Segway Knock-offs

[JohnBoucher]

I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw this knockoff.

http://outdo.en.alibaba.com/product/50026477/50036131/Clever_scooter/Clever_Scooter/showimg.html

Imitation is NOT a form of flattery

[Dorienne]

...Wow.
I still like Kamen's Segway much more.
*sigh* well, what can ya do?
Evil imitators..

[Joe Matt]

I think that's the Q thingie, only in ugly purple. They showed these off at the 2004 CES, and they got the nick name Fakeway. ;)

It's not even like it's a good copy. I've seen pictures of this thing running, it's not pretty, it dosn't have the power to go up hills (much) and the interface is clumbsy.

[VGMasterShadow]

Evil imitators..

I second that. That...thing looks pretty evil to me. It looks like it's staring into your soul, like it actually has a purpose besides being an evil Segway clone.

[aaronbr28040]

They look cheap and I would be scared to ride one but I do think that they would be funny to see in real life. I followed a link from the site linked to above and found these:
http://www.easthardware.com/model/11/proinfo.asp?pl_id=19110&m_id=3217
These look even cheaper with their crappy seats. Its funny to see how people try to make money off of junk.
-Aaron

[Greg Needel]

Tech tv did a challege in may of last year where they put one of these things against a segway. the outcome: the segway killed it, it can menover just as well but don;t have the power to climb hills or the range that the segway does

[JohnBoucher]

and they got the nick name Fakeway. ;)
I love that name, but does anyone know if Segway can do anything about them.

[Greg Needel]

they are not violating any patents, dean holds.


here they are http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=kamen&FIELD1=IN&co1=AND&TERM2=&FIELD2=&d=PG01

about halfway down the list are all the ones associated with segway but you can tell from the description

[ahecht]

I keep seeing pop-up ads for these, and was wondering how long it would take to show up here.

I also think there may be prior art, as one of the mentors on 190 build the J-way, which looks like a ghetto version of this, for the Houston champtionship. I'll see if I can dig up some pictures.

[tkwetzel]

they are not violating any patents, dean holds.


here they are http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=kamen&FIELD1=IN&co1=AND&TERM2=&FIELD2=&d=PG01

about halfway down the list are all the ones associated with segway but you can tell from the description

A few of those are not Dean's patents. There is also a Yury Kamen and a Melvin Kamen with patents. There may also be a few others, but I did not look at all of them.

Here are Dean's patents (http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&d=PG01&OS=IN%2F%22kamen%2C+dean%22&RS=IN%2Fkamen&TD=93&Srch1=kamen.IN.&StartNum=&Refine=Refine+Search&Query=IN%2F%22kamen%2C+dean%22).

[cmaccoy]

Segway (HT) at Sams Club (http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/main_shopping.jsp?mt=a&n=0&BV_SessionID=_SC_0824489804.1098752150_CS_&BV_EngineID=ccdhadcmlhfkkddcfkfcfkjdgoodfkg.0&coe=0&oidPath=0%3a-23542%3a-30641%3a-39131%3a-39823%3a880106&fid=P23) I didn't want to start a Thread about this, but they are now selling Segways (HT) at Sams Club for $2,488. Segways are deffanatly getting more popular. As far as the look alikes i think they can all be atleast under 300 dollars... otherwise there isn't much point in them..

[Joe Matt]

I didn't want to start a Thread about this, but they are now selling Segways (HT) at Sams Club for $2,488. Segways are deffanatly getting more popular. As far as the look alikes i think they can all be atleast under 300 dollars... otherwise there isn't much point in them..
REALLY!?!?! Wow, that's cheap!

[cmaccoy]

Yeah the price is really dropping. Still not as down as i'd like it but then again it took a lot of research into making them so the price fits them (also their really cool).

[JohnBoucher]

Wow... Sam's Club. 2488 At that price, I imagine they will move quite a few.

And another wow.. At-Home product orientation is available with each purchase of a Segway Human TransporterPlease translate ... DVD or Human??

[the_mayor]

Sigh... It may look cool but it doesn't compare to the real thing... ;)

[Marc P.]

It really can't be compared to a Segway- they are completely different machines. I've seen these floating around on ebay for a good number of months, and the only similarity to the segway they have is the intention of moving people without walking. They don't self balance (they have stability wheels on the back of the platform), they're dirt cheap (I've seen then go for under $500), and far more dangerous than a seg (hit a bump at a decent speed and you'll fly forward). I'll let this (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47351&item=7109546526&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW) auction speak for itself.

[Joe Matt]

Let's look at the auction shall we?



Segway has only 2 wheels that require some learning curve to drive. It is a great high tech computer gyroscope machine and can have zero turning circle. However, over 900 people fell off the Segway injured.


Wonder where they got that number from. Find it funny that they think two small casters on the back is safer than a Segway.

[ahecht]

Segway (HT) at Sams Club (http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/main_shopping.jsp?mt=a&n=0&BV_SessionID=_SC_0824489804.1098752150_CS_&BV_EngineID=ccdhadcmlhfkkddcfkfcfkjdgoodfkg.0&coe=0&oidPath=0%3a-23542%3a-30641%3a-39131%3a-39823%3a880106&fid=P23) I didn't want to start a Thread about this, but they are now selling Segways (HT) at Sams Club for $2,488. Segways are deffanatly getting more popular. As far as the look alikes i think they can all be atleast under 300 dollars... otherwise there isn't much point in them..
Wow, that's half the price of Amazon! Does anyone know if the p133 is the same as the p?

[Roland]

Oh no, heaven forbid the evil inventors steal the All-Seeing All-Knowing Dean's brilliant idea of an obscenely expensive scooter with a twist.

(Yes, I have ridden a segway, yes, it's pretty neat, no, cities won't be built around it, yes, Dean's an egomaniac. That doesn't mean all his ideas are lousy - look at FIRST, for example! I think it's really succeeded in making people more gracious and professional. Look at the replies to this post, for example.)

[Elgin Clock]

REALLY!?!?! Wow, that's cheap!It's the P series that's why it's so cheap. The P Series is the runt of the Segway litter.

As opposed to the I series.. The P is smaller and lightweight.

A good comparison of the two is on page 16 of this: http://origin.www.segway.com/downloads/pdfs/Brochure.pdf


edit: better pics to compare them all are here: http://www.segway.com/connect/photos.html

[ahecht]

It's the P series that's why it's so cheap. The P Series is the runt of the Segway litter.I know it's the P, but the P still goes for $3995 at Amazon (only $500 less than the I).

Also, looking at that link, it seems that Segway has gotten rid of the e series, and replaced it with a rather slick looking "midnight blue" version of the I series.