered personal transportation products, has acquired U.S. rival Segway – the two-wheeler upright scooter which has become a running joke, synonymous with various comedic appearances (such as in U.S. sitcom Arrested Development and the 2009 comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop), and the death of its owner at the hands of an unfortunate Segway-induced cliff fall. However Gao Lufeng, chief executive, still recognizes the potential of the Segway and has bought the U.S. company for an undisclosed amount. Lufeng confirmed that Ninebot had also secured $80mn in funding from Xiaomi and venture capital firm Sequoia Capital.
"unfortunate" (Score:5, Funny)
Can we keep bias out of the summaries, please?
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Outside of child-molester type people, is there ever a 'fortunate' Segway-induced cliff fall?
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Come on, you don't wish death on extreme web trolls, do you? I may wish for an accident that leaves them unable to type, and/or being out-trolled by a yet worse troll that leaves them crying, but not death.
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Maybe it wasn't an accident. Maybe the Segway itself committed suicide and the death of the guy was simply collateral damage.
Segways are awesome (Score:1)
Take a city tour on a Segway, and you'll never want to do a walking tour again. RIP Segway, hello Seg-ray.
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If you're obese or out of shape, I guess. For the rest of us, a walking tour is good exercise.
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If you only have a short time to see a number of different places spread out over a city a Segway may be a good idea. It can also be done on bikes but a Segway is another option.
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Any technology can be used incorrectly. That is no reason that the technology should be banned. That is like saying forums should be banned because trolls exist.
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That's why I use the all-terrain, off-road model of Segway while in I'm in cities. The powerful motors and oversized wheels makes it easy to just roll over all obstacles.
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If you have places that are spread out over a city, you'll get between them much faster on a bus or in a taxi. Segways are not particularly fast, they just free you from having to walk.
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Segways are not particularly fast,
They are faster than walking and take less physical energy to do it. If what I want to see is a mile away a Segway would be much faster than waiting for a bus and then stopping at every stop in that mile.
they just free you from having to walk.
That is an advantage as one does not tire as fast as when walking. Try to cover 10km in a morning walking. That is easily done on e Segway.
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I am sure you can't do that through the streets of Rome in 90 degree summer weather. That is also jogging most of the way which is not conducive to actually looking at things at your destinations. If you did that in the morning could you do the same in the afternoon? Could you do the same thing days in a row? The Segway would allow one to see many more things without becoming exhausted.
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If morning is 4 hours then that leave only two hour to actually look at the locations. So you spend 1/2 of your time getting between the things you want to see and only 1/2 of the time actually looking at them. What do you do in the afternoon? Can you cover 12 miles a day for several days in a row? If I am spending thousands of dollars on a vacation I want to see as much as possible and a Segway will help that.
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So you spend 1/2 of your time getting between the things you want to see and only 1/2 of the time actually looking at them.
Can't speak for the OP, but I travel I choose from any of the myriad of local transport options. No dork-tron required.
If I am spending thousands of dollars on a vacation I want to see as much as possible and a Segway will help that.
You take a Segway on vacation with you? That must be fun at the airport.
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Good for you. Not everyone is like you. Sometimes vacation timing is constrained by jobs and/or deals. Using a Segway is an alternative to you plan. Just because using a Segway is different from what you might do does not make it wrong.
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Good for you. Not everyone is like you.
Funny. I was thinking the same about you.
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You seem to be arguing that there is no use for a Segway when vacationing unless one is obese or out of shape. I am arguing that it would be useful for some people who are not obese or out of shape. See the difference?
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Ah. I see where you are confused. That's not what I'm arguing at all. I'm saying that walking a couple of miles isn't that big of a deal for most people. And while a Segway may be useful, it's not essential. I may like to use one but I don't need to use one. 6 miles is a reasonable morning walk for most people of even slightly below average fitness.
You started amending your case to add more distance and multiple days, along with summer heat. And sure, those would affect one's desire to use a Segway.
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I'm saying that walking a couple of miles isn't that big of a deal for most people.
Twelve is not a couple.
You started amending your case to add more distance and multiple days,
How many vacations consist of one morning of site seeing? Many vacations are also taken in the summer. I am looking at the general case no just the specific case of a single morning on a nice cool day.
Thing about Rome is that it's a big city with plenty of cabs, buses, scooter rentals, and even car rentals.
Much of this comes from a vist a friend had to Rome. After about 3 days her feet were almost hamburger.
It probably has even more ways of making that 6 mile walk easier. I don't have to choose only between a Segway and walking. I have many choices.
Agreed, and a Segway is one of those choices.
This is not about having to do anything. All I am saying is a Segway is a viable choice for many people. One does not have to be obese or ou
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No dork-tron required.
I never said required but a "dork-tron" is an option.
You take a Segway on vacation with you?
One can also rent them in some cities.
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In your not so humble opinion. Opinions differ.
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How about Rome [romebysegway.com].
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Segways are the mobility scooter for lazy people.
Generally in day-to day life I agree But there are some instances where Segways can be useful. The line between lazy and efficient is an opinion and opinions differ.
By the way, labeling something derogatory is merely admitting that one can not make a valid argument.
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If the heat gets to 90 degrees then you have a much bigger problem on your hands, water is close to the boiling point.
Oh wait, I bet you're one of those people using the idiotic system [theoatmeal.com].
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Look, the segway is a solution for people who are too lazy to walk, or for people who want to try it out as a novelty. There is nothing wrong if want to use a segway, but it isn't a solution to an existing problem. For faster travel, you can take a bike that doesn't need batteries, for getting a tour around a city it might be fun to use an alternative transport system like the segway, just like some people go sit on a yellow banana when they are at a beach, or hire a Vespa to tour around Italy, or, .... But
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Did you really want me to find this [romeonsegway.com]? lol
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I am talking about moving about a city where the objective is to spend time at each location looking around. The time spent walking between location just decreases the time at each location. The other point is that I am not just talking about one morning but morning and afternoon for several days in a row. I am talking about a vacation not a marathon.
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If you use a Segway to do a 10km morning walk then you're not really walking.
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I am not talking about a 10km morning walk. I am taking about doing 10k in a morning as part of a multi-day vacation where walking is only an impediment to seeing what one wants to see.
Re:Segways are awesome (Score:5, Informative)
Walking: 3mph.
Segway: 12mph.
Re:Segways are awesome (Score:4, Insightful)
Perhaps, but I'm getting older and walking becomes ever more uncomfortable as my feet and legs get older. The warranty is expiring on everything and the parts just don't like the pounding. I should probably be a good boy and just "man up" and accept the discomfort for health reasons, but why have modern conveniences if you can't use them?
Discipline Smischipline! And git your Segway off my lawn!
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You'll live longer, healthier, and keep your cognitive abilities longer if you "man up."
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Actually for some of us its the opposite. I have arthritis. I tried for years to "man up", doing more exercise, jogging and walking more. It trashed my joints. It would have been better to take it easy, reduce to doing gentle exercise, talking gentle walks and generally not making things any worse.
It's unfortunate that anything which isn't human powered is now associated with being lazy. Fortunately riding a bike isn't too bad for me most of the time, except when my back is playing up. I'd never use a scoot
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Walking has demonstrable benefits, both for physical and cognitive health. "Man up" when you're 20 might mean getting off the couch and running, but when you're seventy might mean going for a stroll or doing a few reps with a five pound weight.
Some people might have no other choice than to use a scooter - it's not necessarily laziness, but it's certainly not good for you, and people who want to live healthily as long as possible should minimize their use as much as they can.
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If you're having problems walking around, you really should see a doctor. That isn't normal unless you're elderly (80+). Just look at Harrison Ford; he's in his 70s and still in great shape. Not exercising isn't going to help anything.
You might also want to see a podiatrist and make sure your footwear is keeping your legs aligned properly.
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He has to in order to keep his job (unless he lets himself go to play Jabba).
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If you're obese or out of shape, I guess. For the rest of us, a walking tour is good exercise.
Not to mention faster...
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If you're obese or out of shape.
"American"
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Unlike most lazy Americans, I do a fair bit of hiking. I'm sure I wouldn't have any trouble.
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If only there were a two-wheeled vehicle where your legs moved. They could even be used to *power* the device.
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Wasn't quite the revolution ... (Score:5, Interesting)
It was supposed to change the world, but it didn't.
But, I was in a busy downtown once and saw an older gentleman with only one leg riding on a Segway ... I bet for him, the Segway was no joke.
The Revolution hasn't arrived yet (Score:5, Insightful)
This tech is soon going to be coupled with:
a) Robots
b) Self driving 2-wheel vehicles
But here's the more important takeaway from this:
Ninebot stole Segway's technology. Segway sued them and the case went nowhere as Ninebot's profits soared. Then Ninebot bought Segway.
See the business model here?
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They didn't steal Segway's technology, they allegedly infringed some of their patents. The infringement was never proven and examination of the Ninebot hardware suggests that they found work-arounds for them.
Ninebot's genius was to make a product 80% as good but about 20% the cost. Segways were always too expensive and they were relying on no-one else figuring out how to bypass their patents. The principals of operation were well understood before Segway came along; their patents mostly cover the human inte
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It might this time. Chinese manufacturers may find a way to bring the price down enough to make them so common that they lose their stigma and are affordable to a larger audience.
They could even create a commuting revolution by solving the "last mile" problem with public transportation. If you can rent them easily then you don't have to haul them on and off the bus/tram.
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And you keep it from raining, ever. Even if it's possible on nice days, it has to work on every day of the year to be a real alternative for daily commutes.
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What works in southern states may not work in Washington state.
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Californians are capable of learning how to use a real rain coat. It may take us a while, but we'll learn.
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I appreciate your idea, but I don't think it's that good a fit for the Segway.
People that can't walk a mile most likely needs their own assistance tech - a walker, a wheelchair - on the bus or train as well. And people that don't have time to walk a mile or two won't be helped by a thing that barely moves above walking speed. A bicycle rental spot (or free city bikes) would be more helpful and less costly.
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barely moves above walking speed
Hmm.. average walking speed of a human: 3.1 mph. Segway has three speed limits, depending on usage. The lowest speed limit is 6 mph, nearly double the speed of a walking human (I'd call that more than barely), the highest speed limit is 12 mph, nearly 4 times the speed of a walking human. Pretty sure that's much better than a walking human. Sure, it's not Usain Bolt levels of speed (40+ mph.. but only sprinting), but still much better than "barely".
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Put a hungry bear behind him. I bet he could hit 30km/h.
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Says a simpering herniologist.
I guess you've never stopped to ask your where all those limping gazelles the lions actually catch come from originally.
Sure, I can prop up a two tonne beam with my kneecap, once.
Segway-like unicycles (Score:3)
"It might this time. Chinese manufacturers may find a way to bring the price down enough to make them so common that they lose their stigma and are affordable to a larger audience."
They already have. Or maybe they haven't. There's technically nothing standing in the way of building cheaper models or clones. Google for: segway unicycle. You'll get links and photos of devices (seems quite odd calling these things vehicles) that look like a Segway without the handles, or a skateboard where you stand facing str
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I bet for him, the Segway was no joke.
Early on I saw a guy with a cast on his leg using one at an airport, and thought it was a great use.
Now days all I see them used for are segway based city tours or "try a segway" sideshow events at the local state fair.
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Why (Score:5, Informative)
From (the last sentence of) the linked article:
Re: and the death of its owner (Score:2)
According to the article, the person who died was a British multimillionaire who was the head of the company that purchased Segway.
Re: and the death of its owner (Score:5, Funny)
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The Segway was framed.
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Yes, hence why it said the owner of the company not the inventor.
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Yeah, I was wondering if I missed that Kamen had bought the farm on some ill-fated attempt to jump the snake river on a segway. Oh well, one can dream.
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The summary didn't say the inventor of the Segway but the owner of the company.
A Chinese firm bought.. Segway? (Score:2)
I'm not even mad.
Why have 2 wheels when you can have one? (Score:4, Informative)
Here's a video of when I first started learning it. I'm much more comfortable on it now, I can even pull my 2 kids in a wagon while riding it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
I never really understand the comments, particularly on a tech site like this, such as 'why don't you just walk you lazy'... For one thing walking isn't that great of exercise anyway if you are in any kind of shape (ie. not round). Secondly, this thing is twice as fast as walking and effectively doubles your range of parking options etc, and it's actually fun.
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There are other ones that have bluetooth connectivity to your smartphone so yo
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"super magnetic levitation motor"
I wonder what that means.
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Because, as it seems to me, there is more interest in showing others you are "superior" (look at me, I can save a bunch of money and just walk!) rather than think of all the potential benefits/uses of non-standard technology. I say "non-standard" because I have yet to see a post where someone says "Who cares about the computer, I can use an abacus and paper just fine!"
Whether this is a ne
You could say (Score:2)
Company valuation went over a cliff.
Too soon?
Segway tycoon Jimi Heselden cliff plunge (Score:3, Informative)
The multi-millionaire owner of the company that makes Segway motorised scooters has died in a freak accident while riding one of his vehicles.
Jimi Heselden, 62, was found dead in a river after plunging 80 feet over a limestone cliff near his home.
He was riding a rugged country version of the two-wheeled Segway when tragedy struck.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1315518/Segway-tycoon-Jimi-Heselden-dies-cliff-plunge-scooters.html
Lower prices on the way? (Score:3)
Rival? (Score:2)
Can you actually have a business rival for a product no one wants?
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Cinematographers rejoice (Score:3)
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Examples? The only movies anybody cares about are Hollywood movies, Hollywood TV shows, and Youtube commentators. And I can't imagine any of them using a Segway.
It seems to me the difficulty in precise camera control would make the Segway a poor choice for the purpose.
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https://www.google.com/search?... [google.com]
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So, from looking at the first few pages of google results, the only example is Resident Evil: Afterlife? That suggests it's a very uncommon practice...
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They are seeing even more use on large budget Hollywood movies because of 3D; a regular Steadicam is very very difficult to work with if you strap the large 3D cameras to it, so the pros who specialize in Steadicam shots have been using Segway/Steadicam combos, where the weight of the Steadicam is supported by the Segway. It is, in fact, extremely common.
Since you want examples from crappy crass mass-media: Eurovision! https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
That demonstrates the "step-off" maneuver, where the Seg
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so its just all about union busting and taking people's jobs, as usual
You're right. We should absolutely stop people who have smaller budgets from risking their own money to create films, because if they don't have enough cash to hire several union guys to stand around and not operate equipment that isn't useful for the shoot, then they should not be allowed to make films.
OK, so you're trolling. I get it. You don't really think that union buggy whip artisans should still have those jobs even though we don't need thousands of new buggy whips every year. Or DO you think tha
iBot? (Score:2)
Hopefully, they'll be manufacturing iBots, too.
For those who don't know, the technology behind Segway was originally developed for use by the ultimate robotic wheelchair. The last iteration before manufacturing was shut down (iBot 4000) could climb stairs, effortlessly navigate curbs, raise the user to eye-level by going up on 2 wheels a-la-Segway, drop down to 4 wheels for extra stability/traction (like at the beach, in grass, etc). I believe it even had a feature that allowed it to automatically climb ont
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The summary didn't say the inventor of the Segway. It said the owner of the company. If you're going to try to be pedantic at least have an elementary school level of reading comprehension.
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No, it said "the death of its owner", referring to "the two-wheeler upright scooter". The summary starts off referring to Segway as a company, but after a hyphen it refers to an individual scooter.
Further, the article never says who the owner (of Segway or "the two-wheeler upright scooter") is (or was), so your accusation that people are confusing the inventor for the owner is misguided. They may be conflating the two, as many people saw the inventor as the face of he Segway (both the scooter brand and th
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I thought Segway got bought out by a UK guy prior to this?
But the UK doesn't have the most powerful supercomputer and lost their number 1 spot a long time ago....